Author Archives: yaleadmin

Ceiling Fans Save Energy in Every Season

April 15, 2016

Most homeowners know that ceiling fans can save energy in the summer. But did you know that ceiling fans can save energy all year?

In the Warmer Months

Ceiling fans have direction switches, so depending on the model of your fan, switch the direction of the fan blades so that when you stand under it, you feel a breeze. Then turn your thermostat on your air conditioner up a few degrees. When you are in the room, the circulating air will make you feel cooler, while not actually reducing the temperature.

The caveat to these savings: make sure you turn the ceiling fan off when you leave the room for long periods of time. If no one is there to enjoy the moving air, having a fan running is wasted energy.

In the Colder Months

When the air turns cool, your fan can still create energy savings. Warm air rises in a room, and without good circulation, that warmer air can end up staying near the ceiling instead of warming the people on the sofa. If you flip the direction switch on your fan, your ceiling fan blades will rotate in the opposite direction (you should not feel a breeze). The fan will begin to circulate the stagnant warm air throughout the room. The result? Warm air mixes with cooler air, and those in the room will feel a more even temperature.

To achieve maximum energy efficiency, there are several other considerations when choosing a ceiling fan. Are the blades at the proper length for the room? Will you hang your fan at the appropriate height in the room?

If you want to make the right decision for your living space, contact us. We will be happy to help you choose the perfect ceiling fan.

How Does Your Garden (and Landscaping) Glow?

April 9, 2016

Spring is a kind of sensorial celebration – vivid colors, sweet scents and the gentle buzz of life reawakened. Now through the end of fall, your outdoor spaces become an extension of your home. What better way to celebrate the return of outdoor living than to invest in some energy-efficient landscape lighting to showcase nature’s beauty? Hinkley Landscape 115_HardyIsland_16022MZ

Today’s landscape and garden lighting options highlight your best garden and landscape features, while using less energy than ever before.

• Honor a favorite tree with strategically-placed, recessed well-lights. They provide seamless up-lighting for a beloved tree and require less energy when powered by an easy-to-install low-voltage system.
• Highlight your best features with landscape accent spotlights. They’re ideal for illuminating large shrubs, flower beds and trees, and can also be wired to a low-voltage system.
• Add a little shimmer to your pond with an LED pond light kit. LEDs offer superior protection against water corrosion and have an extra-long lifespan.
• Step up safety and style with LED-powered step lights. Available in a variety of finishes, they help guests navigate their way safely while adding a distinctive ambience.
• Get all decked out with deck lighting. Rail, post-cap and wall-mount lights powered by a low-voltage system will save you green and extend the use of your deck well into the evening hours.

Feeling inspired? Browse our online catalog for a huge selection of outdoor lighting options, or visit a Yale Lighting Concepts & Design showroom today!

Cool Comfort: Five Ways to Get the Most from Your Ceiling Fan

April 2, 2016

With warmer weather on the way, any opportunity to keep cool without cranking on the A/C is a win. To keep your home comfortable and energy bills in check, nothing quite beats the ceiling fan. Today’s ceiling fans are affordable, easy-to-install and quieter than ever. Plus, they can help you save up to 40% on your energy bills in the summer. It’s no wonder we’re such fans! Craftmade Bedroom SLider CI52BN

Shopping for a new fan? Want to get the most from your home’s existing ceiling fans? Here are some tips for savings throughout the seasons:

1. Size Up Your Fan. Rooms up to 75 square feet, like a bathroom, do best with a fan 36″ or smaller. Medium-sized rooms up to 144 square feet can fit ceiling fans from 36″- 42″. Larger bedrooms and family rooms around 225 square feet are most efficient with fans that are 50″- 54″.*
2. Choose the Right Downrod. Downrods are used to position a fan for optimal efficiency and stability. As a general rule, blades should be positioned eight to nine feet from the floor. That means that ceilings higher than nine feet will require a downrod extension.
3. Enjoy Year-Round Comfort. In the summer, operate your ceiling fan in the counter-clockwise direction to create a wind chill factor. In the winter, operate it at a low speed in the clockwise direction to force warm air near the ceiling down into the room.
4. Buy with Confidence. The key to a long-lasting ceiling fan is a quality motor. Look for one with a manufacturer’s warranty. Blade pitch and construction are also important. Go for more angled blades (12 to 15 degrees or greater) constructed of hardwood.
5. Turn It Off. Ceiling fans don’t alter a room’s temperature; they just create a wind chill that makes it feel that way. When you leave the room, there’s no need to keep your fan running. Turn it off to save energy.

