Friday, February 29, 2008

Kitchen Lighting

Because of the wide variety of tasks that occur in the kitchen, it is always useful to install a variety of lighting layers that provide flexibility and adequate task lighting. As a general rule, it is useful to apply a minimum of three layers in any kitchen.

The first layer for consideration should focus on the primary tasks that occur in the kitchen. Of course, this will be task lighting at the work counters where food preparation and cooking will take place. If possible, the most ideal first layer is to apply undercabinet lighting directly above the tasks. This type of lighting can be selected from a variety of sources, including halogen, xenon, and fluorescent lamps.

The halogen and xenon lamps are similar in lighting quality, although the xenon lamps have been gaining in popularity due to their longer life. In both cases, the lamps are easily dimmed with an appropriate dimmer.

Fluorescent undercabinet lighting has the benefit of extremely long life and a reasonably good lighting quality. The quality of the color rendering of fluorescent lighting is constantly improving and you should ask your lighting consultant for assistance in learning about what is the most current technology available in fluorescent lamps.

Another layer that is useful for kitchen task lighting is to use recessed downlights. The ideal placement is to place the downlighting approximately 27-30" from the wall. This placement places the fixtures just outside the edge of the counters (which are 24" wide) and brings good lighting down to the counter without creating shadows by being too far back in the space.

The 27-30" placement also allows for the lighting to penetrate the wall cabinets when they are opened. The most ideal light bulb option is to use a bulb that has a minimum of approximately 2500 candlepower. This candlepower intensity provides as much as 50 footcandles on the kitchen counters in ceiling heights as high as 10'-0".

A third layer to consider is to use a central light source in the kitchen ceiling. This fixture could be either a decorative chandelier or a fluorescent fixture. The value of this central fixture is to provide general ambient lighting that will fill the space, but it will also add quality to the task lighting being provided either by undercabinet or recessed fixtures.

In today’s marketplace there are thousands of options both in decorative incandescent fixtures and in decorative fluorescent fixtures that will provide excellent lighting quality while enhancing the decorative character of the space. When using decorative incandescent fixtures, it is best to use fixtures that conceal the direct light of the bulbs. This is typically accomplished by using shades around the bulbs.

When using fluorescent fixtures, it is best to use fluorescent bulbs with a color temperature in the range of 3000-3500K. The K rating is a Kelvin scale that defines the color temperature of the bulbs. This can also be described as the relative visual "warmth" or "coolness" of the space. The 3000-3500K range provides a quality of fluorescent light that is very close to that of incandescent and halogen.

Other possible layers in a kitchen include the possible use of wall sconces, accent lighting on wall art, and accent lighting at the top of cabinets or at the kickspace of the cabinets. These types of accent lighting options will add visual interest and will enhance the aesthetics of the space.

See a Lighting One sales consultant for more information and design ideas.

Posted with permission from www.lighting-one.com

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Bathroom Lighting Solutions for your Home (Part IV of series)

Lighting for the water closet
In smaller bathrooms, the vanity lighting is often sufficient for general lighting in the water closet area. However, if the water closet is far from the vanity or is placed in a separate compartment, it is necessary to provide a separate light source for that area. It is useful to provide a decorative ceiling mounted fixture for this purpose, or a recessed fixture placed close to the water closet.

Decorative fixtures are being used more and more for bathroom applications. In the water closet area it is also appropriate and useful to use wall-mounted decorative fixtures that provide excellent task lighting.

General ambient lighting

Placing a decorative lighting fixture in the center of the bathroom is an excellent lighting solution for any bathroom. The decorative options available for this type of fixtures are endless, and it has become very common and appropriate to use highly decorative fixtures in bathrooms. There are many options available, including surface-mounted fixtures, close-to-ceiling, and hanging chandeliers. When these fixtures are also controlled by a dimmer, they add a tremendously high sense of elegance and comfort to the bathroom.

See a Lighting One sales consultant for more information and design ideas.

Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Bathroom Lighting Solutions for your Home (Part III of series)

Fixtures above the mirror
If placing fixtures on the side of the mirror is not possible or practical, there are many fixture options that can be placed above the mirror. Typically, this placement is more common and often easier than placing the lighting on the sides of the mirror. The key to create a successful lighting solution is to choose a fixture that is appropriately sized to the size of the mirror.
A general rule of thumb is to provide 100 watts of incandescent lighting for every 18" of horizontal width of the mirror. Placing fixtures above the mirror is equal in quality to fixtures placed on the side as long as the fixtures provide an adequate intensity of light.

Dimming
Using a dimmer on the vanity fixtures is extremely important and can add tremendous comfort to this area of the bath. Most of the time the amount of lighting provided by a vanity fixture is excellent for the grooming tasks, but it is excessive for the general use of the bathroom. Providing a dimming capability allows the fixture’s light intensity to be modulated for the other tasks that occur in the bathroom. It cannot be overstated how important this option can be for adding comfort to the bath.


Lighting for the shower and tub
For the other tasks in the bathroom, it is important to provide another series of lighting layers. In the shower or the tub, it is important to place lighting directly above these areas. In order to meet the standards of the National Electrical Code, these fixtures must be labeled as meeting the requirements for wet conditions. This are typically called “wet label” fixtures. There are many varieties of fixtures that meet these requirements, and they can be either recessed or surface mounted.


The recessed fixtures are more common for this application, and they are available in new designs that use halogen bulbs in the MR16 shapes and MR shapes. These halogen sources provide excellent lighting quality that far exceeds the typical shower fixtures that use standard household “A” or general service lamps.


Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Bathroom Lighting Solutions for your Home - Part II of Series (Incandescent vs Fluorescent Fixtures)

Incandescent Fixtures
Incandescent wall fixtures for the vanity area are available today in an extraordinary range of styles. The older incandescent vanity strips that used exposed globe light bulbs remain available, but are not generally the best solution for purposes of an appropriate design solution. Interestingly, these vanity strips do provide an excellent quality of light and that is why they are often used in dressing rooms in theaters and movie sets.

Whatever the style, it is extremely important to find fixtures where the light bulbs are shielded by a shade and therefore not visible. However, it is also important to find fixtures with shades that have enough diffused quality so that the light effectively exits from the fixture without creating glare.

Fluorescent fixtures

Fluorescent vanity fixtures also are available for placement either on the sides or the top of the mirror. Although not as many design options are available using fluorescent bulbs, there are more options than you might expect. One of the benefits of using fluorescent fixtures is that fluorescent lighting today is extremely efficient and therefore provides excellent light with very little heat exposure.

Fluorescent bulbs in today’s market are available in a range of options that are classified by their “color temperature” and their “color rendering” ability. Older bulbs were called by terms such as “cool white” and “warm white” but these terms are not used today. The color temperature scale defines the relative visual “warmth” or “ visual “coolness” of a fluorescent lamp. The higher the number, the more cool that the bulb appears, and the lower the color temperature, the warmer that the bulb appears.

In the bathroom, it is most appropriate to use bulbs with a color temperature in the range of 3000-3500K. The Kelvin scale is used to define the color of the bulb and how it renders neutral surfaces. Bulbs within the 3000-3500K scale are close in color temperature to incandescent bulbs and will appear very comfortable in the bathroom.
Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Friday, February 22, 2008

Bathroom Lighting Solutions for your Home Decor - Part I of series

Much as with the kitchen, master bathrooms are a central focus of the modern home and should therefore be provided with a variety of lighting options. Focusing on the various tasks that occur in the bath can be a guide to providing appropriate lighting.

Lighting for Grooming

The most important task lighting solution and the first layer for consideration is lighting at the vanity area. The primary task here is grooming, including applying makeup, shaving, etc. The grooming tasks generally require the highest level of lighting in the bath, and this lighting solution is therefore extremely important.

