Shopping Guide

Overwhelmed by the options available when it comes time to choose your track lights? Have no fear. This simple shopping guide is designed to point you in the direction of how to choose the what will work best for you. Figuring out what to do doesn't have to be a headache! Step One: Consider where the fixture will be placed. Before you even consider the variety of track lighting on the market, think about the room where you plan to put it. How large is the room? How high is the ceiling? Will it be used as ambiance or as a source for activities such as homework or cooking or will it be used to accent something? Depending on your answers, the type you choose you'll need will vary.

Step Two: Envision your layout and theme.
Once you've nailed down the basics about your room, you can take a look around and try to envision what layout of fixtures will look best. If your room has low ceilings, you'll want to consider small heads or shades. Avoid recessed fixtures because it will create a closed-in feeling. Also consider whether you want straight tracks running the length of the room, or if you'll need L-shaped connectors to handle corners and curves. You may also want to consider hanging the lights in one of the other popular layouts, which include grid (criss-crossing tracks all over the room) or T and H-shaped layouts.

Step Three: Choose your style and heads.
Now that you have an idea in your mind of the general layout your room requires, it's time to take a look at what's available. Limit your browsing to the track lights that will work in your setting to avoid confusion. If you need a low-profile system, look for single tracks and smaller heads; in a larger room where you want a more dramatic feel, consider suspension kits that will lower the system from the ceiling. If you want a fixture that will illuminate the entire room efficiently, look for swiveling heads.

Step Four: Make final measurements and purchase.
Before you actually buy the system you're eyeing, make sure to measure your room carefully and compare those measurements against the track lighting itself. Check to see that you get all the right connection pieces- for example, if you're building a system that runs all the way around the room, you'll need four L-shaped pieces to form the corners. Measure the drop distance from the ceiling, if any, and compare it to the height of your ceilings. Check the size of the heads or shades so that you can imagine what they'll look like in your room before you order them.

And that should do it. Paying attention to these simple steps while laying out your system, and correctly choosing the pieces you need the first time, will make ordering and installing your track lighting system fun and simple.