Lighting recommendations. (1 Viewer)

[Orlando]

I have a finished basement that I have turned into our home theater. Whoever did it used the 2' florescent light fixtures in a drop ceiling as the lighting. Needless to say these lights are horrible especially in a home theater environment.

I just don't know what I should do to make it more thematically correct. Recessed high hats and track lighting are out due to the heat build up and the fact that my drop ceiling is about 7' tops and would probably burn anyone who stands too close. Looking for some ideas and please include all crazy ones as well. As they might be the one that works.

Thanks

 

[Philip Hamm]

Wall Sconces are nice if you can get into the walls.

 

[Domonic A]

If it is a drop ceiling with panels it should be easy enough to take out a panel and tear out the old fixture and put in some recessed lights. Maybe try to put up some crown moulding in the ceiling and rout it out to accomidate some rope lighting.

Good Luck

 

[Kenny WH]

You might look at fiber optic lighting. You can get fiber optic lighting fixtures that look like recessed can lights. All the heat stays up in the ceiling where the light sources are mounted. Usually you'll have one or two centrally mounted light sources mounted up in rafters or floor joist and the light is piped to the fixtures via multiple strands of fiber. The fixtures and light sources are rated by the number and size of the fiber strands it can hold.

I'm currenty using fiber optics in my theater to simulate twinkling stars in my suspended tile ceiling. I painted the tiles dark blue and then used a large needle to thread over 800 individual points(stars). It took a couple days but it was worth it. You'll find the biggest expense is the light sources.

A couple cool things you can do is add color wheels or twinkle wheels to the lights that alter the color of the light.

Good luck,
Ken

 

[Kenny WH]

Did a quick search and here is a page that shows some of whats available in "down" lighting fiber optic fixtures:http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Fixtures.htm

Keep in mind these prices don't include the fiber or the illuminators.

But I found that fiber optics are really easy to work with so it's really a good d.i.y. project. Plus it really sounds cool when people ask about it and you can say it's fiber optic lighting. It sounds really complicated and high tech to the unfamiliar.

Ken

 

[Orlando]

Some very cool ideas keep them coming.

 

[Aaron D]

I don't know if this would work for you, but I have a similar theater in my basement that I used those little Easylights mounted on wire. The wires stretch across the ceiling and the lights hang off the insulated wire by metal rods.

A

 

[ace peterson]

I think recessed lighting would work. Just use a lower watt bulb and put a few extra lights in the room if needed. Then hook them all up to dimming switches. (either all on the same switch, or 1 switch for the front row of lights and 1 switch for the back row of lights.)

A back-lit wall behind the hdtv with a cool-light flourescent for the added touch.

Ace

 

[Orlando]

Some really good ideas, thanks. Now I got to take the wife along to the store and see what ideas pass.