The aperture sizes of recessed downlights keep getting smaller. When I started specifying recessed downlighting, the 4.5" aperture was the most common size we used. Then came the 3" downlight, which has been a mainstay for lighting designers for the last ten years. But the march toward smaller apertures continued.
Two years ago, USAI launched the Little Ones, the first 1" downlight of its kind in America. It is a fully functional 1" aperture family of recessed downlights. It's been an enormous success in applications ranging from high-end homes to commercial office spaces.
The aesthetic of a 1" downlight is a favorite among architects and interior designers who want accent lighting but don't want Swiss cheese holes in their ceiling. However, there are drawbacks, the most practical being the need for remote drivers. While low wattage and high efficacy downlights have made it much easier to specify downlights with shared remote drivers - it's still a point of coordination and complexity in specification.
There's also a more simple limitation - more than 1000 lumens coming from a 1" aperture is almost too much light, which can cause glare.
Enter the 2" downlight
USAI launched the Little Twos - their own 2" family of recessed downlights this year. The two-inch downlight offers a few key benefits over other lines.
Two-inch aperture downlights offer an ideal balance of a "disappearing" aperture but with the ability to have an integral driver.
To say the Little Twos have taken off here in New York is an understatement. It's rapidly become a go-to specification. You get (almost) all of the performance of a 3" downlight in a smaller form factor with none of the caveats of a 1" family.
Some Key Performance Options.
Some specification caveats
With the addition of the Little Twos, USAI now has a downlight family for 1", 2", 3", and 4.5" downlights, with options for trimmed Trimless and millwork installations for new construction and retrofit applications. It's the most complete recessed downlighting offering on the market today, and that's why USAI remains a favorite of New York City lighting designers.
Contact Us to Book your in-person demonstration of the Little Twos.
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