How To Select The Right Lighting Fixtures For Your Home Lighting Design

Lighting your home properly is a very important consideration. It can have a lot to do with your overall mood and how easily you can accomplish your tasks at home. So let's discuss the different kinds of lighting that are available, and how you can best use them.

The first step in understanding lighting, is to understand that there are two basic types that are in use in most homes today. The first is incandescent lighting, which is produced by running current through a small wire called a filament. The light that is produced is very bright and warm, and is suitable for almost any task.

The second kind of indoor lighting is called fluorescent lighting, and is produced when electricity passes through a glass tube that has been coated inside and filled with gas. This kind of light is very soft and gentle, but it's big advantage is that it can produce up to five times as much light from the same amount of electrical current as an incandescent light.

Generally speaking, there are three levels of lighting used in the home depending on what task is being performed. For general relaxing and low-level lighting, 40 - 80 watt incandescent bulbs will work fine. For most general tasks, 100 - 150 watts will suffice. But for very specialized type of work, 180 - 300 watts may be needed.

For reading at home, it's good to have a floor lamp that is placed behind you and slightly to the left or right. If you're only going to be reading for a short while, 150 watts should be fine, but for prolonged reading 250 watts will do better to prevent eye strain and fatigue.

To light a desk or worktable, you'll most likely need plenty of illumination for the work at hand. Most often, it's best to actually have a small lamp on the desk itself to provide the best quality light. For these kind of tasks, usually a minimum of 200 watts of incandescent light, and 40 watts of fluorescent light will be needed.

In the bathroom, it's good to have lighting that helps eliminate shadows under your eyes, nose, and chin. That's often best accomplished with fixtures on each side of the bathroom mirror. Sometimes a fixture that has a series of smaller 25 watt bulbs can be used to good effect. You may also want to consider using some fluorescent lights here that employ soft white tubes for lighting that is most flattering.

In the kitchen, you need concentrated light on the countertops and workstations for best results. Fluorescent strip lighting often works very well under kitchen cabinets to light up your countertops. This kind of lighting tends to be even, with very few shadows, and free of the heat that often accompanies incandescent light.

By planning out your home lighting fixtures in advance and positioning them correctly in each room you can be sure to get the best lighting possible under a wide range of circumstances.

You can find out more about home lighting design and discount lighting fixtures by visiting our Home Improvement website.

Western and Rustic Lighting: 3 Great Fixture Choices!

The spirit of the Wild West lives on in rustic inspired Western lighting. Light fixtures come adorned with pinecones, antlers and bears, as well as wildlife: trout, deer, elk, and buffalo. For the sportsman or woman, inspirational themed lamps decorated with croquet, snowshoes, bow and arrow, fishing reel, and boat paddles can enhance the décor of a country cabin, farmhouse, or home in the mountains. For a step back to frontier days, wagon wheel chandeliers and tin punched lighting offer unique turn of the century decoration. To get you going on your Western lighting décor consider these three fixture options:

Bear lamps and chandeliers

Generally speaking, these lamps, sconces and chandeliers capture a bear scene: you will find bears and cubs climbing trees or walking among pine trees. Capturing the spirit, bear figures tend to be either 3 dimensional; or one dimensional, decorating the lamp’s shade, base, or both. Look for sconces, vanities and chandeliers with decorative bear scenes cut out of metal. These art fixtures are wonderful and tend to include soft rust finishes and amber mica shades. Bear lamps often include shades made from faux leather.

Wagon wheel chandeliers

These fixtures tend to be made as either authentic or reproduction chandeliers. The difference is obvious: the materials. Authentic wagon wheel chandeliers (up light or down light models) will be made from true antique wagon wheels, whereas reproductions are typically made from a lightweight durable material such as medium density polyethylene. Reproductions (up light or down light models) should come with all the necessary parts: chain, globe or hurricane lights, and light fixture. So what’s the difference? Price! An authentic wagon wheel chandelier will certainly cost you more: could be as much as 4 times the cost of a reproduction. However, with an authentic fixture you gain a true haunt from the past and a great conversation piece.

