The Lighter Side

Essential Layers for Bathroom Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:24:00 +0000

Lighting in any room is essential, but the need for bathroom lighting is sometimes greater than in any other part of the house, because not only do we need good lighting for doing things like taking out contacts, applying make up, and such, but we also want to have lighting that is flattering and lends a nice atmosphere and ambience to the bathroom – especially for those that have special features like garden bath areas, jacuzzis, saunas, exercise areas, or dressing rooms.

One way to accomplish several lighting tasks at once with bathroom lighting is to rely upon dimmer switches that allow you to adjust the light from dim to strong with the turn of a dial or the movement of a switch. This way, you can illuminate the room when necessary, for example when using it as a dressing room or when cleaning it, and can switch the mood to low light, for times when you are taking a quiet soak in the bath, using the jacuzzi tub, or when you want to open it up to guests during a party in your home.

No matter what kind of lighting you have in other rooms, and what kind of fixtures you choose for your bathroom lighting, it is most likely that the lighting in your bathroom will be best accomplished by using more than one kind of lighting. For instance, you may have a strong overhead light, but you may want to augment it with a table lamp or floor lamp, for other times when the overhead lighting is too much. Or you may have one light for generally illumination of the room, and may want to have a special make up lighting mirror at the vanity area.

There are many different kinds of bathroom lighting and it is a convenient and a good idea when planning to purchase fixtures for your bath to first look at Lighting4sale.com online, to give yourself access to the many different styles and design ideas that are now available to you. And keep in mind that the designs and styles are constantly being changed and updated with new ideas and new technology, so it is a good idea to refresh your mental inventory of lighting options, from time to time.

Mini Pendant Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:50:00 +0000

One of the best instant upgrades to the hub of your home, the kitchen, is to replace your antiquated island, breakfast nook or counter lights with sparkling new mini-pendants.

Pendant lights gently hang from the ceiling getting their name from the jewelry accessory of the same name. Mini-pendant lighting has a distinctive appeal and is considered perfect for places like kitchen islands, desks, breakfast nooks and the like.

I advise mounting mini-pendant lighting fixtures at 18" to 24" above the surface area to be lighted. Today’s mini-pendants are hung with coax cable, solid rods (6 and 12 inch) or decorative metal designs with stylish chains. This allows you to achieve the perfect height for your application no matter how high or low your ceiling may be.

The light source of preference is halogen. Many of our customers enjoy the option of using a color corrected MR16 for focused lighting or a simple halogen bi-pin lamp that brilliantly illuminates the shade. Most of our mini-pendants allow the user to swap out these two halogen lamp sources for effective lighting.

Whether your tastes are fine European hand blown glass, dazzling arts and crafts, ultra modern lines or timeless Americana, mini pendants will brighten your kitchen and bring to your home the WOW factor.

Ceiling Fans and Light Kits

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:50:00 +0000

Ceiling fans with lights are a good way to add light to your home while saving money on your energy bills. Most individuals are aware that ceiling fans can help them save money in the summer (up to 40 percent off cooling costs), but many are unaware of the savings ceiling fans can offer during the winter (up to 10 percent off heating costs). Perhaps most surprisingly, ceiling fans typically use as little energy as a 100-watt light bulb. Convenience is also a benefit, as today's ceiling fans often have remotes that provide speed and dimming options.

Ceiling fans are appropriate for use in many rooms of your home, including the kitchen, dining room, patio, and bathroom. They come in a wide selection of styles and can be coordinated to complement any type of home decor. Common styles include polished brass, antique brass, iron, nickel, chrome, black, and real wood veneers. There is much variation in color as well, with ceiling fans available in colors ranging from earth tones to vibrant solids. Ceiling fan lights offer a wide range of choices also, from classic and contemporary to futuristic and retro, with marble, crystal, or opal often added to the fixture shade as decorative enhancements.

By far, the most important part of a ceiling fan is its motor. The motor works to both drive the movement of the blades as well as to provide for quiet operation. Lower-quality home center ceiling fans with less-powerful motors may be less expensive, but have the disadvantages of noisier operation, higher operating temperatures, and dramatically lower air circulation. Additionally, they tend to warp, lose balance, and even break down over time. For optimal performance, efficiency, and longevity, a motor with heavy-duty windings and perpetually lubricated sealed bearings is of maximum importance.

Fan blades have a great effect on air circulation. For ideal circulation, it is important that fan blade brackets be fixed to keep the blade at a 12-15 degree angle. For durability, select a fan with a high-quality blade finish to protect against tarnishing, fading, and blistering. Since ceiling fans and light fixtures become a part of your home, adding both beauty and value, it is wise to purchase the best fixtures available. For high-quality lighting in all the latest styles, visit Lighting4sale, an ALA-member lighting showroom.

