Background Lighting

* Background lighting provides soft illumination within a space and/or throughout the whole property. It ensures that there is a low-level of lighting in key circulation areas, which can then be increased as you enter that area.

* Background lighting can be used as a 'welcome' to avoid coming home to a dark house, as soft night-time lighting, or as timed security lighting if you're away. It would typically run from the Entrance Hall through to the Kitchen/Living Room (ie. main living area) and then up the Stairs and along Landing.

*  Low-level floor-washer lights provide a soft wash of light across the floor to create a 'pathway' of light throughout the house. They should be discreet and, ideally, set into the skirting-boards, approx 2m apart at 75-100mm above finished floor level (FFL).

* For staircases, use steplights set into the sides of the stairs (stringer), centred over the tread at approx 100mm above it. For best effect use one every other step and, unless the staircase is very wide, fit them on one side only.

* Low-level floor-washer lights require a remote-mounted driver/power supply, so you'll need to decide where this will be fitted.