Just like a visual artist will experiment with colour, texture and perspective to bring their canvas to life, effective lighting design relies on a number of factors. Lighting needs to be practical, yet it also benefits from playing with different shapes, colours and atmospheres. One of a lighting specialist’s finest tools is the downlight – it’s like a fine paintbrush that can redefine a scene with just a few simple strokes. Today we’re going to take a closer look at downlights, and some of the most effective ways to use them.

1. Create Tranquillity in Your Bathroom

There are few areas of the home that need to be as serene as the bathroom. This is a place of relaxation and rejuvenation, where you can lose yourself in the bubbles of a bath, or the hot stream of a shower. Atmosphere plays a big part in the success of this, as harsh, flooding light sometimes swallow the serenity of the experience.

LED Downlights are perfect here because they’re subtle, focused, and they create atmosphere. Take for example the two lights spread evenly over this bathtub, which draw the focus without drowning out the room. For the shower, placing downlights in the shelves where you house soaps and lotions will create a spread of light rather than one central source.

2. Practicality Meets Perfection

Ambiance is one of the most important things that lighting provides – it helps to construct the character of a space, making subtlety key for comfort. Illumination is also highly practical too, and this example in the bedroom shows that off perfectly. These downlights are spread across closet doors, which not only creates a soft ambiance for the bedroom, it’s also intelligent, providing an instant and direct source of light when searching for that perfect outfit.

3. Accentuate Everything Important

There are some aspects of your home that just need showing off, and recessed LED downlights are perfect for highlighting these things. Take for example family photos, which most homes proudly display. A lot of the time they’re either in darkened hallways or are obscured by harsh light reflecting off the glass in their frame, but with downlights you can show them off under soft, focused illumination. The same can be said for bookshelves, or works of art, both of which benefit from the simple spotlighting that downlights provide – one that highlights their natural features.

If you’re looking for downlights to show off your photos, art, enhance your ambiance or simply create a relaxing space, look no further than LEDified. Call us on 13LEDS for a quote on LED downlights that will look brilliant, and can ultimately pay for themselves.

The post 3 of The Most Effective Ways to Use Downlighting appeared first on Ledified.

From the elegance of an eclectic, dappled effect to the understated beauty of concealed fixtures, lighting can have a powerful effect on how we perceive our homes. Light can punctuate striking design and redefine living spaces, providing a flexibility that interior décor alone simply cannot achieve.

In some areas of our home nature is the perfect designer, and open windows can create unforgettable scenes with ease. For many of us though, high-rise structures and unfortunate positioning can limit access to a lot of steady natural light. Fortunately, electric light has come a long way, both in terms of practicality and design, and with a few thoughtful placements, your lamps and fixtures can reinvent your home.

Enhance Ambiance with Ease

Ambience is more than the atmosphere of your rooms, it presents an opportunity to create a certain quality; a resounding character. For living rooms and bedrooms alike, you can’t go past omnidirectional lighting to create this feeling. Chandeliers and high-ceiling fixtures are perfect, here and efficient, low-wattage lighting will perfectly spread a soft, welcoming light throughout your room.

Invest in Lamps

Lighting is about much more than illumination; it is a source of colour, shade and patterns for your home. An easy way maximise these effects is with lamps. Scattering lamps with different coloured shades and patterned bases throughout your room is a simple way to add a splash of character. Match and contrast your lamps with your décor to find a perfect effect that is only enhanced when you switch the lamps on.

Spotlight Your Best Features

By investing in downlights and wall fixtures you can shine a light onto exotic plants, unique artworks and incredible pieces of furniture. Creating a spotlight effect – that lights your room in spots rather than as a unit – works best when the source of the light is obscured, seemingly coming from nowhere.

A Word on Interior Design

Making the most out of your lamps, downlights and fixtures also means planning your space well. Dark colour – whether on your furniture, your walls or your furnishings – will absorb your light, putting much of your clever design to waste. Consider more light-coloured surfaces to counter this, or at least a mix of light and dark, to help your lighting out.

There are so many ways that lighting can enhance the look and feel of your home. With some quick and easy lighting changes, you can change the whole look of a room or space, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different lighting techniques, brightness levels, or lamps and fixtures.

