What To Look Out For When Buying Lights

Spoilt for choice? Sol Luminaire draws from their recent project and shares four shopping tips for new homeowners.

- JOYCE YANG

Downlights, spotlights, track lights-if these terms leave you scratching your head, you're not alone. While we've all heard how lighting can elevate or sabotage our renovation efforts, the terminology can be overwhelming, especially for firsttime homeowners.

That's why we turned to Sol Luminaire's Senior Marketing Executive, Poh Cheng Kit, to share his nuggets of wisdom with beginners. His first tip? Always shop for lights in person.

"Since these purchases will be used daily at home, we definitely recommend visiting the gallery to experience the lights' quality, brightness, and design firsthand," he said, reminding homeowners to keep their floor plan handy so lighting advisors can make personalised recommendations.

To make your visit a fruitful one, let's start with a crash course on light shopping and the often-overlooked considerations.

1 Know the three types of lighting

While ambient lighting serves as the primary source, ensuring your space is well-lit for visibility and movement, task lighting targets specific areas dedicated to activities, providing focused light to reduce eyestrain. For example, under-cabinet lights over countertops are perfect for food preparation, or for whipping up a quick supper without waking the entire family.

To complete the trio, accent lighting adds the finishing touches. "Accent lighting, like spotlights, adds drama by highlighting certain features, artwork, or other decorative elements. To add depth, aesthetic, and function to each space, we advise layering different types of light," said Cheng Kit.

2 Tailor lighting to specific areas