Stretched ceiling: lighting. Chandelier and fixtures in stretch ceilings

Today, increasingly, when decorating living quarters, stretch ceilings are used - for the hall and bedroom, kitchen and hallway and even for the bathroom. Such materials have many advantages: their installation is simple, the design can be multilevel and curvilinear.

In addition, there are many ways to design such coatings: the effect of the starry sky, color photo printing, the use of a multi-color film. Stretch ceilings are durable and aesthetic, quite durable and waterproof. With undisputed advantages, there are some disadvantages of the stretch ceiling. Lighting of such designs designers refer to one of them.

In such ceilings can install only certain types of fixtures. Their power should not exceed 40 W, and their plafonds should be thermally insulated. In addition, stretch ceilings can "collapse": in drafts, the film is attracted to the main ceiling cover. In this case, much depends on the quality of the installation.

Which lights are better for stretch ceilings?

For the manufacture of ceiling structures, elastic materials are used, which make special demands both for the technical characteristics of the luminaires and for the method of their installation. Thin sheets do not withstand high temperatures, so you need to choose a lamp of a certain power.

Important is the shape of the lighting elements. Chandelier and light fixtures in stretch ceilings should not be in the form of an open dish, they should have plafonds directed upwards. As a rule, experts recommend choosing the following options:

• Point lighting;
• Overhead and suspended chandeliers;
• Combined options;
• Additional illumination.

Suspended light fixtures

Stretch ceilings for the hall allow the use of hanging lamps and chandeliers, which are attached to the hooks of the base ceiling. Not very nice part of the design hides behind the canvas. Plafonds must necessarily be directed downwards. This will help avoid excessive heating of the fabric and eliminate the formation of glare on the glare.

To the suspended soffits, certain requirements are imposed on the tension ceiling. Lighting such devices is allowed only if the correct length of the rod to which the body is attached. We must not forget that most of the rod is located in the interstitial space, so there is a risk of the location of light sources in the immediate vicinity of the canvas.

How to choose a chandelier?

In order for a chandelier for a stretch ceiling to serve a long and high quality, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:

• For a matte coating, you should choose a chandelier, the light of which is directed to the walls and floor, in this case the lighting will be much brighter;
• Glossy coatings can save a little on lighting: the room will be bright thanks to the reflection of the light flux;
• To the glossy ceilings are suitable chandeliers without plafonds, which reduce the level of illumination, make it more dim and diffuse.

Tension ceilings for the hall, as a rule, mounted using a chandelier and spotlights. We will describe them below.

Spotlights

Their installation is much more difficult, however, answering the question: "What kind of fixtures is better for a stretch ceiling?" - experts say that this option is optimal. The advantages of such coverage include:

1. Variety of types of lamps.
2. The possibility of their connection by any scheme.
3. Lamps of this kind can be included in different ways: in rows, in separate groups, all at once, create the effect of "running lights".
4. The lighting options for stretch ceilings can be different depending on the features of the room in which they are mounted, and lighting schemes, from the devices that are used in it.
5. These lamps are very convenient for mounting multi-level structures.

Lighting in the kitchen with a stretch ceiling can not do without spotlights. The same can be said about the bathrooms and hallways. For these premises this is the best choice.

And yet, what should be the lamps on the suspended ceiling? Lighting of this design will be harmonious if you competently combine the chandelier, which is installed in the center of the room, with LED lights. They are located either in separate sections or around the perimeter of the room. This, as a rule, depends on the purpose of the room and its dimensions. For example, a living room without central lighting (chandeliers) will seem incomplete, and in the bedroom it is possible to dispense with spotlights and lighting.

LED Strip Light

Flexible board with diodes stands alone among the fixtures for the tension ceiling. This is only an additional source of light. Such a backlight is used in rooms with low ceilings, which are even lower when mounting tension plates. The LED strip visually increases the height of the ceiling. Often it is used to illuminate the work area in the kitchen.

The brightness of the luminescence depends on how closely the LEDs are dense. But in any case, the total power is not enough for high-grade lighting.

Which lamps are not recommended?

To ensure the safety of the premises and to prevent deformation of the ceiling coating, you should stop using:

• Lamps with halogen lamps and incandescent lamps, which are located close to the surface of the fabric;
• Point luminaires with a power of more than 40 watts;
• Point square luminaires of non-standard sizes: this will complicate the installation.

Recommendations for the location of fixtures

How to arrange the fixtures? There is no universal answer to this question. First of all, it depends on the purpose of the room. We suggest that you consider a few of the most popular options.

Chandelier

It is located in the center. In order to be able to adjust the level of room lighting, it is advisable to buy a model with several switching modes. Since most often used devices on light-emitting diodes, it is advisable to choose a chandelier based on them. This will ensure even lighting of the room.

LED Ribbons & Spot Lights

As a rule, they are located around the perimeter. Choosing the right scheme for their inclusion (by sector or all at once), you can provide both zoning and uniform illumination of the entire territory.

Types of lighting layouts

There are two main ways to locate luminaires on a tensioning structure. We will discuss them below.

Classic scheme of luminaires on a stretch ceiling

In this case, many medium-power spotlights are used. They represent space for the imagination of both designers and homeowners. They are in the form of the most intricate figures. The relatively affordable cost (compared to chandeliers) makes such coverage a profitable solution financially.

Such lamps can be divided into groups and connected to different sources of electricity, which allows zoning the room.

Combined circuit

From the previous, this scheme is distinguished by the presence of a chandelier in the center of the ceiling, which becomes the main source of illumination, and spotlights located along the perimeter or in the corners, complement it.

What influences the choice of scheme?

It is necessary to take into account natural lighting. In the bathrooms, hallways, where it is too small, the lights have 1 light source per 1.5 square meters of area, sometimes their number is calculated so that the lamps are located at a distance of two square meters from each other.

Location of furniture

Attentive attitude to the arrangement of lamps and chandeliers at the stage of installation requires the presence of high furniture (this is especially important with not very high ceilings). Since the installation of tensioning structures is carried out with the furniture removed, it is necessary to determine in advance where high cabinets will be located so that they do not obstruct light devices.

Location of recreation areas

If you are installing a stretch ceiling, lighting the rest areas and work (sofas, beds, writing and computer desks) should be quite powerful. These zones must be taken into account when choosing the necessary scheme.

Schematic options

There are many options for placing fixtures, which can be installed on a stretch ceiling. We give the most common.

The luminaires create an oval, illuminating the perimeter of the room. The center of the room remains semi-dark. To make it brighter, you will need to use a chandelier. In this case, in the room, if desired, you can turn on intensive lighting or create a twilight.

If the fixtures are arranged in the form of a circle, the center is illuminated as much as possible, and on the perimeter it will be more muffled.

The illumination located in the corners of the room will form diffused light, without putting any emphasis on a specific zone.

The location of the luminaires in one part of the room accentuates the specific part of the room. For example, for the kitchen is suitable option with a chandelier, located above the dining table.

For illumination of distant corners it is possible to use a circuit of two semicircles. However, this option requires the presence of a central chandelier.

Spot lights, located in the form of a cross, can create an alternative to the chandelier. And located on the perimeter of the kitchen, they visually expand the room.

Undoubtedly, these are not all options for the location of lamps on a stretch ceiling. The owner of the apartment can create his own scheme that meets the specifics of his housing, and experienced masters will realize his idea.