Square chandeliers
The construction market is filled with many different lighting fixtures, which differ from each other in shape and decorative design. This makes it quite easy to choose the most suitable lighting option for a specific interior style. Square and rectangular products, which are often used to illuminate apartments in the modernist style, are particularly original and beautiful. Most often we are talking about lighting pendant chandeliers with a rigid mounting structure.
When choosing a lamp for a suspended ceiling, take into account the dimensions of the room and compatibility with decorative finishes. Small square lamps in a suspended ceiling can get lost on a large surface area. A large-sized model will be too bulky for a small apartment, helping to visually reduce it.
Rectangular chandeliers with fluorescent light sources have a fairly long history of use. In the old days, they were characterized by an unpresentable appearance. The housing where the lamp was located was covered with a plastic cover. These devices could effectively dissipate a light flux of any power.
Currently, square chandeliers for suspended ceilings have not lost their relevance. Modern models of this type have a very beautiful appearance. They are made from wood, glass or metal. Cheaper plastic models are lighter in weight. They are usually used in the bathroom, kitchen or country house.
When is it important to use square or rectangular lamps?
Due to their correct geometry, square and rectangular ceiling lamps are not used everywhere. For those who love pompous, luxurious designs, such as Victorian or Baroque, the straight lines of these chandeliers will seem too simple and uninteresting. But square and rectangular lamps make friends with classic, modern, hi-tech, loft, minimalism and country. Even the presence of rounded shapes in the interior will not prevent them from feeling needed and appropriate. If the stylistic decision is not violated.
Built-in models in suspended ceilings
Square spotlights for suspended ceilings differ from chandeliers in their smaller sizes.
Based on the type of lamps used, devices of this type are divided into the following groups:
- Halogen.
- Luminescent.
- LED.
The difference may also relate to such characteristics as power, cost and level of electricity consumption. These lighting devices are convenient because their design completely lacks shades and shades. This allows you to create the illusion of a light stream falling directly from the ceiling surface.
Square recessed luminaires for suspended ceilings can be used as main or additional lighting. They serve as decor and zoning elements in the interior of the room. Recessed spotlights consist of several separate groups according to the type of intensity of light flux distribution in different areas of the room.
Types of lamps
Shape and appearance are not the only criteria that should be followed when choosing a chandelier, wall lamp or spot for a stretch ceiling. In order to simplify this task, you need to highlight a number of features that you need to focus on when choosing a lighting device.
Square-type devices can be divided into those mounted on top of a stretch ceiling and inside it. There is also a classification:
- type;
- installation principle;
- type of lighting.
The most common type of rectangular and square lamps are chandeliers and recessed spots. As for the basic principles of installation, there are:
- built-in;
- mounted;
- mortise;
- invoices;
- rotating lamps.
Based on the type of lighting, LED, halogen and fluorescent light sources are distinguished.
Hanging structures are a good alternative to a classic chandelier. They are most often located in the center of the stretch ceiling and have a large number of different fastenings. One of the most popular is decorative chains.
Overhead ceiling lighting fixtures can be found in work areas and offices. In the case of suspended ceiling structures, fluorescent lamps can be used, but if we are talking about a tension version, it is better to give preference to safer LEDs.
Recessed spotlights are most often found in houses and apartments. They can perform the functions of main lighting or backlighting and are made in any shape, design and even dimensions.
Halogen lamps
Halogen square ceiling lamps are bulbs with an incandescent filament, filled with a specialized buffer gas. This makes it possible to significantly increase the service life of the device without replacing the lamp. The spectrum of light emitted by halogen recessed luminaires is close to natural solar radiation.
At the same time, part of the consumed electricity is spent on heat generation, which reduces the overall efficiency of the devices. In addition, due to heating, they should not be used on tension structures. Most often, devices of this type provide local lighting using floor lamps, wall and floor lamps.
Luminescent
We are talking about gas-discharge lighting devices, where mercury vapor and electrical discharges are used to emit ultraviolet spectrum. After this, a phosphor (the so-called mixture of phosphorus and other substances) comes into play, which converts the radiation into light visible to the human eye. The operating life of devices of this type is 10 times longer than incandescent lamps.
The disadvantages of luminescent models include the need for a uniform supply of electricity. Frequent switching on and off of appliances should be avoided. The popularity of products of this type is explained by the high quality of lighting and low energy consumption. Fluorescent lamps are mainly used in large rooms where round-the-clock lighting is required. We are talking about retail space, parking lots, gas stations.
LED
An LED is a semiconductor equipped with an electron-hole junction. The electric current moving through it begins to emit light rays. Square LED lamps for suspended ceilings are environmentally friendly and economical in terms of electricity consumption.
