Back to the Future with Track Lighting
If you’re wondering what happened to track lighting, don’t worry. It’s still around and ready to give your house a dose of retro styling. Track lighting makes sense in certain situations, so get ready for the return of this retro favorite.
What Is Track Lighting?
Track lighting gets its name from a continuous track device that contains electrical conductors. Light fixtures are attached to this track rail device. They can be swiveled, pointed and aimed in different directions from their base on the track.
You can install track lighting in any direction. You can mount them to a ceiling, a wall or across a joist. Track lights tend to cast highly focused light in one direction. A whole row of track lights offers bright, whole-room illumination.
It Was All the Rage in the 80s
Track lighting was everywhere in the 1980s. If people were renovating their homes, one of the first things they did was install track lighting. The sleek, modern look of this lighting was an instant upgrade that took homes into a modern era.
Track lighting even got a mention in the 1989 movie Steel Magnolias, where Shirley MacLaine’s character raves about the track lighting her nephew has just installed in her home, so we are told.
That popularity persisted into the 1990s. Along with round lamps, Art Deco lamps, glowing orbs, and neon elements, track lighting was a standard lighting design element.
Is Track Lighting Coming Back Into Style?
In a way, it never went out. As we’ll see below, there are still some lighting situations where only track lighting will do.
The 80s have also come roaring back as a design trend. Designers now scour thrift stores for 80s-era Art Deco lamps and industrial track lighting. It turns out that the sleek, clean lines of track lighting blend perfectly with other retro revivals like midcentury modern. Track lighting also goes well with any redesign that uses industrial elements.
Where You Might Want Track Lighting
There are some areas of your home or business where track lighting makes sense. You can find track lighting in a variety of track widths, sizes, and styles. You can also customize the number of light fixtures you add to each tracking device.
⚾️ Accenting Artwork
Track lighting is outstanding if you want to call attention to certain objects in the room. Install track lights to illuminate a painting or a shelf of collectibles. The track lights turn them into a brightly lit accent or focal point. Many museums and art galleries use track lighting for this reason.
⚾️ Down a Long, Dark Hallway
If your home or commercial area has long, dark passages, make them less frightening with bright, friendly lights. A row of track lights will fit even in the narrowest spaces. Create a safer, more inviting space by installing them from one end of the hallway to the other.
⚾️ Workshops and Kitchens
If you have a room where you do crafts, cabinetry or sewing, you need steady, even light. Regular lighting creates shadows that can make it difficult to see your work clearly. That makes for a tough job and a potentially dangerous situation.
Track lighting provides light from several sources at one time. This lessens the number of shadows and dark spots. This feature makes track lighting ideal for a workshop, craft room or kitchen.
⚾️ Irregular Ceilings
Some rooms in your house have irregular ceilings. Older homes might have ceiling beams. Industrial and commercial locations frequently have ceilings with exposed pipes. In these situations, it’s impossible to install recessed lights or other lighting systems. Pendant lights and track lights are your only options.
Are You On Track for Track Lighting?
If you’re ready to install track lighting anywhere in your house, connect with the lighting experts at SESCOS. Track lighting is tricky to install, and doing it yourself can be a frustrating experience. SESCOS can take you back to the future with new track lighting.