Installing Dedicated Light Fixtures for Paintings and Art

Table of Contents

• Why Dedicated Art Lighting Makes a Difference
• Best Types of Light Fixtures for Paintings and Art
• Where to Install Light Fixtures for Artwork
• Art Lighting for Different Rooms in the Home
• Choosing the Right Bulbs for Artwork
• Lighting Multiple Paintings or a Gallery Wall
• When to Hire an Electrician? Dedicated Art Lighting Installation in Fairfield County

Why Dedicated Art Lighting Makes a Difference

Art can be a truly fascinating addition to a home; it can add a lot of depth to a room. But having interesting art pieces is only as good as how you display them. For proper enjoyment, having the right art lighting can truly make or break the display.

Specialized art lighting around the home enhances the details, showing off the intricate decisions an artist made. For example within paintings, getting a look at brushstrokes can provide even more enjoyment for the viewer. Depending on the art and room in question, there are different lights that are best used. Read on as we explore these various art lighting and what the best option is to display the pieces you have in your home.

Best Types of Light Fixtures for Paintings and Art

Most of us have experienced art lighting at some point in our lives, usually at a museum. Here is a quick rundown of the major styles within art lighting:

Picture Lights

Picture lights are just what they sound like. A small bar of light is mounted right above a painting with the angle providing great illumination of the wall right below. For highlighting the details in a smaller painting or picture, picture lights are fantastic.

Track Lighting

Not totally unlike the large light productions on a theater stage, track lighting often consists of little spotlights attached to a bar. This bar is grooved to allow for the lights to move up and down the track to optimize your light placement and angles. Highlighting larger pieces is a great place for track lighting to shine.

Adjustable Recessed Lights

Adjustable recessed lights give a smaller profile to your art lighting fixtures. These lights are easy to tuck into a ceiling, adjust angles, and adjust brightness to give you a tremendous amount of control over your light display.

Ceiling-Mounted Accent Lights

Similarly, ceiling-mounted accent lights are a great way to add a mood to an art piece. These lights can be highly customizable in their style, brightness, and hue to give you the ultimate opportunity to show off your piece.

Wall Washers

Named because of their ability to wash your wall with light, wall washers are a great way to add a lowkey fixture. These bars of light are closely installed to the wall, existing at either the top or the bottom of the wall in question. From there, they are able to delightfully light up the wall, making an elegant scene.

Sconces and Decorative Accent Fixtures

Like a mounted wall lamp, sconces and other decorative accent fixtures can be a great way to add a little light in a fancy way. The sconces themselves can be mini pieces of art while providing the perfect light for your art. Highly customizable, there is usually a sconce that fits your scene!

Where to Install Light Fixtures for Artwork

Having the right light fixtures for artwork only gets you so far. Having the lighting installed in the right places with the right angles is also essential for the overall success of your art lighting. Here are some things to keep in mind during placement:

Proper Placement for Picture Lights

When installing picture lights, they typically get installed directly above a piece with a slimmer profile. As such, these lights make for fantastic additions in hallways and dining rooms where space may be more limited.

Ceiling Fixture Placement for Paintings

Ceiling fixtures can be a great way to cover a larger space with light while saving precious wall space. These lights can be versatile in that regard, excelling in multiple settings.

Track Lighting on the Ceiling

Track lighting is another great ceiling-dwelling light that has great flexibility in what it can illuminate. Excelling in dining rooms, living rooms, and entry ways, there are plenty of ways to incorporate track lighting to illuminate your art.

Lighting Larger Walls or Multiple Pieces of Art

For larger walls and art pieces, getting larger lights or more fixtures is typically best. Often in this situation, you’ll need to decide how many lights are needed to properly show off the details of your art. Having a professional that can quickly hone in the proper light size and angles that create different moods, which can blend tremendously-well with specific artworks.

Art Lighting for Different Rooms in the Home

Naturally, different rooms will present differently with art based on their natural light levels, angles, and general vibe. When putting art lighting in these rooms, consider the following:

Living Room Artwork

The living room is a great place for artwork to thrive. Depending on the size of the art you’re hanging here, picture lights, track lighting, and adjustable recessed lighting all make for fantastic options that will look great while properly highlighting your artwork.

Dining Room Paintings

The dining room is another great place to place paintings for some elegance around your dining. Picture lights and track lighting can be perfect for specifically illuminating just the art.

Hallway Gallery Walls

Hallways are a classic spot for some incredible artwork. Here, having lowkey lighting fixtures that take up minimal space in a crowded hall is best. Small picture lights, wall washers, and various ceiling options are optimal for maximizing this space.

Home Office or Study Artwork

A home office or study is ideal for placing artwork. With the extra space in a study, any of the above lighting options can be utilized, depending on the size and shape of the art in question.

Stairway and Entryway Art Displays

Similar to hallways, stairways and entryways are a fantastic place to put art on display. Again, picture lights, recessed ceiling lights, and maybe even the properly placed wall washer can be ideal for keeping a small profile, but directing a ton of light towards the right place.

Choosing the Right Bulbs for Artwork

Besides the fixtures themselves, the actual bulb also plays a key role in accentuating your art piece. Here, there are plenty of options in both hue, intensity, and overall size. Some bulbs have additional light settings that can be chosen from.

Lighting Multiple Paintings or a Gallery Wall 

For larger operations with multiple paintings or an entire wall, scaling up your lighting is often needed. This can be increasing the amount of picture lights, for example, but can also look like larger track lighting with more bulbs or larger and more robust wall washers.

When to Hire an Electrician? Dedicated Art Lighting Installation in Fairfield County

If you’re looking for dedicated art lighting in your home around Fairfield County, look no further than Santella Electric. With years of experience installing art lights, we have an eye for what works. We can get your wall washers, picture lighting, track lighting, and any other style properly installed at correct distances and angles to get your setup right the first time. Plus, bringing in a professional, you can rest assured that the work will be done safely and designed to last. Come see what proper lighting can do for your artwork! Contact Santella Electric today for a quote and to get your lighting installation on the calendar.