Showing posts with label Lighting. Show all posts

Room Lighting For Your Home

Thursday, 26 August 2010

One of the primary aspects of any room is the lighting. After all, the lights and their fixtures set the tone for the room and can increase or decrease the room's usability and mood. Consequently, knowing what type of lights work best in an environment can make a difference- whether you merely see your home as a place to unwind or you love to entertain. As you walk through your home, you may be thinking, "The light I have here is okay, but what can I do to really make it noteworthy?" To help you answer that question, here are some room by room lighting tips.

The foyer of a home is the first impression of things to come. If you have a high ceiling, consider a chandelier to add warmth and elegance. Or, for a more modern look or when there is a stairway right off of the foyer, you may want to have a transitional close to the ceiling fixture that will illuminate the hallway/stairway as well. This will provide a well lit, welcoming atmosphere. In special regard to hallways and stairways, be sure that staircases are well lit with light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs. Long hallways should have a light fixture every 8 to 10 feet. For added ambiance, use decorative wall sconces.
Depending the room's use-game playing, reading, entertaining, etc. the lighting needs can change throughout the day. As such, you want to have lighting that is attractive yet functions as you need. Also, if you have artwork or architectural elements that you wish to emphasize then recessed lighting or track lighting is the best way to spotlight those elements. If a room is used frequently for games and reading then close-to-ceiling, wall sconces or interior lamps are great choices. Of course, any room with a high or vaulted ceiling will look great with a chandelier!
In dining rooms, the decorative focal point is the lighting fixtures, so they should be both beautiful and functional. For general lighting, it is recommended that you use a chandelier that is 6 to 12 inches smaller than the narrowest side of the table, or pendant lighting that is at least 30 inches above the table area; recessed lighting can add an illusion of a bigger room.
Due to the many uses of the kitchen you may need several types of lights. For example, if you have an area used primarily for food prep then use recessed lighting or track lights so you can easily see what you are prepping. Often, recessed lights are installed under the cabinets to help prevent shadows on the countertops or a fluorescent light will be used over the sink.
Baths are beautiful with well-placed recess lighting, though it is critical to have good lighting over the mirror(s). Supplemental lighting choices are close-to-ceiling lights, or decorative wall sconces. Over the shower, recessed lights or a ceiling mounted plastic unit is best.

Many websites provide additional information on the topic of lighting. One such site worth visiting is http://www.thelighthousede.com/.

Janet Slagell independently authors articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. (http://www.webdrafter.com) for search engine marketing. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.

Decorative Lighting For Your Home

If you are thinking of creating ambience in your home décor, then you can always make use of decorative home lighting. Such systems are designed to help create any type of atmosphere you desire. You can always enhance certain areas and change the mood of your living room by using the right type of fixtures. To ensure, safe, beautiful and well-lit room it is important that you select the right type of installation. It is important to get rid of any dark shadows in your passageways.

You can select from decorative home lighting fixtures that can add life to every part of your home. It is advisable to make use of directional spot lights, wall scones and recessed light for maximum benefit. Frosted bulbs, yellow shades and faceted bulbs are always a good option that can go well with any décor. If you are looking forward to change the beam pattern then diffusers, lenses and louvers are also one of the best options available. They help in creating multiple patterns and also in spreading brightness in your room.

Decorative home lighting is about lowering certain surfaces and accenting others. Backlighting technique is also one option that you can try in your living room. They are available with a number of translucent materials, stained glass and silk screens. The moment you are making use of scones, it is important that you install them at a distance of 10 inches from each other. Apart from this you can also make use of different types of table lamps. Placing floor lamp is also one good option at the seating area. You can select from traditional types to some of the most unique ones. Mix shades are good options in case you are looking forward to highlight certainly area in your living room. Textured fabric shades and brass shades can add a lot of life to your living room.

For more information, visit lightingathome.co.uk. They offer information on Ceiling Lights, as well as Wall Lights.

How to Light Your Garden

Tuesday, 1 June 2010

When lighting your exterior try and think logically and start at the entrance. Do you need to indicate to drivers where the entrance is? It can be quite difficult at night time to locate the drive way. You could have two bollards either side or lights on top of a pillar. If you have nice stone pillars, which you would like to high light, you could have lights shining onto the stone. Always be careful not to use any outside lighting that will interfere with road users as this can be dangerous.

Continue then into the garden. Is there an impressive tree you would like to light up? Maybe you have a drive way of yew trees; it is a nice idea to light each one individually. Think of the shape and size of the tree when positioning your light and experiment with different positions before fixing your light permanently. Also consider the type of tree you are lighting when determining the colour of your lamp, a cool colour works best with pine and cedar to show off the natural silver in the wood and leaves.