They are characterized by a long service life (declared resource - 50,000 working hours). During operation, these LEDs practically do not heat up, which makes it possible to use them in tension systems with virtually no restrictions. The stopping factor on the way to the mass use of LED models is their fairly high cost (when compared with analogues of other types).
The design of lamps of this type can be recessed, spot, etc. The good energy-saving characteristics of the devices explain their high popularity when organizing lighting in suspended PVC ceilings and on PVC panels. The absence of an incandescent filament and a glass bulb in the structure of LEDs makes them impossible to break. However, during operation, kinks should be avoided in every possible way (especially in relation to LED strips).
Raster
A raster luminaire refers to a combination of a light source and a reflective system. In devices of this type, fluorescent lamps in the form of tubes of different lengths are usually used as an emitter. LED models are also available. The use of mirror reflectors makes it possible to enhance the emitted light, scattering it around the room. Thanks to this, it is possible to significantly reduce electrical energy costs. Raster lamps equipped with LED lamps are expensive. However, their use allows you to save money on paying for electricity: as a result, once invested, the money gradually pays off. The price and performance characteristics of raster models directly depend on the design of the reflective grid.
It happens:
- Linear. A budget option with a mirror screening grille. Most often, linear devices are placed in factory buildings, characterized by a short stay of people in them.
- Parabolic and biparabolic. More expensive reflectors with improved reflective characteristics. They are used to organize lighting in offices, business establishments, supermarkets, and residential premises.
Your own designer
So, we've sorted out the light bulbs, now let's look at the shapes. In reality, square lamps do not always look like regular geometric shapes. But first of all, let’s figure it out: what is a chandelier and what is a lamp? In the first case, we have a design with several light bulbs, and in the second, with one.
Accordingly, the design of the lamps is simpler, the size is more modest, and the light flow from it is less, so if we are talking about the main overhead lighting, then it is better to install several identical devices on the ceiling.
Most often, flat, square-shaped overhead LED devices are used for this. Another option is hanging lampshades in the shape of a cube or parallelepiped; they are good for zoning a room, for example, around the kitchen table.
A chandelier is usually used only as the main overhead light source and can combine several different shapes. Both traditional and the most unusual lampshades look good on a square base, but in any case the overall look will be modern.
BEKA series of large square surface-mounted luminaires
LED devices with many glass pendants look very interesting. In a large room, they can also be used to highlight individual zones, but then it is better to abandon the main central light source, otherwise the ceiling decoration will be overloaded. Therefore, before choosing a lighting design, decide on the interior of the room, a lot will depend on it.
Recommendations for selection
When choosing square lamps for a suspended ceiling, you need to take into account the following factors:
- Color design of furniture items.
- Shades of ceiling and wall decoration.
- Functional purpose of the room.
If the room is decorated in dark colors, to illuminate it you will have to use an order of magnitude more lamps than for light rooms. The intensity of natural light is also of great importance. If the windows of a room face the sunny side, an order of magnitude fewer lighting fixtures are usually installed in it.
Installation
Recommendations for installing square lamps in a suspended ceiling:
- To fix built-in or suspended lighting fixtures, use a special wooden platform pre-attached to a concrete base.
- Fastening of point devices is carried out using mounting antennae. This makes it possible to hide the base and cartridge, and sometimes the entire body. When constructing a suspended ceiling, take into account the dimensions of the hidden part of the lighting device, making a reserve of 15 mm for the heat reflector.
Popularity of square and rectangular lamps
Square lamps mounted in a suspended ceiling are now, as they say, in trend. They are used in the design of offices, apartments, and country houses.
The original shape not only supports the interior design, but also becomes the main accent that sets the overall style direction. Restraint of lines, clear geometry and overall simplicity fit perfectly into the styles of cubism, high-tech, modern and loft that are so popular today. Lamps in the shape of a rectangle and square “feel” good in almost any part of the house.
They can be presented in the form of massive chandeliers or non-standard spots located according to an original pattern along the entire perimeter of the stretch ceiling.
The popularity of this design of lighting fixtures is explained not only by the shape, but also by the ease of installation. Their installation differs little from standard operations, although it has its own small features.
Results
The performance characteristics of square and round lamps are not much different. This applies to parameters such as operating principle, light output power, electrical energy consumption, etc. The differences relate exclusively to shape and design. It is these factors that people pay attention to when choosing a suitable option: the main thing is that the device fits perfectly into the interior of the room. As for the choice between point, built-in or wall-mounted models, this is influenced by the financial capabilities and functional purpose of the room.
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