Author Archives: Bev Martin

Managing The Day/Night Lighting Cycle

June 9, 2017

Take care, when designing your lighting system, not to ignore the brightest light in your home: the sun. Sunlight, if managed properly can serve as an important element in your lighting solution.

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Morning Sun

East-facing windows provide morning light, sometimes earlier than we might like. Start by looking at what it illuminates, and, more importantly, what it does not. Whether you allow sunlight to strike a light-colored surface or diffuse it with a semi-opaque window treatment, your usable light will be concentrated around the window. Bleary, morning eyes adjust to the level of glow at the window and expect similar light levels throughout the living space. Consider light sources that strike light-colored walls or ceilings in areas shadowed from morning sun. This type of indirect light creates a natural blend for a comfortable, early morning mood.

Evening Sun

As with morning sun, map out the areas of your home with natural light in the evenings. Note, however, that our schedules often have us awake long past sunset. As darkness falls, your nighttime lighting design will come to dominate. Here, unlike morning, transition is key. Again, fixtures that allow direct light to strike surfaces in sun-shadow will ease the visual transition. A brightly lit room will always fade well, but with softer modes, often favored in the evening, take care not to create imbalanced light levels by relying solely on ambient light for sun-shadowed areas.

Southern Exposure

South-facing windows add light throughout the day. With a fully translucent window treatment, that light will sweep across the room, and will reach farther during the winter months. With the sun high and bright, some rooms will only need supplemental or task-oriented lighting through these hours. As always, build systems you can set to high or low levels, which help you manage ambient brightness when moving between sunlit and non-sunlit rooms.

Ideas For Lighting Your Home For Any Occasion

May 27, 2017

There are so many different options available for home lighting that you may feel overwhelmed at the very thought of it. There’s FEISS Prarielands-IslandChand-Kitchen classic lighting, modern lighting, strip lighting, and mood lighting with dimming ability. And that’s not even to mention other features such as LED lights for energy-saving capability or colored lighting to enhance the decor of certain rooms.

The choices can be staggering, but it’s actually a lot easier than you think to cut the project down to size.

For starters, you can think about each room individually. Bedrooms and studies, for instance, might only need to be lit at certain times of the day. This will make choosing a light fixture for these rooms much easier.

Another factor to consider is where most of your day at home is carried out. Does you family gather in the kitchen to work on homework, projects or free-time materials while you cook, or after dinner? If so, you will want to focus a little extra time into planning for the kitchen.

If you have no children, it’s likely that you entertain in the family room or living room. In this case, you will want lighting options that compliment your decor and seem to have a story of their own.

You might even consider a couple different options for each room, with each tailored to specific times of day. In the morning and early afternoon hours, especially if there’s a lot of natural light in the room you’re planning, your lighting options will not need to be so bright. For evening hours, you could have other lighting available to match whatever mood you’re looking to portray.

Whatever your needs, Yale Lighting Concepts can help you find the perfect lighting fixtures to suit your home as well as your lifestyle. With over 75 of experience in delivering the best products, services and prices, you’ll know you’re in the right hands with Yale.

Please, contact us and allow us to help you put together the perfect lighting for your home. We’ll be happy to help!

3 Benefits of Security Lighting

Lighting technology has advanced beyond measures. Today, one the greatest advancements of home lighting is its security Kichler_Landscape_Front_Walk features. There are various types of security lighting used as a preventive measure against criminal activity, but they all pose excellent benefits, making any one worth the investment. In a home, you want to ensure that you and your family remain safe, and the best way to do that is by implementing security lighting in your home, and here’s why:

1. Motion-Detection: Among the various types of security lighting, motion detection is the most popular. This is because motion-detection increases safety. Motion-sensor lights are effective because they use body heat and wave lengths to track movement. This is a reliable way to know if there is any unknown activity around your home.

