Dimmer lights are a god send when it comes to setting the right ambiance and mood in a room. It also gives you complete control over the intensity of the light and makes the job of meeting everyones needs an easy task. Dimmers and touch lamps can also extend the life of the lamp/bulbs so it’s really a no lose situation.

Everyone likes to have control in their own home and lighting is the easiest way to set different moods in different rooms, dining rooms, lounges and even the bedroom all require different lighting to achieve the right mood for that room. There are only really a few exceptions, laundry rooms and utility rooms being the main exceptions to the rule. Basic dimmer switches are easy to install in any existing or new setting, but these days there’s more to them than just the classic knob-styling.

Lighting controls come in four different types:

• Integrated dimming systems allow the most variety. Homeowners can create several preset lighting settings in a single room. With the touch of a single button from a wall box or a wireless remote control, they can recall the pre-selected settings.

• Touch dimmers create a lighting change with the press of a single button. One-touch recall allows the homeowner to return to the previous lighting level without resetting the light. Some dimmers also have a lighted indicator to show the intensity of the current setting.

• Slide dimmers offer manual control of the lighting in a room. Some also include a button on the plate so it is easy to return to the previous setting.

• Rotary dimmers are the ones most likely to conjure images of your Mom’s dining room. The manual dial allows a homeowner to alter the lighting level by turning the dial. Some have push-button control to switch the light off while keeping the current setting in place.

As well as those options, there is also the possibility of building a custom lighting system that controls every light in the whole house. These days you can buy wireless, infrared and radio wave dimmers and even fit a lighting control system into an existing house. This can be a tricky job so make sure you get a registered professional to do the work for you.

Prices for lighting control systems vary based on their technology and the extent of their control. A single dimmer will cost a few pounds, but an automated system for the entire home will run in the thousands.

The technical bit:

Dimmers operations are very basic as they essentially limit the amount of electricity that gets through to the light, this also saves you electricity meaning cheaper bills. By simply dimming your lights by 10% generally it reduces the electricity used by your lighting by 10% too, this means you’re going to be saving money and you probably won;t even notice a difference in the light.

Dimming controls will also extend the lamp’s life, which will save you even more money over time. It also saves you the hassle of replacing bulbs in those hard-to-reach places.

So there we go, dimmer switches and lamps are the future! You can take a look at our range of touch lamps here!