How to Plan Lighting Before a Renovation: A Complete Homeowner’s Guide
Planning a renovation?
Before choosing tiles, paint colours or even your final light fittings, there is one decision worth making surprisingly early: your lighting plan.
Lighting is often treated as a finishing touch. In reality, some of the most important lighting decisions need to be made while ceilings are open, walls are being chased, electrical cables are being installed and kitchen joinery is still being designed.
Once the plastering, ceilings and cabinetry are complete, moving a pendant 50 cm or adding another wall light can become considerably more complicated and expensive.
A good lighting plan determines:
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Where your ceiling lights will be positioned
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Where pendants and chandeliers will hang
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Which walls need light points
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Where switches should be located
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Which lights operate together
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Which circuits should be dimmable
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Where LED strips and drivers need to go
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How kitchen joinery interacts with lighting
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Where outdoor and security lights are required
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How your home will feel after dark
Whether you are renovating one room or an entire South African home, this guide explains what to decide before the electrician starts wiring.
Why Lighting Should Be Planned Early
A common renovation sequence looks something like this:
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Draw the architectural plan
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Design the kitchen
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Select finishes
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Position electrical points
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Add some downlights
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Choose decorative lights near the end
The problem is that good lighting is connected to almost every one of those decisions.
The location of your sofa determines where a reading lamp makes sense.
Your dining table determines where the pendant should hang.
Kitchen cabinetry determines where under-cabinet lighting and pendants should be positioned.
Your bed position determines where bedside wall lights belong.
Artwork influences spotlight placement.
Curtains can interfere with wall lights.
A television can create reflections if lights are positioned incorrectly.
That is why lighting specialists recommend considering lighting early in a renovation rather than adding it after the room layout has already been finalised. Kitchen planning guidance similarly recommends designing lighting alongside the kitchen because ambient, task and accent lighting all need to relate to how the room will actually be used.
The simplest principle is:
Plan the furniture first. Then plan the lighting around the furniture.
Step 1: Start With Your Furniture Layout
Do not begin your lighting plan with the ceiling.
Begin with the floor plan.
Before positioning a single downlight, mark the likely locations of:
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Sofas
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Dining tables
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Beds
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Kitchen islands
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Kitchen countertops
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Desks
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Television units
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Sideboards
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Artwork
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Bathroom vanities
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Built-in cupboards
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Reading chairs
Your lighting should respond to these elements rather than being arranged in an arbitrary ceiling grid.
For example, if you know exactly where your dining table will stand, you can centre the pendant above the table rather than simply centering it in the room.
Those two positions are not necessarily the same.
Likewise, a row of kitchen downlights should relate to your worktops, island and cupboards—not just the overall dimensions of the ceiling.
Step 2: Decide What Each Room Needs to Do
Before selecting fittings, ask:
What happens in this room?
A kitchen may need to support:
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Food preparation
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Cooking
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Cleaning
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Homework
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Entertaining
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Casual dining
A living room may need:
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Television viewing
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Reading
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Entertaining
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Relaxing
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Display lighting
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General cleaning light
A bedroom may require:
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General illumination
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Bedside reading
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Dressing
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Wardrobe lighting
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Makeup lighting
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Soft evening illumination
One lighting circuit will rarely perform all those jobs equally well.
That is where layered lighting becomes important.
Step 3: Plan the Three Main Lighting Layers
Most successful residential lighting schemes combine three broad types of light.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting provides the room's general illumination.
Examples include:
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Ceiling lights
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Downlights
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Large pendants
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Chandeliers
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Indirect ceiling lighting
It provides enough light to move comfortably around the room.
Task Lighting
Task lighting illuminates a specific activity.
Examples include:
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Reading lights
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Kitchen worktop lights
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Under-cabinet LEDs
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Bathroom mirror lights
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Bedside wall lights
Task lighting should normally illuminate the task without your body blocking the light.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting adds depth and directs attention towards particular features.
Examples include:
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Spotlights on artwork
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Wall washers
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Shelf lighting
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Picture lights
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Garden spikes
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Architectural wall lights
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Display cabinet lighting
A room containing all three layers generally feels far more considered than a room illuminated entirely by ceiling downlights.
Step 4: Avoid the Downlight Grid
One of the most common renovation mistakes is covering the ceiling with evenly spaced downlights.