2. A Well-lit Home Deters Criminals: Although we can’t completely stop crime from happening, having a well-lit home increases your chances of having a safe environment. A dark home makes it easier for criminals to operate. Essentially, they will have more options to take cover. If your home is sufficiently lit, criminals will see your home more as an obstacle than an easy target.

3. Increased Property Value: Security lighting is a great investment, and not just for safety. Investing in security lighting will increase your property value because a secure home is appealing to potential buyers. Real estate and mortgage agents, as well as, appraisers take into account the amount of security your home has when determining the overall value of your home. In addition to this, you can receive insurance discounts on your homeowners insurance by increasing your at-home security.

It’s important to layer your homes defense with security lighting. Security lighting works to establish a safe and inviting home for you and your family. If you have questions about strengthening your home’s defenses with the right security measures, contact us and we will gladly help.

Lighting Options for Rustic Decor

May 13, 2017

For homes with a rustic decor, lighting sometimes becomes an issue, because you want stylish fixtures, not something with just a Kichler Cahoon_43774AVI_43775AVI_43776AVI_43777AVI_Livingroom drab brown base. To bring together the rustic look in your home with the most impact, go bold and consider unique lighting options in your rooms.

Overhead Lighting — The most dramatic type of overhead light is a chandelier. For a rustic decor, a hanging piece made from naturally shed antlers is a beautiful choice. This majestic lighting will impress everyone and add a grand feeling to your home. You could also choose a chandelier with wires arranged to look like twigs. Another rustic choice is a hanging light designed to resemble pine branches and needles.

Table & Floor Lamps — For a unique-looking table lamp, choose one with an antler base. Though this rustic lamp design works especially well when paired with an antler chandelier, it also looks quite stylish on its own. For a floor lamp, try something truly distinctive such as a design made to look like a bundle of reeds with a hidden light toward the top. You won’t see this lamp in many homes, which will make it a conversation piece among your family and friends.

Accent Lights — If you need a bit more light, especially in dark corners, consider a sconce or wall torchiere. A light designed with what looks like a vine encircling the glass lamp will look perfect with rustic decor. Opt for a design with multiple branches to bring the look of the outdoors inside. A pine cone design also works well for a distinctive touch.

Regardless of the style of your home, beautiful lighting options exist, if you take the time to look. For additional information and ideas about lighting, please contact us today. We can find options for you that will work for every room in your house!

Why Hanging Lights Are Great For Foyers

Foyers are one of the toughest areas of the home to light. However, lights that hang from the ceiling can streamline the experience WAC Lighting_QP-LED544-trio in a variety of ways. Here’s why you should consider hanging lights for your foyer.

They Are Out-Of-The-Way

Foyers are often fairly narrow or small areas that can’t really afford to have a light stand sticking out in the way. Hanging lights provide an out-of-the-way lighting experience by putting your light far away from foot traffic.

By hanging it above the heads of your guests, you also keep them from bumping into them and having an injury before making it into your home.

Provide Maximum Light Coverage

Overhead lights increase the light coverage in your room by placing them in a high location. In this way, you can decrease the possible shadows, spread light more effectively through your foyer, and create a look that you can’t get in any other way.

It also helps make your home appear more inviting to guests. After all, do you feel more comfortable in a brightly lit home or one that is very dark when you first walk in the door?

Come In A Variety Of Different Styles

The great thing about hanging lights is that they come in a variety of styles that can match your home’s unique fashion. For example, some will look more old-fashioned than others and create a more antiquated look.

Other hanging lights look modern and integrate more angular and edgy design. Take your time when shopping to find the foyer lighting design that is right for you.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of hanging lights in your foyer, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We can help you find the perfect lighting situation for your home and make your foyer as gorgeous as the rest of it.

Important Lighting Fixture Considerations For The Bathroom

When lighting up a bathroom, there are many places you can install fixtures. As many bathrooms lack windows, it is important to SGL Alturas_Bath maximize your lighting spread by installing multiple fixtures that eliminate shadows and dark areas in your bathroom.

