Category Archives: Uncategorized

Many people think of hallways, if they think of them at all, as an afterthought.  However, hallways have some important features that often get overlooked.  In some homes, a hallway might be quite wide and serve as part of an entrance to a large home.  In other hom  es, hallways become important if they are poorly lit and hard to navigate through.  Perhaps there are small children in the home who have a tendency to leave toys and other paraphernalia in an otherwise dark hallway, or perhaps a family member is elderly and cannot see very well in regions of the home that are poorly illuminated.

Safety First

When considering lighting options for hallway areas, the most important factor to consider is safety.  Residents need to be able to navigate throughout a home during evening hours and perform various tasks that require good visual acuity.  Wall color can be a factor as well.  Hallways painted in darker colors tend to absorb available light, whereas hallways painted in lighter colors tend to reflect light, making a hallway area a bit easier to navigate through.

When selecting the proper lighting for a hallway, these factors:  wall color, purpose of the hallway, and the age and health of family members are all things to consider.  If the hallway is somewhat narrow, ceiling lights and/or wall sconces are good choices.  If a hallway is fairly wide, a homeowner might want to add a small table at one or both ends of the hallway and add a lamp to provide additional illumination.

Regardless of the choice of lighting fixtures, homeowners can rest assured they don’t have to sacrifice style in order to accommodate safety concerns.  There are many types of sconces, chandeliers and table lamps that can add beauty and style without compromising on safety.

Entrances and Hallways

In some homes, hallways are actually an extension of the entrance way and most homeowners want lighting in these areas to make a grand statement to guests when they arrive.  There are many options for these areas as well.  Stunning chandeliers, unique sconces and ceiling lights, as well as assorted lamps for side tables are all good choices that will add drama and flair to an entrance/hallway.

For more information on how to select the perfect lighting fixtures for the hallways in your home, please contact us.

Unless you look at tax laws and think “pff, child’s play!” you’re probably looking to make things in your life a bit easier. But then again, isn’t everyone? When it comes to deck & patio lighting, we can help! Even if your deck is brand new, and you really have no idea where to start, that  ‘s no need to worry. Our lighting and design specialists can have your deck lit and ready to entertain, quickly and easily.

To get those creative ideas flowing, here are three tips we think will help. If you see something you like, or are suddenly stricken with inspiration, all the better.

• Safety First: When it comes to outdoor spaces after dark, it’s important to keep safety front and center. Something as small as missing a step or tripping over a piece of decor could lead to serious health risks. If that happens to a guest, it further places you in danger of civil litigation Make sure the space is well lit, above all.
• Make It Useful: Once safety is established, you’ll want to make sure the lighting you choose is useful to your intents and purposes. For example, if you plan to use your deck for grilling entertainment, make sure cooking areas, food serving areas and tables are well lit. If sitting peacefully and enjoying your evening, make sure chairs and walkways are perfect for the setting.
• Set the Mood: Once the most important aspects are out of the way, then you can focus on setting the mood for your evenings out on the deck. One way to achieve this is the use of colored lights. You might also choose hardware unique to your specific settings. This option definitely gives you some room to consider a few different options.

If you’re ready to get your lighting under way for your deck, feel free to contact us at your convenience. We can help turn your fantastic ideas into reality, or offer design options you hadn’t even thought of. We look forward to assisting you soon!

Designing a home interior doesn’t stop once the walls have been painted and the sofa pillows have perfectly placed. Interior ho  me lighting should also be a consideration when it comes to creating the right look and feel of your home. The right lighting can elevate the style of your home. Light can create warmth and richness. It can exude class or excitement. When it comes to lighting the interior of your home there are many types of fixtures you can choose.

Pendants

When it comes to lighting, pendant lights are like a piece of jewelry you use to accessorize the kitchen, bathroom, foyer and any other space you want to light up. Pendant lights are usually single lights that suspend from the ceiling. However, there are stunning fixtures like the five light pendantthat will really make your room pop.

Sconces

Sconce lights are wall mounted fixtures that can be modern or bring old warm charm to any space. You can bring focus to a piece of art by placing two sconce fixtures on either side. While sconces over nightstands in a bedroom can give you additional lighting and double as wall art. For example, this three light wall sconce is as beautiful as it is functional. Wall sconce lighting is a great addition to your interior lighting.

Track lighting

Track lighting uses a track to fit lights. This allows the lights to be moved into varying positions and also makes track lighting a great choice for hard to light areas. Track lighting rails can be used for pendants as well as spotlights. Track lighting is a stylish choice to add light where you need it.

Chandeliers

Chandelier lighting fixtures are often the “piece de resistance” in your home. They are hanging light fixtures that are often made of crystal and have many branches, which are glittered with lights. However, not all of them are necessarily ornate. Chandeliers can also be subdued if that is your taste and there are modern chandeliers like this twelve light chandelier that will sure to be the centerpiece of any room.

When it comes to interior design, don’t forget to light up your life. Lighting and light fixtures are a big part of your design aesthetic and can help you achieve the right ambiance for your home. When it comes to picking your lighting, there are no rules, and Yale Lighting will be here with a large variety of fixtures to choose from.

