Lighting Fixutres- What's the difference?

Recessed Ceiling Fixtures
Mounting a fixture into, rather than onto the ceiling hides the fixture. The effect is a spot of light coming through a hole in the ceiling. You can choose between recessed fixtures that hold the lamp in a fixed position or units with the lamp mounted in an "eyeball" that swivels. Some fixtures come with reflectors built in (Alzak type) and require an A lamp, either incandescent or halogen. Others have corrugated baffles painted white or black. White baffles direct more light downward but are harsher to look at.

Recessed fixtures generally throw a cone-shaped beam to illuminate a limited area. A single recessed fixture in the center of a room wouldn't light up the whole room, as would a pendant or surface mounted one that delivered light in all directions. Thus, recessed fixtures are best installed in multiples, spaced 24 to 42 inches apart. To determine the best spacing for a particular fixture, get the angle of the beam spread from the manufacturer's specs.

Surface-Mounted Ceiling Fixtures
Mounting the light source on, rather than in, the ceiling enables it to throw light in all directions, an asset when designing ambient lighting. You will get a better effect by using several fixtures located around the edge of a room than a single one in the center of the room. Surface fixtures are shaped as drums, cones, squares and spheres in single or multiple configurations. Choice of lamps ranges between incandescent, halogen and compact fluorescent.

Suspended Fixtures
 By hanging a fixture by a chain from the ceiling, we can bring the light source down into the room for more intimacy, particularly in dining area, There are two types of suspended fixtures, though the distinctions often get blurred. Chandeliers descended from the elaborate assemblies of candles that hung from castle ceilings. Today's versions retain some of the effect with multiple flame-shaped or other mini-bulbs that mimic the light of candles. Pendants are a less formal adaptation of the idea, which hold one or more lamps. You can choose pendants that direct light evenly in all directions, focus it up or down or only down. Wiring the fixture to a dimmer witch enables the diners to adjust the lighting level to suit the mood of the meal.

Track Lights
Lighting fixtures that slide in tracks enable homeowners to add or reposition the fixtures as needed, They offer even greater flexibility because the fixtures swivel and rotate. Because of their adjust ability, track lights can wash walls, illuminate counter tops, or artwork. The tracks mount on the ceiling or, if the ceiling is high enough, hang from legs. Individual lamps insert  into the track and make contact with tow conductors, mounted in parallel inside the track. Lamp housings could be cans, with or without baffles and reflectors, much the same as for recessed fixtures. Similarly, lamp types vary, though many favor lamps with built-in reflectors

Wall-Mounted Fixtures
After the fixtures, cabinets and mirrors are located in the design, kitchen and baths tend to have little free wall area for wall-mounted lighting fixtures. Still there may be area where a wall-mounted fixture makes sense. Sconces are single-bulb fixtures that throw light out, up, down or a combination of these, based on the design on the diffuser lens, baffle or reflector housing. They can mount on the wall surface or be recessed.


Another type of wall-mounted fixture is strip lighting, usually an array of individual lamps mounted into a strip base or a single fluorescent tube with a diffuser lends. Multiple-lamp strips take A, G, or mini lamps. Tube strips take fluorescent lamps of various lengths from 16 to 48 inches. Strip lights are well-suited to baths.