The Lighter Side Blog

Staging Your Home With Roslyn June 13, 2008

Wall Sconce Lighting June 9, 2008

Most people don’t notice the value and beauty that wall sconces add to a room because subtlety is their main purpose. They create general or accented light while still remaining discreet and unobtrusive. Not only are they a significant source of ambient light, they also add a decorative flair to any room. Their function is often hidden by their elegant presence. These mounted wall fixtures throw a dramatic lighting effect along the entire surface of a wall, adding decoration and texture to a room while still being able to illuminate it. And unlike traditional lighting, this type creates a unique look to a home due to the fact that they come in a large variety of styles and designs. Plus, they don’t overpower the eyes, but instead create a soft feel to any room.

Wall Sconces aren’t just beautiful; they are practical as well. They create more space in your living quarters. Though traditional lamps create the same visual appeal, they can also be burdensome, awkward, and clumsy because they can take up room. Wall sconces, on the other hand, can actually create space in a house for other furnishings or walkways. Also they are very useful when lighting small areas of the house, such as dark hallways or corners that traditional lighting sources can’t target.

Money Saving Fluorescent Lighting in Your Home June 6, 2008

When you look for ways to lower your energy bill, home lighting is a good place to start. Fluorescent lights use far less energy to produce the same amount of light (lumens) than incandescent sources, produce less heat and last many times longer.

Compared to the old fluorescent lamps, the new smaller diameter ones have vastly improved:

• Instant-On
• Greater Efficiency
• Superior Color Rendering
• Reliability and Versatility

Replacing the fixtures with dedicated fluorescents (fixtures designed only for fluorescent) is a permanent solution but this is not always possible. The other choice is using a screw-in Compact Fluorescent to retrofit the old fixture. These “screw-base” Compact Fluorescents have the ballast attached to the base of the lamp.

Kitchens, shops, laundries, recreation rooms, outdoor living areas, home offices are spaces where fluorescents make sense. These areas can use linear fixtures electronically ballasted. Exterior lights or table lamps often burn for long periods and for these Compact Fluorescents make sensible retrofits. Also, fixtures that are difficult to get at are good candidates for conversion because of fluorescents long life.

How much does it cost to operate that 100 watt light bulb in your exterior entry lantern? Let’s say it’s operated from dusk until dawn which equals about 4400 hours annually. Based on eleven cents per kilowatt hour, you’re paying your local power company $48.40 annually for operation.

A 20 watt fluorescent will produce comparable light levels and cost only $9.68 to operate annually.

Accent Lighting June 4, 2008

First stop in creating mood and accent around the home is to incorporate wall dimmers to light fixtures, including ceiling mounts and chandeliers. This approach is very commonplace and gives you options to fully accentuate the room or produce softer more gentle lighting.

Emphasize artwork and wall hangings with accent lights. Adding a wall mounted museum light or picture light is an excellent way to accent fine artwork; two sconces positioned on each side of the painting will also add emphasize. This can be done with any wall hanging: mirrors frames are nice to accent.

Living room: down lights can emphasize an area. For social areas such as the living room you can both soften lighting and gently accentuate an area. For example, adding a couple of down lights in the ceiling over a living room sofa, toned down with dimming options, can cast gentle pools of light. This can accentuate the focus to this area while providing spillover light to the walls and washing the whole room with pleasant light.

Accentuate and decorate a kid’s room with rope lighting. For kids rooms rope lighting can create wonderful accent to a nicely decorated bedroom. You can buy them in shapes and themes such as: submarines, cars, hearts, stars and more. Not only will this add a nice accent and touch; colorful lights can be used at night for children afraid of sleeping in complete darkness.

Practical Ceiling Lighting June 3, 2008

Ceiling lighting fixtures are primarily meant to hold bulbs in position, directing light in the desired direction. They come in a variety of designs, shapes, sizes, types and ranges. A ceiling lighting fixture should be chosen in accordance with specific requirements like the amount of light it diffuses or disperses, direct or diffused lighting requirements, maintenance requirements, installation cost, overall style of the space, etc.