Highlight Your Home

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:50:00 +0000

When you decide to sell your home, there's usually a lot of "sprucing up" to be done. Lighting in every room of the home - and on the exterior can help buyers see the property in the best light, or not. Here's a quick checklist to make sure you're giving lighting its proper due:

1 At minimum, check to make sure all light bulbs work - and are clean. Replace blown out bulbs. Any switch that is turned "on" should generate light.

2 To show your home at its best, turn on floor lamps or accent lamps throughout -rather than flooding rooms with overhead lighting.

3 If you have a favorite chandelier or other light fixture, replace it with one you wouldn't mind giving up - since you will sell your home with fixtures in place.

4 Check your exterior lighting. Again, all lamps should - at least - work. You can sometimes "dress up" an exterior by replacing run-of-the-mill light bulbs with decorative ones.

5 Break out the watts. Maximize the wattage in your light fixtures. Brightness sells.

6 Consider upgrading your light fixtures, inside and out. One night before putting your home on the market, drive past your home and see how well your existing lighting conveys warmth. You're aim should be a warm glow, much like that popularized by the American artist Thomas Kinkade.

Remember: your home's appeal will be elevated if it's well illuminated.

Landscape Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:53:00 +0000

If you want to bring out the very best in your garden this summer consider your outdoor lighting. While it’s important that exterior areas such as those areas directly outside the home in both front and backyard have fixtures to provide lighting for visibility and security (homeowners can choose from a wide range of exterior fixtures such as wall mounts, post lights); it is also a great idea to incorporate lighting into the garden. If you are thinking about doing so, remember that there are a number of options to consider.

Basically, there are a couple of ways to add lighting to your garden: line voltage and low voltage. Both can be installed quickly and safely, without risk of electric shock. These lighting types are also low energy consumers. As far as lighting options go, with a low voltage system you can accent or create visibility lights to decks, pathways, stairs, and garden beds. You can do the same with solar fixtures; however, there may be less choice, style and intensity.

Keep in mind that you’re not lighting up a ball park at night and that excessive lighting can disturb your neighbor. Design your garden with lighting in a careful manner. Use fixtures to provide safety and visibility along paths and in areas of circulation and add other lights to gently highlight a small area, focal point, beautiful tree or shrub.

Imagine enjoying views of the garden at night during any season. When warmer weather arrives, a carefully lit garden can be as inviting for evening pleasures as any spot within your home. Fixtures such as pathway lights and lanterns can mark a strolling path and along the way, a beautiful tree is lit from below, casting interesting shadowing. There is so much that can be done to enhance and highlight the garden at night. Take a look at the selection of fixtures available and determine which form of lighting (solar, low voltage) you prefer.

Types of Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:59:00 +0000

There are four general layers of lighting that can and should be used to achieve the best lighting design. They are:
Ambient lighting
Task lighting
Accent lighting
Decorative lighting.

Ambient Lighting provides an area with overall illumination at a comfortable level of brightness, enabling one to see and walk about safely. Ambient lighting can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed, track lights, and lanterns outside your home. A basic form of lighting that replaces sunlight, general lighting is fundamental to a lighting plan.

Task Lighting helps you perform specific tasks such as reading, sewing, cooking, homework, hobbies, games, or balancing your checkbook. Task lighting can be provided by recessed lighting, track lighting, pendant lighting, and portable lamps. Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows and should be bright enough to prevent eyestrain.

Bedroom Lighting Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:34:00 +0000

To make sure you have proper lighting in your bedroom or master suite, I suggest asking the following questions. (Tip: You want to be able to answer "yes" to all!)

1. Can I see well enough to get dressed?
2. Is there a light in the closet?
3. Are there individual reading lights on each side of the bed?
4. Is there an overhead light source?
5. Do I have enough light to determine the colors of clothing in my drawers?
6. Do I have a light source near the door?
7. Have I installed outlets in convenient locations while building/renovating the bedroom?
8. Can I fill dark corners with portable lighting sources?
9. Do I have a dimmer installed on the overhead light source?
10. Are there lights at the dressing table to help with makeup?

Mini-Pendant Installation Options

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:17:00 +0000

Hanging Island Pendants with Only One Junction Box?

Over the years I’ve often been asked what to do when considering replacing or adding lighting over a kitchen island or bar.

My answer: three to four individual mini-pendants. That’s great if you are willing to have an Electrician install the junction boxes or if you’re lucky you already have them in place.

But some applications with special ceilings have the homeowners standing firm as cutting up their ceilings and installing more electrical boxes is not an option they are willing to explore.

