Have you ever purchased an illuminator? Didn't your head start spinning round because of the available variety? The shop shelves are full of various light emitting products of different size and power, such as halogen, day light, neon, etc. An there is even more to choose from when it comes to a variety of illuminators.

The main issue that comes whilst purchasing an illuminator is its purpose. What is more important? Illuminator as an interior decoration element or an illuminator as a light transmitting item which is not that eye-catching? Of course, the best illuminator would be the one that meets both criteria - decorative as well as functional. However, whilst knowing the choice of illuminator types it is hard to decide whether to choose a classic style hanging illuminator which is to be fixed to a ceiling or, for example, a torchere, which fills the room with an overspread light reflecting from the ceiling.

The hanging of an illuminator in the centre of the ceiling is not always a good idea. The human lifestyle and variety of needs is much wider than this standart lighting method which has been present in our homes for so many years. It does not give an opportunity to make a sensible and lovely use of the area as regardless of whether the human is watching TV, reading a newspaper or partying with friends, he feels an architectural boredom defined by an even lighting from the top. Of course this seeing is not the only organism of feeling which gives a human a possibility to feel a certain mood in the area, however a risk on this should not be taken.

If we step back to the architectural solutions of the previous decade, we can notice, that hanging and on the whole all ceiling illuminators are loosing monopoly positions in the home area. However, it does not actually mean that you shoulf refuse the lighting from the top. Finally, if you are living in an apartment of a standard construction and have no plans of making a total maintenance with re-installation works of electricity network, you simply have no possibility to avoid ceiling lighting. In either way, ceiling lighting in one area will be not enough to ensure a modern comfort.Even lighting coming from the ceiling requires resolution, separation, modulation with other light sources, spreading rom various space points in different directions. For this reason torcheres - illuminators on a stand can be definately used as well as desk lamps or wall illuminators.

Types of illuminators.

Ceiling illuminators are divided in to four types:

- hangind chandeliers or the so called lamps;
- „plates" fixed to the ceiling, illuminator with closed cases of a ball, half circle shape;
- anglepoise illuminators changing the direction of the light flow;
- stretching funicular or scurry systems with mobile illuminators, sometimes called "soffits".

Illuminator fixing methods

Illuminators can be fixed to a ceiling with elastic or tight supports. In the case of an elastic support, illuminators are hanging on the cables, chains or on electricy cables itself. Tight supports are normally metal bars, directed down from a basis of an illuminator towads the bulb. Thanks to design some of illuminators, fixed in this way, sometimes look alike the hanging torcheres fitted upside down or desk lamps. In this way, an ordinary item which found its way to an odd place, gets totally unexpected, lovely aesthetic features.
However, don't even ty to fix the boring table lamps to a ceiling as you will hardly get any wanted results. Hardly each illuminator can properly solve similar situations. Leave this for professional designers by purchasing original illumators.

Ways of light flow spread

Illuminators can be also divided accroding to the way of the light flow spread. The light flow can be:

- direct - a narrow light array strongly going to one side;
- separated - an even lighting which separates the light with a case of an illuminator;
- reflecting - a light flow directed to a reflecting surface (ceiling, walls) and reflecting from it.

Illuminators that transmit direct light are less acceptable: an uncarefull sight to an open light source can make you dazzled depending on a bulb power and distance between one and the eyes; dazzling can be quite strong. of course this problem can be solved by using opaque bulbs. What is more, due to direct arrays, intensive shadows might be formed. If the bulbs are not very powerfull (for example 5 units of 60 Watts), the shadows will not be too deep and will be even welcome.

The light flow of ceiling illuminators is normally directed to the ceiling, whereas the area is lighted by the light reflected from those. In this way, the area is filled with an even and cozy light, not forming any bright shadows. However, sometimes, if you want to play with light-darkness skhadows, the last lighting method is not the best one as the view can be too flat and boring (though everything will have a better visibility).

Illuminators of a ball, half circle or "plate" shape lighten with a down direction, whereas the arrays are separated and muted with a half transparent case glass or plastic. In this way a pleasant, soft and even lighting with relatively soft shadows is created. Its transmitted light has the biggest utility ratio and is mostly suitable for the general lighting. The same lighting can be achieved by halogen lamps, ficed to metal constructions on fitted on hanging ceiling.

Most ceiling illuminators transmit a combined light : half flow of the light goes to the top, whereas another part is directed to a down direction through a light separating diffuser (case).

Strained funicular or scurry systems with mobile illuminators should be recognised as the best and most interesting room lighting solution.Its construction and fitting can be varioys. The position of the illuminators fitted on the cables and the corner of the falling array will be easily changed. This is a creatlighting solution for any room, as well as the bathroom. A few illuminators underhung inder the dining table is a great solution for the dining room, whereas illuminators above the working table or recreation zones with sears will be perfect to enlight working or reading zones. If required, such illuminators can be separated in the ceiling area and evenly enlighten all the area. The features of such lighting will be more visible with higher ceiling and larger area of the area.

Ceiling illuminators are still the design elements of the general lighting. The most important thing is that these items would find a suitable place in interior not only as decorative elements but also as light transmitting sources as that's the main purpose.

Useful information

- The lighting of a 5m2 area rewuires one 75 W power bulb or two bulbs of 40 W.
- The lighting of a 5-8 m2 area requires one 100 W power bulb, two bulbs x 60 W or 3 x 40 w.
- The lighting of 8-10 m2 area requires 1x150W power bulb one 2 x75 W or 3x60 W.
- The lighting of - 10-15 m2 area requires 1 x 200 power bulb, 2x100 W, 3x75 W, 4-5 x60W or 6x40 W.
- The lighting of a15-20 m2 area requires 1 x 300 W power bulb, 2 x 200 W, 3 x 150 W, 4 x 100 W, 5 x 75 W, 6 x 60 W;
- The lighting of a 20-30 m2 area, requires 1 x 500 W power bulb, 2 x 300 W, 3 x 200 W, 4-5 x 150 W or 6 x 100 W.

Advice:

- Whilst choosing the power of a bulb, access the security features of the illuminator bulb;
- the bulbs should be not visible outside the corner of a case;
- illuminators should be positioned in a way, that the light would not go in to the eyes. For example, a lamp for reading should be on the corner of the reader, from the back or above the head.