It may look neat on a plan, but it does not necessarily produce good lighting.
Instead, ask what every downlight is actually illuminating.
A downlight might be positioned to illuminate:
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A kitchen countertop
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A coffee table
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A walkway
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Artwork
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A cupboard
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A shower
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A feature wall
If a downlight does not have a clear purpose, reconsider whether it is needed.
The beam angle also affects how far apart downlights can be positioned. Narrow beams create smaller pools of concentrated light, while wider beams provide greater coverage.
For a deeper explanation, see elevenpast Beam Angles Explained guide.
Step 5: Plan Your Kitchen Lighting With the Kitchen Design
The kitchen is probably the room where early lighting planning matters most.
Do not finalise the electrical plan until you know:
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Island dimensions
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Cupboard layout
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Countertop positions
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Sink position
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Hob position
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Extractor position
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Tall cabinet locations
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Open shelving
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Appliance locations
Kitchen Downlights
Avoid positioning all downlights in the centre of the walking space.
If the lights are behind you while you work at the counter, your body can cast a shadow over the exact area where you need light.
Kitchen planning guidance recommends positioning task lighting so that preparation surfaces remain illuminated rather than blocked by the person using them.
Under-Cabinet Lighting
If you want LED strips beneath wall cabinets, plan them before the kitchen is manufactured.
Your electrician and kitchen installer need to coordinate:
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Electrical feeds
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Cable routes
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Aluminium LED profiles
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Driver locations
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Switching
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Dimming
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Access for future maintenance
The driver should remain accessible rather than being permanently plastered into a ceiling or hidden somewhere impossible to reach.
Planning the LED strip, profile, power supply, controls and access together before joinery or ceilings are closed is particularly important for concealed lighting.
Kitchen Island Pendants
The electrical point should ideally be positioned according to the final island rather than according to the room.
Pendants are commonly positioned approximately 75–90 cm above the countertop as a starting point, with the final height adjusted according to the size of the fitting and sightlines.
Also decide whether you want:
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One statement pendant
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Two larger pendants
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Three smaller pendants
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A linear pendant
Make this decision before the electrician installs the ceiling points.
Moving three pendant points later is much harder than positioning them correctly from the start.
Step 6: Position the Dining Table Before the Dining Light
This sounds obvious, but it causes countless lighting mistakes.
A dining pendant should generally be centred over the table, not necessarily over the room.
Before placing the electrical point, determine:
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Table length
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Table width
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Table orientation
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Number of seats
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Final position within the room
If you are unsure whether the table could move in future, consider creating some flexibility in the ceiling design.
Depending on the installation, this could include:
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A longer ceiling canopy
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A track system
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Multiple pre-planned electrical points
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A fitting with an offset suspension
The pendant should feel visually connected to the table beneath it.
Step 7: Plan Bedside Lighting Before the Headboard Arrives
Bedrooms often end up with poorly positioned wall lights because the electrical points were installed before the bed dimensions were known.
Before wiring bedside lights, determine:
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Mattress width
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Bed-frame width
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Headboard width
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Bedside pedestal width
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Mattress height
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Final light fitting
Then decide whether you want:
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Table lamps
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Adjustable reading lights
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Pendant lights
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A combination of decorative and reading lights
If you are installing wall-mounted reading lights, test the location relative to where someone will actually sit in bed.
Do not simply use a generic height measurement.
Step 8: Decide Where Wall Lights Will Go
Wall lights can dramatically improve a home, but they are difficult to add after walls are finished.
Consider pre-wiring wall lights in:
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Living rooms
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Bedrooms
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Passages
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Staircases
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Bathrooms
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Entrance halls
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Outdoor entertainment areas
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Building façades
They can be used to:
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Frame artwork
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Highlight architectural features
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Illuminate passages
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Replace bedside lamps
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Create indirect ambient light
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Draw attention to textured walls
Even if you have not chosen the exact fitting yet, determining the approximate location early makes the renovation easier.
However, the final height should ideally be checked against the dimensions of the actual fitting.
Step 9: Create Lighting Zones
This is one of the most important decisions in the entire lighting plan.
Avoid placing every light in a large room on the same switch.
Imagine an open-plan kitchen, dining and living room.
