Why choose switch plates?

Switch plates in your home are used to turn lights off and on. Switch plates are also covered by special covers - either which come standard and which are usually white plastic, or which are decorative - to hide the electrical work. When you are putting in lights, you likely want to choose both the switch plates themselves and the switch plate covers in order to get the best possible functionality and style for your home.

Dimmers or non-dimmers

The first reason why you need to choose switch plates and wall sockets yourself is because there are a variety of different functions and features available. One such feature is the possibility to dim your lights. Most light fixtures which can accommodate incandescent bulbs, as well as some fixtures which have CFLS, can be dimmed. DImming the lights can help you to save energy and can help you to create a different mood or ambiance in your home for certain special occasions. However, standard light sockets and light switches do not come with dimming functions. If you are given the chance to choose your own light switch and switch plate, you can take advantage of selecting light switches which do dim. Lutron is one example of a company you can choose which has the ability to dim.

Functionality

Another reason to choose switch plates is because of the different kinds of functions available. You may, for example, have a bunk of two or more light switches allowing you to control multiple different lights independently. You may also choose to have two way or three way switches, which means that there are two different switches which turn on a single light or turn off a single light. This significantly adds to the functionality of your lighting system. For instance, you can turn on a light when you enter a room and turn it back off when you leave from a different door. Again, you will need to choose your own switch socket and electrical switches to be able to achieve this functionality.

Decoration

When you select light switches, you also need to choose the switch plate cover. The reason to choose this is purely for aesthetics. You can pick a light cover or switch plates which perfectly match with the other finishes in your home to have a cohesive and finished look.