Tag Archive 'Home Lighting'

Jan 16 2012

Home Lighting Guide

Published by under Home Lighting

Ceiling Lights

Ceiling lights should be included in virtually each room of your own home, save for the residing room. Solely in uncommon circumstances do dwelling rooms embody ceiling fixtures.

It ought to be famous that ceiling fixtures would not have to be flush or semi-flush mount lights, either. As an alternative, be a little bit more inventive along with your ceiling lights, similar to utilizing a chandelier or chandelette in your bedroom. Simply remember that the purpose is to create common illumination for each room.

Activity Lighting

When you’ve created common illumination in a room, it’s time to advance to job lighting. Activity lighting includes lights that mean you can work in a selected space without having to pull another mild fixture into the space. For instance, desk lamps for working in your house workplace, desk lamps for reading in your lounge or bedroom and pendant lights in your kitchen for working at an island or underneath cabinet lights for working on the counter.

Accent Lighting

To finish your indoor lighting scheme, it is best to embrace some accent lighting. For instance, track lights may very well be thought-about accent lighting if properly placed. Within the kitchen, observe lights could be aimed at cabinets to highlight them, or they are often positioned in a hallway or living room to spotlight artwork.

Outside Lighting

Final however not least, outside lighting. Relating to lighting, the overwhelming majority of individuals neglect or simply neglect to incorporate outside lighting fixtures into their plan. Out of doors lights typically are used for safety and safety and include fixtures reminiscent of flood lights in backyards and pahtway lights. These are a terrific begin, but remember to embody lights close to doors.

Of course, out of doors lights also can include landscape lighting and architectural lighting. A majority of these lighting fixtures needs to be aimed at highlighting the options of your property fairly than for security or security purposes. Use light fixtures that may point upward toward your house to focus on architectural parts equivalent to columns. You may as well place outside lights behind bushes or other plants to focus on them within the evening hours.

 

This post is written by Evan Smith 5, he is a web enthusiast and ingenious blogger who loves to write about many different topics, such as website marketing. His educational background in journalism and family science has given him a broad base from which to approach many topics, including SEO Brisbane and many others. He has a really strong passion for scouring the internet in search of  inspiational topics.

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Sep 05 2010

Guidelines on How to Select the Best Ceiling Fans

Published by under Garage & Storage

A relaxing and comfortable home is all we can wish for. Our home is our haven and it should provide us every bit of comfort that we need. During hot days, we need not suffer from the heat inside our homes. We can create a cool breeze with the installation of ceiling fan units.


Shopping for ceiling fans can be an overwhelming experience. But with the blazing heat upon us, we need to make every effort to pick out the best fans we can get. Selecting the best fan involves following certain guidelines. Check out and follow the steps below.


Take into consideration the size of the room you’re going to install your fan. A smaller room needs only one fan with smaller blades. For larger rooms, you can get bigger fans or you can simply hang multiple fan units.


The height of your ceiling is also another matter. If your ceiling is low, choose fans that lie close to the ceiling. These are called ceiling huggers. Using these fans allow people to safely move underneath without fear of having fan blades hitting their heads. For higher ceilings, there are also ceiling fan units that have longer stems. They can bring the fan closer to the people below so that they will be able to feel the breeze that they produce.


Not at all ceiling fans are built the same. There are fans made for indoor and outdoor use. If you need to install fans in your covered patios or porches, make sure that they are rated for outdoor use.


When it comes to designs, it all depends upon your preference. You can go classic or modern. You can opt for light or dark finishes. Just make sure that the fans you choose will complement whatever furnishings you already have.


When it comes to brand, trust only Hunter ceiling fans. They are the pioneers when it comes to fan units. The motor performance is great and they have exquisite blade designs. It is guaranteed you will never regret bringing home your outstanding Hunter ceiling fans.

Enhance the beauty of your home with different home lighting and patio heaters.

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May 28 2010

Finding the Best Lights For Your Home Can Be Hard But There Are Plenty of Options Online For You

Published by under Home Lighting

You’ll easily discover lights on today’s market – you simply need to recognize where to look. Have a scan on two or three web stores and see what you can get. If you happen to execute a lot of look ups on line you will most likely be faced with many types of promotions and deals which might be good value for the money.


