Residential

Lighting Solutions for Residential Projects

Light is the invisible brushstroke that shapes a home's atmosphere. At USAI Lighting, we understand the multifaceted role of residential lighting – from fostering focus and functionality to cultivating warmth and artistic expression. Our comprehensive portfolio of architectural grade LED downlights empowers world-class lighting designers, architects, and specifiers to create a symphony of light that elevates every residential space.

Popular Downlight Options For Residential Spaces

Layers of Light In Residential Spaces

GUIDELINES

Layered lighting is a fundamental concept in interior design that involves strategically combining different types of light sources to create a harmonious and functional space. The three key layers are ambient, task and accent lighting.

Ambient Lighting

This is the layer of light that provides the main backdrop, with general illumination that establishes a base light level for visibility, activities and navigation within a space. This is typically accomplished with recessed downlights. In residential spaces, this may be a low light level in warm tones, or a greater amount of light in whiter light tones, depending on the design concept of the home.

One of the main decisions that impact the ambient lighting layer is the color temperature of the lighting. USAI’s Classic White® LED color options provide a static white light available in a range of color temperatures (2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4000K) that, once chosen, is consistent throughout our product platform. We understand that every homeowner has a unique style and preference. That's why our LED color options are designed to cater to a variety of preferences. Warmer tones (2700K-3000K) create a more traditional, cozy ambiance, while cooler tones (3500K-4000K) are more modern and energizing.

Accent Lighting

With the accent lighting layer, you can highlight specific architectural features, such as furniture, wall textures, and artwork. USAI offers a selection of adjustable spotlights and wall washers that can be strategically placed in your lighting layout for maximum impact. Use high color rendering index (CRI) LED light engines to ensure vibrant color rendering that captures the essence of each piece.

Task Lighting

This layer provides focused illumination to optimize visibility for important work surfaces like counters, cooktops, and desks. For example, lighting under kitchen cabinets or suspended pendants over the kitchen island will increase the light level and brightness in that specific area for prep work, cooking, and cleanup tasks.

From illuminating kitchen countertops to providing focused light for reading nooks, USAI Lighting offers a variety of precisely engineered downlights and pendants in a range of aperture sizes (1", 2", 3", 4", 5", & 6") to perfectly suit the task at hand. Many products are available as a complete family, with fixed downlight, adjustable and wall wash functions for maximum design flexibility. The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recommends light levels between 30-50 footcandles for kitchens and 20-50 footcandles for reading areas (see call outs for recommended light levels for each space). USAI Lighting's fixtures deliver exceptional performance to meet these recommended light levels while ensuring visual comfort.

Balancing Natural and Artificial Light

One of the features of a residential project is that nearly every space has an architectural element such as a window or skylight, providing natural light and a connection to the outdoors. A human-centric design plan will consider the interaction between artificial and natural light to meet the functional, aesthetic, and psychological needs of the residents.

You can install dimmer switches or smart home lighting control systems to adjust light levels based on the time of day and activity to achieve dimming. This way, the interior lighting can mimic the natural cycle of the exterior for a more natural experience. To go further with this concept, install tunable white or Dim-to-Warm lighting. USAI’s Color Select® tunable white LED technology offers a wide range of color temperatures (2200K-6000K) and dimming capabilities, allowing you to mimic natural daylight for enhanced well-being or create specific moods throughout the day. This option is ideal for spaces where a seamless connection between the outdoors and indoors is desired.

Warm Glow Dimming for an
Intimate Atmosphere

USAI Lighting offers a unique selection of fixtures with Warm Glow dimming and dim-to-warm technology. At higher light levels, the light appears crisp and bright, ideal for tasks like reading menus. As you dim the light, the color temperature warms, creating a more intimate and inviting atmosphere, perfect for conversation and lingering over a delicious meal.

With USAI Lighting's high-performance LED fixtures, exceptional color rendering, and innovative dimming features, you can create a dining room environment that is both beautiful and functional, perfect for memorable meals shared with loved ones.

How To Apply Light Layering Guidelines To Specific Rooms Of A Home

BEDROOM
Recommended Light Levels By IES:

  • Dimmable lighting levels ranging from 6-15 foot candles per sq/ft for a calming ambiance
  • Task lighting for reading requiring up to 40 foot candles per sq/ft

Bedrooms are personal sanctuaries where we rest, recharge, and retreat. The right lighting can transform your bedroom into a serene and inviting space. Whether you’re reading, relaxing, or getting ready for bed, USAI Lighting has the perfect solutions to create a comfortable and functional lighting environment.

