Color & Lighting Your Home

We tend to think of midday sunlight as the standard for pure white light. However when daylight is passed through a prism, the visible light is actually rendered as equal parts of a continuous spectrum. This spectrum is taught to schoolchildren by the name ROY G. BIV. Each letter standing for the visible colors produced by white light in the order it appears across the spectrum, Red, Orange Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. In contrast, artificial light sources give off varying amounts of these colors. Incandescent light includes most of the spectrum but has a large proportion of red and yellow. When dimmed, incandescent light will become more orange in color.

Many people think of fluorescent light as being high in green and blue, but today fluorescent bulbs come in over 200 colors.


Halogen lights produce a brighter, “whiter” light, than both standard incandescent and fluorescent light sources. Because of this brighter, white light, halogens have become very popular for both commercial and residential lighting.
Color temperatures as measured in degrees Kelvin (K) are used to formally rate light bulbs. Temperatures below 3,500 degrees K are warm-toned, more yellow in color; while higher temperatures are increasingly cool, or blue in color.

Color Temperatures

Approximate Light
6300° Daylight Fluorescent
5500° Natural Summer Sunlight
4100° Deluxe Cool Fluorescent
3000° Deluxe Warm White Fluorescent
2900° Quartz Halogen
2800° 100 Watt Incandescent
2600° “Incandescent” Fluorescent
2500° 40 Watt Incandescent
1800° Candlelight



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Care & Cleaning - Fixtures

Whether inside or outside the home, pollutants can damage your lighting fixtures. Although these damaging effects cannot be eliminated, preventive measures will help reduce them. For interior fixtures, common sense is a good rule. Weekly dusting will help preserve the finish and beautiful characteristics of your products. Polished brass finishes weather more quickly than other metals, but a specially treated brass finish is available through your local Lighting One showroom. Powder coated cast aluminum materials also offer a durable construction to withstand the elements. For glass accents, clean only with a water-dampened cloth. We discourage using a commercial glass cleaner unless the solution absolutely will not touch the metal frame. Always check the recommendations of the manufacturer before performing any of these maintenance and care guidelines.

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Steps to Take in Creating Your Home Lighting - Step 3 of 3

Below are the different types of lighting and a description of whether they are general, accent or task lighting.

• Ceiling fixtures are best used for general lighting.


• Chandeliers also create a general lighting atmosphere.


• Dimmers can add drama to any room featuring a chandelier. Don't be restricted to using this feature in the dining room.


• Hanging fixtures, such as those used in a foyer, will offer general lighting that will create a comfortable level of lighting.


• Pendants are a versatile way to create task or general lighting. Consider hanging several pendants at various heights over your favorite reading chair for a stylish accent.


• Portable lamps will create general, task, and accent lighting, but have the added bonus of being mobile.


• Table lamps, floor lamps, and torchieres come in a variety of shapes and sizes to complement any style.


• Recessed lighting hides away in your ceiling while offering general, task, and accent lighting.


• Track lighting is flexible enough to offer each form of lighting and has become a very stylish choice.


• Wall-mounted fixtures will provide general, task, and accent lighting.

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Image shown is 5654-TB, available exclusively at Lighting One showrooms.

Steps to Take in Creating Your Home Lighting - Step 2 of 3

Once you’ve thought about what type of lighting effects you would like to create for a particular room, you will need to find the right assortment of lighting products to create the desired effect.

When considering lighting, take these things into account:

• General lighting - replaces daylight


• Accent lighting - to highlight and accentuate


• Task lighting - for work areas

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Steps to Take in Creating Your Home Lighting - Step 1 of 3

Decide what to light by analyzing the space in terms of:

• Function – activities that will be performed in this area
  Mood – to create an appropriate atmosphere
  Style – contemporary, traditional, etc.
  Tasks – consideration to the tasks to be performed
  Special Objects – items to accent such as painting or sculptures
  Seating Areas – consider results based on where people will sit
  Architectural Features – special features to be emphasized

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Care & Cleaning - Crystal Chandeliers

Your investment in the sophistication and beauty of a crystal chandelier will last for generations, if cared for properly. Each crystal deserves careful handling during maintenance. Apply a water-dampened soft cloth to the crystals and the frame, or if needed, use commercially sold, non-abrasive, liquid crystal cleaning solution. Never wash crystals in the dishwasher, which causes permanent damage to the crystal components. If you have removed the crystals from the fixture for cleaning, avoid smudging during reinstallation by wearing cotton gloves.

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Lamp Shades to improve your Home Decor

Shade sizes are expressed in 3 dimensions. The first represents the top diameter, the second represents the bottom diameter, and the third represents the shade's height. One common rule is that the height of a shade should equal the measurement taken from the base of the lamp to the bottom of the bulb socket. However, some newer styles of lamps and accent lamps may vary from this rule, so discretion should be used when selecting your shade.

The lampshade should be at least as wide as the widest point of the lamp body. Most people prefer the lampshade to be several inches wider than the lamp. In addition, the bottom of the shade should cover the bottom of the socket when viewed at eye level.

The harp determines where the shade sits on the lamp base, and can be used to raise or lower the shade. Shades can be made of almost any material, but the most common are silk, cotton, linen, plastic/vinyl and paper.

See a Lighting One sales consultant for more information and design ideas. Posted with permission from Lighting One http://www.lighting-one.com/