Your choice of artwork lighting product needs to suit not just the artwork and picture it is illuminating but be suitable to install and be of benefit to the whole room.
With over 20 years of lighting consultancy specification and interior design experience, I take a look at the key buying considerations with product choices that meet our test criteria to suit most applications.
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If you’re in a rush – this is the favorite: Situ Lighting’s wireless and rechargeable Touch Series LED Art Light
Situ Lighting: Cordless Rechargeable Touch Series |
We love the magnetic removable LED head for convenient easy recharging. Well considered options and thought through design, a great choice from a reliable US maker. |
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Top Cordless |
There are many ways to light artwork and pictures and your decision is likely to be one of the most popular types of picture lighting, which are:
and remotely lit by:
The first consideration is what method will best suit your picture and room?
Probably the most popular is from a wall mounted picture light, so we ask How to Light Artwork on a Wall, explaining the best ways to achieve optimal illumination across your art.
You can categorise the methods as being either to throw light across the art from a source that sits close up to the subject or wash light across it from a distance.
Wall mounted picture lighting concentrates light onto the picture very well creating a pleasing highlight within the room. However, the light will predominantly come from the top and spread downwards, so the brightest part of the picture will be at the top.
If the picture is not too long then there shouldn’t be too much of a difference between the top and bottom and the eye will assist by helping it look evenly lit.
You can reduce the opportunity for glare to the viewer with wall-mounted picture lighting as the light source is neatly hidden and close to the glass of the picture reducing the potential reflectance.
To remotely lit pictures from spotlights or downlights, it will allow the light to spread before reaching the surface of the art, allowing for more even illumination. However, the installation of remote lighting will need to consider the angle of the light and the beam widths to ensure the light will fall in the middle of the picture.
There can be a penalty for a more even illumination of the picture is an increased chance of glare from the reflectance of the light source in the glass and from within the room if you can look up into the light fixture.
Check out our in depth but easy to understand guide with 25 Tips on How to Light Artwork and Pictures in your Home.
There is much to consider, namely:
There are also aesthetic considerations that influence your choice:
For close up illumination, there are 2 types of installation both with an arm that extends the light source to in front of the picture and points back. The wall mount fixes directly onto the wall, whilst the frame mount attaches itself to the back of the picture frame, leaving the wall intact.
The frame mount options are generally more hidden and discrete as a light source, simply allowing an arm and light head to be seen, but be aware that additional power supplies may need to be remotely located either behind the picture or elsewhere in the room.
A wall mount will need a backplate to fix to the wall so it can look larger but it will self contained and not require additional bits of kit to hide.
All of our top artwork light choices are indicative for you to head to the product and then select the width and color finish most suitable to each of your pictures. Every model offers it’s own selection of options so click over and see what suits you best.
Situ Lighting: Plug-in Vision Series |
Slim, discrete comtemporary picture wall light in 2700K & 3000K, multiple widths, brass, black, bronze and silver finishes. Professional artwork light manufacturer. |
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Best Picture Wall Light |
The Plug-in Vision Series from market leading US made Situ Art Lighting, is one of a stunning line up of picture lights. With discreet cord routing to the side or back of the frame, this is one of the sleekest looking types of artwork lighting.
Choose from wide variety of finishes including Black, Bronze or Silver anodized finishes and 17″, 30″ 43″ 56″ widths with either 2700K or 3000K warm white LEDs.
50 brightness settings with a high color rendering of CRI95+, remote control and a good warranty make this one of the best picture lights on the market.
Cocoweb Rechargeable Battery Operated Art Light |
Rechargeable battery, providing over 40 hours of light per charge. Great range of finishes to suit your art & interior. 2700K, remote controlled brightness adjustability. Great choice. |
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Best Buy |
The Cocoweb frame mount gallery light offers an easy installation as the picture light is fixed to the back of the frame without having to mount to the wall.
It is also a fantastic solution for those without power or the need for a hard wired installation as it is has a rechargeable battery.
With remote control, adjustable LED brightness levels and direction of light, this is one of the most versatile frame mount picture lights currently available.
Situ Lighting: Cordless Rechargeable Touch Series |
We love the magnetic removable LED head for convenient easy recharging. Well considered options and thought through design, a great choice from a reliable US maker. |
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Top Cordless |
Situ Lighting’s wireless and rechargeable Touch Series LED Art Light has been our best cordless light choice for sometime, trusted and used by many.
This model is also frame mounted and battery operated, so there isn’t much between the Cocoweb frame mount and this one, each with a simpicity to install and the reassurance of a great brand behind it.
The Situ Touch Series is available in various lengths with a choice of Black, Bronze or Silver finishes to match your artwork and room decor. This can even be mounted at the base of a picture to light upwards.
Battery operated lighting needs to be efficient on use of power, so the auto shut off feature and variable brightness modes add to longer run times. Magnetic removable LED head for convenient easy recharging.
BLS Remote Ceiling Art Light |
Light pictures from your ceiling, no wiring required. Remote controlled battery operated adjustable lighting opens up so many possibilities to throw light across walls and into art wherever it is. |
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Remotely Light Your Pictures |
The Bliss Wireless Ceiling Mount Art Light is a battery operated, remotely controlled light that is designed to be installed on the ceiling.
Another battery operated option, this method of remotely lighting artwork from a distance creates a wider wash of light over the image for even illumination. It also has a adjustable arm so you can direct where light goes and shape the light to suit the proportions of your artwork, is remote controlled for on off and brightness.
The main drawback is it’s visibility being surface mounted on the ceiling, but that can be outweighed by it’s performance. Changing batteries is also a restriction, but if you were installing a wired version then a spotlight would be better so this wins as a great picture light solution without wiring.
KIALUSH 900lm Dimmable LED Picture Light |
Budget but impressive, 3000K, 4000K, 5000K of white light and a bonus UV light party LED setting! 16" wide, adjustable with dimmable settings, this model suits most artwork applications. |
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Budget Choice |
Picture lighting doesn’t have to be expensive, yet you do not want your budget choice to be a dissapointing compromise especially if it is hard wired into your room!
We have currently chosen the best selling Kialush 900 lumen LED Picture light as it meets our key criteria of the correct color temperature, dimming/”>dimmable with hand held remote control, retains a sleek look often associated with more expensive models and in this case is in black.
The lumens/” rel=”noreferrer noopener” target=”_blank”>brightness of 900 lumens creates a surprisingly strong illumination, that can be reduced to 10%, so 90 lumens for a gentle evening accent light.
At under $35 it is a fantastic budget choice for those who want the convenience of a remote control without sacrificing on quality or looks.
Situ Compact Remote Controlled LED Picture Light |
Designed And Made By An American Company Specializing In Smallest LED Art & Picture Lights Made. Plugs into socket or recessed clock boxes |
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Micro Series |
We are back with Situ Lighting’s design excellence again with their Plug-in Micro Series, designed from scratch to create the perfect light from the smallest of form factors.
The most discrete we can find on the market from a trusted manufacturer, this is one of the best smallest picture lights available offering the highest level of specification.
Sized between 1/2″ to 2 1/4″ wide, these compact lights replace up to the equivalent light spread of a 20” wide traditional model. With 1, 2 or 3 LED options within an adjustable head, this most modern of picture light solutions simply installs onto framed and unframed pictures.
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