Basement Lighting Basics

A basement can be a tough place to light up. With a limited amount of natural light—if any at all—and a minimum ceiling height to hang light fixtures, it can be difficult at best to design a good lighting design for your basement. Use these tips and techniques to light up basements and you’ll be sure to get the most out of your basement design.

One of the best ways to get the light source you need, exactly when you need it is by installing task lighting. Task lights should be placed directly in relation to specific areas of your basement. Seating, eating and reading areas are just a few examples of good areas of the basement that are in need of a good task lighting source.

A good example of task lighting solutions for the basement is flush ceiling lights. When these light sources are installed, they create an instant bright light for your specific area. Recessed lights work especially well in drop ceilings that are common in basement areas. Use a low voltage bulb to prevent overheating.

Task lighting works great, but left alone it creates many dark spots and casts shadows. Fill in the blanks by installing an ambient light source. Fluorescent lights play an important role in ambient basement lighting. Combine multiple spectrum bulbs together to mimic natural light as closely as possible. Flush mounted fluorescent ceiling lights helps hide the ballast in any low basement ceiling. Some ballasts are designed to integrate perfectly in grid style acoustic ceilings, making a seamless transition between light and acoustic tile.

Lighting that not only works good but looks good is crucial to any basement. It’s a good idea to use aesthetic lighting in basements because of the low ceilings and limited vertical space. Wall sconces work wonders in any lighting design and help create a lower level of lighting that’s perfect for hallways, bathrooms and other low light basement areas. Aesthetic wall lighting options work best in basement areas because low ceilings and limited access to wiring can eliminate many aesthetic lighting options. Table lamps and other low to the ground lighting options help keep basement lighting levels balanced and even.

Pictures, paintings and other wall décor need a light source to accent it, especially in low light areas like a basement. Track lighting and pendant lights work well with some ceiling heights, but not for every basement ceiling. A flush mounted light works perfectly for accenting pictures, shelving and other out of the way display areas in the basement. Add a dimmer switch for the ultimate accent lighting control.