My first question is: what is the kitchen island used for? I get a lot of different answers but most people are eating, reading or preparing food. Knowing this information helps with how many pendants and what type of light bulb, directional or non directional, is best suited for their use.

So getting back to the challenge of lighting a kitchen island with only one power source, here are my top 3 picks:

(A)Three low voltage pendants hung on a 12” decorative circular canopy.

(B) Three low voltage pendants hung on a 24” decorative rectangular bar canopy.

(C) A mono rail system with pendants and maybe a few directional heads for good measure. Low voltage systems offer more contemporary styles of glass pendants but 120 volt systems are the easiest and least expensive to install.

Low-voltage vs. line voltage: What's the difference?

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:16:00 +0000

I often get asked why one would choose low voltage over line voltage or vice versa.
Today, I’m posting a very informative article from our brilliant friends at Residential Lighting Magazine.

Residential Lighting: What is the difference between line voltage and low voltage?

Meeker: Line voltage means that it’s running on the line voltage of the home without a transformer, which is 120 volts. It’s table lamps, and most ceiling fixtures, chandeliers, are line voltage. Low voltage means there’s a transmitter, and [the electricity is] being transformed so the 120 volts is being brought down to 12 volts. Some chandeliers are low voltage. A lot of recessed cans are low voltage. Task lighting, desk lights are low voltage sometimes.

Residential Lighting: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Meeker: Typically the advantage of line voltage is that it’s going to be a less expensive fixture because you don’t have a transformer. It tends to be sort of more traditional lighting style fixtures.

Low voltage, on the other hand… uses smaller lightbulbs, so you can have more compact fixtures. There’s a type of lamp called an MR16, which is used in recessed cans, and the great thing about MR16s is they make incredible variety of beam spreads. So if you want to have a really super narrow spot or if you wanted to have a big, wide flood, they’ve got that and everything in between. So, the advantage of low voltage is that it’s got a lot more interesting lamps to use than with line voltage.

With line voltage, [if you want] recessed cans, usually you have either a flood or a spot; there’s a choice between the two, and that’s about it. Whereas with the low voltage, there might be 20 different beam variations in any given wattage. And the other advantage for recessed cans is that there are different types of lenses that can be put in front of low voltage — some line voltage lamps have that but more usually in the low voltage field — so you can change the way the light is. So not only do you have all these beam spreads, but you also have these effects you can create: You can soften the beam, you can stretch it out, you can do all sorts of things with it. So it’s great for lighting artwork, for creating mood and accent, that sort of thing.

Residential Lighting: Is there one that’s becoming more popular these days?

Meeker: Well… the lighting industry is kind of thrown up in the air right now. And that’s because there’s a lot of legislation going through right now to eliminate tungsten light bulbs, which is a line-voltage light bulb. Australia, right now, I don’t know if they’ve done it yet, but they’re going to eliminate the standard old light bulb because it’s not very energy efficient. It creates a lot of heat for the amount of light it produces. So for energy reasons they’re getting rid of it. MR16s, halogens, was kind of the ruling light source, and what’s going on now is LEDs are now sort of usurping its position… The LEDs are very expensive, and they haven’t completely filled out all the different categories that are being done by the low-voltage light bulbs right now. I think it’s just a matter of time before that occurs. LEDs are a light-emitting diode. It’s a type of lamp that they used initially on electronic equipment and they started using it for signal lights, like when you have a controlled intersection, when you have an automobile traffic. The advantage of them is their life is astounding… [A] line-voltage standard light bulb has about a 700- to 1,000-hour life. The low-voltage light bulb has between a 2,000- and 3,000-hour life. The LED [has about a] 10,000- to 100,000-hour life. They also use very little electricity. The disadvantage, though, is that right now [LEDs are] really expensive, but if they go into higher production, the price will come down. They are low voltage. You have to have a special [device] — it’s called a driver, which is a kind of transformer that powers them.

Residential Lighting: What are some other disadvantages to low-voltage light fixtures?

Meeker: One of the disadvantages of the low-voltage light bulb [is] that you need to have a transformer somewhere. And sometimes transformers buzz and hum. You don’t normally get a buzz or hum from a line-voltage light bulb.

Residential Lighting: Is there anything that retailers can suggest to consumers to buy to reduce that sound?

Meeker: Well, buy good quality fixtures, number one. Number two, when you are installing low-voltage light fixtures, you have to have a low-voltage dimmer to go with it. That sometimes helps reduce the noise. And then proper installation also helps. If you follow those three guidelines — good equipment to start with, the proper dimmer and then also the right installation — you should have a problem. But, you know, it does come up every once in a while, so it’s a matter of sort of fiddling around with some of the components to see if you can get it to quiet down.