Antler lighting

Similar to the wagon wheel chandelier above, an antler light fixtures can be purchased as reproduction or authentic. Absolutely no harm is caused to a deer or elk in the creation of an antler lamp or chandelier. Antlers are typically collected on the deer trails where annual antler shedding occurs. If you are choosing an authentic antler fixture expect to spend considerably more than for a reproduction. (Each fixture is unique and handcrafted). Reproduction antler fixtures are made from molds of actual antlers. These pieces tend to be more lightweight (an advantage in many homes).

Nicole Martins is a contributing author and publisher to http://www.chandeliers-and-home-lighting.com an online resource providing you with information, articles of interest and reviews on chandeliers, floor lamps, table lamps and outdoor lighting.

Lighting Fixtures and Fittings Present the World in a Proper Light

Lighting fixtures and fittings have more of an effect on your home and your enjoyment of the time you spend there than you might realize. Proper lighting makes the difference between a harsh uninviting glare and cozy and intimate lighting. The challenge is balancing the lighting in order to have bright lights in areas that need it and lower lighting in areas that aren’t going to be used as workspaces.

Lighting has many purposes other than providing light. With the correct level of light or fixtures and fittings, light can be used to create a certain atmosphere within a room, to display a certain feature or piece of art within a room, or to enhance a particular work area with extra lighting will leaving the remainder of the room bathed in a soft glow. Lighting fixtures and fittings in addition to lighting levels go a long way in setting the tone for a room.

Soft warm lights with fixtures that look antiqued rather than modern will result in a very intimate space that is both appealing and inviting. Indirect or recessed lighting features are very effective at providing soft light within a room. Another great way to wash a room in soft light is the use of wall sconces. Lamps are another great way to provide warmer, softer lighting within a room. Lamps are also great for decorative touches Experts recommend using 3-way bulbs in lamps and dimmers and dimmer switches for the remainder of your lighting if all possible.

You want to be careful however, that you do not have too little light in areas where more lighting is needed. Dimmer switches as mentioned above will help with that as will installing tract lighting in areas where work is often done, whether this work is computer work, puzzles, models; anything that requires brighter lighting in order to achieve. Brighter lighting can be achieved through higher wattage bulbs, halogen bulbs, and fluorescents. Buying fixtures that accommodate these bulbs is important in the areas that you will be using brighter lighting.

Another thing to consider with light fixtures and fittings is energy consumption. Lighting your home accounts for a good portion of your monthly energy bill. Choosing bulbs that are Energy Star qualified will not only save money on lighting because they use less energy, they will also help you save on your cooling costs because they produce less heat.

Compare your lamps and light fixtures and fittings with others that offer the same overall look. Be sure to compare Energy Star qualified fixtures in your comparisons, keep in mind that using Energy Star qualified lighting will save you money each and every month on your electric bills. Another benefit for Energy Star bulbs is that you will not have to change them nearly as often as regular light bulbs. In fact most packages claim that their bulbs last on average 7 years.

Choosing the right fixtures and fittings for your home lighting effects so much more than the things you see, or don’t see. Selecting energy efficient lighting and fixtures will have an even greater impact on your pocket book. Take care to choose lighting that will set the mood you want in your home, provide adequate lighting in project areas, and will provide a nice comfy cushion for your wallet.

Allen Maccey is a writer and DIY enthusiast. He writes for House Hobby DIY in the Fixtures and Fittings section

Trade Show Fixtures Support Image and Sales Requirements

Trade show fixtures are integral to the image, functionality and appeal of your exhibit. The quality and style of your countertops, literature racks, lecterns, furniture, writing surfaces and other booth accessories must superbly coordinate with your booth design and reflect your product reputation.

Of course, trade show fixtures must also have utility. If selected, designed and arranged properly, fixtures can help staff more effectively meet with prospects, give product demonstrations, utilize visual aids, and perform other sales activities.

So, how do you strike a balance between look, function and cost for your trade show fixtures? Your best strategy is to begin thinking about trade show fixtures and other necessities during the initial development stages of your exhibit design and show strategy.

Spend as much time upfront as possible with your booth designer to discuss your sales and marketing objectives. Explain your product positioning, what you do, the benefits you deliver, and your competitive points of difference. Confirm that you have a clear understanding and agreement on your product positioning and exhibit goals.