Instead of one circuit controlling everything, consider separate control of:
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Kitchen downlights
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Under-cabinet lighting
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Island pendants
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Dining pendant
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Living-room ceiling lights
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Wall lights
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Feature lighting
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Outdoor patio lighting
This allows you to completely change the atmosphere without turning the whole room on.
When cooking, you might use the kitchen lights at full brightness.
During dinner, you may only need the island and dining pendants.
Later in the evening, you might switch everything off except the wall lights and lamps.
Good lighting is partly about the fittings.
Great lighting is about control.
Step 10: Decide Where You Need Dimmers
Renovation is the ideal time to decide which lighting circuits should be dimmable.
Good candidates include:
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Living rooms
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Dining rooms
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Bedrooms
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Kitchen island pendants
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Decorative ceiling lights
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Chandeliers
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Wall lights
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Entertainment areas
Dimmers allow the same room to serve different purposes.
A dining pendant might operate brightly while children are doing homework but be dimmed for dinner.
A living-room ceiling light can provide strong illumination while cleaning and softer light while watching television.
However, not every LED light is automatically dimmable.
The fitting, lamp, LED driver and dimmer must be compatible. Mismatched components can result in flickering, buzzing, poor dimming range or unreliable operation.
Confirm compatibility before purchasing the fittings and switches.
Step 11: Plan Your Switch Positions Carefully
Good switch positioning sounds trivial until you live with a badly positioned switch every day.
Walk through the floor plan mentally.
Ask:
What is the first thing I want to switch on when I enter this room?
Switches should generally be easy to reach as you enter a space.
Also consider two-way switching.
Two-way switches allow the same lighting circuit to be controlled from two locations and can be particularly useful in:
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Passages
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Staircases
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Entrance halls
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Large bedrooms
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Open-plan spaces
For example, you may want to switch the passage lights on when leaving the living room and switch them off when you reach the bedroom.
Modern multi-lever switches can also control several lighting zones from a single wall position.
Step 12: Think About What Happens at Bedtime
One useful test of a lighting plan is:
Can I switch off the important lights without walking through a dark house?
Consider having control near the bedroom for:
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Bedroom lights
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Passage lights
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Selected exterior lights
Depending on the electrical and automation system being installed, whole-house lighting scenes can take this even further.
For example:
Goodnight Scene
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Living lights off
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Kitchen lights off
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Passage lighting dimmed
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Exterior security lights remain on
Entertainment Scene
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Main ceiling lights dimmed
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Pendant lights on
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Wall lights on
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Outdoor patio lights on
Cleaning Scene
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General lighting at full brightness
Smart-home systems are optional. Good lighting zoning is useful even with traditional switches.
Step 13: Plan for Lamps Even Though They Are Not Hard-Wired
Table and floor lamps are essential to layered lighting.
But they still need electricity.
When planning plug points, consider where you may eventually place:
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Sofa-side table lamps
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Console lamps
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Desk lamps
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Bedside lamps
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Decorative lamps
Nothing ruins a beautifully designed room faster than extension leads running across the floor because the nearest socket is on the opposite wall.
Floor boxes can occasionally be useful when furniture floats in the middle of a large room, although their suitability should be discussed with your electrical contractor and interior designer.
Step 14: Plan Lighting Around Curtains
Curtains are frequently overlooked when lighting plans are created.
Before positioning wall lights or ceiling spots near windows, determine:
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Curtain-track position
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Curtain-stack width
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Pelmet position
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Ceiling recesses
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Full curtain drop
A beautiful wall light becomes useless if the curtain covers half of it.
Likewise, recessed curtain lighting requires early coordination between the ceiling contractor, electrician and curtain installer.
Step 15: Plan Lighting Around Joinery
Custom joinery creates excellent lighting opportunities.
Consider lighting:
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Bookshelves
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Display cabinets
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TV units
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Bars
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Floating shelves
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Wardrobes
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Wine displays
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Kitchen shelving
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Bathroom vanities
If you want integrated LED lighting, decide early where:
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The strip will sit
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The aluminium profile will be installed
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The electrical feed originates
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The driver will live
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The switch or controller will be positioned
Always maintain access to components that may eventually require replacement.
Step 16: Plan Bathroom Lighting Carefully
Bathrooms need several types of lighting.
Consider:
General Lighting
Downlights or a ceiling fitting can provide overall illumination.
Mirror Lighting
Lighting around the mirror should illuminate the face rather than only the top of the head.