Residential Lighting: In terms of energy usage, which is better?

Meeker: [Low-voltage is not a whole lot more energy efficient than line-voltage]. It turns out that tungsten, as we said, is not very energy efficient; it generates a lot of heat. Next up on the ladder of electricity usage is halogen… [which] is more efficient with its wattage, so it produces more light per watt, about one-and-a-half times the amount. The next up on the ladder would be fluorescent. And fluorescent in a sense is low-voltage because it has a ballast with it. It’s more energy efficient. One of the disadvantages of fluorescent is you can’t really focus the beam very well; it’s more of a general illumination. It can be dimmed, but you have to use special dimmers and ballast to do it. And then on the top of efficiency heap would be LEDs.

Residential Lighting: In terms of installing a transformer, is that something a homeowner can do themselves?

Meeker: Well, usually. Let’s say you buy a chandelier that has little low-voltage light bulbs on it. The transformer is usually inside the canopy that attaches to the ceiling. So it’s not as if it’s some sort of special box that you have to deal with. It’s part of the fixture. But the designer had to create room when they designed the fixture to put the transformer somewhere. So it’s usually a half-sphere that’s on the ceiling. Whereas with a line-voltage they don’t have to deal with that issue because there is no transformer. And it tends to be a little flatter or not a half-dome. It’s usually not a big obstacle; it’s just part of the fixture, and you just install it as you would any other sort of fixture.

Ceiling Lights

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:24:00 +0000

Ceiling light fixtures provide good general illumination, often referred to as ambient lighting. In essence, ambient lighting provides a minimal amount of brightness, enabling people to move around and see each other easier. A ceiling light fixture can provide the finishing touch to any room and can be used in virtually any location from the living room and bathroom to the stairway and hall.

Flush-mount ceiling light fixtures are a popular choice for overhead, widely distributed lighting. Flush-mounts work especially well in kitchens, bedrooms, hallways and foyers. They are also good for use in areas in which ceilings are lower, making chandeliers and hanging fixtures impractical.

Semi-flush light fixtures offer the appeal of being mid-way between flush and hanging fixtures. Semi-flush lamps do hang from the ceiling, but only by a small amount. This type of light fixture works well in the same locations as flush-mounts and provides dispersed lighting from above, in addition to good indirect brightening.

Chandeliers, pendants, and other hanging lights provide both good general illumination and more focused lighting for specific areas, like dining room tables. Whether you choose flush-mount, semi-flush, or hanging lights, you'll be amazed by the array of styles and colors to suit all decorating themes, from traditional to retro and everything in between. Quality lighting can last a lifetime, both enhancing your decorating style and increasing property values. To ensure you get the best-quality light fixtures for your home, visit Lighting4sale.com, an American Lighting Association member lighting showroom.

Remodel Your Lighting for Eyesight, Energy and Style

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:25:00 +0000

As people get older there is more time to really enjoy the homes they have built for themselves. The kids have grown and moved away, and being physically comfortable has, perhaps, become more important than it was once. Knowing that aging eyes need a better kind of light and more of it to be comfortable, remodeling the lighting in your home improves comfort threefold.

From function to design, lighting affects everything. A room's appearance and feel, highlights and accents, and utility and cost are all important in considering how our home‘s lighting affects how we live. When contemplating a renovation, consider how lighting renewal can transform your eyesight, living space and energy consumption.

"Many of today's lighting trends include energy efficiency and conservation," says Rick Wiedemer, president of Hinkley Lighting in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC). "People are seeking decorative ways to direct light exactly where it is needed and still conserve energy. Under cabinet fixtures and multiple pendant lights in nooks and over sinks and counters are ways to add decorative flare when they need special light. And the new lighting is available with high wattage and low voltage to get a higher output per watt."

Ceiling, wall-mounted and portable fixtures, and recessed and track lighting are all available in energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs as well as light-emitting diode (LED) lights.

Baby boomers are finding that they need three to four times as much light and that glare is hard on the eyes. Fluorescent bulbs are easier to see by than regular light bulbs. LED lights are being used more for their reduced glare, as well as Halogen, for their white light quality. You can choose energy-efficient bulbs in many styles for redecorating your whole house.

So, you have heard about LED lights but aren't sure what they are?

As Joe Rey-Barreau explains, "Light-emitting diodes resemble a very small computer chip - a sandwich of two very thin layers of glass with a chemical in between, that when charged with electricity, emits powerful illumination and saves energy."

