Different Types of Ceiling Lights, Wall Lights and Table Lamps

The variety of lighting fixtures on the market today can be overwhelming. Each type of light casts a particular type of beam that can result in a different lighting effect in a room. Understanding how each light fixture type works will help you determine the best lighting for each area in your office or home. Does this Spark an idea?

Ceiling Fixtures

All ceiling lights provide overhead lighting that shines from the ceiling downward, but some provide additional lighting as well. General ceiling lighting fixtures will cast light outward as well as downward, reflecting off the walls and ceiling to create ambient light. These include chandeliers, which use multiple bulbs and decorative glass or metal to create a lot of ambient light, and all types of flush-mount fixtures, in which one or more light bulbs are covered with a glass or other material globe or shade that is mounted flush against the ceiling, producing a soft but bright light that reaches all corners of the room. Pendant fixtures hang below the ceiling like chandeliers, but generally only have one light bulb that is suspended over a raised area--such as a countertop or table--to provide specific lighting for that area. Recessed ceiling fixtures are set within the ceiling and shine cones of light downward; they do not offer as much general lighting as globes or chandeliers because the inset housing prevents the beam from spreading to the sides. They must be used in multiples or simply for accent lighting. Fluorescent tube lights may also be either inset into ceiling panels or hung below the ceiling from fixtures commonly known as "shop lights."

Wall Fixtures

Sconces are the primary type of light fixture used on walls. These fixtures often direct the light primarily upward or downward against the wall, but may also have clear glass or acrylic panels to let diffused light shine outward. Sconces are most often used as accent lighting for decorative purposes and as functional lighting in narrow areas such as stairways and hallways, where the light does not need to spread far to be effective. Art lighting is another common type of wall fixture, which uses small, directed light units to focus light on a specific space, such as a painting or a small sculpture on a shelf. Reading lights may also be hung on the wall, generally in bedrooms. These lights are often shaded lamps placed on adjustable arms that can swing out over a bed to provide ample reading light and then fold back out of the way when not in use.

Table Lamps

Table lamps come in a broad variety and are often classified by the type of light bulb they use. Halogen desk lamps use small halogen lamps (they are technically not called light bulbs) to produce bright white light for reading and work tasks. These lamps usually have a glass shield over the lamp and can become quite hot. Lamps that use standard tungsten bulbs (and can often use compact fluorescent bulbs as well) come in a variety of styles, such as the classic fabric-shaded table lamp for general or accent lighting. Banker-style lamps have a semicylindrical shaped glass or metal shade that can be adjusted to aim the light across a desk, while reading lamps often have adjustable arms so the user can position the light easily. Accent lamps come in a variety of shapes and styles and are often used purely for decoration rather than adding functional light.