Archive for the ‘Lighting’ Category

Outside Party Lights Will Accent Your Home

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Many people have come to realize that providing outdoor lighting around their home can not only provide for safety and security but also aide in enhancing the beauty of the exterior of their property. While there are many practical uses for exterior lighting and the way in which it is used, one way to help you get the most for your investment is through outside party lights that not only serve to adorn your patio but provide the other functions of outdoor lighting as well. By providing adequate lighting on your patio, you will not only be able to host gatherings of your family and friends, but will also be able to enjoy your patio anytime throughout the year and not waste half your investment because darkness runs you inside the house.


When undertaking the lighting of your patio, it is best if it can be included in the overall lighting of the exterior of your home. By including the safety and security of your property as a whole, you will also serve to provide for the additional lighting required for hosting of parties or other events during the evening hours. Think about how your guests will arrive at your patio and you will see that lighting paths, walkways and steps not only provide decoration, but also let your guests negotiate their way around your property in a manner that will help them prevents falls or other mishaps. Path lighting can easily be accomplished through the use of low voltage or even solar powered units if you prefer.


There are many types of lights that help to accentuate certain focal points around your property that again not only decorate but provide for a certain measure of security. For instance, if you do not have an obvious path or walkway leading to your outdoor patio, rope lights can be used to designate a walkway leading your guests to the party area. These lights are actually contained in flexible plastic tubing that allows you to bend and manipulate them in any way you choose thus making them a wonderful choice for many lighting projects.


Spotlights and floodlights have been commonly used for years in the outdoors to light areas for safety and security. Now these lights are being used to highlight special landscaping features such as the specimen tree that is the focal point of the landscape. Spotlights and floodlights are also used as up lighting in the flower beds and near the house in order to show off the wonderful architectural features of the modern homes of today.


All of these different lighting fixtures tend to serve as both functional and decorative elements in a lighting plan and are an integral part of providing outside party lights for your patio, as well as, the rest of your property. If you are unsure how to begin when considering outdoor lighting for your property, take a ride around town late one evening and notice the many ways in which people use lighting in modern day landscape and I am sure you will come upon many ideas that will help to make your home the envy of the neighborhood once darkness encircles your property.

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Lighting a Hallway

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Hallways are one of the most overlooked areas in many homes when it comes to adequate lighting. Homeowners will spend a considerable amount of money purchasing and installing lighting fixtures for the foyer or entryway of their home and then neglect the adjacent hallway.

Before considering hallway lighting, it’s a good idea to take a look at the hallway surfaces. Look at the finish on the walls and the ceiling as well as the type and color of the floor. If the various surfaces absorb light (that is, they are darker colors), you may want to consider repainting the walls and the ceiling with lighter, more reflective colors. If the floor is hardwood or another surface that would be hard to change, consider lighter colored throw rugs along the passageway.

If there happens to be a window at the end of the hallway, you may be surprised that this window can be more of a problem than a solution to effective lighting in this area. Here’s what often happens. The extreme contrast between the light from the window and the relatively dimly lit hallway can create a glare effect that effectively reduces the illumination from the window. This can be exaggerated if the flooring also reflects the glare. In other words, untreated windows at the end of a hallway can cause more problems than they are worth. What you should consider is minimizing the glare factor by installing window treatments such as drapes or awnings or blinds.

Remodeling a hallway with good lighting may involve more work than is involved in reworking lighting in other areas of the home. Many hallways, particularly in older homes, have few electrical sources that you can tap into and, as a result, you may find yourself with the chore of tearing out drywall and other surfaces in order to install the needed electrical sources. If you are faced with this challenge, you should ask yourself if it’s worth the extra work involved.

I’ll assume that you are dealing with new construction or are willing to tackle the existing construction to get the job done the way you want it.

Wall sconces are among the most popular fixtures used to illuminate hallways. This indirect lighting provides a very nice, soft effect and a sconce should be placed about every ten feet along the hallway (for purposes of safety). Sconces are also very attractive when used on a dimmer switch. At night, the dimmer can be adjusted so that there is just a hint of light in the hallway but enough to navigate safely through it. If possible, use sconces that match the style of any pendant or chandelier that is used in the foyer or entryway to add continuity to your overall lighting and decorating design.

Track lighting adds a modern look to hallways and other areas in your home. Use halogen track lighting in hallways with at least an eight-foot ceiling to focus attention on artwork or a collection of photographs or other items used as wall decoration. Modern track lights incorporate a wavy looking spotlight that can make a hallway appear to be shorter than it really is. Placing at least some of your hallway lighting high on the walls with the light directed downward will add flair to your decorating and will make the hallway area look more open.

The walls at or near the end of a hallway should be illuminated.