Rey-Barreau, a professor in architecture and interior design at the University of Kentucky and consulting education director of ALA says, "They're being used in traffic lights, flashlights and cars. They are now penetrating the residential market, and will eventually replace regular light bulbs. They're extremely long lasting with 50 to 100 times more light and 50,000 to 100,000 more hours."

LED lights are being constructed for every type of lighting to fit the style in your home. Rey-Barreau says, "There's no singularity to style. I call it populism in a continuing major trend that’s going on; a diversification of styles. Because there’s a style for every person, and everyone can get what they want."

With decorative finishes in brushed nickel, pewter or Italian glass, you can find a look that suits your taste. In the kitchen, the keystone of entertainment, adding a few under-cabinet fixtures will make food preparation easier, and a few pendant fixtures over the island or breakfast nook will add a touch of art that draws the eye in a whole new direction.

Historically, exotic finishes were seen as high-end, pricey items that are now more affordable and can be found in the entry level of product availability. For example, items like Murano glass from Italy in a pendant, chandelier or sconce have become available to the mainstream.

"More recently, the varied styles in light fixtures have been combined to create a new combination of designs for a completely different look. Traditional and contemporary styles come together - modernist materials like stainless steel combined with crystals - for a trend that's different that anything weíve seen in the past," says Rey-Barreau.

Create a lively, warm living environment with precisely placed light. Illuminate your prized painting, book collection or family heirloom with recessed lighting, sconces or the latest, MonoRail.

MonoRail is the biggest thing since ice cream. MonoRail is like track lighting was 40 years ago. It's twistable to configure to any position you want, to hang pendants or directional head lights, or fixtures - right up to the rail, and they come in brushed aluminum and bronze, which is great if you have a wood ceiling; it just disappears.

Carefully aimed light allows you to see well, and lights up what you want people to see; as if creating a work of art with your living space. In the dining room, where the attention is on the guests at the table, a chandelier provides the general lighting you need and adds style and sparkle, perfect for dining, tasks or table games.

"The dining room fixture is like jewelry for your house," says Held. "You don't change it as often, but when redecorating a room you notice that your fixture is dated."

Good light is essential to seeing well, especially for the tiny fine print. For better lighting where you need it most - for reading or hobbies - MonoRail is perfect. Direct it exactly where you need it, and readjust the direction later when your need changes. Or, include recessed lighting around the whole room with numerous switches and dimmer choices to adjust the light on demand.

Pendant Lighting - Still a Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Pendant lighting fixtures are suspended from the ceiling and get their name from the jewelry accessory of the same name. Pendant lighting has a distinctive appeal and is considered perfect for places like kitchen islands, desks, breakfast nooks and the like. Pendant lighting can be either a single pendant lighting fixture or two or three different ones teamed up to provide a dramatic effect. Generally when two or three pendant lighting fixtures are teamed up, mini pendant lighting fixtures are used. The area of pendant lighting provides a lot of scope for the use of creative designs and ideas.

It is advisable to mount pendant lighting fixtures at least 24" to 30" above the area to be lit. When mini pendants are used, the ideal height would be 18" to 24" above the surface area to be lighted. When two or three pendants are used, an adjustable pendant bar can be used to fix them at different heights. This makes it possible to adjust heights from time to time, varying the overall lighting effect in the process.

Pendant lighting fixtures are available in various styles. Some of the commonly seen styles are sleek clean designs, reflective stained glass and crinkle glass designs. Pendant lighting fixtures are task oriented and provide necessary lighting for specific areas. The intensity of light needed can be dictated by the choice of bulb used inside the pendant lighting fixture.

Most pendant lighting fixtures are available with chains and rods that enable adaptation for different heights. Multiple pendant lights in a single fixture at staggered heights create a dramatic effect and are ideal for use little corners of large rooms. This kind of lighting creates an interesting area in an otherwise ordinary room.

Illuminating the Future of Kitchen Lighting: Energy Efficiency

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:53:00 +0000

It doesn't matter if you live in a home with a modern kitchen that has all the fancy upgrades, or one that just has a single overhead light in the center of the room. If you're not using the latest generation of energy-efficient bulbs, it's time for a lighting upgrade.

"Kitchen lighting has made great strides in the past couple of years, not just from a design standpoint, but with regards to energy efficiency. So upgrades are definitely worth looking into," says Joe Rey-Barreau, education consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA) and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky's School of Interior Design. He travels the country tracking trends, and one he's noticed lately is the focus on energy conservation.

"Lighting manufacturers are spending a considerable amount of time, and dedicating a lot of resources to developing fixtures capable of using more energy-efficient light sources than the standard incandescent," Rey-Barreau says. "And it's no coincidence that this trend is growing in popularity at a time when energy costs are on the rise," he says.

