Archive for the ‘Lighting Tips’ Category

A Few Simple Lighting Tips

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Not everyone has the money to enlist someone to help us in planning our home lighting renovations, so we at LightingSale.com have prepared some useful tips for you to utilize when designing your own home lighting project.

  1. Always remember the purpose of the room.  Lighting fixtures in the home should always match up with the purpose of the room. This seems like a simple point, but it is often overlooked when re-evaluating interior lighting design.  Home lighting should be both functional and beautiful.  Keep the purpose of the room in mind, and work with that when looking at lights.  For example, dimming lights in a television/entertainment room are both functional and they add to the experience of the room.
  2. Accent lighting is what makes your home feel like your own.  Accent lights are well-placed fixtures, usually wall sconces, table lamps, under-cabinet lights, or pendants, which illuminate the special characteristics of your home.  Wall sconces, for example, come in a multitude of styles, so you are sure to find one that fits with the home lighting theme you have in mind.
  3. Investigate features that can be added on to existing light fixtures.  Shades, crystal, or different bulbs can dramatically change the way a light looks and the kind of light it produces, usually for a fraction of the cost of a new light fixture.  Changing from normal white light bulbs to flickering candle styled bulbs can make a room more inviting by softening the light.  This strategy also allows the home owner to “customize” the fixtures already in place.
  4. Do it yourself if possible.  Oftentimes, lights can be easily installed with the provided directions, which saves you both time and money by avoiding the hassle of bringing in a contractor.  Avoiding installation costs can save money and empower you to make your home lighting renovations on your own schedule.  However, if you are not experienced with installing light fixtures, you should contact a professional.

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Posted in Ceiling fixtures, Lighting Tips, home lighting, indoor lighting, outdoor lighting, sconces | No Comments »

LED Lighting

Monday, December 28th, 2009

I thought I would take this post in a little bit different direction and give an indoor lighting technique some attention that it deserves, but has been lacking - LED Lighting.

This partially comes from my personal background as a musician and from the technical aspect of the stage.  Often overlooked, lighting can make or break a band’s concert, and just as in home lighting, certain trends come about and take the stage lighting scene by storm.  The most recent addition to the stage lighting expert’s utility belt is that of LED lighting.  This is due to the numerous advantages over the conventional lighting schemes (and most, if not all of these advantages transfer to your home lighting scheme as well!).

First, and financially foremost, is the fact that LED lights use drastically less energy than conventional lighting fixtures.  (see graph)

Incandescent vs CFL vs LED Savings

This sheet shows the drastic cost savings that come along with the change to LED lighting systems.  The numbers in this sheet assume you change all the lights in your home, but even a few changes can produce a difference in your energy bill over time.
Another great benefit of LED Lights is their long life-span.  Most LED bulbs last from 50,000 to 120,000 hours, and unlike common bulbs, LED lights do not “burn out”, but instead they dim once their life-span is done; this means a LED bulb could last for thousands of hours past its expected lifetime.

Lastly, LED lighting fixtures produce almost no heat.  This is convenient on many different levels - you are able to place lighting fixtures where you could not place conventional lights, you are able to cover them with thin sheets of cloth to add different lighting elements, and it will reduce your home temperature as well.

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Posted in Butler Lighting, LED lighting, Lighting Tips, home lighting, indoor lighting | No Comments »

Landscape Lighting

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Landscape Lighting is a vital part to every home. Using landscape lighting serves many purposes from adding value to your home to providing extra home security.

Landscape Lighting helps add security because of the extra lighting it provides to the outside of your house will deter potential intruders. The extra light makes them more likely to be seen so they may think twice about trying anything.  Along with providing security landscape lighting also can a value because of the curb appeal that it provides to potential buyers. By using the right techniques you can come up with a very professional and appealing look.

Another great thing about landscape lighting is that if you use low voltage lights and parts you can easily install everything yourself. This very easy do-it-yourself project that is also very flexible for if you decide to make any additions or other changes to your yard or outdoor lighting.

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Posted in Lighting Tips, outdoor lighting | No Comments »

Layering With Light

Monday, September 14th, 2009

One basic rule of efficient lighting is to put light where you need it. However, to insure an attractive, comfortable lighting atmosphere, you must also think about balancing light. Create an effective spread of light through each room and also flowing between rooms. The best way to achieve this balance is a well-decorated room is to layer light sources. The first step to lighting design is to identify the main activity areas or the room’s focal point or points. Any room with multiple focal points will be the most visually interesting and balanced. This is where the brightest layer of light should be directed.

