Tracks—Trendy or Tacky?
If you’re a child of the 1970s or 1980s, you know how cool track lighting was. Maybe your groovy neighborhood friend had a dark wood-paneled basement that had those metal tracks running along the ceiling with the lights that could slide and pivot, making every slumber party performance a spotlight event . . . or maybe your parents were designers who used track lights to highlight their orange and gold macrame wall décor. Bringing back fond memories? Well, reminisce no more! Track lighting is not only back (it really never went away), but it is also back in fashion with a style trajectory similar to the wide-legged jumpsuit (it’s true, check the runways!)
Not only were track lights stylish, but they were also functional. No other light fixture could provide the adaptability and flexibility of track lights. The movable heads made it easy (and fun!) to direct light exactly where you wanted it. And if you changed your mind in a week, a month, or a year, you didn’t have to start over with a new fixture . . . you could just reposition the light. Fast-forward to present day . . . track lights are again stylish, still functional, and (dare I say–yes, I do!) trendy! Today’s track lighting deserves consideration for your next lighting project. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes suitable for use in residential and commercial applications as accent lighting for shelves and artwork, task lighting over kitchen islands, or even ambient lighting in long, narrow spaces like hallways.
Make sure to do your research (available on 1000Bulbs.com) about which type of track lighting best suits your needs. With different types of tracks and heads, you’ll need to make sure fixtures and tracks are compatible. You’ll also need to decide whether all the heads turn on and off together (single-circuit tracks) or whether some heads turn on and off independent of each other (dual-circuit tracks). When making your track lighting fashion statement, consider grouping track heads together in clusters rather than spacing them equi-distant apart. This gives a more modern, edgy look. 1000Bulbs.com carries a wide variety of track heads including traditional styles like flat-back cylinder, step cylinder or barn door heads and more unique styles like the projector and gimbal-ring track heads.
Track lights also come in a variety of configurations. Line voltage track lighting uses the standard 120 volts found in outlets and junction boxes, meaning they are simple to install, basically plug-and-play. Low-voltage track lights typically use 12 or 24 volts and require a transformer, either integrated or located remotely, to reduce the line voltage from the standard 120 volts to avoid burn outs. Each option offers its own benefits from quality of light to operating costs and variety of fixtures.
One very memorable downside to the track lights of yesteryear was their ability to get scorching hot! The typical metal shades/housings conducted the heat of the incandescent lightbulbs very well, and if you didn’t wait long enough after flipping the switch to reposition the heads, you might have come away with a few blisters! If you’re a frequent track-head repositioner, you’ll be pleased to know that the low-voltage track lighting renaissance can couple with LED technology and save those fingertips! With their low wattage, these heads don’t get nearly as hot and offer some of the most customizable options available in track lighting today.
Tracks can bring your space to light, I mean life! The latest and greatest in track lighting and accessories are available at 1000Bulbs.com. Give this retro-trend a chance to prove it’s worthy of a triumphant return to your modern-day ceilings! Still not convinced? Chat up one of our lighting specialists at 1-800-624-4488 or check out our convenient pop-up chat at the bottom right corner of our web pages.