It can be difficult to pick out the right lighting for a living room. With so many different styles of houses and even more styles for personal preference, it can be a daunting task to get even a basic lamp that goes will with everything. When shopping for lighting for your living room, having some basic guidelines can go a long way.

Room Design

The first thing to do is consider the size and shape of your living room. Is the ceiling high and allows for a ceiling fan? Is it so small that having standing lamps seem impractical? Or is it so wide that you need more than a single fixture? And, possibly even more important, what color are the walls? The overall room design can limit what type of lighting you can use based on space. It is vital that you consider how much space you are lighting, and how much room you can devote to just a light fixture.

Room Style

Let’s face it, you wouldn’t expect a ceiling fan in a modern-style house unless it was minimalistic and either white or black. You wouldn’t walk into a ranch-style house and expect to see LED lights on the walls. No, those would seem out of place and might detract from the feel of the room itself. You would expect ceiling fans in a ranch-style house because it seems to fit more naturally than modern-style LED lights.

Room Vibe

Each room has its own vibe, or feeling. When you are picking out the lighting fixture for your living room, think about what you want your guests to feel when they are over. Do you want controllable lighting so you can set the mood, or do you strictly want soft light to give the room a sense of warmth? Do you want your pieces to be eye-catching, or would you prefer your lights to accentuate the rest of the room instead? It is important to understand just how certain levels of lighting can change the ambiance of your space.

Personal Taste

Something to think about when buying a lighting fixture is how YOU feel about what you are buying. There is no point in buying something that you don’t like. If a certain lighting fixture doesn’t mesh with what you are trying to do in the room, then don’t get it. While you wouldn’t want an antique lamp in a modern living room, it can be easy to find something similar to what you like in a different style.

Light Locations

Where are your lights going? Do you want them to sit in the corners and light up the whole room to make it feel spacious, or would you prefer central lighting that leaves the corners in the shadows to make your room feel smaller and more intimate? Do you want fixtures that are stuck on the walls and illuminate the areas around them like a gallery, or would you prefer table-side lighting that give your living room a more homey feel? Where you place your lights can be just as important as how well they light up a room.

The reason why these rules are important is because they will help you decide what type of lighting is right for your living room. The lighting of a room can be just as important as the furniture. A poorly lit room can ruin the overall feel of the space, while a too brightly light room can confuse where the focal point of the room is. Since the living room is where your guests will spend most of their time, it is important to light it in an attractive way that showcases not just your house, but also your personality.

Contact us if you have any questions or comments about our company or products.

When thinking about new lighting, it’s important to consider which lights will go in which rooms. All rooms are certainly not created equally, and what’s good for one room might be simply awful for another. So what do you do?

You can start by considering the mood you’d like to create in each room or space. We’re going to take a look at three particular areas in which homeowners most often have specific needs.

Living Room Lighting

Much of your home’s activities will take place in the living room or living area. What you need for that room will depend on several factors. For instance, do you have small children or older children? Perhaps you no longer have children living in the home. For this room, you might consider a mid size chandelier or a few nice floor lamps.

Foyer Lighting

The lighting in your foyer needs to be bright and inviting. As you or your guests enter your home, this can set a wonderful homey scene with the right lights in place. It also helps to maneuver your way through the home if you happen to come in late at night, or leave before the sun comes up. In either case, the right lighting can move things in the right direction.

Bathroom Lighting

You definitely want adequate lighting in your bathroom. The wrong color bulbs can leave you wondering about your hair, skin and makeup. On the other hand, placing your lighting in the wrong areas can leave you with large areas of shadows in all the wrong places. For this room, various kinds of lighting will work, or you could combine certain pieces to give you just the look you need.

For instance, a chandelier is nice but you might want to shave in the shower. In such a case, a nice recessed light with a watertight seal makes a great addition. Recessed overhead lighting gives a nice clean look, while wall mounted fixtures can create a perfect reflection in the mirror.

For more information on which lighting works best in the room you’re looking to illuminate, feel free to contact us. We’ll be happy to assist you!

Adding lights to your landscape design is an excellent way to make your landscaping more visible and functional at night. It is also a good way to showcase certain areas of your landscape design that you think are especially beautiful or important. Here are three great locations for your landscape lighting.

Sidewalk

A great place to incorporate landscape lighting is along either side of your sidewalk. You can choose to go with lights that are flat on the ground, or those that stick up and add more of a decorative accent to your landscaping. The lights can also be placed as far apart or as closed together as you’d like, depending on your lighting budget and how much light you would like. This will make it much easier to see your sidewalks at night, which can go a long way in making them safer.

Flower Beds 

Another great location for landscape lighting are your flower beds. These are areas of your landscape design that are exceptionally beautiful. Because of this, you likely want to show them off, whether it be day or night. The landscape lighting will act somewhat like stage lights, coming up from the ground to showcase your flowerbeds at night. Depending on the size and shape of the flower beds, you will want to pick out the size of lights that you’d like, as well as where to strategically place them.

