What Is Flush Mount Lighting?
Flush mount light fixtures are just one type of fixture we sell at Color Cord Company. However, these are some of the most elevated and elegant designs for any space. If you’re wondering what flush mount lighting can do for you or how to replace recessed lighting with flush mount lighting, we can help! Explore this blog to learn more about what flush mount lighting is and how it can transform your interior design.
Defining Flush-Mount Lighting
So, what is flush mount lighting? This type of lighting fixture is traditionally a dome-shaped cover that hides your light bulb and attaches directly to the ceiling. You’ll see that there is a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures available for the dome design, from classic and minimalist to elaborate and intricate to match with your existing aesthetic.
Because they’re so versatile, flush mounts are ideal for lighting everything from hallways and bedrooms to closets, offices, and bathrooms!
What is Semi-Flush Mount Lighting?
Semi-flush lighting fixtures are similar to traditional flush mounts in that they offer a wider shade that diffuses light more completely throughout the room. However, instead of a dome that attaches directly to the ceiling, a semi-flush mount is attached with a regular canopy.
You might be thinking, “Hey, that sounds like a chandelier or pendant light!” The difference here, however, is that semi-flush mounts still have a very short distance between the ceiling and the fixture, with a gap of about 4-8 inches from the base. They’re basically designed as chandeliers for rooms with lower ceilings or smaller footprints where a large chandelier or long pendant light would feel out of place.
You’ll find semi-flush styles in kitchens and dining rooms, as well as commercial spaces like restaurants and retail stores. If you’re not sure traditional flush mounts are for you, but you still want to learn how to replace recessed lighting with flush mount lighting, you might want to consider the semi-flush style.
Benefits of Flush Mount Lighting
Now that you know what flush mount lighting is, we can move on to learning about the benefits of replacing your recessed lights with this style of fixture. Please note that semi-flush fixtures will look and feel more lavish than true flush mount options, but these benefits apply to both styles.
1. Make Low Ceilings Feel Taller
Whether you get a flush or semi-flush fixture, you can still enjoy beautiful, efficient light fixtures without making your room feel short and cramped. They offer much more clearance than either pendants or chandeliers without sacrificing the beauty of a shade or cage. In fact, what flush mount lighting is designed to do is support more extravagant shades to deliver a sophisticated look and feel for any space.
2. More Efficient Light Distribution
Unlike recessed lighting, which is pushed into your ceiling, semi-flush and flush fixtures provide better ambiance and illumination for your room — especially if you choose LED light bulbs. The gap between the ceiling and the light bulb is absolutely essential, as it reflects the light off the ceiling to diffuse it more evenly instead of spot-lighting only the area beneath the bulb.
You’ll notice that spaces with recessed lighting have many more fixtures than those with semi-flush styles to guarantee a well-lit space. Depending on how to replace recessed lighting with flush mount lighting, you will likely have to remove and recover previously recessed spaces in your ceiling.
3. Hide Unsightly Marks
You may not have considered this particular benefit, but if you’ve bought a place that has ugly marks on the ceiling from previous owners, flush and semi-flush lighting fixtures may help hide them. You don’t have to repaint the ceiling (or worse, rip it out and redo it)! Instead, use the dome or shade of a flush-mount light to conceal the issue. With shades that average about 13 inches, it’s almost as if hiding these problem areas is what flush mount lighting is made for!
4. Less Cleaning & Maintenance
You might have noticed how much dust and dirt build up on a pendant light, chandelier, or fan lighting fixture. With the flush mount lighting design, you never get anything stuck inside the shade or have to worry about dusting the top. This light fixture is more accessible, easier to clean, and simple to maintain. However, the flush-mount fixture will suffer from the same issues as other types of lighting when it comes to cleaning.
5. Lighter, Brighter Rooms
While we’ve already talked about more even light distribution with less effort, it’s important to note that well-lit rooms are essential to any type of interior design. Dark, ill-lit spaces are rarely inviting and welcoming. What flush mount lighting is designed to do ensures you can enjoy minimal, non-intrusive light without having to live or work in a dim space.
Now What?
If you’ve already got a canopy over your junction box, great! You can quickly and easily install a flush or semi-flush mounted light. Unfortunately, if you have recessed lighting, it might take a bit more work to figure out how to replace recessed lighting with flush mount lighting. You can visit our blog for a variety of wiring instructions and unique design inspiration, but we would recommend a consultation with a professional for personalized lighting redesign.
Have questions about this article? Need more help to figure out what flush mount lighting is designed to do? Reach out to our team today for assistance.