The next step is a middle layer of light that provides interest in specific areas without detracting from focal points. The last layer fills in the background.

The first two layers are supplied by task and, or accent lighting, depending on what is being lit. The lower-level ambient lighting is usually indirect like that provided by wall sconces. The ratio of brightest light in the room to fill or ambient light should be 3 to 1 – at the most 5 to 1. More than this may provide drama and impact but will be uncomfortable for everyday living.

Once the essential layers are in place the decorative pieces can be added. Since the essential layers of task lighting are already in place you need not rely on your decorative pieces for light – lamps with dark or black shades, or chandeliers with dimmer switches are among the lighting options that can be added with this layer. Candles would also be considered at this stage.

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Lighting That’s Instock!

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Picking out quality lights to recommend is not always easy.  Discontinued and out of stock items are ever changing in the lighting industry but I have some great suggestions to make sure you don’t get on a backorder waiting list.  Using some knowledge, experience and stock numbers I have been able to pick out some quality lights that are readily available and worth checking out.

To start I suggest this wall lantern by Progress Lighting, the P5712-30.  Featuring a modern design it is a good choice if you need reliable outdoor lighting.  This light is on my list because it has proven itself in all environments specifically areas near salt water.  When most lights would corrode away this light knows how to weather the storm.

Moving on to indoor lighting, my next selection is the Capital 1804MN-222 bath and vanity light.  Like my first Progress choice this light is simple, affordable and best of all it is always in stock.  This is a perfect example of a classic Transitional style light.  This Capital light is easy to match with most room designs and is built to last.

The next light is from the Imperial Collection by Quoizel Lighting. The IM1717HL is a step away from my other picks because of its European style.  This is a semi-flush mount that features detailed carvings that are simple and elegant. Quoizel has really come through with this design that can really set the mood of the room.

I will have more recommendations next week.  It’s still hot outside here in North Carolina, the birthplace of Butler Lighting over 60 years go!, I will be ready with some cool outdoor fan suggestions.

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Posted in Capital Lighting, Lighting Tips, Progress, Quoizel | Comments Off

Determining Chandelier Size for a Dining Room

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

There are several issues to consider when choosing a light to be placed above a dining table:

  • Width of the table
  • Height of the ceiling
  • Style of the table

Width

The purpose of the dining table chandelier is to light the tabletop. A general rule of thumb is to size the chandelier approximately half the width of the table, though this is flexible depending upon the overall feel of the room. I have seen dining rooms that appear quite spacious and grand with a lengthy, but slightly narrow table. The chandelier above a table such as this could be slightly wider than half the table width, especially if the ceiling is higher than eight feet. With this extra width, the light will fit the scale of the room.

Height

The bottom of the chandelier should hang 30 inches off the table top on an 8 foot ceiling. The higher the ceiling, the higher the fixture should hang, adding two to three inches for each extra foot of ceiling height. If you have tall family members you may want it to hang a little higher. The test is to sit in a dining chair at the table, then push back and stand up. Notice that your head goes forward.

A difficult part of the selection process for most buyers is determining how close the fixture may hang to the ceiling. I like to see eight to ten inches of chain and canopy. Remember that stated measurements on new fixtures include the “hanging ring” to which the chain is attached. Some interior designers do not like to see much chain at all and will hang a fixture with only one or two links. When you are looking at fixture heights just remember that the canopy and the attached ring usually occupy two to three inches of length and you need one link to hang the fixture.

Table Style

A heavy, bulky style table can handle a heavy, bulky looking chandelier and a light and airy glass top table could use a slightly larger open-air style chandelier. A long table can use two or more chandeliers or pendant style fixtures. Many customers in our lighting showrooms are using outdoor lanterns over tables, especially over the longer farmhouse house style tables. My advice is to first find the one that gives you the WOW feeling and then see if it will work.

Other Sources

According to the Hinkley Lighting Guide:

To size a chandelier for your dining room or bedroom, you’ll need to measure the length and width of the room and add those figures together. The sum, converted to inches, will equal the diameter of the correct size chandelier. In the dining room, if this measurement seems inappropriate due to the size of your table, size your chandelier three quarters the width of the table. The bottom of the chandelier should be approximately 30-32 inches above the table top.

Written by: Karen Long, ALA Lighting Specialist, ButlerLighting.com

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