Lighting Tips:
Ambient Lighting: Opt for recessed downlight options like the LittleOnes®, LittleTwos™, or BeveLED Mini® fixtures for ambient lighting in the bedroom. These provide gentle, diffused illumination conducive to relaxation.

Accent Lighting: Enhance the ambiance with wall sconces or dimmable table lamps on nightstands, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere ideal for winding down before bed.

Highlighting Artwork and Features: Use adjustable downlights or wall wash fixtures such as the LittleOnes adjustable fixture, LittleTwos adjustable fixture, or LittleTwos™ Cylinder surface mount fixtures to accentuate artwork or architectural elements. Direct light precisely to create a personalized touch in the bedroom.

Task Lighting: Ensure focused illumination for tasks like reading or working with narrow beam downlights. Consider options like LittleTwos™ pinholes, BeveLED Mini Complete, or BeveLED Mini® Cylinders with narrow spot beam distributions, providing ample light without compromising the overall ambiance of the room.

Significance of Layered Lighting: Implementing a layered lighting scheme in bedrooms is crucial to foster relaxation, enhance sleep quality, and provide focused illumination for reading tasks.

Safe Installation and Versatility: USAI Lighting offers a range of downlight options with Insulation Contact (IC) rated housings, ensuring safe installation in direct contact with insulation. This feature is particularly beneficial in bedrooms where space optimization is essential.

Space Optimization: The low-profile housing options provided by USAI Lighting, requiring as little as 2 inches in plenum height, are ideal for shallow plenum spaces commonly found in modern residential construction. This allows for efficient space utilization without compromising on lighting quality.

Enhanced Comfort and Functionality: By incorporating USAI Lighting's downlight options with IC-rated housings and low-profile designs, bedrooms can achieve both safety and optimal lighting conditions, contributing to a comfortable and functional living environment.

By combining these lighting strategies and USAI Lighting's versatile product lines, craft a beautiful and functional bedroom environment that perfectly aligns with your lifestyle and preferences.

BATHROOM
Recommended Light Levels By IES:

  • 10-15 foot candles per sq/ft at floor level for circulation
  • 20-30 foot candles per sq/ft on the countertop for illuminating makeup stations

Bathrooms are often overlooked when it comes to lighting, but a well-lit bathroom can significantly enhance both functionality and ambiance. Whether you’re getting ready for work, relaxing in a bubble bath, or applying makeup, USAI Lighting offers a variety of solutions to create a bright and inviting space.

Lighting Tips:
Importance of High Light Levels: Adequate lighting is crucial for grooming tasks such as applying makeup, shaving, and brushing teeth in the bathroom.

Suitability for High-Humidity Environments: Choose lighting fixtures specifically designed for high-humidity environments to ensure optimal performance and safety. USAI Lighting offers damp-rated, wet-rated, and spa/sauna rated fixtures for these demanding locations.

Versatility of Recessed Downlights: Recessed downlights are a popular choice for general bathroom illumination and can be wet-location listed for use over showers and bathtubs, providing both functionality and safety.

Enhancing Vanity Area Illumination: Proper illumination for vanity areas goes beyond overhead lighting. Task lighting, such as sconces mounted on either side of the mirror or integrated lighting within the mirror, ensures shadowless illumination for grooming tasks.

Benefits of Dimmers: Dimmer switches allow adjustment of light levels throughout the day, creating a bright and invigorating atmosphere in the morning and a relaxing ambiance in the evening.

Tunable White Lighting for Desired Ambiance: Tunable white lighting mimics natural light and can be adjusted to create different atmospheres, ideal for starting the day with energy and winding down at night. USAI Lighting offers a variety of dimmable and tunable white fixtures to cater to individual preferences and needs.

KITCHEN
Recommended Light Levels by IES:

  • 15-20 foot candles per sq/ft at floor level
  • 40 foot candles per sq/ft for countertop and working area
  • Detailed tasks in the kitchen require higher light level for better visibility

Kitchens are the heart of the home, serving as a place to cook, entertain, and gather. The right lighting can transform your kitchen into a functional and inviting space. Whether you’re preparing a meal, doing dishes, or enjoying a casual dinner, USAI Lighting has the perfect solutions to create a bright and cheerful environment.