Then, thoroughly discuss and detail your booth requirements, trade show fixtures and accessories, including the following:

 

Space requirements based on what you want to accomplish, your budget, and the shows you plan to attend
 

What you expect of your representatives when they work the booth (i.e. meet and greet prospects, review product benefits, show product demonstrations, etc.)
 

How you plan to promote your products at the booth such as doing live product demonstrations, audio-visual presentations, interactive activities, etc.
 

Type of giveaways or entertainment you plan to have at each show
 

Invited speakers, company executives, or other presenters who will give talks at the booth
 

Storage requirements
 

Type of literature you will be using and how you want to display it.
 

Portability and shipping needs

Once you have identified your booth requirements, discuss your budget and how you want to allocate it towards each area of your exhibit.

An experienced booth designer will be able to offer ideas and present solutions on how to make the best use of your allocated funds, including developing high-impact signage, graphics, and displays -- as well as using fixtures and accessories to your advantage.

This article was written by Jules Sowder, an executive marketing advisor with 20-years of experience developing strategic marketing and sales solutions for large corporations, start-up companies, and small businesses. She also has a resource web site to help marketers and trade show exhibitors maximize marketing and sales effectiveness: http://www.Trade-Show-Advisor.com

Using Wall Light Fixtures In Your Home

Wall lights or sconces, as they are also known by, are another way of introducing more light into a room. Sconces also tend to be quite a decorative lighting fixture and this can add to the aesthetics of the room decor.

This type of lighting offers an unobtrusive and tidy little way of providing light. Wall lights do not take centre stage like a hanging pendant or the more opulent chandelier. Nor are they big and tall like floor lamps with their trailing flexes. Instead, they are neatly installed onto a wall surface although the wiring aspect can present problems as many homeowners are reluctant to drill into the wall surfaces in order to install the necessary wiring. An alternative is to have trailing cables on the wall rising from skirting board outlets.

What height to hang a pendant light is a frequently asked question. Given that wall sconce lighting can function in different ways, you need to ascertain what purpose your wall lighting will serve. If you intend to use wall lighting as reading light in a bedroom or as task lighting in bathrooms, then the lights will need to be positioned at a height that enables you to carry out those required tasks. If you are planning on having the light from your wall lights bounce off the ceiling then you will have to install the sconces at a high enough height near the ceiling.

A lot of the wall sconces have simply evolved from other types of light fixtures. You can find wall-mounted downlighters in stores and these are simply off shoots of non-recessed ceiling downlighters.

Similarly, most designs of wall-mounted uplighters have come from the normal floor-standing uplighters. They are very similar in design, with both sharing tungsten-halogen bulbs and lamp shades made from thick glass or metal. The only differing factor is how they are mounted.

Because wall lighting is fixed to the wall, it is worth bearing in mind the sort of beam and light pattern the sconce will throw onto the wall behind it. This light pattern can vary greatly simply because there is such a large range of designs and styles of wall lights available. From flamboyant turn-of-the-century Globe lights, so vividly reminiscent of smoky, hot cafes, to the more sleek and sophisticated hemispherical chrome fittings - different sconces will give off different patterns.

Also, if you have a translucent shade for your sconce, this will act as a diffuser for the light emanating from the light source. Otherwise, wall fittings that have the shade placed very close to the wall will mix direct, indirect and diffused light in such a way that the direct light will give a wall washing effect below whilst the ceiling above and the area of the wall behind the light will reflect light back into the room.

All of these factors need to be considered if you want to make the most of the light capabilities of your wall sconces - assuming that you are not merely installing them for decorative purposes.

Wall sconce lighting is a simple way of adding an indoor lighting fixture to your home. Sconces come in many styles and designs and it is just a matter of finding something that will fit in with your home decor.

Lauren Tyler is a writer for LampLightWorld.com.

Environmentally Friendly Low Flow Bathroom Fixtures

Most of us want to be more conscious about the environment and what we can do to protect it. It can be difficult to know what to do though, especially when you don't want to give up comfort or safety to do so. Fortunately, there are ways that we can be environmentally friendly and make you feel good about our lifestyle, too.

You may have heard from friends or family that low flow fixtures don't work, but that isn't always true if you know what you're looking for. The choices available for low flow toilets actually can provide you with a great toilet at a relatively low cost. And the best part is that you could save up to $100 a year on your water bill. Some cities such as Albuquerque, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas are even offering a rebate to those willing to install the toilets. So check with your city's water utility division to find out if it is offered in your area.