For more on getting the most from your ceiling fans, the lighting experts at Yale Lighting Concepts & Design are here to help. Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern New Jersey or browse our huge selection of ceiling fans and fan accessories.

* Source – American Lighting Association

Five High-Impact Ways to Illuminate Your Outdoor Spaces

March 26, 2016

Outdoor Lighting

Spring is in the air. In the not-so-distant future, warmer weather and longer days will beckon us to spend more time outdoors. When it comes to injecting drama and beauty into your exterior spaces, nothing quite beats the glow and sparkle of thoughtfully planned outdoor lighting.

To give your home an instant ambience upgrade that will boost curb appeal and extend the use of your outdoor spaces, consider these five, high-impact ideas from our lighting designers:

1. A warm welcome. Path lights – available in a variety of styles – create a welcoming glow and help guests navigate walkways safely. Bring a sense of balance to your lighting plan by staggering the arrangement of your lights and consider low-voltage options for optimal energy savings.
2. Natural drama. Accent the natural beauty of your property and your home’s unique architectural details with landscape lighting. Place up-lights under a beloved tree to create dramatic shadows and highlights its green foliage. Or install low voltage accent lights to highlight shrubs and other garden features.
3. All decked out. When the sun goes down, the party can go on with LED deck rail, recessed step and post-cap lights. For added ambience, consider outdoor-rated table and floor lamps to bring a cozy feel to your outdoor living spaces.
4. Water feature illumination. Add a little shimmer to your pond with an LED pond light kit. LEDs offer superior protection against water corrosion and have an extra-long lifespan.
5. Timing and controls. Automation is the easy way to ensure your home’s exterior is illuminated in the evening hours. Easy-to-install timers automatically turn outdoor lighting on and off during designated ties of the day and many feature dimmer controls for added energy savings.

Ready for a fresh, new take on exterior lighting? Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern NJ or browse our huge selection of outdoor lighting including wall-mount fixtures, path lights, landscape lighting and more at YaleLightingConcepts.com.

Stylish and Sensible Lighting for the Bathroom

March 19, 2016

Thinking about giving your bathroom a facelift? Considering some upgrades for better energy efficiency? Whether it’s injecting some updated style, enjoying better convenience or trimming back your electricity bill, these emerging advancements in lighting and technology and practical tips can help you meet your bathroom remodeling goals.

1. Illuminate from all directions. Eliminate harsh shadows by placing light above and on either side of the mirror. Stylish sconces and well-placed recessed lighting can help diffuse illumination for more pleasing lighting you’ll be glad to wake up to.

2. Ventilate with efficiency. Effective, efficient ventilation is a must in the humid, high-moisture space defines a bathroom. Today’s ventilation fans are designed to minimize noise and maximize energy efficiency. Many feature motion sensor activation, built-in heaters and humidity sensors for the ultimate in convenience.

3. Dim for ambience. Setting your bathroom lights on a dimmer provides adjustable lighting levels. Lower lighting levels provide a relaxing atmosphere for unwinding in the bath while higher levels better accommodate getting ready. As a bonus, dimmers offer significant energy reduction that will help save green.

4. Heat for better comfort. Nothing quite shocks the system like a cold bathroom floor. For the ultimate in warm comfort, consider a radiant floor heat system, which is more energy-efficient than baseboard heat. Installing infrared lamps mounted outside the shower or tub is another great way you can take the chill off.

