Directional home lighting is a great way to enhance the décor both indoors and out. One type of directional lighting popular with many homeowners is the up light. Up lights produce light from below, pointing it upwards rather than down as with natural lighting or down lights. Up lighting is generally used for creating dramatic effects for highlighting focal points such as plants, statuary, walks, and more. It’s an excellent choice for highlighting objects in the home as well as in the landscape.
Up lights, also known as accent lighting, provide a softer, more indirect light. An up light fixture can be placed just about anywhere to produce various effects. Placing fixtures or lamps near a wall, for instance, can create a subtle effect by pointing it upwards. The object will be softly highlighted without any details. Place the fixture behind an object to cast a silhouette. Likewise, the fixture can be moved or placed in front of objects to create a shadow effect.
Up lights are often positioned with wall-mounted, track, or recessed fixtures. These can be easily concealed for greater effect, especially outdoors enveloped by plants. Up lights are also easy to install and available in many different options to accommodate various lighting needs. For example, sconce, torchiere, and ceiling fan lighting are commonly used up lights in the home. Likewise, this lighting can take center stage outdoors in the form of spotlights or lamps.
Sconces are often used to highlight artwork and other collections. They can also provide subtle nighttime lighting. Torchiere up lights are a fancy term for floor lights that direct light upward. These are often used to bring attention to specific areas of the room in addition to creating a tranquil mood. With ceiling fan up lights, the fixtures are situated above the blades rather than below to create a more subtle type of indoor lighting.
While up lights can also be used to spotlight objects, such as artwork and sculptures, in the home, spotlighting is most often used outdoors. Outdoor up lighting not only enhances the landscape by highlighting specific features, like fountains and specimen plantings, but can also provide safety. For instance, adding up light lamps in the landscape can allow homeowners and visitors to safely and easily find their way along walks and driveways at night. This light effect is also much more subtle and inviting.
The wide range of up lighting options makes it easy to find something to suit nearly any purpose, style, or budget.
