Finding The Right Lighting Fixtures For Your Home

7/30/2019 Finding The Right Lighting Fixtures For Your Home

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The last quarter of the year is the most ideal for parties there are Halloween,

Thanksgiving (for Americans), Christmas and New Years Eve parties that indicate

multiple celebrations. Party supply stores generate a large chunk of their yearly

income during this period of the year. However, if you want a more practical

approach to hosting parties, you do not have to purchase party decoratingsupplies; with some creativity, you can throw parties that have the right ambience

just with the items you already have at home and your homes own lighting.

Online blog posts, images and videos provide innovative lighting ideas that you

can use for your parties.

For Halloween, the floating ghosts are known to spook trick-or-treaters.

Floating ghosts are made with dimmed lights, white sheets of fabric or womens

night gowns; you either drape the sheet over a lamp or strategically hang it under

a down light. For something eerier, you can create a ghost tree by taking out

whatever lighting strip you have, hanging it on tree branches and placing

nightgowns underneath the lights. With cool night wind blowing, anybody wholl

see it will surely get scared senseless.
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For Christmas, the celebration is not complete without proper lighting. First of all,

lights symbolise the medieval belief of creating a home thats welcoming to the

Baby Jesus looking for a place to lay his head. Secondly, lights signify that Jesus is

the Light of the World that came down to earth. Thirdly, lights symbolise the Star

of Bethlehem. If you want your homes lighting to represent something other

than the religious foundation of the season, you can focus on the traditional

winter wonderland theme. You can create more sparkle in your home by

accentuating your lights with winter-themed elements like crystals for snow or

cut-outs of snowflakes, reindeer, Santa, candy canes and gifts. Stick the cut-outs

on the cover of your down lights for a nice play of light and shade. Another idea

would be to create frozen luminarias that just require an old soda container, a

bowl, water, twigs and berries that you can get from your backyard and a usual

wax and wick candle or beeswax candles with flickering LEDs. These frozen

luminarias are ideal for outdoor parties.

To celebrate the New Year, you can create different colours of lights by placing

cellophane (or old candy wrappers under your down lights or hanging shiny

ribbons. To create a shadow Happy New Year message, replace your lampshade

with paper with the cut-out of the letter.

Parties to celebrate the season dont have to be excessively costly; the important

thing to remember is that creativity goes along way and you can breathe new life

and appeal to the things present around you.


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The holidays of the last quarter of the year are all rooted in strong faith systems.

Christians celebrate the birth of their Messiah; the Jewish people celebrate

Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights while the African-Americans celebrate

Kwanzaa. For all these celebrations,lightshold a very special meaning.

For Christmas, lights symbolise Jesus, the Star of Bethlehem and the welcoming

homes of Christians who want to let the Little Lord Jesus know that He is free to

enter their homes and lives. The bright Christmas star on top of the

Tannenbaum is the small representation of the Star of Bethlehem which

positioned itself right above the place the much-awaited Saviour was born. Its

the same star that led the magi (or three wise men of the Orient) to the Messiah.

Christians also light the Advent Wreath; it has three purple candles and one pink

candle for Lutheran and Roman Catholic practices. The four candles represent thefour weeks of advent while their colours stand for the penitential season for the

purple candles and the rejoicing period for the pink one. The colours and number

of candles are different for Protestant churches however; some use blue, which is

a hue that indicates waiting, and white, to signify the Christ candle. Nowadays
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however, most of British Protestant churches prefer to use four red candles and

one white candle.

Jewish traditions on the other hand make use of the menorah. The significance ofthe lights of the menorah has greatly to do with how the Maccabees successfully

rebelled against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. According to the Talmud, a late text, the

Temple was purified and the wicks of the menorah miraculously burned for eight

days, even though there was only enough sacred oil for one day's lighting. The

lighting of candles for each night of the Festival of Lights is accompanied by the

singing of special songs, the recitation of the Hallel prayer, eating of fried Jewish

treats like potato pancakes known as latkes and fried donut with filling called

sufganiyot, et cetera. The lighting of the candles is based on tradition the idea isthat the lighting of the candles goes from the leftmost candle of the menorah to

the right.

As for Kwanzaa, seven candles are placed on a candleholder called a kinara.

These seven candles represent the seven principles of the African heritage; Umoja

(Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and

Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba

(Creativity) and Imani (Faith).

These are all great practices that are in keeping with the changing times. Candles

are no longer restricted to the wax and wick type especially since safety has

become a big concern. Electrical candles or LED candle lights are now used in the

observance of these holiday practices as they are safer and more practical to use.


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A programmable thermostat can save you money this summer when the mercury

is high, but ceiling fanscan also help you and your entire household cool off as

well as save money. When Australia experiences a heat wave this Christmas,

many will head to the beach and some will opt to stay indoors to avoid the

scorching heat of the sun, which grows more and more intense every year. This

decision can run households high on energy costs, but with the help of ceiling

fans, the price to pay to stay cool does not have to be a big dent in the budget.