Ceiling–Mounted Lighting

The most obvious place to install lighting in your bathroom is on the ceiling. Placing a light here has the advantage of spreading a maximum amount of light through the bathroom without creating shadows. In larger bathrooms, though, one or two overhead lights aren’t going to be enough. Thankfully, there are other places where you can place lighting to make it brighter.

Mirror Lighting

The mirror in a bathroom deserves to have a ring of lights around it. Why? Lighting up your mirror makes it easier for you to use it when you wake up in the morning. It also creates a nice lighting experience that makes it less difficult to spot problems on your face. Try to integrate lights along the top for the best experience.

Shower And Tub Lighting

Lighting in a shower or tub should be subtle and protected from shocks. How? By placing a light in the ceiling above the shower that is covered by a plastic shell. In this way, you can create a separate light that lets you shower without it being too dark. You can also integrate lighting along the bottom of the exterior to further illuminate the rest of the bathroom.

By following these lighting tips, you can create a bathroom that looks great and which is enjoyable to visit. To learn more about lighting tips such as these, please contact us today.

Fun Lighting for a Girl’s Bedroom

A girl’s bedroom should always be a sanctuary where she’s comfortable and surrounded by the things she loves. As such, you Feiss Chateau bedroom shouldn’t decorate her room as you would an adult bedroom. You want to fill a girl’s room with fun designs and colors. These style choices include the lighting.

Lighting for a Girl’s Bedroom:

Table Lamps — Most girls love to collect seashells. Table lamps with a colorful coral reef base are unique additions to almost any girl’s bedroom. Red, orange or green coral will incorporate fun and bright colors into her room. If she has more than one nightstand with lamps, consider a different color for each table lamp. For something less colorful but equally fun, try table lamps with a conch or oyster seashell built into the base. If you prefer something even more unique, consider table lamps with shells encased inside clear glass. Your child will love this style, which looks like their seashell collection exists right inside the base of their lamp.

Flush Mount — Ceiling lights in homes often look a bit drab, because a lot of thought doesn’t always go into overhead light fixtures, especially in children’s rooms. However, fun and beautiful choices do exist. One unique design that looks great in a girl’s bedroom is bowl-style art glass. Consider a light-colored bowl with splashes of colorful art glass in a variety of shapes and sizes. This multi-colored light fixture adds an unusual and fun look to a room. The fixture delightfully resembles an art project with its splash of colors.

For more ideas and lighting options for a girl’s bedroom, please contact us today. We offer a variety of fun and unique lighting fixtures in a multitude of styles and finishes!

Fun Lighting for a Boy’s Bedroom

April 14, 2017

A boy’s bedroom should always be a place where he wants to spend time and a place that he wants to bring his friends. Decorating the room with items that interest him will make him feel like the room is his own. A boy’s space should stimulate his imagination — from the colors to the style of furniture and even the lighting.

Lighting for a Boy’s Bedroom:

Table Lamps — Most boys love animals and the outdoors. You can incorporate this love into their lighting. Table lamps with a sleek black finish and an animal designed base will look great in a boy’s room. Select styles with horses, bears, deer, or even an elephant on the base to add fun to his room. A black, rust or colorful base that includes outdoor scenes will delight your child and all of his friends. Opt for lamps with animals displayed in art glass panels in the lamp shade for something truly unique.

Flush Mounts — For overhead lighting, don’t select something drab or utilitarian for your boy’s bedroom. Opt for fun and out-of-the-ordinary lighting instead. For example, you might want to choose a bowl-style mount with a unique rustic finish. To match the table lamps, consider a flush mount that depicts the outdoors with branches and leaves portrayed on art glass panels. Choose beige art glass, rather than clear or white glass, for a genuine outdoor feeling. This style of lighting fixture will draw the attention and interest of almost any boy.

For additional options on lighting fixtures that will look great in a boy’s bedroom, contact us today. We can help you find unique and fun lighting for any room in your home!