Recessed ceiling luminaries or surface-mounted luminaries can also be used to provide a nice touch in hallway areas. Light from these fixtures should indirectly reflect from a light-colored ceiling surface and are appropriate fixtures to highlight doorways and the end of a passageway.

If the length of your hallway(s) permits, consider mixing several different types of lighting fixtures to add drama and interest to this often ignored area.

Chuck Lunsford is the content manager for LightnBreezy.com, a well-known source for hallway lighting fixtures. LightnBreezy.com features hundreds of products to choose from. To order your discount lighting fixtures made by Westinghouse, visit us at LightnBreezy.com.

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Decorative Light Switch Plates – A Fantastic Way To Finish Off Your Space

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

Are you looking for a way to really cap off the look of your new bathroom space? You went through all the trouble of redecorating it, but now you just want to put an exclamation point on what you have done. Well, there is a simple way to do it and all you have to do is install some decorative light switch plates, which are a wonderful way to complete the look of any room throughout your entire home.

Decorative light switch plates are available in a wide variety of styles, designs, and colors. All of the options allows you to easily obtain ones that will really complement and add to the décor of your space. For example, maybe you just got done revamping the look of your bathroom. You put in new cabinets, painted the walls a new color, put in a new tub and shower unit, and even bought all new bathroom accessories. But, then you hit a snag because the switch plates you had before do not match the new motif of the room now.

Well, this is an easy problem to fix because you can get something that will really cap off the look of the room. Like, ones crafted out of ceramic that have a lovely floral design painted right on them would serve as a nice accent to the space or you can even get ones crafted out of stone if your bathroom now features beautiful marble. Or, maybe your living room is looking a little dull and you just want to add a little spice into the space, then a nice choice for you would be ones that are crafted out of metal, like brass, that features detailed scrollwork and an oxidized type finish.

What it all boils down to, is that fact that there are many decorative light switch plates to choose from and those just mentioned are just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to what you could purchase for you space. Along with those made out of metal, stone, and ceramic, you can also get ones crafted of plastic, glass, acrylic, wood, and even porcelain. Plus, they come in a variety of colors, finishes, and patterns that are all very pleasing to the eye. To check out the many choices, skip the trip to the hardware store and instead just plop yourself down in front of the computer for some online shopping. You can compare items and will probably end up finding the ones at the best possible prices.

So, if you are in search of a way to finish off the look of any room that you just redecorated, a fantastic way to do it is with decorative light switch plates. They are really a wonderful option for bringing the look and feel of your space together, so much so that you people will be asking you for decorating advice for many years to come.

As the owner of many online sites, author Jennifer Akre, shares her insight on how to add class to your living space with classic switchplate covers, a beautiful array of switch plates and uniquely styled light switch plate.

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Basic Bedroom Lighting Considerations

Friday, December 11th, 2009

When all is said and done and the day’s challenges are at an end, it’s time to retreat to an area of your home that will provide peace, a time for reflection, a time to relax and a time to be away from the stresses that are a normal part of life.

This area can also be a place to enjoy the company of a loved one and to experience all the joy of intimacy and closeness.

I’m talking about the bedroom. Granted, there are other areas in the home that can provide many of these benefits, but the bedroom has always been the traditional place to find the conditions that provide days end peace and comfort. Before considering the types of lighting typically used in the bedroom, keep in mind that the color of the walls and the ceiling will affect the type and the intensity of the lighting that you need to use. Brightly colored walls and ceilings require considerably less light than do bedrooms that are painted with darker colors.

Lighting is often an underestimated factor in determining how we feel and how we function physiologically and on an unconscious level to say nothing of its influence on our emotions.

The old saying that there are different strokes for different folks holds true when it comes to bedroom lighting. Some couples see the bedroom as a place to enjoy intimacy and sleep while other individuals and couples see it as a multi functional room where they can talk, read, watch television or engage in hobbies. Whatever purposes the bedroom area serves, there is lighting that meets these needs.

If reading is a common activity, task lighting should be a major consideration and the needs of your partner who may not share your passion for reading should be a significant factor. Matching bedside tables and lights provide a nice decorative and functional balance. The shade level should be lower than your head level to avoid glare and to reduce disturbing your partner. Consider using opaque shades because they naturally dim the light and tend to reduce the light bleeding over on your partner’s side of the bed. Each reading light should have its own on-off switch and if possible, a dimmer.

Each reading light should be positioned behind the reader to eliminate shadows and should be adjusted so that they shine away from your partner. Swing-arm lights are also another option to consider.

Another option is to install recessed down lights at the head of the bed with separate controls that will permit one person to sleep while the other person reads. Make sure that the controls for the lighting near the bed are within easy reach so that they can be adjusted or turned off without having to get out of bed. If practical, all other lighting in the bedroom should be controllable by switches near the bed so that complete darkness, which most experts indicate is conducive to a good night’s sleep, can be achieved by switches near the bed.

