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What is track lighting?
The term refers to rail-based systems that offer flexibility and
consistency. Instead of installed recessed lighting or permanent
fixtures, track lighting gives you a single line along which you can
place lights in any configuration. Bunch them together at one end,
space them evenly throughout or create something of a hybrid to
match the art on your walls – it’s your choice. Most systems can be
adjusted quickly with little more than a stepstool and a manual
twist, offering modular and flexible options on a daily basis. You
may even want to switch the lighting scheme as you change the rest
of your room around – a cinch with today’s simple fasteners.
One of the great advantages of track lighting is that the lights can
be controlled individually or en masse. If you want a romantic
ambiance and spot lighting, you can select one or two bulbs and
leave the rest dormant. Conversely you can set a wall into dazzling
brilliance simply by lighting the full array at once – a
breathtaking effect with the proper hanging pieces. Enterprising
homeowners occasionally even swap bulbs out to create something of a
staggered effect, keeping some brighter and the rest at a cooler
burn.
Another convenience about lighting your home in this way is that the
industry is largely standardized at this point. The track itself
offers little more than a ready power source, so if you know the
measurements you should be able to find other fixtures that work
just as well. Look in modern design catalogues and you will discover
some of this industry’s foremost creative minds mixing and matching
track lighting in this way, coupling shapes and materials in unusual
configurations to give the room a deeper texture. Depending on the
occasion, you may even be able to switch for one night only – an
exceptionally flexible way to entertain.
That said, track lighting offers more than simple flexibility. Some
of the most popular designs nowadays make use of halogen spots, the
same silver-backed wedge shapes you see in clothing shops and tech
boutiques. Because halogens offer warmer and brighter light than
their incandescent counterparts, a line of halogens may be able to
liven up a room considerably. Halogens are also perfect for art and
provide a welcome complement to plasma TVs and computer monitors, as
point-sourcing such as this tend to reduce glare. Track lighting
makes halogens far cheaper because you don’t have to install
dedicated wiring first.
Want to save even more money? A growing number of homeowners have
begun using compact fluorescent lightbulbs with track lighting,
taking advantage of the modular design to mix and match with
traditional bulbs. If you have found yourself unhappy with the
quality of light produced by such “green” technologies, marrying
different types of bulb on the same installed track may represent
the perfect compromise between comfort and conservation.
Getting started with track lighting has never been easier. Most home
wars stores offer modular kits that let you begin screwing in the
contacts within a matter of minutes. From there it only takes a
short leap before you can begin installing such tracks end to end
and customizing every component to fit your home’s décor. With
countless colors, shapes and electrical choices at your fingertips,
working with track lighting offers nothing less than total control
over the look and feel of your home. Save the money you would pay an
electrician and opt for gorgeous lighting fixtures – you’ll be glad
you went with such a portable and powerful design option. |
