What is track lighting?

24/01/2024

When it comes to lighting design, track lighting shines as a versatile and dynamic choice. This type of lighting features a modular track or rail that can support various light fixtures, such as spotlights, pendant lights, or light bars, allowing you to direct light exactly where it's needed. Its user-friendly installation, scalability, track lighting placement, and wide selection of styles and finishes offer versatility that suits diverse spaces and needs.

Track lighting functions through a continuous track or rail system, commonly mounted on the ceiling or wall. This track serves as both the structural support and the electrical pathway that powers light fixtures throughout the track. Fixtures can then be attached to the track using connectors or adapters, which are specifically designed to be adjustable. This flexible track light spacing is great for crafting bespoke and directed lighting configurations.

The brilliance of track lighting comes from three essential components: the power supply unit, the tracks and connectors, and the lighting fixtures.

There are three types of track lighting power supply units. What’s most effective for you will depend on your design and requirements. Choose from:

• Ceiling end units: Strategically positioned at the end of the track
• Between-track units: Nestled between two tracks for seamless power distribution
• Wall-mounted units: Designed for wall-mounted tracks

You can link the versatile tracks and connectors together to configure the track lighting system that best fits your needs. Philips Hue Perifo lets you select from:

• 0.5 m tracks: Ideal for tight turns and small track lighting arrangements
• 1 m tracks: Fits comfortably into most spaces and accommodates multiple lights
• 1.5 m tracks: Impressive and spacious, perfect for longer track lighting spacing and dramatic effects
• Straight connector: Facilitates straight-line track lighting configurations
• External corner connector: Guides track lighting gracefully around corners
• Internal corner connector: Enables smooth turns in the opposite direction as an external corner connector

Different track lighting fixtures accommodate different lighting needs and preferences. Philips Hue Perifo allows you to pick from:

• Spotlights: Emit vibrant light wherever you aim them, ideal for accentuating specific areas
• Pendant lights: Adjustable in height for direct, downward illumination, perfect for dining tables
• Linear light bars: Casts diffused, colorful light, illuminating larger rooms with elegance
• Gradient light tubes: Harmoniously blends multiple colors of light to wash over the wall it faces

Whether you’re looking to set up track lighting in in a small hallway or large kitchen, this step-by-step guide will help you brighten up your space with ease — and get a sophisticated look!

Achieving ideal track light placement is an art that begins by considering the type of space you're illuminating. In living spaces, it’s commonly recommended to space fixtures between 0.6 to 1.2 meters apart to achieve even coverage for general illumination. However, when highlighting specific features or individual objects, you may want to try placing them closer together. Don't hesitate to experiment with track light spacing until you achieve the perfect balance of illumination. After all, that is the beauty of track lighting.

Bright idea: Ready to install your track lighting? Lay it all out on the floor to map out its placement before you start drilling. This way, you can play with the positioning and choose where you want to put the lights without the commitment of holes in the wall!