Natural daylight becomes a scarce commodity in northern climates as autumn progresses into winter. People naturally rely on their home lighting to supplant and supplement the bleak winter light, but not all home lighting is created equal for that purpose. Studies have shown that the winter reduction in certain wavelengths of light will cause many people to experience mild depression or “seasonal affective disorder” (i.e. “SAD”) during the winter months. This condition can be offset with next generation LED lighting that can be tuned to replace the lost summer daylight.

New LED light fixtures and lighting systems are available in different categories, including dim-to-warm, white tunable, and fully-color tunable. Dim-to-warm fixtures and systems are ideal for dining rooms and bedrooms that call for more relaxed and inviting illumination, and fully-color tunable systems are best suited for large open areas that can be reconfigured to adapt to multiple different uses. White-tunable LED home lighting fixtures and systems may be the best option to offset SAD winter blues.

The quality and character of light that is generated by a fixture are rated according to color coordinated temperature (“CCT”) and color rendering index (“CRI”). CCT ratings do not refer to the actual physical temperature of the light or fixture, but instead to the perception of whether the light is bright or warm. Bright lights that include certain blue wavelengths of light to offset SAD will have higher CCT ratings, typically in the range of 5000K to 6000K. Look for these CCT ratings if you are interested in LED lights that can help improve your mood in the colder and darker months. White tunable LED lights that are in this range are also dimmable, which will allow you to scale back the brightness of the light at later times of the day.

The versatility and range of options offered by LED lighting systems can be overwhelming when you are looking for new lighting options for your home. The experts at Yale Lighting Concepts in all seven showrooms can help you make the best choice for your lighting needs. Please contact us to speak with one of our experts and for assistance with your lighting projects.

Chances are if you have seen HGTV’s Fixer Upper you have fallen in love with the inspirational home stylings of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Joanna always uses unique lighting fixtures to create an interior design that is welcoming, full of personality, and functional. Whether you personally adore modern farm-house décor or simply want to implement some character into your home, lighting fixtures are a great place to start.

Pendants

Orbital or bowl-shaped pendants are a Fixer Upper favorite for home offices and kitchens. The convenient variety of hardware finishes available for pendants takes the guess-work out of coordinating with the existing hardware throughout your home.

Sconces

Wall sconces cast a lovely glow for a relaxed ambience in an entryway, parlor, or bedroom. The structure of these distinctive lighting fixtures suggests a vintage feel, as if they are relics from a bygone era. Adding wall sconces to your home is an easy way to create antique atmosphere without spending hours at thrift stores and flea markets searching for just the right piece.

Chandeliers

Chandeliers are a guaranteed show stopper, sure to be the focal point of any room. Try adding a chandelier to your formal dining room for an instant source of pleasant mood lighting. Adding a chandelier to your interior lighting concept can be just as much a decorative statement piece as any item of furniture.

Choosing the proper lighting fixture is the finishing touch to adding warmth, texture, and dimension to a home that represents your individuality. Contact us today to explore your options and gather more information on how to incorporate Fixer Upper-style into your own home lighting.

1. A Classic Floor Lamp

Floor lamps allow you to showcase both design and detail work. They also often take multiple lightbulbs, ensuring that the space will be bright enough for anything from watching TV to reading a good book or entertaining guests. From classic to modern, your design options are almost endless.

2. A Ceiling Light

Ceiling lights are not always the norm in American living rooms, but they offer significant potential nonetheless. Your design options are more limited, but you can use them to ensure plenty of light especially if your windows don’t let as much natural light as you’d prefer.

3. A Table Lamp

In many ways, table lamps are the smaller brother of floor lamps. They allow you to add ambient light, while simultaneously offering a design opportunity through both their lampshade and design. You should never rely on a table lamp alone to light your living room, but adding one – on an end table, perhaps – to your existing lighting options can both brighten up the space and enhance the room’s interior design.

Lighting your living room, at its core, comes down to your personal preference. But the above three options allow you to customize the space to make sure that you can enjoy both the light and the design of the most-used room in your house. For more information on how to light up the various rooms in your home, contact us.

 Lighting is an all too often under-utilized decorating accessory. Brighten up every corner of your home, both inside and out. Nothing says “welcome” better than a house aglow with soft lighting.

The laundry room need not be devoid of a touch of class. A small accent lamp strategically placed on a shelf, or a candlestick lamp tucked away on the folding counter is an eye-appealing alternative to harsh overhead lighting once the chores are done.

Dress up a bare wall in the hall with a pair of sconces. Actually, use three ( or even five) for a balanced and dramatic look. With accessories, often odd numbers work best.

Chandeliers are not just for hanging over the dining room or kitchen table. Hanging one above the bathtub gives the room a spa-like ambience. While you are refreshing the bathroom, ditch the traditional night-light. Today’s bathrooms have vanities that will easily accommodate  a traditional table lamp. This is an unexpected way to add some color and texture to the room for a minimum amount of money.

Add some panache to your walk-in closet by installing a whimsical chandelier. Elevate the importance of an object d’art with a spotlight and illuminate a stairwell with a series of pendant lights hung at different heights.

Pepper your outdoor space with landscape lighting. As the sun goes down, your gardens and walkways will come alive.

Contact us for more home lighting ideas.

The living room is one of the first spaces in your house that visitors see upon entering your front door. That means it’s usually the first impression people have of your house as a whole which is why most of us strive to make it as handsome as possible with nice furniture, artwork and accessories. But what about the lighting? Too often, the task of lighting a room like the living room is almost an afterthought. But poor lighting — whether too dark or too bright — is an instant mood killer at any get together. There’s a science to lighting, so the first thing to think about before deciding on a particular style or design you like, is to make sure you understand the three different types of lighting …

1. Ambient
2. Task
3. Accent

Ambient light is the room’s main source of light, whether it’s a central overhead fixture like a chandelier, or recessed ceiling or track lighting.

Task lighting is just what it sounds like. A lamp near a chair for reading, knitting, sewing, etc. puts the light where you need it in order to perform the task.

Accent lighting creates mood. Gentle up-lights can shine light on a tall floor plant or sculpture, for example. You can use lights to illuminate decorative objects on an étagère, or to light a painting. You can also use it to create atmosphere, or mood, as in lowering the lights for a romantic feeling.

Make a plan of where you’ll use each type of lighting and then you can set about choosing the style that coordinates best with the style of the room, whether that’s modern, traditional, transitional, rustic, or eclectic. You’ll be amazed at how much better your living room looks and performs when you’ve taken the time to light it the right way by layering ambient, task and accent lighting.

If you’re in the market for new lighting, visit one of our beautiful showroom located throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about any of our fine products.