Human comfort usually ranges from 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit over the

summer; however, with a ceiling fan, this range extends to 82 degrees. Ceiling

fans are known to make people feel 8 degrees cooler. Make sure that you set

your fan to blow downward instead of upward, effectively pushing the cool air

down and sucking the hot air up, and keep it clean as they tend to attract a lot of

dust, especially when you leave windows and doors open to improve air

ventilation. Also, set the blades to rotate at a higher speed during a really hot day;

otherwise, even with the blades running in the right direction, the fan will not

produce a cooling effect. Take note that for winter, the programming of the

ceiling fan is the exact opposite as that for the summer.

Another advantage of using ceiling fans over the summer is that they can help

distribute cool air from the air conditioner better. This is a big help to the main
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cooling unit because the ceiling fan prevents it from overworking to create the

right cool temperature in a room.

In Asian countries, ceiling fans also provide a great benefit separate from itscooling ability they are known to blow away flying insects as well. Since hot,

humid weather has insects looking for food inside homes, ceiling fans help shoo

these pests out.

Some ceiling fans come with lights; if you need to use the lights, it would be

better if your replace them with light emitting diodes or LEDs because these lights

do not heat up and contribute to the warm room climate. Also, compared to

incandescent and fluorescent lights, they consume less energy so theyre the best

features to complement the function of ceiling fans as your cooling aid this

summer.


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Summer time and the living should be easy. Your home should be a sanctuary

when the heat of the sun comes bearing down. But what if your budget doesnt

have enough room for adding air conditioning units? With the unstoppable rising

costs of fuel and commodities, you simply cant afford to splurge on extra home

features however necessary they may seem. The good news is you dont have

to wait until the next summer to save up enough money to get a cooler room. All

you need is a little bit of savvy when it comes to choosing your ceiling fan with

light.

Ceiling fans are an excellent way to stay cool and comfortable on warmer months

without breaking the bank. The must-have item for every coastal and tropical

home can produce whats known as a wind-chill effect for summer and can also

circulate warmer air during winter. When your ceiling fan runs in normal mode, it

circulates cool air. When it runs in reverse mode, it circulates warm air caught in

the ceiling. That means you get to have a highly efficient home accessory that is

also known to consume less energy.

To ensure that your home benefits from these advantages, choose a ceiling fan

size that is appropriate for the space youre going to install it in. This means

getting bigger ceiling fans for bigger rooms. It would be wise to get a
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measurement of your rooms so that you can enquire with your preferred online

shop if a 42 works for the size of your bedroom or if a 52 would be an efficient

addition to the square footage of your living room.

Once youve figured out the ideal size, focus on the blades. The blades control the

amount of air being circulated within a room. Specialists recommend looking into

brackets that can hold the blades at 12- to 15-degree angle for the best possible

circulation. Youll also want to scrutinise your ceiling fan for balance because that

is far more important than the number of blades. Uneven blades can make any

ceiling fan unsteady, which can be pretty disturbing to watch if youre under it.

Ceiling fans with lights can elevate the look and feel of your rooms. If youre

looking to make your family room or bedroom more relaxed, try uplighting on

ceiling fans as this creates a more tranquil mood. You can go even further by

maximising your ceiling fans energy efficiency. Try models that are either

designed with energy-saving lights or can be fitted with one.

Ceiling fans enhance and improve any room in your home. The variety of styles

and finishes can draw attention to the overall dcor of your kitchen, dining room,

or living room. The key to getting the best use out of this cool addition to your

home is choosing the right one. From the right size to the right blades, from the

ideal lights to the ideal style, a carefully chosen ceiling fan will allow you stay cool

and help you to save money.


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There is more to lighting than meets the eye. Aside from providing a utilitarian

purpose, home lighting can make or break the interior and exterior look of your

property. This is why its crucial to choose the right type of lighting for the rooms

in your home and to ensure that the fixtures are installed properly. If youvechosen to use LED downlights, here are a few bright ideas for achieving the

desired look for your home and for maximising its benefits.

LEDs or light-emitting diodes are ideal as lighting options these days as energy

costs climb. In comparison to the 9,000 hours rated life of CFLs or compact

fluorescents, LEDs are rated for 25,000 hours and more. Indeed, with LEDs you no

longer have to constantly think about and set aside money for changing light

bulbs. Additionally, LEDs use up 85 percent less energy than incandescent lightsand they brighten up a room instantly. Imagine the money youll save on energy

bills.

Choosing your downlights will depend entirely on their purpose. Will you be using

them as general lighting for your kitchen? Do you want to use them to highlight
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decorative features in your bathroom? Do you intend to install them for your

home office? When youve determined their purpose, you can look at the lumens,

beam spread, and the colour of the LED.

If you need general lighting for your kitchen, you may want higher lumens, which

is the standard measuring unit for the brightness of a light. This should also go for

other task-oriented areas in your home. The beam spread refers to the angle of

light from the fitting. Standard ceiling heights might need a wider beam spread

above 60 degrees while higher ceilings might need narrower beam spreads below

50 degrees. You can also ask an online lighting store about the best beam spread

for your homes ceiling height. As for the colour, it would be ideal to go with

either warm or cool white throughout one open floor area. Using a mix of warmand cool in a single open-plan space might distress the eye.