Side lighting or broad frontal illumination can reduce shadows when:
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Shaving
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Applying makeup
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Styling hair
High-CRI lighting can also improve skin-tone and colour accuracy.
Check out Elevenpast CRI Explained guide.
Shower and Bath Lighting
Bathroom fittings must be suitable for their position and exposure to moisture.
The required IP rating depends on where the light is installed, so your electrician should confirm that the fitting is appropriate for the intended bathroom zone.
Step 17: Plan Outdoor Lighting at the Same Time
Do not finish the house and only then consider the garden.
External wiring may need to be installed before paving, plastering and landscaping are complete.
Consider electrical points for:
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Entrance lights
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Up-and-down wall lights
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Patio pendants
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Garden spike lights
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Pathway lights
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Tree uplighting
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Braai areas
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Outdoor kitchens
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Pool areas
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Boundary lighting
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Security lights
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Driveways
It can be worthwhile installing conduits to future landscaping areas even if all the fittings will not be purchased immediately.
That creates more flexibility later.
Outdoor fittings must be appropriately rated for their environment and installed correctly.
Step 18: Think About Artwork Before the Ceiling Is Closed
If you already know where important artwork will hang, mark those walls on your lighting plan.
Artwork can be illuminated with:
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Adjustable downlights
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Track lights
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Ceiling spotlights
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Picture lights
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Wall washers
The required beam angle depends on the size of the artwork and the distance between the fitting and the wall.
A narrow beam can highlight a small artwork while a wider beam may be required for a larger piece.
High-CRI lighting is worth considering for important artwork because it can reveal colour more accurately.
Step 19: Choose Your Colour Temperature Strategy
Do not accidentally install different colour temperatures throughout the same open-plan area.
Before buying bulbs and integrated LED fittings, establish a strategy.
A common residential approach is:
2700K
Very warm and relaxed.
Good for:
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Bedrooms
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Living rooms
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Dining rooms
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Decorative lamps
3000K
Warm white with a slightly cleaner appearance.
Excellent for:
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Contemporary homes
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Kitchens
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Living areas
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Bathrooms
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Open-plan spaces
4000K
More neutral and functional.
Often used for:
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Workspaces
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Garages
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Utility areas
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Certain kitchens and bathrooms
The exact choice is personal.
More important is consistency.
If the kitchen and living room form one continuous space, installing 3000K fittings in one half and 4000K fittings in the other can create an obvious visual mismatch.
Step 20: Consider CRI Before Ordering Your LEDs
Colour temperature tells you whether white light appears warm or cool.
It does not tell you how accurately colours underneath that light appear.
That is where CRI—Colour Rendering Index—comes in.
As a practical guideline:
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CRI 80+ is suitable for general home lighting.
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CRI 90+ is preferable where colour appearance matters.
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CRI 95+ can be valuable for artwork and detailed colour work.
Consider high CRI in:
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Kitchens
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Bathrooms
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Dressing rooms
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Artwork areas
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Living spaces containing rich materials
Step 21: Check Every Decorative Light Before the Electrician Leaves
Try not to leave all decorative fitting selection until after the electrical work is complete.
Different fittings may require different:
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Ceiling points
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Mounting plates
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Cut-outs
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Cable positions
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Transformer locations
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Ceiling support
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Wall-box positions
A particularly heavy chandelier may also require appropriate structural support.
Do not assume the electrical cable itself can support the fitting.
Your installer should determine the correct mounting method for the specific product and ceiling construction.
Step 22: Measure Double-Volume Spaces Carefully
Double-volume entrances and staircases require additional planning because fittings may hang several metres from the ceiling.
Before installation, determine:
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Ceiling height
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Desired bottom height of the fitting
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Chandelier dimensions
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Viewing angles
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Staircase clearance
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Window positions
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Access for future cleaning
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Access for bulb replacement or servicing
A chandelier that looks large in a showroom can look surprisingly small in a double-volume entrance.
The reverse is equally true in a standard-height room.
Step 23: Photograph the Wiring Before the Walls Close
This simple renovation habit can be extremely valuable.
Before ceilings and walls are closed, photograph:
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Electrical cable routes
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Junction boxes
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LED drivers
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Conduits
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Wall-light wiring
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Pendant feeds
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Smart-home equipment
Keep the photographs with your renovation documents.
