Spotlights are often a contentious topic among designers. Twenty years ago, they were absolutely everywhere; recessed ceiling spotlights became the hallmark of a minimalist, modern home. Fast-forward to the present day, and they’ve earned a reputation for being flat, lackluster, and utilitarian, lacking the dimension and visual interest of more traditional fixtures.
And yet, they shouldn’t be cast aside for good. Spotlights actually have the ability to elevate your home’s lighting scheme in powerful ways. From highlighting architectural details to washing walls — you just need to know how to use them. If you’re planning the perfect lighting scheme for your home, they should certainly be on the roster.
A quick distinction is necessary, however. When lighting designers refer to spotlights, they’re usually referring to recessed bulbs installed flush in the ceiling. You may, however, have also heard them referred to as ‘downlights’. While sometimes used interchangeably, downlights actually refer to fixtures where the bulb has a fixed direction — usually downwards, as the name suggests. They can be recessed with flush fittings or fixed on a mount.
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Spotlights, on the other hand, refer to directional lights, specifically. These can also be recessed, but in this instance the bulb can be adjusted on mechanical pivots. They may also come on a track rail or mount, but the distinguishing characteristic is that they can be repositioned as desired. A spotlight, then, can act as a downlight, but not the other way round. So, ready for a lighting upgrade? Here are four ways to use spotlights to elevate your scheme.
1. As an Accent to Artwork
Turn your home into an exhibition by lighting the artwork on the walls.
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)
Similar to picture lights, spotlights offer a pool of centered light that can draw attention to a specific place on the wall. For this reason, they make a great way to light art in the home, turning your living room or hallway into its own high-end gallery.
According to lighting designer Samantha Coles, tiltable spotlights are the perfect alternative to traditional picture lights, which can often look dated or distinctly traditional. “They light artwork discreetly and without the distraction of a picture light,” she says. “A further benefit of using spotlights is it’s much easier to light large pieces evenly. A large piece of art needs a very long picture light, or only the central strip is lit.” Two or three spotlights evenly spread out, however, can work far more effectively.
Being adjustable, spotlights also offer greater flexibility when highlighting artwork, but that’s not all. “Interchangeable optics and commissioning lenses allow for intricate adjustments to the lit effect, ensuring the best outcomes,” explains Luke Thomas, design director of John Cullen Lighting. In other words, the lenses can be easily swapped out to fine-tune the spread and intensity of the light, giving you greater control over the final effect. “This allows adjustment through beam angle increments from a super concentrated 8 degrees to a wide and diffused 51 degrees.” The effect? Professional-worthy illumination that brings your art to life.
2. To Add Interest to Walls
Swathing entire walls with light adds a bright, airy, and contemporary feel to a room.
(Image credit: Cafe Latte)
One way to prevent spotlights from feeling flat is by using them to wash the walls. By strategically placing them around the perimeter of the ceiling, they illuminate your walls, adding depth and dimension to your space.
Known as wall-wash lighting, this is a great way to highlight entire walls, rather than target specific areas. But you have to use the right type of light to achieve the look. “A wall washing light uses a specialist optic in front of the LED engine to spread and flatten the lighting effect,” says Luke. “With the correct setting out, these wall washers can be used to create a completely even lighting effect; wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor.”
You can also use spotlights to accentuate texture on a wall. “If positioned close to a wall, they will skim over that surface,” explains Luke. “If you apply a textured finish to the wall, the skimming effect will accentuate the depth of the material and create an incredible, dramatic feature.”
For the best effect, Luke says lights should be set within 100mm of the wall. “Using smaller lights closer together is better than larger lights further apart,” he adds.
Luke Thomas
Luke has been in the lighting industry since 2008 and heads up John Cullen Lighting’s UK design team. Working collaboratively with top designers, architects, contractors, and clients, Luke has been involved in a wide range of projects offering design-led solutions which improve our experience of spaces, including new build Wentworth mansions to hotel renovations through to Scottish Castles.
3. To Zone Distinct Areas Within a Room
Is your seating area too dark or dining table to dim? Spotlights could be the answer.
