Ask an expert: all your home lighting questions answered

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Lighting can make all the difference in your home, but it can be hard to know what to choose. Gabriel Byrne of Fantasy Lights, one of Ireland's leading providers of innovative lighting solutions, answered our most asked questions about how to get it right. Here's everything you need to know about home lighting.

What’s the biggest mistake people make when choosing home lighting?

"People tend to fall for how a particular light fitting might look, rather than how it is going to perform in a particular area. For example, the kitchen is where strong lighting is essential in certain places."

At which stage, of the interior design process, should I think about lighting?

"Right at the start of construction or refurbishment. At that stage, you can decide which kind of home lighting you want and put in the cables. So, if you don't consider home lighting until after the wiring is done, your options can be restricted.

Which areas of the home are often neglected when it comes to the right lighting?

"Hallways and stairways, without a doubt. People tend to put poor quality lighting at the top of the stairs and sometimes they pay for it with a fall to the bottom. Good lighting in hallways and entrances provides a visual 'welcome home' for visitors. It can also be important from a security point of view, especially in stairwells."

How easy is it to get a dimmer installed?

"Dimmer switches are very easy to retrofit. Any switch can be replaced with a dimmer switch. However, it's very important to ensure that the dimmer is capable of dealing with LEDs. Traditional dimmers were designed for lighting of higher wattage output and can flicker when used with LEDs because they are not capable of going down to the reduced wattage levels."

Gabriel Byrne of Fantasy Lights who have launched ADSI - a turnkey solution to take lighting from the showroom to the sitting room with ease and expertise. Picture Conor McCabe

What are the differences between CFL and LED lights?

"A CFL is a Compact Fluorescent Light, a smaller version of a fluorescent tube, while an LED is a Light Emitting Diode. LEDs, while more expensive to buy, are very energy efficient. A CFL on the other hand is cheaper to buy but more expensive to run and, because they contain mercury, they are more hazardous to dispose of."

How can I ensure I’m being more energy efficient in the home?

"It's very simple; measure the overall wattage output of every lamp that's used on a regular basis and seek out an alternative energy efficient LED product."

How do I make the right lighting a successful focal point in a room?

"Seek out innovative pendant light fittings that are in situ in a showroom; the design can be contemporary or conservative, depending on your taste."

Any suggestions for lighting my garden?

"Firstly, always put a light in the furthest point from your window view. It makes a big difference, during long, dark evenings, to be able to look out of your window and get the feeling of more space. Secondly, ensure that all of your garden light fittings are energy efficient. This way, you won't find yourself switching them off to save money. Thirdly, make sure all of your garden light fittings are corrosion proof and capable of dealing with Irish weather."

What have been the big lighting trends this year?

"Copper is still enjoying a moment; light fittings and finishes in copper are hugely popular."

Any trend predictions for 2017?

"There's going to be a big emphasis by consumers to put modern contemporary lighting into their homes that not only delivers energy efficient lighting but also provides a discussion point within the room."