Regardless of what you have been shopping for on line, you should have no problems discovering the thing you need. You can find a large range of possibilities therefore you shouldn’t have any trouble in the least finding good offers that will be perfect for your desires. You’ll have to invest some time when you are searching the net to ensure you are mindful regarding almost everything on the current market.


There are plenty of selections from which to choose and you might think it is tricky to make a decision. Anyway, in the event that’s true then you certainly will need to read on to discover ways to go for the correct services for your wishes. You will probably really need to set yourself a financial budget so you will not pass your limit and waste your hard earned money for a bargain that was not worthwhile.


The initial thing you must think of is the purchase you are intending on. This will be a key element of your selections therefore be sure you know very well what you have been looking for before buying anything at all or agree to anything at all. It is crucial that you are made conscious of all things available on the market today to help you make advised conclusions.


You certainly will then have to take into account the type of lights out there on the current market and do your homework to discover which options are best suited for your demands. It may be fairly straightforward to uncover what you are hoping for when you hit the online market place and get a good look around.


When you have a good browse using the web you might find that there are several possibilities. Have a very good search and do some searches on google to see what comes up. You will likely be very impressed at the amount of choice for a real straightforward investment.

Author Callum G Ferguson talks about finding lights on the web for your home. http://www.lighting-direct.co.uk has a huge range of options and information available, you will easily find what you need.

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Mar 11 2010

LED Lighting Technology Could Change Home Lighting

Published by under Home Lighting

One of the best known trends catching on in lighting today is the use of Light Emitting Diodes, otherwise known as LED lights. Although this technology has been available since the 1960s, widespread use is increasing today due in large part to the technology’s energy efficiency.


Without making it too complicated, LEDs work by transporting electrons through a semiconductor to create light. This single LED creates a solid light, as many people have seen on keychain LED lights; when a number of LEDs are grouped together, though, a high level of light can be achieved by using a fraction of the energy that would have been used otherwise. Compared to traditional lights, 80% of the electricity used by LEDs is transformed to light, whereas only 10% of the electricity used by incandescent bulbs is converted to light. This is the huge benefit of LEDs – their ability to produce the same level of light at a fraction of the energy cost.


LEDs are still rather high priced, though. Costing around 3 times more than an incandescent bulb, the initial purchasing cost is greater; this cost is made up for quickly in electricity savings, however.


Uses in the home are limitless; for example, in the kitchen, more under cabinet lighting is created using small LED “pucks” which illuminate a small area. These lights are strung together under the counter, creating a well-lit working area. In home lighting, LEDs possess the ability to do the work of the traditional light bulb in almost every situation, and often more efficiently.


Some of the advantages of LEDs over incandescent bulbs are obvious. Electricity savings are an area in which LEDs excel greatly, as well as their ease of installation. Along with this, LEDs last over 50 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. LEDs shine up to 50,000 hours or more at full luminosity. The durability of LEDs is another selling point, which is why LEDs are being used more in automobiles and in machinery. Newer vehicles are utilizing LED bulbs in the tail-lights so that they do not have to be replaced nearly as often and also due to the fact that they stand up to the vibration; since there are no filaments or fragile glass exteriors to shatter, LEDs are emerging as the first choice in demanding lighting situations.


In the home lighting realm, LEDs are a great choice because they do not burn out; rather, they gradually dim after around 50,000 hours. Interference is also immensely reduced as compared to fluorescents, which often interfere with televisions, phones, and audio devices.


More track lighting pendants are making use of the LED technology. Since the LED is a directional light, these are great for lighting areas such as an island in the kitchen or overhead lighting in a workspace such as an office.


Even though the initial investment is higher, it is worth the home lighting designer’s time to look into the advantages of LED lighting. This technology is gaining support due to its durability, cost-efficiency, and long-life, and could one day replace the traditional light bulbs we are so used to.

LightingSale.com is your one-stop source for home lighting solutions and quality lighting fixtures. View the full catalog of products at LightingSALE.com

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Oct 25 2009

Choosing Landscape Lighting

Published by under Landscaping

Landscaping takes a lot of effort and a person loves to show off their work, so it is only natural for a person to finish their landscape project by adding landscape lighting. There are a variety of lighting choices, as well as, a variety of ways to use lighting to highlight and accent the landscaping. A person will find that landscape lighting is just the final touch their project needs.