Don't let what you've heard about low flow toilets in the past scare you. Things have changed a lot over the years, and low flow toilets are better than ever. When looking for a low flow toilet, consider a pressure-assist flush toilet, which will relieve the fear of plumbing problems because of a poor flush. TOTO USA is a great place to begin as they carry quite a few good low flow picks from under $200.00. But even though you may be able to get a low flow toilet for as low as $100, remember that you do get what you pay for. This is not the place to skimp on price. A higher quality toilet will cost you more money, but it should pay off in your utility bills in the long run.

Terry Love, a low flow toilet guru, knows all about low flow toilets and recommends TOTO's UltraMax. And anyone wanting a low flow toilet should consider reading his report for Consumer Reports as Love is considered to be the most authoritative word on leading low flow toilets.

Saving money and protecting the environment aren't the only piece of good news. Most low flow items apart from a toilet are very easy for the average homeowner to install. In fact, it can be as simple as changing your light bulbs. Replacing your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLS) will only take you a couple of minutes, but will save energy in your home. If you are replacing the whole light fixture in your bathroom, look for energy efficient fixtures, as well.

Change your other fixtures in your bathroom, such as the showerhead and sink faucet to low flow versions, too. Many people worry that low flow fixtures will not provide enough water pressure. Try faucet aerators that provide pressure with velocity and can run as low as $1.50. Just because there is less water, doesn't mean there has to be less water pressure. Think about getting controls installed that will allow you to adjust the pressure so that you don't feel as if you can't get enough pressure from your showerhead. But many good showerheads on the market today will give you enough pressure while saving water.

Being environmentally friendly is easier than it seems. And once you know what products are out there, you can have a beautiful and comfortable bathroom that saves you money and protects the environment.

Chris Brown is a regular contributor to Home Remodeling, Bathroom Remodeling and Kitchen Remodeling websites. Chris also takes pride in many of his own do-it-yourself projects around his own home.

Outdoor Lighting Fixtures

The outer spaces are no longer neglected, unutilized places relegated to darkness with the setting of the sun. Outdoor lighting is important for both safety as well as security. The external spaces of a structure are often the first thing a visitor encounters. The ambience, mood and look of the outdoor environs prepares one for an internal treat. It also reflects the style, personality and tastes of the dwellers, and balances and complements the internal lighting arrangements, scheme, color and ambience. Proper outdoor lighting fixtures are required to accomplish all this.

Outdoor lighting fixtures hold the bulbs in position and direct and guide the light in the desired direction to produce the proffered lighting effect. A light designer’s dream is transformed into reality by the infinite range, style, designs and types of outdoor lighting fixtures on the market.

Outdoor lighting fixtures are available in an array of brands like Vista, SPJ lighting, Kane Schrader, Hadco lighting and numerous more. Various types of outdoor lighting fixtures are used to produce different effects. These lighting fixtures can be used either for landscaping, pathway or walkway lighting, water feature lighting, or lighting patios, decks, and outer spaces for festive seasons or otherwise.

A moonlight effect is achieved by putting an outdoor lighting fixture high up in a tree and positioning it such that the light is directed down wards. Silhouetting is accomplished by placing a fixture at the back of the object and directing light away from it, so that the dark contours of the object’s form are visible.

Shadowing involves putting an outdoor lighting fixture right in the front of the object to produce a shadow and light effect. Up lighting, spot lighting and many kinds of other effects can be accomplished by using the appropriate outdoor lighting fixtures. There are different lighting fixtures for lighting up water features from the inside. They come with a water-resistant coating and have an enclosure to protect the bulbs. There are sculpted outdoor granite, marble and stone fixtures that lend beauty to the outdoor environment.

Outdoor lighting fixtures are exposed to all the elements. Most of the outdoor lighting fixtures come with different protective materials to protect the bulb and remain resistant to the various elements they are exposed to. It is always advisable to buy good-quality outdoor lighting fixtures.

Lighting Fixtures provides detailed information on Lighting Fixtures, Bathroom Lighting Fixtures, Ceiling Lighting Fixtures, Outdoor Lighting Fixtures and more. Lighting Fixtures is affiliated with Outdoor Lighting.