Dining Room Lighting
Given this is a space where you eat and socialise, it is important to have excellent colour properties to provide warm light for the correct skin tones. New generation halogen bulbs are ideal for such spaces, with medium to low levels of light.
Task based lighting
If your task lighting is provided by pendants, replace the bulbs with a new generation halogen bulb. Check the Wattage and light output is equivalent to the bulb you are replacing to avoid under or over lighting – and dim to suit. Dimming will increase the bulb life significantly.
General lighting
New generation halogen bulbs that look just like a clear incandescent bulb and come in a range of shapes including candle bulbs may be appropriate. These bulbs are 30% more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs, last twice as long as a standard bulb and can be used on a dimmer circuit.
If you have standard incandescent light bulbs that are recessed into your living room ceiling, you firstly need to establish whether the fitting has a built in reflector or is designed instead to work with a reflector bulb (do not assume the existing bulb inside the fitting is correct). If the fitting has a built-in reflector (a mirrored or reflective surface within the fitting), a new generation halogen bulb the same shape as a standard incandescent is likely to be most appropriate. If a reflector bulb is required, there are a range of CFL and energy efficient halogen replacement options that can reduce your energy bills.
For halogen spotlights, high efficiency IRC (infra-red coated) versions are available for that use 30% less energy and last two and a half times as long as the standard lights.
Alternatively, there are recessed CFL down lights available that come complete with light fitting and use less than half the electricity than the most efficient halogen spotlights. These lights are designed for general room lighting and are not designed for spot lighting applications or to replace lights that are on a dimmer circuit. Fitting CFL down lights is not a simple bulb replacement and a qualified electrician is required.
| Old bulb | Replacement | Comment |
| Pendant or other surface mounted ceiling or wall fitting with standard incandescent light bulb |
Equivalent new generation halogen bulb recommended due to its excellent colour rendering properties | New generation halogen bulbs use 30% less electricity, last twice as long as standard incandescent bulbs and are suitable for most fittings designed for incandescents |
| 50W 12v halogen spotlight (also known as MR16 dichroic spotlight) |
35W IRC halogen spotlight or energy saver bulbs | Get the same amount of light from a bulb that lasts twice as long |
| Incandescent downlight with reflector |
Equivalent new generation halogen bulb with reflector | Do not assume the bulb inside the fitting is correct |
| Incandescent downlight without reflector |
Energy efficient reflector bulb: R63, R80, PAR 20, PAR 30 or PAR 38 | R bulbs are well suited to producing general volumes of light; PAR bulbs produce a more spotty effect as the beam is more precise |