To begin adding landscape lighting a person needs to start with identifying what it is they are going to do. This includes their needs and anything special they wish to do. A person should start by listing everything they wish to light up. Good choices are walkways and driveways. Also any special highlight lighting should be noted. Sometimes people wish to spotlight a certain aspect of their landscaping, such as a sculptured hedge or bush. After a person understands what they want to light up they need to decide the method and type of landscape lighting to use.

There are five main landscape lighting methods. There is up light where the lighting is on the ground and shines up. Down light is where the lighting is mounted above and the light shines down. Ground light is on the ground, but unlike up light, it shines at the ground not up. There is also spotlight, like mentioned earlier, used to highlight certain objects. Finally there is backlight where a light is mounted behind an object to make it stand out in the dark.

Besides the lighting method there is also the consideration of the type of light. There are both solar powered and traditional electric powered landscape lighting options. Solar lighting is powered by the sun and are fairly easy to set up. Some solar lights include a solar panel for power. However, there is no digging to install electric. Electric lights are more reliable, though. They do require the burying of electrical wires, however, new wireless models require no wires at all and are as easy to set up as solar lighting. With electric, though, there is the cost of electricity where with solar lights there is no extra utility cost.

After decided on the lighting method and the type of lighting, a person is ready to purchase and install their landscape lighting. Landscape lighting adds a touch of class to a landscape project. It shows off the hard work that was put into the project and shows the pride of the home owner. Landscape lighting is also helpful to light walkways and provide a sense of security. There are so many choices in landscape lighting that a person can easily find the landscape lighting that works for them and their needs.

Yardist.com is an online Landscaping Information Center. The site is filled with landscaping ideas to help you make the most of your landscaping or gardening projects. The site offers information covering a variety of landscaping topics from design and building to maintenance. Subjects include gardening, landscape designs, plants, soil, pest control, construction, tools, and other pertinent content.

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Aug 30 2009

Low Voltage Lighting – 15 Things You Need to Know

Published by under Uncategorized

The use of low voltage lighting systems has become increasingly popular over the past several years. Low voltage halogen and low voltage xenon lighting systems can be found in almost any setting – restaurants, hotels, bars, retail stores, museums, art galleries, offices, and the home. We have all seen these types of lighting systems in the form of cabinet lighting, cove lighting, landscape lighting, picture lights, regular track lighting, flexible track lighting (sometimes referred to as monorail lighting), cable lighting, and under cabinet lighting. Here are 15 things that you should know about these low voltage lighting systems.

1) Low Voltage

A low voltage lighting system usually operates on 12 or 24 volts.

2) Transformer

A transformer is generally used with low voltage lighting systems to “transform” the standard voltage that is normally available (usually 120 volts or 277 volts) to either 12 volts or 24 volts.

3) Type of Transformer

The transformer used in a low voltage lighting system may be either electronic or magnetic.

4) Maximum Transformer Wattage

The wattage rating of the transformer should always be equal to or greater than the total wattage of the lighting system. If an electronic transformer is used, then the maximum wattage of the lighting system may be equal to but not greater than the wattage rating of the electronic transformer. If a toroidal magnetic transformer is used, then the maximum wattage of the lighting system may be equal to but not greater than the wattage rating of the toroidal magnetic transformer. If, however, a conventional EI magnetic transformer is used, then the maximum wattage of the lighting system may be equal to but not greater than 80% of the wattage rating of the conventional EI magnetic transformer.

5) Minimum Transformer Wattage

Transformers usually have a minimum wattage that they must power before they work. For example, it is not uncommon for 60-watt electronic transformer to require that there be at least 10 watts of lighting load and if there is only 5 watts of lighting load connected to this 60W electronic transformer, the lighting system will not work.

6) Electronic Transformers

An electronic transformer is generally lighter in weight, smaller in size, cooler to operate, and quieter than a magnetic transformer. However, electronic transformers cannot provide more than 300 watts of power whereas some magnetic transformers can provide as much as 1200 watts of power.

7) Voltmeter Readings

Because an electronic transformer provides its power at very high frequencies (usually greater than 20,000 Hertz) a standard voltmeter cannot be used to accurately measure the output voltage. Instead, a “true RMS” voltmeter must be used to measure the secondary voltage of an electronic transformer.

