Vaulted and sloping ceilings are beautiful, but they can be tricky to find lighting for and properly illuminate your space.
We do some of the hard work for you with our selection of what is the best lighting for vaulted ceilings and provide tips on how to choose the right light for your needs.
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The best type of light to use in sloping vaulted ceilings depends on the specific needs and functionality of the space.
For the best application of our suggestions, learn how to light vaulted ceilings.
For general ambient lighting, pendant lights or track lighting are good options. If the space is used for tasks like cooking or working at a desk, then focused task lights may be a better choice. In addition, accent lights can be used to highlight architectural features or artworks.
When selecting lights for a vaulted ceiling, it is important to take into account the height of the ceiling and the width of the room. taller ceilings will require taller lamps, while wider rooms will need more light fixtures to ensure even coverage. With careful planning, it is possible to create a well-lit space that is both functional and stylish.
Let’s take a look at the most useful types on offer:
Pendant lights are a popular choice for vaulted ceilings. They come in a variety of styles, making it easy to find one that fits your décor. Pendant lights can be hung at different heights to create interest and visual appeal. In addition, they can be used to highlight specific areas or objects in the room.
Chandeliers are a wonderful light for vaulted ceilings as they become a focal point in the room. Chandeliers come in a variety of styles, from traditional to modern. When selecting a chandelier, it is important to take into account the height of the ceiling and the size of the room. A larger chandelier may be needed for a taller ceiling, while a smaller light may be sufficient for a smaller space.
They come in a variety of styles, making it easy to find one that fits your décor. Chandeliers can be used to provide general ambient lighting or accent lighting. In addition, they can be used to highlight specific areas or objects in the room.
Track lighting for vaulted ceilings is another good option as they are so versatile. Track lights are mounted on a metal track, which can be installed directly onto the ceiling and moved or removed at will. Track lights provide focused adjustable lighting and can be directed to specific areas of the room for task lighting or used more widely for ambient light. Track lights from high ceilings also act as great accent lights when highlighting pictures on walls.
We take a look at the best track lighting in more detail and into their uses from higher ceilings.
Cable lighting is a type of track lighting that uses cables instead of a metal track. Cable lighting is versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. It is often used to highlight architectural features or artworks. Cable lighting can be installed directly onto the ceiling or suspended from the ceiling.
Cable lights for vaulted ceilings allow the light fittings to be installed with great flexibility, allowing for a versatile design.
Learn more about the Best Cable Lighting and how it can be used in high ceilings.
Monorail lighting is similar to track lighting but uses a single rail instead of a metal track. Monorail lighting is often used in commercial spaces, but it can also be used in residential homes. Monorail lights are available in a variety of styles and can be used for ambient light or task light.
Monorail systems are suspended from high ceilings and have the advantage of being very versatile as they light fixtures can be moved or removed on the rail. They can be used to highlight specific areas or objects in the room and is great as general ambient lighting for sloping ceilings.
Learn more about choosing the Best Monorail Lighting which n high ceilings.
Recessed lights are a type of light that is installed into the ceiling. They provide general ambient lighting and can be used in combination with other light fixtures. Recessed lights are a good choice for tall ceilings, as they do not take up valuable floor space and provide a high output of general illumination. They are also a good choice for lighting because they are mostly hidden, so making the room look open.
However, the problem of recessed lighting such as downlighters and trimless recessed lights, is they will always be installed at an angle, creating the risk of more potential glare into the users eyes. Recessed lighting in vaulted ceilings is best installed towards the edges of the room nearer the walls so that risk of glare is minimised.
Always use downlighting in conjunction with other lighting techniques.
To create the same effect and similar functionality as a recessed light that isn’t installed to be at an angle, is a linear spotlight fixture mounted on a track. This allows for adjustability to focus the illumination away from eyes and commission your room with confidence that there are alternative positions and angles available to correct the angle of the roofline.
A wall light and without sounding too obvious they are mounted on the wall – not the ceiling. This however, is important as they provide the ideal place to throw light back up onto the apexed ceiling, illuminating it and causing it to visually lift away from the ground and make the space feel larger.
This is best done with an LED uplighter, where the LED wall light needs to be positioned higher than eye level so the light begins where the eye cannot look down and be uncomfortable for the user.
A wall sconce is a wall light too but generally more decorative. Wall sconces for apexed ceilings would be lower down the list of importance when choosing but they have their place because good lighting requires all kinds of illumination to play it’s role in the space.
Use wall sconces for ceilings with a vault when you need to light a space but don’t want the light fixture to be a focal point but still add interest. Try using them in triplets or in pairs either side of a mirror or picture. Wall sconces will provide accent lighting, depending on their placement and design.
Spotlights are a versatile light that can be used for task lighting, accent lighting or general ambient lighting. They are often used to highlight specific areas in the room or to light up objects such as paintings or sculptures. Spotlights can be installed directly onto the ceiling or suspended from the ceiling.
Spotlights are a great option for vaulted ceilings as they can be positioned to direct light onto specific areas. They are also a good choice for task lighting as they provide a focused beam of light. However, spotlights can create more glare than other light fixtures, so it is important to position them correctly.
A fun addition to give the space a warm and inviting feeling is to bring the outdoors inside by installing suspension cables to span across the roof space and then add sets of globe string lights. This is a great way to light up a space both upwards and downwards, to create a cosy ambient scene and utilise the height of the room.
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