Lighting Tips:
Uniform Ambient Lighting: Achieve consistent illumination in the kitchen to prevent shadows and glare, enhancing visibility and safety during tasks.

Strategic Use of Recessed Downlights: Utilize recessed downlights from USAI Lighting's range, including LittleOnes 1" downlights, LittleTwos 2" downlights, and BeveLED Mini 3" downlights, to ensure even light distribution throughout the kitchen.

Tailored Selection for Ceiling Height: Depending on ceiling height, choose appropriate downlight options to achieve optimal light levels for various kitchen activities such as food preparation, cooking, and dishwashing.

Task Lighting for Kitchen Islands: Excellent lighting performance for visual acuity is crucial in kitchens to prevent injuries while preparing food. Pendant fixtures serve as ideal task lighting solutions for kitchen islands, providing focused light directly onto workspaces.

USAI Lighting's Pendant Collection: Explore pendant options such as LittleTwos 2" Cylinders, BeveLED Mini 3.5" Cylinder, NanoLED® 3" Cylinders, or Micro 1.25" Pendant, designed to optimize visibility for chopping vegetables, meal preparation, and cleaning tasks.

Enhanced Visibility and Functionality: The targeted illumination of pendant fixtures complements the overall ambient lighting provided by recessed downlights, creating a balanced and functional kitchen lighting scheme.

LIVING ROOM
Recommended Light Levels by IES:

  • 10-15 foot candles per sq/ft for general ambiance
  • 35-50 foot candles per sq ft for tasks like reading and writing

Living rooms are the heart of the home, serving as a place to relax, entertain, unwind, and connect with loved ones. To support these diverse activities, a well-designed lighting scheme is essential. USAI Lighting offers a variety of solutions to create a dynamic and functional lighting environment in your living room.

Lighting Tips:
Embrace Dimming: Dimmers offer the flexibility to adjust light levels, catering to various activities and moods, from an energizing morning environment to a relaxing evening mood.

Layer Your Lighting: Combining different lighting types—general ambiance, task lighting, and accent lighting—creates a dynamic and functional space, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality.

General Ambiance: Downlights, such as 1" aperture LittleOnes, 2" aperture LittleTwos, 3" aperture BeveLED Mini, 4.5" aperture BeveLED 2.2, and 1.25" aperture Micro Multi-Cell recessed downlights, provide gentle, diffused light for a welcoming atmosphere. Many models offer dimming features for customizable illumination levels.

Task Lighting: Table lamps offer focused illumination in reading nooks or work areas, with adjustable height, direction, and brightness for personalized comfort and reduced eye strain.

Accent Lighting: Highlight specific areas, furniture, or artwork with adjustable recessed downlights from the LittleOnes, LittleTwos, BeveLED Mini, BeveLED 2.2®, or Micro product lines. Alternatively, explore surface mount downlights from the Cylinders family for precise light direction. Wall wash fixtures illuminate walls, showcasing artwork or architectural details and creating a spacious feel.

Consider Color Temperature: Warm Glow Dimming and Dim-to-Warm fixtures provide a warmer light as they dim, promoting comfort and relaxation. Color Select Tunable White downlights allow adjustment of color temperature, mimicking natural light and supporting circadian rhythm.

Think About Flexibility: Opt for lighting solutions like adjustable downlights or lamps with movable arms, enabling easy adaptation of the lighting scheme to changing needs or furniture placement.

Mood Setting: Decorative pendants, wall sconces, and floor lamps add visual interest and warmth to living spaces, perfect for movie nights or family gatherings. USAI Lighting offers a range of styles to suit any decor, with many fixtures featuring dimming or color-changing capabilities for ultimate versatility.

By incorporating these tips and USAI Lighting's high-quality fixtures, you can create a living room that combines beauty and functionality, tailored to your family's needs and fosters a warm and inviting atmosphere for cherished memories.

DINING ROOM
Recommended Light Levels by IES:

  • 10-15 foot candles per sq/ft for a warm and inviting dining ambiance
  • 40-50 foot candles per sq ft on the table for tasks like reading the menu

The dining room is a place for gathering, conversation, and creating lasting memories. The suitable lighting scheme is crucial in setting the mood and enhancing the overall dining experience. Here at USAI Lighting, we offer a variety of solutions to help you create the perfect ambiance for your dining room.