Years later, knowing approximately where cables and hidden components are located can make maintenance much easier.
Your electrician should still perform any future electrical work, but having a visual record of the installation can be extremely useful.
Step 24: Create a Lighting Schedule
For a larger renovation, create a basic spreadsheet or document containing every fitting.
Include:
| Room | Light | Qty | Type | Colour temp | CRI | Beam | Dimmable | Switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Downlight | 8 | Recessed | 3000K | 90 | 60° | Yes | Kitchen 1 |
| Kitchen | Island pendant | 2 | Pendant | 3000K | 90 | — | Yes | Kitchen 2 |
| Kitchen | Cabinet LED | 1 run | LED strip | 3000K | 90 | — | Yes | Kitchen 3 |
| Dining | Pendant | 1 | Pendant | 2700K | 90 | — | Yes | Dining |
| Lounge | Wall lights | 4 | Wall | 2700K | 90 | — | Yes | Lounge 2 |
This reduces mistakes between:
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Homeowner
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Architect
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Interior designer
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Builder
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Electrician
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Kitchen company
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Lighting supplier
It also makes ordering significantly easier.
Room-by-Room Renovation Lighting Checklist
Kitchen
Plan:
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Ceiling lights
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Countertop task lighting
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Under-cabinet LEDs
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Island pendants
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Pantry lighting
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Display cabinet lighting
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Separate circuits
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Dimmers
Living Room
Plan:
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General ceiling lighting
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Wall lights
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Artwork lighting
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Table lamp sockets
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Floor lamp sockets
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TV glare
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Dimming
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Separate lighting zones
Dining Room
Plan:
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Table position
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Pendant position
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Pendant height
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Wall or artwork lighting
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Dimmer
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Sideboard lamp socket
Bedroom
Plan:
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Ceiling light
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Bedside lights
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Reading lights
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Wardrobe lighting
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Dressing mirror lighting
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Switches beside the bed
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Dimming
Bathroom
Plan:
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General lighting
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Mirror lighting
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Shower lighting
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Vanity lighting
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Appropriate IP ratings
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High CRI around mirrors
Passage
Plan:
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Even general illumination
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Artwork
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Wall lights
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Two-way switching
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Night lighting
Staircase
Plan:
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Ceiling or pendant lighting
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Wall lights
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Step lights
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Two-way switching
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Maintenance access
Outdoor Areas
Plan:
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Entrance lights
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Patio lighting
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Garden lights
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Pathways
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Trees
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Braai area
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Security lights
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Future conduits
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Suitable IP ratings
The Lighting Plan You Should Give Your Electrician
Before electrical work begins, ideally provide your electrician with a marked-up floor plan containing:
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Every ceiling lighting point
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Every wall-light point
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Pendant locations
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Downlight locations
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LED-strip locations
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Switch positions
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Lighting zones
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Two-way switching
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Dimmer locations
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Exterior lighting
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Kitchen and joinery lighting
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Any special drivers or transformers
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Smart-home requirements
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Socket positions for lamps
Have the electrician review the plan before construction starts.
There may be electrical or installation requirements that affect your proposed design.
South African Electrical Compliance
Electrical alterations should not be treated as a DIY part of a renovation.
The Electrical Contractors’ Association of South Africa states that electrical installation alterations or additions must be inspected and tested by an appropriately registered person and that the relevant Certificate of Compliance documentation is required. Electrical work must comply with the applicable South African wiring requirements, including SANS 10142-1.
Use a registered electrical contractor and discuss compliance requirements before work begins.
This is particularly important when modifying:
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Distribution boards
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Lighting circuits
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Switches
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Dimmers
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Outdoor electrical installations
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Bathrooms
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New extensions
10 Lighting Mistakes to Avoid During a Renovation
1. Planning Lights Before Furniture
The lighting ends up illuminating empty floor instead of useful areas.
2. Putting Downlights Everywhere
More fittings do not automatically create better lighting.
3. Putting Everything on One Switch
You lose control over the atmosphere.
4. Forgetting Dimming
By the time you want it, your chosen LEDs or drivers may not be compatible.
5. Centring Pendants in Rooms
Centre them over the furniture they illuminate.
6. Forgetting Table and Floor Lamps
Layered lighting requires sockets as well as ceiling points.
