Andrew Wilson, from switch and socket manufacturer Varilight, considers the importance of style consistency, encouraging developers to focus on detail when selecting decorative wiring accessories to add real value to a project.
Having worked for a wiring accessory manufacturer for over 25 years, I have an unusually keen eye for spotting mismatching switches and sockets. Whenever I visit a home my eyes are inevitably drawn towards the wiring accessories and I’m constantly surprised at how often they don’t all match up.
Take a typical kitchen installation, for example. Having spent time creating a harmonious interior design scheme, paying attention to cabinets, handles, tiles and work surfaces, focus can slip when it comes to the final fix and selecting the switches and sockets. As we all know, the devil is in the detail and a well-chosen range of decorative wiring accessories can really bring a project to life.
With such a wide variety of styles and finishes available from leading switch and socket manufacturers, it’s important to take the time to choose the right range. Lifestyle shots are increasingly being used by estate agents in promoting properties and sometimes a distinctive switch will be photographed, either as a feature or as part of a wider shot to demonstrate attention to detail. A strong interior design scheme can really add value and get your property sold sooner.
Before making your choice here are some tips on what to look out for when comparing the different brands available.
Look for choice in any range of decorative finishes.
Some manufacturers offer wiring accessories in a very wide selection of decorative finishes. At Varilight, we also pay a lot of attention to the latest trends in interior design and, by continuing to manufacture in the UK, we are able to bring new finishes to market very quickly. For example, we launched our Polished Copper finish a couple of years ago in response to a trend that saw copper becoming increasingly popular in kitchen, bathroom and other home accessories and it’s now one of our best-selling finishes. The Polished Copper finish now forms part of our wider Urban Collection, which also includes Vintage Brass and Bronze finishes as well as Matt Black.
How wide is the assortment of dimmer, switch and socket types within each range?
For us at Varilight, it’s a big undertaking to launch a new finish because the product assortment we offer in each finish is very wide. With electrical installations becoming ever more sophisticated, launching a new finish with a limited assortment only leads to frustration for those trying to put together a matching set of products for an installation.
Use grid systems available to create bespoke switch or socket combinations
The most common reason for a mismatch of switches and sockets in an installation is choosing a range that doesn’t include grid systems. With the versatility grid systems provide, different types of dimmer, switch or socket can be mixed on the same faceplate. A typical example is a panel of switches to control kitchen appliances. Look for manufacturers that offer an engraving service where each switch rocker can be marked to show which appliance it is controlling: “Dishwasher”; “Wine Cooler”; “Cooker Hood”; etc. Switch identification is particularly important when catering for buyers moving into a new property.
Do the grid systems match the style and finishes offered in the rest of the manufacturer’s range?
Sometimes there can still be a mismatch between grid systems and the rest of the switches and sockets offered within a manufacturer’s range. Some manufacturers don’t offer decorative finishes in their grid ranges at all, preferring only to offer white. Fortunately, there are many brands that do offer grid systems in a good selection of faceplate styles and finishes that match their wider switch and socket assortments. When it comes to dimmers though, even when the faceplates match, grid dimmer modules often look different to standard dimmers in the same range. At Varilight we’ve just launched a new system called Matrix where dimmer faceplate packs and standard dimmer modules can be purchased individually so that bespoke combinations can be created that look identical to our standard dimmer ranges.
Ask if LED dimmers included in the manufacturer’s ranges
It’s well worth checking that a manufacturer offers a broad range of dimmer switch technologies to cover the various types of lighting commonly specified in new developments. In particular, a reliable LED dimmer is an important element in any manufacturer’s offering. Varilight’s V-Pro and V-Com LED dimmer technologies are both included in each of the many different styles and finishes of faceplate that we offer.