The post How To Make Your Home Look Great With Effective Lighting appeared first on Ledified.

If there’s a time of year that best represents light, creativity and incredible sights, then it has to be Christmas. Yes, the festive season is an ideal time to create living works of art, by gathering the most dazzling lights around and creating an unforgettable scene. But with so many streets, shopfronts and cities lighting up their world this Christmas season, how can you stand apart. Well to give you some inspiration, here are 4 incredible light showcases – from brilliant to bizarre, they’re all unforgettable.

1. Are You Dreaming of a White Christmas?

Here in Australia, we don’t really get those white Christmas days that we see portrayed throughout the northern hemisphere. At best (or worst), what we get is an unseasonably rainy summers day. With the right lights and a good idea though, you too can create the feeling of a white Christmas.

As lighting has evolved, it has become easier and easier to create brilliant white light, which is perfect for creating a Christmas scene. It might not be as extravagant as this effort from a Canberran, who strung together more than 1,194,380 lights, but with some white LEDs and a bit of creativity you can let it ‘snow’ at your home.

2. An All Australian Christmas

Hopping away from a white Christmas, another fantastic way to celebrate the festive season is to truly embrace the Australian way. All you need is a bit of wire and some fairy lighting to create an Australian scene. Take this scene for example, where Santa’s ute is being pulled along by some eager kangaroos. You really can’t get much more Aussie then that!

3. Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is a central image in festive celebrations, much like our native fauna is central to the Australian spirit. If you’ve got an impressive tree in your front yard, you can create simple but effective displays using light. To embrace the imagery further, you could even hand some star shapes from your tree.

4. The Christmas Volcano?!

Who said you had to follow tradition when celebrating Christmas? In Australia, we like to do things a bit differently, and this brewery in Adelaide certainly got the message. Their Christmas displays have been going for more than 50 years, and their Christmas volcano puts a fantastic twist on the traditional Christmas imagery.

Well, there are some ideas for illuminating your home for the silly season. Why not get creative and get in to the Christmas spirit this year by decking your house with a festive lighting touch.

The post A Christmas Light Showcase appeared first on Ledified.

Electricity is everywhere in the modern day – whether at home, in the office or on an industrial site. With a growing list of appliances and amenities competing for power, it’s no surprise that some people get a shock when they read the electricity bill.

If you’re concerned about the rising electricity costs at your home or work, the energy experts at LEDified have a few simple solutions for you.

1. Make the Switch to LEDs

If you haven’t already done so, then investing in LED lights at your location is a good idea. Not only are LEDs a greener option than incandescent and fluorescent lighting, they’re also more energy efficient. Less energy use means lower electricity bills and significant savings off your bottom line.

Having LEDs fitted doesn’t have to be an expensive up front cost either. LEDs have actually dropped in price by around 85% since 2008. With increasing popularity these trends are set to continue, making now the ideal time to make the switch.

2. Upgrade Your Appliances

Sometimes your inefficiency doesn’t come from how you use your appliances, but the appliances you’re using. Older models are typically far less efficient, and over time appliances like fridges – which are constantly using electricity – can lose their seal and develop other faults that make them work harder and use more power.

When choosing your new appliance, be sure to look for energy rating labels that tell you how they stack up against the competition.

3. Don’t Use it When You’re Not Using it

This might seem like a simple concept, but you can save a lot of money by not using your electricity, especially in commercial environments. At warehouses and offices, consider lighting and appliance automation, like sensors that only switch on when someone is in the room.

4. Smarter Heating and Cooling

Approximately 40% of the energy we use at home is consumed by heating and cooling appliances.  Consider insulation for your ceilings, walls and floors to help your heating and cooling, and look into things like ventilation and even new window furnishings too.

5. Unplug It!

 Appliances account for about 30% of energy use but did you know that they still use energy when switched off at the wall? All you need to do to prevent this is to unplug your toaster, television, microwave, kettle, and more – the list goes on!

To get started with step one of this process, simply call the team at LEDified. Phone 13LEDS and ask us about government incentives and how your lighting can pay for itself. We offer everything you need, from helpful tips to keep you electricity costs low, to expert knowledge on the best products to install in your home or workplace!

The post 5 Ways to Cut Costs on Your Power Bills appeared first on Ledified.