A Man-Made Waterfall

The decision to build a man-made waterfall as part of your landscape design is a great one. It creates a beauty that is hard to match and you will likely enjoy how peaceful it is to watch the water run down the rocks. A great way to enhance your man-made waterfall is to add landscape lighting to it. You can choose from a variety of waterproof and weather resistant lights that can be installed within the rocks of your waterfall. The lights shining underneath the water will create a sparkling effect at night that is absolutely stunning. To make things even more fun, you could choose lights that have the ability to change colors as the water cascades over them.

Landscape lighting can add to any landscape design and can be perfect for walkways, flower beds, and man-made waterfalls.

To learn more about landscape lighting, you can visit us here.

When you’re searching for lighting as well as ceiling fans for your sunroom, consider a unique design that differs from what you’d usually choose for a standard room in your home. A sunroom customarily embodies the natural and open feeling of the outdoors in a setting protected from any harsh weather. Let this decor style also be reflected in your lighted ceiling fans.

Great Designs for a Sunroom

Rattan Blades – For a traditional sunroom appearance, consider a fan with spectacular hand-carved blades made from solid wood with a vintage walnut finish and gorgeous rattan inlays. Pair this with an elegant bowl light in a Peruvian bronze finish or even a light made from Tiffany-style leaded glass for a look that will become a focal point in your sunroom.

Bamboo Blades – To reflect a contemporary style in your sunroom, opt for bamboo blades that come shaped like large leaves, which will bring a trendy outdoor look indoors. Choose an oak-colored bamboo with multiple round lights in tea-stained glass and a chic espresso finish. Or opt for woven white bamboo blades with a craftsman style bowl light for a fabulous transitional look.

Whimsical Blades – For a genuinely distinctive appearance, select a ceiling fan with two tiers of blades shaped like flower petals where the upper and lower ones rotate independently. Choose from a variety of lovely color combinations such as pink and green or teal and cherry or pink and white. Match this fan with a bowl light that comes in a white finish to create a beautiful, nature-inspired look in your sunroom.

When deciding on lighting along with ceiling fans for any sunroom, opt for a design that will separate your decor from the norm to create a distinctive look. For more information about high-quality lighting and fans for your home, please contact us today.

Earth Day on April 22nd is the perfect time to revisit your home’s lighting and your carbon footprint. Better still, give Mother Earth a present and switch your CFL (the tubular swirly type) or incandescent bulbs to LEDs, known in April as ‘Love Earth Day’ lights!

Lifespan

The largest difference between a CFL and LED bulb is life. The average lifespan of a CFL is 10 years, calculated on 3 hours’ use per day.  This is without any other detrimental factors, such as frequent switching on or off which detracts significantly. The average lifespan of an LED is 15 to 25+ years. In simple terms switching to LEDs means –

• Convenience. Much less bulb changing for you, the homeowner.
• Reduction in waste
• Reduction in hazardous waste (CFL’s contain small amounts of mercury)

Watts, Lumens and Energy Consumption

The days of choosing between a 60 or 100 watt incandescent bulb are history. Today it is much more important to be aware of how much light the bulb provides than the power it consumes. Light is measured in lumens and the higher the lumens, the brighter the light.

• 100W Incandescent = 1600 lumens. An equivalent CFL consumes 23W, a LED consumes 14W.
• 40W Incandescent = 450 lumens. An equivalent CFL consumes 9W, a LED consumes 5W.
• There are energy and related cost savings switching from CFL to LED, as you can see, but nothing like the reduction seen if you have yet to switch from incandescent bulbs.
• Because an LED uses very low wattage, there is very little heat generation. If you have an old lamp saying “Max 40W”, you can use any high lumen LED in it today and enjoy much brighter light quality.
• The use of lower wattage helps Mother Earth in that fewer fossil fuels are used in the making of the electricity.

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has developed some great insight into today’s light bulb terminology to help with your understanding and energy efficiency goals. NRDC also recommends looking for the “Energy Star” endorsement. This guarantees the product meets minimum efficiency, lifetime and quality standards.

Other Factors When Buying LEDs

• Many LED bulbs and fixtures are dimmable. Consider if this is important.
• Color. LEDs typically come in Warm White (softer more yellowish glow) or Daylight (cooler bright hue).
• Shape. LEDs come in all shapes and sizes. The traditional sno cone or bulb shape is good for many applications but does not offer enough downward light for a reading lamp for example. Ask us about options for your decor and specific lighting needs.
• Instant full brightness (CFLs have a “warm up” time before full brightness is achieved)
• Cost. Take advantage of Earth Day promotions. While LEDs can seem more expensive, the convenience in never having to change a bulb is a big factor along with their durability. If you still have incandescent bulbs, the cost will be recovered quickly through decreased energy usage. Bottom line: lower electric bills.

If you’ve looked at LEDs in the past and had difficulty finding a suitable bulb, talk to us. LEDs have come a long way in recent years and there’s a replacement LED now for almost every kind of fixture.

At Yale Lighting Concepts & Design, we’re committed to conserving our natural resources and are always here to help you with the selection of the best lighting that balances quality of life with the environment. Contact us today for more insight and ideas.