Bathroom Lighting

5. Inject some style. Set on an energy-saving dimmer, a decorative light fixture positioned over the bathtub or by the vanity provides warmth and style. From decadent chandeliers to minimalist fixtures, you’ll find a variety of options available at yalelightingconcepts.com.

Ready for a fresh, new take on bathroom lighting? Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern New Jersey or browse our huge selection of indoor lighting including bathroom vanity lighting, sconces, chandeliers, dimmers and more.

Our Recipe for Beautiful Kitchen Lighting

March 12, 2016

#2Maxim Hi-Bay_48 The kitchen is the hub of the home, where meals are prepared, friends and family gather and life in general takes place. With all of that activity – from chopping and dicing veggies to doing algebra homework – today’s kitchen demands a thoughtful lighting plan to illuminate your space and create a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere.

Whether you’re knee-deep in a total kitchen renovation or just making a few improvements, here are a few tips for getting remarkable lighting results in the kitchen:

Start with Ambient: The first step to an effective lighting plan is to start with good base lighting. Ambient is the general lighting that illuminates a room, and can be accomplished with a ceiling mount fixture, chandelier or other types of lighting.

Add in Task Lighting: Pendants over the island or under-cabinet low voltage lighting for food prep. A recessed can light over the sink for easier dishwashing. Wherever work takes place, add task lighting.

Sprinkle in Some Accent: To bring extra warmth and drama into the kitchen, try low-voltage or LED accent lighting inside the cabinets to illuminate your favorite china or glassware, or add above cabinet up-lighting to open up the space and make it feel larger. A little accent lighting goes a long way in giving your kitchen a designer look.

Bring on the Dimmers: Easy-to-install and great for saving energy, dimmers allow you to adjust your lighting level to fit the mood or time of day. You can install dimmers individually or invest in a whole house dimmer system to control lighting output in every room from one centralized location.

Ready for some kitchen lighting inspiration? Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern New Jersey or browse our huge selection of kitchen lighting online.

Hot New Lighting Trends for 2016

March 5, 2016

#1 Natutical Nuances Although home design trends don’t go in and out as quickly as the latest fashion accessories, here are six styles from Progress Lighting that are prevalent in today’s most on-trend interiors.

1. Artisanal Accents
Handcrafted elements add authenticity to a variety of rooms including kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and even home offices. Fixtures that showcase painted finishes, antique mirrored glass, modernized scrollwork or hand-bent arching forms fall into the artisanal category.

2. Oversized Fixtures
Lighting fixtures that make a bold statement and serve as the focal point of a room are trending. You don’t have to have a large home to take part in this trend – a statement pendant in a kitchen nook or above a dining room table can make for a beautiful style accent. Homes with tall ceilings or a large foyer can also benefit from the increased sizes of today’s most popular lights.

3. Back in Brass
Warmer metals are expected to gain momentum in 2016. From appliances to hardware to light fixtures – bronze, brass and gold tones are making their mark. Not only are finishes “heating up”, but the freedom to mix metals is gaining in popularity. Gone are the days where one finish characterizes the entire house, or even a single room. Mix and match your favorite metallic tones.

4. Nautical Nuances
With navy being a top color trend for 2016, complement your look with new fixture designs that incorporate nautical twists. Most popular in homes close to the shore, fixtures sealed with beveled or seeded glass are another sign of nautical influence.

5. Industrial Chic
The industrial trend is growing as more homes incorporate vintage electric design elements. For lighting, fixtures that incorporate steely accents, knob and strap details and mixed metals contribute to the industrial phenomena.

6. Retro Renewal
A surge in furniture, textiles, colors and fixtures that were prevalent in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s indicates homeowners’ growing nostalgia reminiscent of “simpler times.” Prismatic glass and fabric shades, brass accents and traditional forms are making a comeback in lighting design.

Ready for a fresh, new take on lighting for your home? Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern New Jersey or browse our huge selection of indoor lighting for the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, living room, foyer and more at YaleLightingConcepts.com.