Lighting Blog

Many may believe that downlights are a relatively new light fitting but they were first developed in the early 1940s. However it can be hard to fit downlights into a more traditional setting. These traditional style downlights, which are availble in four different finishes, are great for use in say a period study or living area.



For thoese people who know nothing about downlights they are a recessed light (or downlight) which is a light fixture installed into a hollow opening in a ceiling. When installed it appears to have light shining from a hole in the ceiling, concentrating the light in a downward direction as a broad floodlight or narrow spotlight. Many people opt for downlights as they can provide a good spread of light in a room rather than a single pendant or wall lights.



There are two parts to a downlight, the trim and the housing. The trim is the visible portion of the light. It is the insert that is seen when looking up into the fixture, and also includes the thin lining around the edge of the light. The housing is the fixture itself that is installed inside the ceiling and contains the lamp holder.



Take a look at our downlight sections as there are many different varieties, styles and finishes to choose from.

Tags:  downlights, mains downlighters, LV downlights, low voltage downlights

With fashions changing the Vintage and Victorian look have been in the media. Interior design follows suit and lighting uses many influences from this period.



Using replicas from the Victorian and Edwardian era makes lighting quite distinctive. Lighting Styles has a stunning range of Period Lighting including Carriage lamps and Period Torchiere Wall Lights. Handmade from solid brass with a number of finishes available including Light Antique and Bronze. This is something a little bit different from the norm and truly a lovely possession.



Whilst you may wish to change your whole house into a particular style it may be wise to just do one room first. You can recreate the period era by using velvet fabrics, strong colours and enhancing the Brass look from these stunning products. We love to showcase our homes and high quality features really make the difference.




Have a look at our range of Period Wall Lights, Ceiling Lights, Table Lights and Exterior Lights.

Tags:  Victorian, Period and Traditional Lighting, Wall Lights, exterior lights, exterior lights.

Lighting Styles has sold illuminated shaving and vanity mirrors for a number of years and one common question is the availability of battery operated mirrors. So why would a battery operated shaving mirror be required? Ease of installation means a battery illuminated mirror can just be screwed to the wall and switched on. No electrician is required and any existing decoration and wall tiles are not disturbed by the need to channel out the wall to provide and electrical supply.
However the high energy usage of halogen and fluorescent lamps made them impractical to operate on batteries – the batteries simply would not operate the lamps for a long enough period of time or would give insufficient light to make them worthwhile. Once high output LED lamps became available their energy efficient use of electricity and their requirement for a low voltage DC supply made them ideal for use on batteries.

So with new technology providing a low energy light source Lighting Styles went through a design exercise to make the most practical and stylish design for a mirror that would use the LED light source. The first requirement was to have a mirror that gave a magnified image. Popular levels of magnification for use in vanity and shaving mirrors are 3x and 5 x magnification. This level of magnification makes it easier to apply make-up with accuracy and enable a close shave that doesn’t miss hairs in more awkward places.

Also in the design process was the requirement for the mirror to be flexible enough for use by all member of the family. So the design was based around a vertical rail that allows the height of the mirror to be raised or lowered to suit users of different height. Other practical design requirements include the ability to bring the mirror closer to the user and make it easy to fold away so an arm is used that brings the mirror 150mm forward for close-up work. Next to suit all bathroom layouts the design incorporated a ball joint that allowed the mirror to tilt and rotate so that the user can see a clear image when using the battery operated mirror.

With the design aesthetics of the battery shaving mirror in place the practicalities of providing the best light source was considered. Behind the magnified glass is a printed circuit board with 36 “T” type LED chips that emit light to the side where a opaque plastic ring surrounding the mirror catches the light an illuminates the face. Another practical requirement for a battery operated shaving mirror is ensuring long battery life and consideration was given to how this would be achieved. After careful trials Lighting styles discovered that incorporating an automatic timer into the on switch would be a good and reliable way of ensuring the mirror was not left on after use. Many of us are in a rush in the morning so it would be a mistake to make a battery operated mirror that does not automatically switch itself off! This function saves the batteries and ensures long time between battery replacements. Lastly a few other improvements were made including a soft push button that switches the lights on and allows for three levels of brightness.

Now you can have a stylish battery operated mirror in your bathroom that is made from sturdy steel with a polished chrome finish with a glass mirror illuminated by LED lights.

Tags:  Illuminated mirror,

These lovely Table Lamps are the perfect solution if your little one has trouble getting off to sleep. It also acts as a charming ornament giving a soft glow and adding character to any Childs room. Typically English and designed and manufactured in England from Bone China these nightlights would also make a fantastic gift. Each light comes complete with a low voltage transformer plug and 2 bulbs.


The plain bone china animal range includes a Dog, Owl and my particular favourite a Rabbit ! The designs are white and simple appealing to all tastes and ages. The seasonal addition of the Christmas Tree Table Lamp will also prove popular in the coming months so get your orders in !


Also available is the beautiful collection of little Toadstool nightlights available in red and blue. Think brambley hedge and hidden fairies ! Hand painted and showing a lovely woodland scene with elves and forest friends.


There is also a Pink Flower Toadstool and Blue Toadstool in the boys range with Planes and automobiles. The interior of each light is coloured and gives off a funky glow. As well as being practical these table lamps are stimulating, fun and will add interest to any child or animal lovers bedroom.... if anyone is reading this from the family I`d like the Rabbit for Christmas please !

Tags:  Nursery Table Lamps, White rabbit, Night Lights, Childrens Table lamps.

Brighten up your living or leisure space with the Ball shaped range of lighting at Lighting Styles they certainly are versatile and vibrant, the Pendants and Wall lights in the range come in 9 stunning colours:- Yellow, Black, White, Orange, Green, Red, Purple, Satin and Chrome.

The Range comprises of Ball Pendants, Ball Wall lights and the Ball Floor Light (available in Red, Black or White colours only).
These are super in teenage bedrooms or studies adding a splash of colour. The Pendants have a generous 2 meters of clear suspension cable, which can be shortened on installation. With a diameter of 18cm they also look fantastic suspended in a group over a breakfast bar.

Colourful lighting is always a great way to brighten your living space and the Ball Floor lamp combined with the Ball Wall lights will make any room come alive.

The Danish design incorporates clear flex so as not to detract from the vibrant colours. The wall lights have the on/off switch on the flex and a 3 pin plug offering manoeuvrability. The Ball wall lights use E14 lamps and the Ball Pendants / Ball Floor Light use E27 lamps these are available in energy saving forms which is an excellent environmental choice because of high energy efficiency and a long reliable lamp life of approx 2000 hours.

Tags:  wall lights, pendant lighting, floor lights, iconic pendants, ceiling pendants, wall mounted spotlights,