A warmer colour works better with oak and beech. Most of the lighting in your garden should be near the house to help create outside living areas with maybe one or two other points of focus in the distance. Do you have a water fountain or pond? If you do you can have a light shining onto your feature or from within the water itself. This would be a feature worth lighting and be able to look upon from within the house itself or from an outside seating area. It is a good idea if you have a large garden to be able to operate the lights separately so that you do not have to have them all on at once.

If you have a small garden it is a good idea to be able to move your lights with the changing seasons this is achievable with certain types of outdoor lighting, it is possible to consult a lighting designer who can advise you on this (not all exterior lighting has to be wired by an electrician there are other options giving you more flexibility). Be sure not to direct your lights straight up into the sky as this is a pointless exercise as all you are doing is lighting the skyline. Light needs something to reflect off to be effective.

When lighting your outside seating areas be conscious of not positioning lights so that they cause a glare. Subtle lighting is all that is really needed. You do of course need to light steps, if you have any, which can be difficult. One solution is to set small low glare LED's, into the side wall, if there is one. If this is not possible small exterior spotlights positioned so that the light skims across the top of the step are a good option making sure you use glare guards on each fitting.

Exterior lighting is often over looked but is an essential part of the overall scheme of your house. The amount of value that a well lit garden can add to your home is often immeasurable and not just in monetary terms. You can add so much space to your home with a well thought out and well lit exterior.

Outdoor Lighting

Most people think that outdoor lighting should not be given too much attention as after all there is the sun that lights the exterior of the house during the day, the star and the moon to shed light at night. If ever artificial light source will be supplied, it would just be a meager light bulb.

However, the provision of outdoor lighting is just as important as indoor lighting. There are many instances that will prove such importance. Suppose there is only a small light bulb to light your home exterior at night and an elderly grandmother missed a step on the porch stair then tumbled. Of course you would not have grandma stay injured like that without taking her to the hospital for medical treatment. Your negligence in providing sufficient outdoor lighting resulted to unnecessary additional expenses. Outdoor lighting also serves the purpose of providing your house with security against trespassers, with the use of spotlight and motion detectors.

Proper installation of outdoor lighting involves correct grounding and water proofing. Before you start installing your outdoor lights, there are particular codes to be met and complied with as well as permits to be obtained. Lights to be installed along the walkway which require only low voltages are not very complicated but there are certain outdoor lighting which need to be installed by a professional and licensed electrician complete with all necessary documents then inspected once installation is complete. If some electrical codes are not met, you will just put yourself in possible risks and hazards. Further expenses would even be required for renovation if you wish to resell the property.

When planning the exterior lighting, first map out the property whereby showing the home's position, the other infrastructure in the property, your garden, walkway, etc. Next you need to lay out the wiring conduit to connect the lighting fixtures and receptacles to the electricity source. You will also need to consider a fee things when choosing your exterior lighting fixtures such as the activity you and your family will be doing outdoors, voltage specifications, the location of the underground cables, wires and water lines.

In choosing outdoor lighting fixture, there are lighting technologies which do not need lengthy wiring such as solar powered exterior lights. These solar lighting comes in various styles and designs that can be used in different areas of the home exterior such as those installed along walkways and even stairs. During weather and season with ample sunlight these solar powered lights can be used most of the time.

Most places have a standard current with voltage reading of 120. By using a reliable transformer, this voltage may be converted to a safer and more efficient 12 volts current. With such low voltage, installation becomes simpler and safer.

Another purpose served for by outdoor lighting is decorative functions. This aspect of outdoor lighting may be focused on after safety and security lighting are addressed. There are various techniques used to achieve the lighting effect desired. Uplighting may be directed towards a tree which is the focal point of a lawn. Backlighting can be used to define space along shrubs and borders. Downlighting is utilized on stairs and pathways to enhance safety as well as physical appeal.

Lighting a Large Room

Wednesday, 7 October 2009

Of course windows go a long way towards bringing light into a room, but when your natural light is limited you can brighten up a room in so many other ways as well. Wall color and accent colors can add to the illusion of a lighter, brighter space, and well-placed lighting fixtures can really increase the brightness factor in any room.

Helping Mother Nature

Start with your natural lighting. Make sure that your windows are clean and dress them with fabrics that do not obstruct the light. Light colored fabrics and sheers work well. Hanging mirrors on the wall opposite a window helps amplify the natural light that is already coming into the room.

