If you are building a house or renovating a property, you can design the electrical installation specifically around your individual lighting solutions. The following aspects should already be considered during the planning phase of the electrical installation:
- Make sure you include sufficient power sockets: significantly more power sockets are used in modern households when compared to old buildings. If more power sockets are provided at an early stage, you spare yourself from having to use multi-socket extension leads and you avoid the resulting trouble with the annoying cables.
- Make sure you include sufficient ceiling and wall outlets for the illumination: if you are building a new house or renovating an existing home, it is recommended to make a detailed plan specifying which lights are used for which room at an early stage of planning. If you opt for recessed luminaires, sufficiently large wall or ceiling outlets are required.
A subsequent installation of required power sockets or ceiling and wall outlets is generally possible, however, it is often quite expensive. For this reason, it is recommended to invest time and money in an elaborated planning right at the beginning. In most cases it is best to consult an expert.
Some installation examples for luminaires are provided in the following. We will take a look at different rooms and will provide you with valuable tips as well as give you advice on what you have to consider for the respective situation.
Installation in different rooms
Living room
Power sockets for lights & other items
Double or triple power sockets should be installed next to the doors and windows, in the alcoves for radiators and in every corner.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room and/or, if the furniture plan is already known, above tables, sideboards & chests of drawers as well as in front of paintings/pictures, cupboards or shelves.
Pairs of wall outlets located 5 cm above eye level, usually at a height of approx. 170 cm ensure that persons cannot directly look at the light source.
Dining room
Power sockets for lights & other items
Double power sockets should be installed next to the doors and in every corner.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room and/or, if the furniture plan is already known, above the dining table, sideboards, chests of drawers, cupboards or shelves.
Pairs of wall outlets located 5 cm above eye level, usually at a height of approx. 170 cm ensure that persons cannot directly look at the light source.
Bedroom
Power sockets for lights & other items
Double power sockets should be installed next to the doors, in every corner and on each side of the bed as well as over the wardrobe in order to be able to install furniture lighting.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room and/or, if the furniture plan is already known, in front of cupboards, shelves or paintings/pictures.
Study
Power sockets for lights & other items
Double power sockets should be installed next to the doors and in every corner and, if the furniture plan is already known, six power sockets should be provided behind the desk.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room and/or above the desk, particularly if a pendant light should illuminate the desk.
Pairs of wall outlets located 5 cm above eye level, usually at a height of approx. 170 cm ensure that persons cannot directly look at the light source.
Bathroom
Power sockets for lights & other items
In rooms with bathtubs or showers, compliance with the safety requirements according to the standard DIN VDE 0100-701 must be ensured.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room. Pairs of wall outlets on the right and left of the mirror, located 5 cm above eye level, usually at a height of approx. 170 cm ensure that persons cannot directly look at the wall light.
Kitchen
Power sockets for lights & other items
Numerous double power sockets should be installed next to the doors, above the worktops and behind wall cupboards in order to be able to connect furniture lights, extractor hoods, microwaves etc.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room and/or, if the furniture plan is already known, above the dining table and in front of cupboards & shelves.
Hall
Power sockets for lights & other items
Power sockets should be installed next to doors and, if the furniture plan is already known, next to sideboards or chests of drawers.
Connections for lights
The ceiling outlet should be located in the centre of the room and/or, if the furniture plan is already known, above sideboards, chests of drawers, in front of paintings/pictures, cupboards or shelves.
Pairs of wall outlets located 5 cm above eye level, usually at a height of approx. 170 cm ensure that persons cannot directly look at the wall light.
Installation of switches and dimmers
Switches and touch dimmers are usually installed next to the doors so that you can switch the light on and off as desired on entering or leaving the room. Additionally, it is also useful to have switches and touch dimmers wherever you spend most of the time in the room, so that you can control the light without having to go to the door, e.g. next to the bed, the sofa, the armchair, the dining table or the desk. In this context, installations with permanently installed cables often prove to be a problem since cables often cannot be laid within the room without further ado. Alternatively, you can make use of wireless solutions: installing wireless pushbuttons on glass or wooden tables, mirrors, etc. enables you to remotely switch the light source on and off.
Where possible, avoid installing more than three switches or touch dimmers next to each door as otherwise the switches might be easily confused. If you wish to control more than three luminaires in a room, it is recommended to make use of light scenes.
If you subsequently decide to replace standard switches, it is recommended to invest in a radio-based lighting control system. It can be easily installed and can be retrofitted after the electrical installation was completed.
The benefits of a radio-based lighting control system:
- Remote control switches can be affixed to any surface, such as glass walls and wooden tables, providing a high level of convenience since you can operate them, for instance, while in a sitting or lying position.
- Remote control switches can be affixed to any surface, such as glass walls and wooden tables, providing a high level of convenience since you can operate them, for instance, while in a sitting or lying position.
- In addition to controlling the light, they can also be used to control blinds and screens.
- Multiple lights can be controlled all in one go at the touch of a button with the aid of light scenes