8) AC Electronic Transformer

An AC (alternating current) electronic transformer should not be placed any farther than 10 feet from the lighting system. If it should be placed farther away than 10 feet from the lighting system, part or all of the lighting system will experience a lower voltage (known as voltage drop) and have dimmer lamps. Also, the longer the distance from the AC electronic transformer and the lighting system, the greater the chance that it might create radio frequency interference (RFI) with other electronic components in the area.

9) DC Electronic Transformer

A DC (direct current) electronic transformer may be placed as far as 50 feet from the lighting system. The DC output significantly reduces radio frequency interference (RFI) and virtually eliminates the possibility of any voltage drop (the drop in voltage over a long circuit).

10) Toroidal Magnetic Transformer

If a magnetic transformer is used to power a low voltage lighting system, a toroidal magnetic transformer should be considered. This type of magnetic transformer is more efficient, lighter in weight, smaller in size, cooler to operate, and quieter than a conventional EI magnetic transformer.

11) Wiring a Dimmer

A low voltage lighting system can be dimmed whether it is powered by an electronic or a magnetic transformer. When using a dimmer with a low voltage lighting system the dimmer should always be installed so that it is controlling the line voltage side of the transformer, which is also called the primary side or the side connected to 120 volts or 277 volts.

12) Type of Dimmer

The dimmer selected to control an electronic transformer should be specifically designed to control that type of transformer whereas a dimmer selected to control a magnetic transformer should be specifically designed to control that type of transformer.

13) Electrical Connections

All of the electrical connections for a low voltage lighting system must be very tight and secure. If an electrical splice is not very tight and secure, the wires may arc, cause a great deal of heat, cause the entire lighting system to fail, and possibly become a fire hazard.

14) 24-Volt Lamps

When using a 24-volt transformer make certain that the lamps are rated for 24 volts – not 12 volts. If 12-volt lamps are used with a 24-volt transformer the lamps will burn out immediately and possibly become a fire hazard.

15) Thicker Wires

Low voltage lighting systems require thicker wires (lower gauge) since more electricity is being conducted by those wires. For example, a 300-watt lighting system operating at 12 volts uses 25 amps of electricity on the low-voltage side of the transformer whereas this same transformer may be powered by 120 volts and 2.5 amps of electricity on the line voltage side of the transformer.

For more information about low voltage light fixtures, low voltage light bulbs, and low voltage transformers, be sure to visit PegasusAssociates.com

Tom Farin is the founder and President of Pegasus Associates Lighting. Dr. Farin has been in the field of lighting for 20 years. He has extensive training and experience in lighting, physics, mathematics and education, acquired at the undergraduate level, in graduate school, and in the field. It is Dr. Farin’s interest and expertise in education that drives the overall design of the http://www.PegasusAssociates.com site – with its heavy emphasis on lighting terminology, lighting techniques, and thorough information about each lighting product.

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Aug 29 2009

Making Great Lighting Choices For Your Home

Published by under Uncategorized

Whether you are faced with a remodel of a room or are decorating a brand new home, making smart lighting choices is critical to the overall look you are aiming for. When you go to the lighting store, you’ll be faced with a myriad of choices in lighting options. Here are some tips for making the right choices in lighting:

Illumination

One of the first things you should consider when choosing lighting is how much illumination you need for the room or area. Do you want to light a whole room? Or is it a hallway or foyer? Think first about how much light you need for the room. You’ll notice many bulbs have a wattage associated with them. Typically, the higher the wattage, the brighter the light should be.

Usage

Another consideration is how the light will be used. Will someone be reading by the light? Or is the light just needed for the hallway? Consider that a kitchen or bathroom will need a different type of light than a bedroom, den or home office. Different still is the garage and outdoor areas, which may need bright lights to light an entire garage or less bright light to light a garden pathway or walkway.

Cost

Cost is also extremely important. What is your budget for lighting? There are many cost conscious choices in lighting that are also very eco-friendly as well. Choices like compact fluorescent lights or LED lights are wonderful choices if you are looking to save energy and save money.

Practicality

You’ll also want to consider the practicality of a light. Does a room need just one light? Or does it need one main light and two lamps. Making practical choices just requires common sense.