To light the entire room, track lighting and recessed lighting are sensible options. Track lighting can light an entire space or be directed at a specific area of the room, whereas recessed lighting is installed flush on the ceiling, providing an even layer of light throughout the room. For the most natural light effect choose soft, white incandescent light bulbs in your fixtures.

An effective way to brighten a room either subtly or dramatically is to bounce light off of the ceiling. To do this you can use wall sconces, light fixtures hidden in crown molding or even tall lamps. Lamps also are great for providing task lighting for reading or working.

Brighten with Color

By painting your walls in pale colors like neutrals or pastels, you allow the light to bounce off of the walls making the room appear brighter. By keeping wallpaper patterns simple and floor coverings on the lighter side, you increase the amount of light moving around the room.

This neutral backdrop also gives you an ideal opportunity to decorate your room. Darker woods and fabrics will really stand out as they contrast the pale colors of the walls and floor, and in turn they make the room seem even brighter.

Accessories Can Brighten any Room

Adding shiny materials into the room through your accents and accessories will go a long way towards keeping the room feeling light and airy. By incorporating furniture with highly polished surfaces like glass or metal tables the room will feel light and full of movement as light bounces from the walls to the furniture to the mirrors to the ceiling to the floor and back to the walls. Adding silver and crystal accessories will further enhance the light energy in the room.

Reflective tiles around a fireplace help brighten the focal point of a room. Mirrored surfaces can also be strategically placed beside light sources to reflect brightness back into the room.

Then choose some of your favorite artwork or a brightly patterned area rug, and pull an accent color or two from them to use in your pillows, vases, lamps and centerpieces. Adding plants and flowers to a space can also help add brightness to any room.

Bathroom Lighting Ideas

We usually spend most of our time in the entire year in the bathroom. You do your make up out there; shave out there and so on. So proper lighting ideas, in the bathroom is very necessary. On the other hand, your lighting needs to be practical too; you can't have huge spotlight lighting up the bathroom just because it might look good.

When you start with the lighting in the bathroom first find out how much of natural sunlight you get during the day. According to this, you fill need to figure out, how much of additional light your bathroom will need. Do you need just a window, or a skylight or even a bit of vanity lighting? If you have a lot of surfaces which can reflect light, then you will not need much of lighting in the bathroom.

A good idea is to make a big window just next to the tub. This will provide you with ample amount of sunlight. Now you will still need some electric lighting in the bathroom for when it gets dark. If you have any corners in the bathroom that are dark, they will make it look very cramped up and small. So you need to create a very balanced situation in the bathroom.

Now the main area which needs a lot of lighting is the mirror and the shower. You need to have complete illumination so that you can look at yourself in the mirror without any shadows. You have a light on the side wall along with "modern" bathroom, vanity lighting which will be at least 150 watts and 250 watts. You can even have lighting right on top of the mirror to balance out the light.

Now after this will come the shower area. If you have a shower curtain which is dark, then you need to have a light which is extremely bright. This is because you need to see the floor while you are taking a shower. Since you spend a lot of times in the bathroom always invest in good bathroom lighting ideas

Where to Place Garden Lighting

Saturday, 3 October 2009

Positioning garden lights is a continuous process that comes with experience. As the seasons change and your garden transforms, it is necessary to move the lights around to reflect this change. Ideally you want to highlight the most important parts of the garden that you are most proud of. This could be a new rockery or water fountain, or a favourite tree. Whatever you choose to illuminate, there are a few points to look out for.

Water can be brought to life with some clever lighting. Blue or pale blue works well in most cases. Under water lights can be bought for ponds or fountains, and they send a clear beam shining through the water to produce a ripple effect that many people love. This light can also shine into tree branches and reflect back down, so in this instance, one single light beam can light up a number of features.

Using rock lights in the middle of rockeries is a simple way of blending the light to make it look like a natural part of the garden. These rock lights are very popular because they are very easy to install and they don't get in the way. The cables can be run under the soil and around the garden edges. Even better are the solar lights that need no maintenance. These work by storing energy during the day from the suns rays and using this energy to light the photo cells at night.

Once they are in place you do not need to keep turning them off or on, and they don't use any electricity at all. The modern kinds can last for many hours, sometimes only needing a new battery or cell every couple of years. There are no cables to run, so they take less time to install. In fact you simply put them in the ground and you are done. The disadvantage is that the beam intensity is not that great, and fades as the night goes on. Nevertheless, they are by far the most popular kind of garden lights on the market today, and are very cheap due to the mass production in the far eastern countries.