Most people dress in the bedroom and the dressing table should have lights placed on either side of the mirror to eliminate shadowing the face. An adjustable mirror that provides magnification can be used to make applying makeup easier and to reduce the amount of light that is needed.

If you have plants or a decorative tree in your bedroom you can place a halogen floor-mounted fixture that can be adjusted to filter light through the plants that will create interesting and romantic lighting on the walls and/or the ceiling.

Indirect lighting can also be included particularly if you watch TV in the bedroom. Recessed lights and/or track lighting can provide the indirect lighting necessary to offset the glare of the TV while also providing some illumination to the wall area.

A ceiling fan with or without lights can also be used to adjust the temperature in the bedroom as well as providing a romantic touch. Be sure to have a dimmer control if you have a lighted ceiling fan.

In a bedroom used for a variety of purposes, it’s important to make this lighting layered to provide lighting that doesn’t overlap too much. This may involve a little extra work because this layered lighting may need to be on separate circuits. For example, task lighting by a study area should be switched separately as should indirect lighting that is used to wash a wall or highlight a piece or pieces of art work.

Remember, bedroom lighting should always be understated and provide a sense of romance and promote relaxation. Just about all the lighting should be controlled by dimmer switches.
The types of lighting fixtures typically used in the bedroom include: ceiling fixtures, ceiling fans with lights, chandeliers or pendants, track lighting, recessed down lights and wall sconces.

Careful planning your lighting plan for the bedroom is a very important use of your time.

Careful planning your lighting plan for the bedroom is a very important use of your time.Chuck Lunsford is the content manager for LightnBreezy.com, a well-known source for bedroom lighting fixtures. LightnBreezy.com features hundreds of products to choose from. To order your discount bedroom lighting fixtures and ceiling fans made by Westinghouse, visit us at LightnBreezy.com.

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Common Outdoor Lighting Mistakes

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Outdoor lighting can be deceptively tricky. Part of the difficulty is that it can seem so easy. How hard is it to light some flowerbeds? Frankly, it may not be hard to light, but it is hard to light well. Since no one wants their outdoors to look like an adolescent tossed up some holiday lights, it’s best to keep in mind some common mistakes.

Lack of a Goal

When creating an outdoor lighting scheme, your first consideration should be what you want to achieve. Safety, security, spotlighting, overall artistry – there are many different goals for outdoor lighting. Make sure yours is firmly in mind before you start. Knowing your goal will allow you to plan more effectively, saving time, money, and inevitable frustration.

Lifeless Placement of Lights

When lighting a pathway, don’t fall into the trap of an even row of lights. It’s visually uninteresting; you’re not lighting an airport runway. Place lights at irregular intervals, making sure to both light the way and be pleasing to the eye.

Hide landscape lighting fixtures unless they’re meant to be a focal point. The eye should be drawn to the features lit, not the source of the lighting.

Incorrect Quantity of Lights

While more does not equal better, you also don’t want to leave pronounced dark areas. Spots of darkness draw the eye to the lights instead of the things being lit. Don’t overdo it – you don’t want your yard to look like a car lot – but don’t under do it, either.

Unwise Direction of Lights

Improperly aimed lighting can create glares, distract passing drivers, or even shine into the eyes of people outside. It’d be a shame to ruin an evening garden party because your lighting blinded your guests.

Wrong Type of Lights

It’s not the most exciting topic, but the type of lights you use greatly affects the overall look. A vertical difference of 10 feet could require you to go from a 20 watt to a 30 watt bulb. Halogen bulbs emulate moonlight’s bluer color. Low-voltage bulbs can illuminate without overpowering. Garage and porch lighting may need to be adjusted so their bright lights don’t ruin an effect. These considerations are important to achieve a unified look. Learn about them.

Wrong Colors of Lights

Take great care with colored lights or filters. You don’t want your lighting scheme to look like something more appropriate for a Ringling Bros. circus than your backyard. You may want to avoid colored lights altogether since they can often look garish. Filters can be used to good effect, but only if done subtly. Never use a different color filter in every fixture.

Every property offers its own canvas on which professional landscapers can create distinct looks to best flatter the property. The slightest wattage variations, changes in lighting angles, and relocation of lighting fixtures will reveal a whole different look. If it all seems overwhelming, look into contracting a professional landscaper. They will handle all these intricate details and get the job done right, making your outdoors look its very best.

Paula Alford has made Ulitimate Landscape Concepts a leader in landscaping for several reasons. First and foremost, their service. After all, landscaping is a service business. Second, their wonderful and colorful blueprints. Not chintzy, vague drawings, but architectural renderings where you see what the end result will look like. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services

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