Style and Design

Another very important aspect of choosing lighting is the style and design of your home. What is your color scheme? What is your overall design motif? Is it modern, classic, traditional, country or something else? Also, consider how lighting will affect the colors in your rooms. Sometimes a badly chosen light will make your room look like a very different color than you intended.

Ambience

Another important consideration is ambience. Maybe you are lighting a corner area where you intend to read books? In this area, you will want to consider the ambience of the lighting choices. Rather than a standard lamp, you may want to consider a lamp that more closely mimics the sun’s rays and makes it easier on the eyes to read.

Whatever lighting choices you make, remember that lights are as important to your home as any other element and can make or break your overall design success.

Lydia Quinn writes for Brandon Safety Lights, a leading provider of LED barricade lights, barricade light accessories and traffic safety supplies. Visit us at: http://www.brandonsafetylights.com/

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Aug 28 2009

French Quarter Gas Lanterns – A Look at the Styles and Designs That May Suit Your Home

Published by under Uncategorized

Gas lanterns, like those found on many streets throughout New Orleans and the French Quarter, were among the most common forms of lighting before the advent of electricity.  Their graceful and unique designs provided lighting both indoors and outdoors.

Today gas French Quarter style gas lanterns are still a popular choice today for both their functional and decorative qualities. Handcrafted gas lanterns are often chosen for the warmth of the light they produce and their artistic construction. With their historic influence and aged appearance, gas lanterns can serve as the perfect complement to homes seeking to re-create a little hint of New Orleans.

Styles of New Orleans Gas Lanterns

Believe it or not there are many different styles of gas lanterns.  Depending on where you look they may be called different things but this guide should help:

♦ French Quarter design.  The French Quarter design is considered the “original” French Quarter style gas lantern.  Their graceful, 4 sided designs hold a classic look yet puts out brilliant light.

♦ The Six Sided Lantern is another version of this popular design but adds an additional 2 panes of glass so the lantern has, literally, six sides.  As you will see throughout New Orleans – these lantern styles can be mounted on a post, hung from a ceiling, or mounted on a wall yoke.  Or for an additional look of class consider adding a “ladder rack” to this design.

♦ Hanging Lantern – This style of lantern hangs from a ceiling or porch usually on a “yoke” bracket which looks like a circle with a stem on top.  A popular accent to the hanging yoke are ladder racks which extend out from the side.  These ladder racks can have fun shapes such as a fleur de lis for a more decorative touch.

♦ Post Mount – these gas lanterns will be mounted directly to a post or column.  The post mount will typically keep the lantern stable on the column but offers a bit of decoration with iron arms that extend out to the ends of the lantern.  A more formal look would be a spider mount lantern which is an extended version of the standard post mount.

♦ Bracket Mount – This type of lantern is mounted directly to a vertical wall with a bracket.  The standard bracket is square in the back and holds the gas lantern a few inches from the wall.  Other options however include a more formal gooseneck bracket which features an elegant swooping design and brings the lantern much farther from the wall.

Decisions When Choosing a Gas Lantern

With the variety in gas lantern designs available, customers face a number of choices. One of the decisions they will need to make is how to display their gas lanterns. If they are being used outside, customers may want to mount them on exterior walls. Wall-mounted lanterns are typically smaller and can be fueled by gas or propane or connected to electricity for convenient lighting.

For lanterns that will be placed in entryways, whether indoors or outdoors, buyers may consider the large selection of hanging lanterns such as the Hanging Yoke. These are available in a number of sizes, so that buyers can create anything from a dimly lit romantic nook to a welcoming foyer awash in glowing light.  As with gas lanterns that are mounted on walls or hung on posts, hanging styles can also be powered by gas, liquid propane or electricity.

Great Choices in Power – Gas or Electric

Another benefit of French Quarter gas lanterns is your choice of power.  While many of our clients opt for the traditional natural gas fueled lanterns, all of our designs can be fitted for use with electricity and a light bulb or even propane.  Choosing electricity allows you to safely mount these lanterns anywhere inside your home thus giving you many more decorating choices for styles of New Orleans gas lanterns.

Andre’ Savoie writes for Flambeaux Lighting, a manufacturer of authentic French Quarter gas lanterns. Gas lanterns make excellent choices for indoor lighting with electric power or for outdoor wall lighting with gas power. To find out more call us at 866-799-8443.

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