As recently as two years ago, the only fixtures available for the kitchen that used the most energy-efficient light sources available today - fluorescents and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) - were not aesthetically pleasing. In today's marketplace, however, decorative energy-efficient fixtures are available in every product category, whether you're looking for something traditional, modern or artsy.

As for concerns people may have about the quality of light given off by compact fluorescents and LEDs, Rey-Barreau says that "while in the past color rendering may have been a concern, it is no longer a problem. Consumers can rest assured the quality closely matches that of incandescents."

Today's advancements are quite impressive, but what does the future hold? Rey-Barreau expects the lighting industry to work hard at getting more products on the shelves that use the most energy-efficient technology developed to date – LEDs.

New LED undercabinet lighting and LED landscape lighting to be introduced in September by Lighting4sale, an ALA member.

Kitchen Lighting Video from ALA

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:14:00 +0000

I've posted many times the styles, trends, types and layering of Kitchen Lighting.

Let's look today at a very informative video from the American Lighting Association regarding kitchen lighting.

Click here to see it.

Disk Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Thinking of adding a new layer of lighting to your kitchen
and don't know where to start? Here are a few FAQ's that I address on a daily basis with homeowners across the country:

First off, how many disks will I need for my under cabinet lighting?

The average distance from the bottom of kitchen cabinets to the kitchen counter top is 18”.
At this distance I would recommend a task type throw which at this mounting height will produce a 12” cone of light on your kitchen counter. I recommend spacing the disks 12-16 inches apart.

How many transformers will I need?

In general, you will need one transformer per wall switch/dimmer.
Let’s say you’ve penciled in 10 disk lights. If you have a large kitchen and want to independently switch five disks on one switch and the other five on another switch then you will need two transformers.

Tip: most people I help with disk lighting systems prefer to switch the entire system with one wall switch or better yet a dimmer which means you can usually get by with only one transformer.

What are my options on transformers?

We offer both electronic and magnetic transformers and both work well depending on your total load and placement of transformer.

Electronic transformers will handle a range load of 15-60 watts but must be placed within ten feet from the last disk in the run. I recommend placing the transformer in the middle of the run to assure compliance with the 10 foot rule. We do offer a dual output 60 watt electronic transformer that will allow 60 watts per output max. The dual 60 watt electronic transformers are perfect for smaller jobs, but remember, the ten foot rule is still in effect.
For a smaller system I recommend using a 15-60 watt electronic transformer or the dual 60W output.

Magnetic transformers will handle loads ranging from 75-500 watts. Magnetic transformers are more tolerant of distances allowing them to be placed in attics, utility closets or any reasonable out of site location. Toss the ten foot rule out the window!
Magnetic transformers are great for any sized disk lighting job and are what I recommend for maintenance friendly operations.

Which light bulbs do you recommend?

I always recommend an 18 watt xenon light bulb as they produce a crisp clean halogen like appearance while lasting 2-3 times that of halogen. Xenon also burns a bit cooler than halogen.
Incandescent light bulbs are also offered in lower wattages. These typically cast a yellow white light that is associated with incandescent and have a much shorter life than the xenon version.

Ideal Lighting For Your Outdoor Life

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:48:00 +0000

The same rules of layering light apply indoors AND outdoors. You'll want overall lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting - a chandelier overhead, sconces close to tables and chairs, and lighting around plants, for example. Use lights in trees, under the leaves of potted plants, and as edging for pools. Provide task lighting around the grill area, but choose a fixture with a metal shade, to avoid adding too much glare to the surroundings.

Here are some easy ways to light an outdoor room that fits your life, your style, and your budget.

Include lights that follow the steps or go between levels, whether ground or deck.
Add lights for safety near front and back doors, garage doors and along paths.
Consider an automated control system that turns on lights with a timer and allows you to adjust light levels from outside and in.
Provide motion lights over rarely used doors, such as a basement access.
Have porch posts wired for lighting. You'll add ambiance and a unique touch to your patio.
Include lights off the deck and patio, as well in garden nooks and along walkways.
Add uplights against unique plants or interesting trees to up the drama factor in your garden.
Consider solar powered fixtures. You'll take advantage of a natural resource that's free to boot.
Choose dimmable lights or lower output for fixtures to eliminate nighttime light pollution.
Match the style of your lights to the style of your house. You'll carry the design theme from indoors to outside.

Lighting Considerations For Your Living Room or Den

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:07:00 +0000

The lighting in our homes living room is expected to serve dual purposes. The general purpose is for everyday living. The second purpose is for entertaining. Many of us expect our living room lighting to switch from general lighting, to the softer lighting that we prefer when we entertain.

