14 Different Types of Ceiling Lights for your Home

Getting your house ready before a house warming party is quite exhausting. There are a million things you need to do — shift the furniture into place, get the entire house cleaned, hang the curtains, place the knick-knacks on the shelves, remove every packing box from sight and shift it into the attic or basement, and the list goes on.

Once you are done decorating the house, the last thing that remains is the lighting. Let us ask you a question: what kind of house lighting do you prefer? Something simple that just goes on or into the wall or something fancy like a chandelier?

Deciding on a lighting fixture can be very confusing because there are so many options to choose from. Want to know about some of the popular ones? Then keep reading for the most popular types of ceilings lights found in homes and in other real estates in general.

Mounted Lights

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Lights that are mounted on the ceiling are usually for big rooms. The fixtures used under this category spread more light and work great in rooms with low ceilings. If you are looking for light fixtures that give off an ambient light, then go for the following:

Utility Lighting

You have probably seen plenty of utility lights in shopping centers and malls. They are slowly becoming obsolete and are now mostly found in public Laundromats. Utility lights are either flushed to the ceiling or are installed in individual casings with LED bulbs. This lighting option is extremely energy-efficient.

Flush Lights

Flush lights have a fixture with a flat base that is attached to the ceiling. The fixtures are available in various sizes from 12″ to 24″.

If you want lighting for a small room like a bathroom, then flush lights are the best option. This light fixture is a safe option because there’s no fear of it falling down.

If your ceiling is 8 feet high, then this fixture will spread light all around evenly. The bigger the room, the bigger the fixture and bright the bulb should be.

Semi-Flush Lights

As the name says, semi-flush lights hang around 4″ to 8″ below from the ceiling. If the ceiling is 10 feet high, the lights will easily cover the distance.

One of the biggest advantages of a semi-flush light fixture is that you can easily and quickly change the bulb. The difference between a flush light and semi-flush light is that the former will direct the light straight down, whereas the latter will direct the light down as well as up the ceiling. This will make the ceiling seem higher and the room larger.

Recessed Lights

Recessed lights are often known as can lights. The fixture of this lighting is mounted inside the ceiling. This lighting option is best for rooms that have a low ceiling.

A glass panel covers the bulb, which diffuses the light. In order to install lighting fixture, the ceiling should have good insulation or humidity will build up inside.

The only drawback of this lighting is that you cannot install two or three of these fixtures and be done with it. The spread of light is quite small and therefore, even a small room requires at least 5 to 6 fixtures. While the lights do make the room look beautiful, the installation process is quite complicated.

LED Indirect Lighting

Add a little magic to normal ceiling lights and you have got yourself LED indirect lighting. This lighting consists of a small or large fixture, which is mounted on the ceiling and then LED light strips are installed around it.

The lighting makes the room appear larger. You can install this lighting on your own. However, LED bulbs are expensive. If you purchase the strips by foot, then you can light up your house under $400.

Hanging Lights

Now lets see some options of lights that are hanging from the ceiling.

Chandelier

If you are looking for a fancy lighting option for the dining room or the drawing room, then a chandelier fits the image perfectly.

It adds pizzazz to the room. Chandeliers come in various styles and designs from classic to royal, chic, elaborate and more. Suffice to say that you will definitely find the one that matches your room’s décor.

Pendant Lights

Pendant lights are mostly used where you need additional lighting because they shine light on a particular area where they are installed. They hang low from the ceiling and go well with flush lights.

Inverted Pendant Light

For subdued lighting in the kitchen, the inverted pendant light fixture works wonders. If you have a small kitchen, this lighting will make the space look bigger since the fixture also directs the light upwards.

Island Lighting

Island lighting fixtures have been specifically created for kitchen islands. They hang quite low from the ceiling and are the center of attention.

Track and Rail Lighting

Track lighting refers to any lighting fixture that is fit on a metal track. This type of lighting features multiple light sources on a single rod, called the track. It is a very versatile form of lighting because almost every aspect of it is customizable.

The track can be attached directly to the ceiling or suspended lower depending on preference. The track itself can also be as long or short as you like. For the lighting fixates themselves, the track can be fitted with a number of different types of lights, including pendant lights or spotlights.

The difference between track and rail lighting is that with rail lighting, the shape of the track can be changed. Rail lighting also gives the option of moving light fixtures. This type of lighting makes the most sense for curved areas or accent lighting.

Glass Ceiling Lights

Glass can be used as a material for modern, traditional, and contemporary home designs, which is why it is such a popular choice for light fixtures. Plus, glass also diffuses light very well, making it ideal for lighting fixture material.

Glass is also a very versatile material. It can be used in a way that it does not stand out and integrates well with the room design, or then it could be used as a statement piece as well; you can find intricately designed glass light fixtures and even colored glass lighting depending on your preference.

Metal Ceiling Lights

Metal lighting fixtures are becoming more and more popular, especially with contemporary and modern home designs.

Metal is usually used for track and rail lighting fixtures, but in more modern designs, metal is also formed into contemporary light casings.

Metal is an adaptable material like glass. It can be used to create elaborate lighting fixtures or clean rods for lights to be attached. The only thing with metal is, unlike glass, it always makes a statement wherever it is installed.

Spotlights

Spotlights can have a huge effect on the design of the room. They provide a completely different look than the light given off by wall-mounted and other ceiling lighting fixtures. Spotlights provide a concentrated and well-defined area of illumination.

These sorts of lights are either fixed into the ceiling or then added to track and rail fixtures for accent lighting.

Spotlights used to commonly be known for their intense power and illumination, but these days spots can be fitted with a number of different LED bulbs.

The LED bulbs can be chosen for color and intensity, making this kind of lighting a lot more versatile than it was once thought to be.

Best Ceiling Lights for Bedroom

Since bedrooms can be designed in so many different ways, there are a lot of different types of ceiling lights that work.

The most commonly seen lighting option for bedrooms is a flush mount since they work so well for lower ceilings. Flush lights also block out any harsh direct light, which is great for above the bed.

Semi-flush mounted lights also work well for that same reason, except they’re better for bedrooms with slightly higher ceilings.

Pendant lights can be used above side tables in the bedroom, especially those with contemporary or modern home designs.

For more elaborately designed and larger bedrooms with high ceilings, smaller chandeliers can be put in for a more opulent look.

Recessed lighting is commonly found in living rooms, but newer designed bedrooms are using the fixtures to provide a more minimalistic and contemporary look.

Best Ceiling Lights for Kitchen

Kitchens need to be well-lit areas in the house, so you will usually find a combination of lighting fixtures there.

Most commonly, flush lights are used in kitchens because they are so low-maintenance and don’t come in the way. They also provide an ample amount of light to the room.

Another popular choice for kitchen lighting is track and rail lights. Track and rail lights provide directed light into certain areas of a room. These fixtures also have multiple points that can be angled at different directions so you can get light to all the parts of the kitchen that need it.

Finally, if kitchens have islands, designers opt for island lighting. This type of lighting has been specifically designed for kitchen islands. They hang low at multiple points bringing attention to the center of the structure.

Best Ceiling Lights for Living Room

Living rooms are usually fitted with multiple sources of light that provide ambient and accent lighting. Living rooms are open for any interpretation of design when it comes to lighting and lighting combinations.

From flush and semi-flush mounts to pendant lights and chandeliers, living room lighting needs all depend on the design of the room. The only unique thing about living room lighting is that it usually relies on a combination of lighting fixture types.

And this brings us to the end of different types of ceiling lights. Every lighting option that we have covered belongs to specific rooms with a low or high ceiling height. So, choose wisely.