One should always look for lighting fixtures that maximize the light efficiency of the bulbs. An unwise buy based purely on the exterior beauty might absorb too much of the bulb’s light or emit light to the cavities in the ceiling. Efficiency specification of ceiling lighting fixtures should be considered while making a purchase. Apart from that, one should remember that specific lighting fixtures are meant for specific bulbs and the lighting fixtures should be checked for these criteria during a purchase.

The overall look and style of the space should be taken into account, so that a ceiling lighting fixture complements and accentuates the look. A huge chandelier looks out of place in a small space, just as a small chandelier is easily overlooked in a large space.

Indirect lighting fixtures should be chosen to avoid glare and visual fatigue formed by direct lights, especially in rooms with reflective surfaces and in offices with computers. A ceiling lighting fixture in the kitchen can house an energy-efficient florescent bulb.

Some of the ceiling lighting fixtures include fixtures for chandeliers, recessed lighting fixtures, indirect lighting fixtures, florescent ceiling light fixtures, energy efficient ceiling lighting fixtures, flush mounted, semi-flush mounted and track or monorail lighting. Their style can range from traditional, conventional, trendy and stylish, rustic, Victorian, Tiffany, tropical and many more.

They can present a wide array of finishes. While installing ceiling lighting fixtures it is important to measure the height of the fixtures from the floor. Depending on the height, a suitable lighting fixture should be chosen. Ceiling lightings and fixtures can be used in hallways, patios, foyers, stairways, task areas, and bedrooms.

Cooling and Lighting at the Flick of a Switch May 29, 2008

Monte Carlo Ceiling Fans – Simply the Best! May 28, 2008

Elegant Trends May 27, 2008

Looking for an elegant design to compliment your home?

Our new Sebastian Collection captures Classic Old World styling, elongated composition and a Colton Bronze finish with gold highlights and incredible details found within the Sebastian collection. A lost wax casting technique created the intricate ironwork pattern. The pattern follows through onto the Distressed Antique-Etched glass showcasing a sensational hand-stenciled, filigree design.

Our Sebastian Collection is offered in just the right types to enrich your home:

Chandiers range 7, 9 and 15 light.
Flush Mount fixtures are available in small, medium and large.
Semi-Flush fixture 3 light.
Wall Sconce 1 Light.

View the entire collection at a glance.

Dark Skies Lighting Fixtures May 21, 2008

Outdoor Lighting Types and Function May 20, 2008

When choosing outdoor lighting for your home, consider the overall appearance of your home. For example, how are the lighting fixtures going to look from the curb, the driveway and the front door? Too few lights can get lost and fixtures that are too small may not produce enough light on a larger home. Too many lights or overly large fixtures can look mismatched and glaring on a smaller home. Outdoor lighting should create a comfortable, safe and secure lighting experience.

Types of Outdoor Lighting:

Post Mounted fixtures
These are used to illuminate an entrance/pathway or near a driveway to make locating the driveway safer and easier. Posts come in a variety of colors and are purchased separately from the light fixture.

Wall Mounted fixtures
These can be used at any exterior door around the home including garage, basement, back and side doors, adding safety and security around entrances. Larger homes and homes with larger front entrances lend themselves to larger fixtures and/or to a fixture on each side of the door. Smaller homes and single doors are better suited with smaller lanterns or a single lantern. Lanterns are best hung just above eye level or at least 66” from the ground.

Ceiling Mounted fixtures
An excellent option for entrances with a porch to help more adequately light the area.

Hanging Fixtures
Grand entrances and tall porches lend themselves to hanging fixtures. As a general guideline most Pendants should be hung 84” from the floor. Lamps and Chandeliers specifically made for outdoor use are becoming a popular decorative accent to outdoor porches, pools, cabanas and other covered outdoor spaces. A fixture suited for outdoor use will have a rating of Damp Location for covered areas and a rating of Wet Location for completely exposed areas.

Accent lighting
Comes in many designs including down light, flood light, mini-accent and well lighting. Accent lighting highlights landscaping, trees, architecture and more.

Deck lighting
Step and rail Step lighting makes using stairs safer and easier by reducing shadows. Rail lighting adds ambiance and safety for night gatherings. Post mounted fixtures can be used to highlight a deck and also increases comfort and ambiance during evening use.

Garden Path Lighting
Adds a decorative element and makes for a safe pathway for you and your family.