When looking for the proper lighting, it is also important to consider the room’s features. For example, do you have a darker room with darker furnishings, or do you have a lighter room with lighter furnishings. What style furnishings do you have? Which features would you like to accent, and which feature would you like to draw less attention to.

A chandelier is a major source of light and should always be considered in the living room. A chandelier can light up the entire room, or, with a dimmer, you can provide the glow that you would like to achieve for an after dinner party gathering. However, you need to make sure that the chandelier you choose does not overwhelm the rest of the room. The chandelier needs to be proportionate to the room, and blend easily with the style of the room.

A variety of light sources seem to make people the most comfortable. So combine different types of lighting. For example, add the proper amount of table lamps with the chandelier, and possibly some candles to the mix. Candles, along with an ornate candle holder, always add to the tranquility of the room. Thus, making your guests, and yourself, feel more relaxed.

With so many varieties of lighting available these days, it is difficult to choose. But when you consider that each source of light is also a work of art, your decision is easier. Just remember the style that always makes you feel more comfortable and make your choices around that.

Lighting Tips for Older Adults

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:24:00 +0000

According to experts, our eyes are like onions, and each year another layer of cells forms on top of our lenses. As our lenses get thicker, it takes more light to get to the back of the retina, so older people need higher light levels in order to see better.

Basically by the time people are 65, they need five times the amount of light to see with the same acuity that someone, say, in their 20s or early 30s would need.

Each layer that forms on the lenses also makes the eyes register more amber, and that changes our perception of color. Amber absorbs bluish and purplish colors, so the older you get, the less blue you can see. That’s why it’s important for older adults to have light sources that give off cooler, bluer light — such as fluorescents and blue LEDs — rather than incandescent bulbs, which tend to have a more yellow cast.

And as our lenses get thicker, we also become more sensitive to glare because the additional layers scatter the light we see.

That’s why experts say one of the best ways to increase overall light levels for older adults is to install full spectrum linear fluorescent tubes near the ceiling to let the light bounce up on light-colored walls to increase the amount of indirect light in a room.

Undercabinet lighting can increase overall light levels, as well. Use fluorescent fixtures with prismatic acrylic lenses and electronic ballasts that power T8 (1” diameter) or even better yet high output high color rendering T5 fluorescent tubes. Fluorescent tubes with a Kelvin temp of 41K or 50K are stronger in the blue spectrum.

Undercabinet lighting is ideal with a light colored countertop and a matte surface, otherwise the light may cause too much glare. A polished black marble can be a real glare bomb.

Task lighting is especially important for older adults, who have a harder time adjusting their eyes to varying light levels, and both say task lighting should work in tandem with bright, overhead lighting. Recessed light above the kitchen sink are a great help.

It’s also important to combine both general and task lighting in the bathroom. In the shower, for example, installing a wet-location-rated downlight to provide good task lighting in the shower. And next to the mirror, avoid lighting that will create shadows.

If you don’t have large mirrors that bounce the light around it’s important to have lighting on the sides of the mirrors so you’re lighting your face from both sides, and for men, particularly [for] grooming.

Many older adults may use LED Lighting lighting in the toe spaces of their vanity safely leading them on frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.

Ten Tips & Techniques for Home Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered how to improve your indoor lighting? Here are 10 tips and techniques to help you improve the lighting in your home.

1. Replace your recessed light trims with wall washers or eyeballs to redirect harsh overhead light to focal points (bookshelves, sculpture, pictures, fireplace, etc.).

2. Replace some of your translucent lampshades with opaque ones to increase the dramatic lighting effects.

3. Add accent lights (picture lights, plant uplights, sculpture lights, etc.).

4. Provide for a reading/task light beside each seating piece.

5. Change your light bulbs! Put PAR bulbs in your accent recessed lights, regular reflector bulbs in recessed downlights, 3-way bulbs in table and floor lamps, and install dimmers on all switches. Try pink and full-spectrum bulbs for a rosy glow!

6. Change your center ceiling light to a softly diffused glass fixture with an uplight function.

7. Add wall sconces in strategic places (behind sofas, in hallways, above fireplace, etc.).

8. Look for interesting architectural features (painted ceilings, columns, crown molding, etc.) and emphasize them with uplighting.

9. Study the room at night to make sure you have balanced the light and have eliminated dark corners.

10. Put your accent lights (for plants and sculpture) on automatic timers. These timers will control when the lights turn on and off. Imagine how soothing it will be to come home at night to subtle dramatic lighting!

Applying Ceiling Fixtures

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Layer your Space

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:44:00 +0000

A well illuminated room has a more complex lighting structure than just a single overhead fixture or table lamp. Rooms should be designed with layers of light, creating a warm and welcoming space.

