What happens when you use frosted glass instead of clear glass in Bordo?
In architectural lighting, every detail has a purpose — including the choice between frosted and clear glass. In downlights like Bordo by Karizma Luce, this decision directly influences the beam quality, light output, and visual comfort.
Does frosted glass reduce glare?
Glare control in professional downlights is primarily achieved through optical design — not the glass alone. In Bordo, the light source is deeply recessed and shielded by a precise reflector system. This ensures that glare is already minimised without the need for frosted glass.
Adding frosted glass does not significantly reduce direct glare from the light source. In fact, in some situations, it may slightly increase the perceived glare level. This happens because frosted glass enlarges the visible surface of the light source, making it appear brighter from certain angles. However, it can improve visual comfort by softening the beam edges and lowering the contrast within the lit environment — especially where atmosphere is more important than sharp accentuation.
How does frosted glass change the beam?
Replacing clear glass with frosted glass alters the beam shape and appearance. The light spreads more widely, and the edges of the beam become less defined. This results in a softer and more diffuse effect.
While clear glass provides a crisp and precise beam — essential for retail, galleries, or accent lighting — frosted glass creates a smoother glow suitable for hospitality or residential spaces.
What about luminous flux?
Frosted glass reduces the total luminous flux of the luminaire. Typically, this loss ranges from 5–10%, depending on the beam angle and the specific glass finish. Clear glass ensures maximum efficiency and beam sharpness, while frosted glass prioritises softness over output.
What is the Karizma Luce approach?
Bordo by Karizma Luce comes by default with clear glass to guarantee high efficiency, sharp beam control, and professional glare management. This makes it ideal for retail, commercial, or gallery applications where precision matters.
For projects seeking a warmer and more diffused effect — especially when using dim-to-warm technology — frosted glass is available on request.
This approach applies to all recessed fixed and recessed adjustable downlights from Karizma Luce: clear glass as standard, frosted glass as an elegant option when required by the project.