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)
Certain areas of a room deserve more light than others. Not only is this a practical way of adding task lighting to, say, a seating area or a shower, but it can also draw the eye to a visual focal point and create a more layered lighting scheme.
Luke suggests using spotlights set directly above furniture to create a central focus and zoning. “In an open-plan living space, this would involve lights over a coffee table in the center of a seating area, lights over the dining table, and further lights over the kitchen island,” he says. “This defines the center point of three zones upon which other lighting layers are applied.”
Samantha finds spotlights especially useful for dining tables, allowing for adaptability when entertaining larger groups. “You may have a decorative pendant over the center of the table, which is fine for everyday use, but it just won’t light the ends of the table properly when it’s extended,” she explains. “A spotlight set to cover each end of the table when it’s extended means everyone can see to eat.” She recommends putting these table end spotlights on their own circuit so they’re only switched on when needed.
But you need to be wary here. When zoning specific areas in this way, Luke warns against over-lighting with grids of spotlights. “They produce a flat blanket of light,” he says, noting that the contrast between light and shadow is important.
Sam Coles
Sam Coles has been a Lighting Consultant since early 2001. She began her design career with a degree in Interior Textile Design, followed by an Interior Design qualification. She spent a number of years offering a soft furnishings and interiors service alongside her lighting consultancy services, giving her a broad breadth of experience, from the use of color, through to detailed knowledge of period and contemporary architecture and design. In 2019, she launched a unique self-study e-course for homeowners, “Getting Light Right — Home Lighting Designer”.
4. To Highlight Architectural Features
If there’s a unique feature in your home that’s worth showing off, highlight it with a spotlight.
(Image credit: Samantha Coles)
From alcoves and fireplaces to pillars and beams, spotlights are a great way to highlight points of visual interest in a room. The reason behind this is simple. “Our focus is naturally drawn towards the brighter places in a room,” says Sam. If your home has worthy conversation points, give them the illumination they deserve.
These details don’t necessarily need to be architectural, either. Think about other unexpected spots to put lighting that deserve attention. “Spotlights can be used to highlight other features added to rooms, such as beautiful window treatments, a vase of flowers or a bowl on a table, indoor planters, or sculpture,” says Sam.
She notes that these spotlights will work most effectively if they’re put on separate circuits, however. “They won’t highlight anywhere near as effectively if they are just part of the overall ambient room lighting.”
How to Avoid Using Spotlights in Your Home
You might have picked up on a common thread throughout this article, and that’s designers’ disdain for a grid-like formation of spotlights used purely as ambient lighting.
Sam says that this layout results in a feeling of “blandness”. “Evenly spaced rows or grids may make a ceiling look neat and ordered, but it often means the spotlights aren’t where they are needed,” she notes. “This arrangement can have the second equally awful effect of evenly lighting a room.”
“This can be useful in some rooms such as utility rooms, workshops, or craft rooms, but for any room where focal points, character, and atmosphere are wanted, a variety of lighting levels is needed,” she adds.
HiBay
10x LED Downlights GU10 Spot Lights, Round Brushed Chrome
Classic recessed spotlights like these are great in small, compact bathrooms where they can highlight an architectural walk-in shower or a freestanding tub. These ones can also be tilted within their casing for flexibility over where the light falls.
Pooky Lighting
Lewis Ceiling Spotlight in Black
Directional spotlights are a great way to illuminate distinct zones in a room, provide focussed task lighting to a desk or counter, or highlight architectural features. Try this black fixture from Pooky to add an industrial feel.
Westwing Collection
Ceiling Spotlight Roda
Cylindrical spotlights can provide sharp, concentrated light on a particular feature. You can also use them as a form of ambient lighting. Just be sure to layer in plenty of accent sources to keep the scheme layered.
If you’ve been wondering if we’ve evolved beyond spotlights, the answer is yes. That doesn’t mean we’ve left them behind completely, though. Instead of relying on rows of recessed spotlights as the main light source in a room, we’re finally waking up to the power they hold in creating an elevated lighting scheme — something designers have been doing for decades.
Ready to level up your lighting? Rip out those rows of dated downlights and use the techniques above for a dynamic lighting design that brings your interiors to life.
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