Start by picking what’s important in a space, work from that one layer, and build on it. For example, in a living room or den, light pictures on the wall creating the accent layer. Create general or ambient lighting with a chandelier, pendants or even recessed can lighting. Table and floor lamps are great layers of task lighting for enjoying a great book or crossword puzzle.

Whenever possible, I highly advise using lighting controls such as dimmers that will allow for fine tuning the layers of lighting in your home.

Low-key Outdoor Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:29:00 +0000

With the moon rising and the temps falling, summer nights can be the best part of the day. Don't let darkness drive you inside; use these four tips to switch to outdoor lighting:

1. Less is better. Use less than maximum wattage light bulbs. Strive for a soft evenly lighted area. Light a 30-ft. walk with three to five low wattage fixtures and the house front with two low wattage fixtures.

2. Good lighting simulates full moonlight, not high noon. A full moon shines 1/2 foot-candle of light on the ground — not much, but plenty to see by.

3. Choose one item to highlight with focused lights: gables, stone walls, flowering trees, ornamental gardens, house numbers. Use a powerful flashlight to simulate effects before buying fixtures. Play with placement and note where light and shadows fall. A fixture shining on an object nearby casts larger shadows. Up-cast shadows do not occur in nature, so they look both unusual and dramatic.

4. Reflected light works well to cover large areas with soft light. Bounce light off walls, trees or shrubs.

Something else to reflect on: Outdoor lighting will increases curb appeal, makes walkways safer and discourages prowlers.

Recently Asked Lighting Questions

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:08:00 +0000

How do I determine the right size chandelier?
A chandelier should be approx. half the width of your dining table and approx. 30" above the tabletop. Ceilings higher than 8', raise the height of the fixture about 3" for every additional foot in height.

What size chandelier for my foyer?
For an approx. diameter, add the length and width of the room. Example: for a 10' x 12' room, you would add 10 + 12 = 22 for a diameter of 22".

Will a chandelier alone be enough light?
If you’re not comfortable with the amount of light based on the formula above, you can add sconces, portable lamps or recessed lights to add more light and ambience.

What spacing should I use for wall sconces?
Install sconces approx. 60" from the floor and 8' to 10' apart.

How do I determine the amount of light I need for a certain size room?
Multiply the square footage of the room by 1.5 to determine the approx. wattage necessary. Example: for a 10' x 12' room, you would multiply 10' x 12' = 120 sq. ft. x 1.5 = 180 watts approx.

How much light do I need for my kitchen island work area?
Multiply the square footage of the island by 2.5 to determine the approx. wattage necessary. Example: for a 4' x 6' island, you would multiply 4' x 6' = 24 sq. ft. x 2.5 = 60 watts approx.

How do I make a room look bigger than it really is?
Using mirrors to bounce light from fixtures and windows will give the room an appearance of being bigger than it really is.

Island Pendant Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:36:00 +0000

Hanging Island Pendants with Only One Junction Box?

Over the years I’ve often been asked what to do when considering replacing or adding lighting over a kitchen island or bar.

My answer: three to four individual mini-pendants. That’s great if you are willing to have an Electrician install the junction boxes or if you’re lucky you already have them in place.

But some applications with special ceilings have the home owners standing firm as cutting up their ceilings and installing more electrical boxes is not an option they are willing to explore.

My first question is: what is the kitchen island used for? I get a lot of different answers but most people are eating, reading or preparing food. Knowing this information helps with how many pendants and what type of light bulb, directional or non directional, is best suited for their use.

So getting back to the challenge of lighting a kitchen island with only one power source, here are my top 3 picks:

(A)Three low voltage pendants hung on a 12” decorative circular canopy.

(B) Three low voltage pendants hung on a 24” decorative rectangular bar canopy.

(C) A mono rail system with pendants and maybe a few directional heads for good measure. Low voltage systems offer more contemporary styles of glass pendants but 120 volt systems are the easiest and least expensive to install.

Find fabulous Island Pendant Lighting fixtures at Lighting4sale, an American Lighting Association member.

Transitional Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (AC) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:03:00 +0000

The effortless curves and solid foundation of the fixtures of the Transitional Lighting style make it an attractive choice with designers these days.

Unifying the smooth, flowing lines of the Contemporary Style with the embellishment of the Classic Style, Transitional Lighting has become the all-encompassing buzzword to describe and sell fixtures that don’t fit conveniently into any formal design style.

Those wanting a “cheerful feel” in their homes typically choose the Transitional Style as it has a warmer feel than the Contemporary Style but not quite as ceremonious as the Traditional Style.

Find great transitional style fixtures at Lighting4sale, an American Lighting Association member.