The most ideal solution for grooming is to provide lighting at the sides of the mirror. Placing the lighting at the sides allows the light to wash the face from a horizontal direction and creates no shadows on the face. This type of wall-mounted or mirror-mounted lighting can be use either incandescent or fluorescent sources. Both of these sources can be dimmed, and it is highly recommended that a dimmer be provided for the task lighting for grooming.
Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Accent Lighting for your Home Design Style


Accent lighting is any type of lighting that brings attention to itself or to an object. Most commonly we think of accent lighting as any light that focuses attention on an object. Paintings, framed photographs, posters and three-dimensional art are likely candidates for accent lighting.
Accent lighting also can be considered to be lighting fixtures or built-in lighting that has an artistic quality which brings attention to itself. Almost any hanging fixture can be considered to be a form of accent lighting since the fixture is a predominant and artistic element that brings attention to itself.


Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Ambient Lighting for Your Home Decor

Ambient lighting is a term used to describe the total amount of light that is present in a space. We can say that a room has high or low levels of ambient lighting.

How much lighting is needed or desired is often a very personal preference. In places such as kitchens and bathrooms, it is often good practice to provide multiple types of lighting that can provide high levels of ambient lighting for some tasks, and low levels of ambient lighting for other activities.

Places such as laundry rooms and closets are best illuminated with high levels of ambient lighting, although they also should be provided with dimming controls that allow the high ambient level to be reduced when desired. In spaces such as family rooms and bedrooms it is best to provide ambient lighting primarily from portable lamps and wall mounted lighting such as wall sconces.

Ambient lighting can also be provided by placing surface mounted fixtures at the ceiling. A recent trend is the use of decorative chandeliers in almost any space in the home. A chandelier is highly useful for providing high ambient lighting when necessary, or it can be dimmed to provide a very soft and low level of ambient lighting.

Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Task Lighting in your Home Design

Task lighting is the lighting necessary to carry out specific activities in the home. Generally, task lighting is higher in intensity than other types of lighting. There are four primary tasks that require higher than average lighting levels.

1. Lighting for food preparation and cooking
2. Lighting for grooming (shaving, putting on makeup, etc.)
3. Lighting for reading
4. Lighting for a variety of activities in a laundry room.

Footcandles are the unit that we use to measure the amount of lighting reaching a task. A footcandle is a simple concept, and one footcandle is the amount of light reaching a surface that is one foot away from one candle when no other light is present.

The level of footcandles necessary to achieve good task lighting is approximately 50, and can be achieved in a variety of ways. Your lighting consultant can help you to better understand this concept and can help you to achieve this level of lighting.

Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Trends in Lighting Design for your Home

Lighting designers and manufacturers proudly combine fashion and function in their designs, creating compelling decorative lamps and fixtures that do more than simply illuminate – they beautify a home.

Lighting products including chandeliers, table lamps, wall sconces, and floor lamps are available in a variety of shapes, styles and finishes to help change the look and function of a room. Although common and traditional polished brass fixtures remain popular to this day, a variety of other finishes are now available and have increasingly gained popularity with consumers in recent years.

Decorative lighting is used for style as well as function. Many homeowners today are focusing on using coordinated families of lamps and fixtures for each room; thereby creating a look that matches their personal style preferences.

Decorative lighting manufacturers design their products based on the diversity of their customers. For example, a homeowner in a rustic wooded area may select lamps embellished with pine-needle filigree. The ability to incorporate special design elements such as these provides homeowners with more opportunity to personalize their homes to match their environment.

When shopping for decorative lighting, always select the highest quality lighting that fits within your budget. Lighting One offers a variety of brand levels that will help you select the products that best meet your needs and budget. And always consider your lighting an investment in your home. Therefore, an investment in quality will certainly provide you with longer life products that will beautify your home for many years to come. And don’t forget to ask your design consultant about Lighting One’s financing options!

Changing lampshades is an effective way to freshen up or update a room’s décor. Lampshade fashions are all about using beautiful materials and combining them with unique treatments. The fabric choices for shades are much more decorative and refined, such as shantung silks and crinkled oiled papers. Decorative trim on lampshades has become very popular. Have fun selecting a lampshade dressed up with a row of glass beads, pearls, rhinestones, tassels or even feathers to complement a setting in your home. Selecting the right shade is an easy way to dress up an area of your home with functional accessories.

Posted with permission from http://www.lighting-one.com/