Dining Room Lighting Tips:
Ambient Lighting: Utilize recessed downlight options for beautiful general illumination. Many fixtures offer high color rendering index (CRI) LED light engines, ensuring vibrant and appetizing colors. Choose from a variety of color temperatures (2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4000K) in the Classic White LED color range to match your design preferences, with warmer tones (2700K-3000K) for a cozy atmosphere and cooler tones (3500K-4000K) for a modern feel.

Task Lighting: Opt for pendant fixtures to provide focused illumination on the dining table. USAI Lighting offers a range of pendant styles to complement any decor, combining beauty with functionality for an aesthetically pleasing dining experience.

Accent Lighting: Strategically place adjustable downlights around the room to highlight artwork, architectural features, or add drama to the dining table itself. These fixtures create focal points and enhance the ambiance of the dining area, elevating the overall dining experience.

CORRIDORS AND HALLWAYS
Recommended Light Levels by IES:

  • 10-15 foot candles per sq/ft at floor level for circulation

Corridors and hallways in your home, while often transitional spaces, deserve thoughtful lighting design. The right lighting scheme can enhance functionality, safety, and even create a feeling of spaciousness. USAI Lighting offers a variety of solutions to illuminate your corridors and hallways beautifully and efficiently, making them inviting passageways throughout your home.

Corridors and Hallways Lighting Tips:
Ambient Lighting: Recessed downlights are an excellent choice for general illumination in hallways and corridors. They offer sufficient light for safe navigation while creating a minimalist architectural aesthetic. For spaces with limited ceiling space, consider USAI Lighting's LittleOnes® Micro Doubles, which combine two downlight beams in a single compact housing, providing effective ambient lighting in a space-saving design. Additionally, USAI Lighting's JA8 Title 24 recessed downlights meet strict energy guidelines, ideal for California residents.

Accent Lighting: Wall-mounted sconces or cylinders can elevate the hallway lighting scheme by adding a decorative touch and warm pockets of light. Strategically placed fixtures can create a soft glow along a long corridor or highlight architectural details like paintings or photographs, enhancing the visual interest of the space.

Pendant Cylinders: Pendant cylinders add style to hallways with higher ceilings or staircases. USAI Lighting's collection includes versatile options such as NanoLED Cylinders, BeveLED® Block, or BeveLED Mini Cylinders, which provide downward illumination while enhancing the decorative elements of the space.

Double Wall Wash Fixtures: Double wall wash fixtures, like the LittleOnes® Micro Doubles, offer a unique way to illuminate hallways by bathing both walls in a warm glow. This creates a welcoming ambiance and eliminates dark corners, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the space. Alternatively, combining a single downlight with a wall wash fixture allows for highlighting artwork or architectural features on one wall while providing general illumination on the other.

Consider Dimmer Switches: Install dimmer switches for added versatility in adjusting light levels. This allows you to create a bright and inviting atmosphere during the day and a more calming ambiance in the evening, adapting to different activities and moods.

Ceiling Height Consideration: Assess the height of your ceilings when selecting lighting fixtures. Recessed downlights are suitable for most hallways, but for very low ceilings, surface mounted options may be more appropriate, ensuring optimal illumination without compromising on space.

Prioritize Safety: Ensure all fixtures are rated for damp locations, especially near entryways that may be exposed to moisture. This ensures the safety and longevity of the fixtures, preventing any potential hazards.

Express Your Personality: Hallways offer an opportunity to showcase your personal style through lighting. Experiment with different lighting styles, from sleek and modern to warm and traditional, to reflect your personality and enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home.

Combine Strategies with Quality Fixtures: By combining these lighting strategies with high-quality fixtures from USAI Lighting, you can transform your hallways and corridors into beautiful and inviting passageways. Enhance the overall flow and feel of your home while ensuring functionality and safety.

In Summary

Lighting a home effectively requires layers of light to address ambient, accent, and task lighting needs. USAI Lighting's comprehensive line of recessed and pendant fixtures, available with a plethora of options, are designed to address these needs and more.

Learn more about our comprehensive lines of architectural grade LED downlights and innovative LED color technology options by visiting our product family page.

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