7. Mixing Colour Temperatures
3000K and 4000K lights next to each other can look inconsistent.
8. Hiding LED Drivers Permanently
Drivers may eventually need maintenance or replacement.
9. Choosing Decorative Lights Too Late
The installation requirements may differ from the electrical points already provided.
10. Ignoring the Outside
Adding garden and façade wiring after paving and landscaping can be unnecessarily disruptive.
The Final Pre-Wiring Lighting Checklist
Before telling your electrician to proceed, confirm:
Layout
☐ Furniture plan finalised
☐ Kitchen design finalised
☐ Dining table position confirmed
☐ Bed positions confirmed
☐ Artwork locations considered
Ceiling Lighting
☐ Downlights positioned intentionally
☐ Ceiling lights positioned
☐ Pendants positioned over furniture
☐ Chandeliers correctly scaled
☐ Beam angles considered
Wall Lighting
☐ Bedside lights positioned
☐ Passage lights positioned
☐ Bathroom mirror lights positioned
☐ Artwork lighting planned
☐ Exterior wall lights planned
Controls
☐ Lighting zones established
☐ Switch positions checked
☐ Two-way switching considered
☐ Dimmers specified
☐ LED compatibility confirmed
Joinery
☐ Under-cabinet lights planned
☐ Shelf lighting planned
☐ Wardrobe lighting planned
☐ LED drivers remain accessible
Light Quality
☐ Colour temperature selected
☐ CRI considered
☐ Lumens considered
☐ Beam angles selected
Outdoors
☐ Entrance lighting planned
☐ Patio lighting planned
☐ Garden lighting planned
☐ Security lighting planned
☐ Future conduits considered
Installation
☐ Electrician has reviewed the plan
☐ Decorative fittings checked
☐ Ceiling support considered
☐ Electrical compliance requirements discussed
☐ Wiring photographed before closing walls
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plan lighting during a renovation?
As early as possible.
Ideally, the main lighting layout should be developed after the furniture and kitchen layouts are reasonably established but before electrical wiring, ceilings and wall finishes are completed.
Should I choose light fittings before the electrician starts?
You do not necessarily need every fitting delivered, but you should know what type of fitting will be installed and its important dimensions and electrical requirements.
Decorative pendants, wall lights and chandeliers should preferably be selected early.
How many downlights should I install?
There is no universal number.
The correct quantity depends on:
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Room size
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Ceiling height
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Lumens
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Beam angle
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Furniture
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Natural light
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Wall colours
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Other lighting layers
Plan downlights according to what needs illumination rather than using a generic ceiling grid.
Should every light be dimmable?
Not necessarily.
Dimming is most useful in rooms where you want to change the atmosphere, particularly living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms.
Task and utility lighting may not always require it.
Should kitchen pendants be on a separate switch?
Usually, yes.
Separating island pendants from general kitchen lighting gives you far greater control over the space and allows the pendants to become ambient lighting after cooking is finished.
Is 3000K good for an entire home?
3000K is a popular choice for contemporary residential interiors because it remains warm while appearing relatively clean.
However, some homeowners prefer 2700K in bedrooms and lounges.
Consistency between adjoining spaces is generally more important than choosing one universally “correct” Kelvin rating.
What CRI should I use in my home?
CRI 80 or higher is a sensible starting point for general residential lighting.
Consider CRI 90 or higher for kitchens, bathrooms, artwork and interiors where accurate colour reproduction is important.
Plan the Lighting Before You Close the Walls
Some renovation decisions are easy to change later.
Lighting wiring is not one of them.
A little additional planning before the electrician starts can prevent years of:
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Poorly positioned pendants
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Dark kitchen counters
-
Inaccessible switches
-
Unnecessary downlights
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Missing wall lights
-
Extension leads for lamps
-
Incompatible dimmers
-
Expensive electrical alterations
Start with your furniture layout.
Decide how each room will be used.
Layer ambient, task and accent lighting.
Then plan the electrical points and controls around that scheme.
Once the infrastructure is correct, selecting beautiful light fittings becomes the enjoyable part.
Explore Elevenpast’s range of pendant lights, ceiling lights, wall lights, chandeliers, table lamps, floor lamps, outdoor lights and light bulbs to complete your renovation lighting plan.
Elevenpast delivers contemporary lighting and homeware throughout South Africa.