Choose downlight frames that complement the overall dcor of the room you

intend to install it in. Frames will come in a range of styles and colour. They can

also be adjustable or fixed. This applies whether youre installing the downlights

for your living room or for your outdoor grilling area.

LED downlights provide great opportunities for enhancing the beauty of your

home. Whether you choose to use them indoors for task-oriented areas or

outdoors to create ambient lighting, choosing the right downlights will help you

achieve the desired look for your home.


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A well-lit home always looks attractive. Whether its general lighting to provide

overall illumination or accent lighting to create drama and draw attention to

visually interesting features, lighting for your home improves upon its design.

Unfortunately, lighting can also be the source of too much energy consumption.

With all the lights in your home turned on, youre likely to pay more on your

electricity bill. Heres a light bulb moment: why not get lighting fixtures that turn

on when the space is occupied and turn off when it isnt?

Motion sensor lightsare an ideal way to control your energy consumption. This

type of technology allows any space in your home to shut off the lights when no

occupants are detected and to switch on whenever someone is detected within

the space. You can choose from passive infrared sensors, which are ideal only for

open spaces because the application requires an unobstructed view of the area

and ultrasonic sensors, which can scan around obstructions. In big houses with big

families that have kids who need to be constantly reminded to switch off lights in

rooms that arent being used, this technology will certainly save a considerable

amount of money.

You can also use sensor lighting for your garden or front yard. Wall lighting at

your front entrance, path lights or lanterns on your driveway or walkways, or

mini-lights on the steps of your porch can use sensors so that it only turns on

when youre around. This will save you from having to fumble around your
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property when you come home at night and all the lights are switched off. You

can go with sensors that work on motion or ones that work when it gets dark.

Most light posts in cities utilise the latter.

Aside from providing you with an easy solution to trim off your energy

consumption, using sensors to control lighting can protect your home. Burglars

and home invaders like to pay special attention to properties that lack outdoor

lighting because then they can break in without being seen by neighbours or

anyone passing by. Motion sensors on your outdoor lights will surprise and deter

any burglar from entering your home. Sophisticated security systems will

normally incorporate alarms with motion sensors on lights, which will create a

bad scenario for any burglar. If you have a bit more room in your budget, youcould choose to use such a system.

Indoor and outdoor lights enhance the overall look of your home. They also

create a safer haven for you and your family. By using lights that are controlled by

sensors, youre able to achieve both and, perhaps more significantly, rein in your

energy consumption. So when you think about lighting, think sensors.


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There are several types of lighting fixtures that can be installed to light up exterior

areas, including spotlights, wall lights and flood lights. A flood light is the most

appropriate for illuminating outdoor areas for security, since this kind of bulb can

light up a wide area.

Installing a flood light is not quite as simple as mounting new wall lights. Because

these cover a wide area, they have to be positioned in such a way that maximises

the amount of light that they produce. The first tip in installing a flood light is to

choose the right kind of bulb. There are two basic types of flood lighting, and

these are halogen bulbs and LED lamps. Both can produce ample light for security

purposes, but they have certain differences in terms of energy consumption, bulb

lifespan and safety. LED lamps are definitely more energy-efficient and safe, and

these are also more durable and last longer than halogen lights. A downside to

using LED lamps, however, is that they are quite costly. If you dont mind regularly

changing a flood light, then halogen lamps are for you. But if you prefer lesser

bulb changes throughout the year, then a LED lamp is a good investment.

In addition to choosing the right type of bulb to install, another tip on installing a

flood light is to determine its final position while the bulb is connected to a power
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source and turned on. This way, you can see the exact area illuminated by the

bulb, allowing you to put it in a place where it will cover more of your property. If

you install it without turning it on first, you might find that its location doesnt

maximise the light produced by the bulb.

When installing outdoor lights, you should also never fail to light up the corners of

the property. A lot of people choose to focus the lights on their homes faade,

leaving the corners with little lighting. This darkened space provides a potential

hiding place for unwanted visitors, such as thieves and vandals. If you are

installing outdoor lights for safety, then this is a tip that you should not ignore.

Installing outdoor garden lights offers a whole host of benefits to homeowners.

For instance, lights along paths and on the front porch can help prevent accidents

and ensure safety. A few well-placed lamps in the garden, on the other hand, can

increase the aesthetic appeal of a piece of property. But perhaps the most

important benefit that comes from installing outdoor lights is that they enhance

the security of a home. Bright lights illuminating a houses exterior will not only

deter pests and wild animals coming in to visit at night; these can also discourage

unsavoury characters from entering or vandalising the property.


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There are several types of lighting fixtures that can be used to illuminate different

areas of a home. For indoor areas, you can choose among recessed lights,

pendant lighting, chandeliers, wall lights, spot lights, table and floor lamps and

even LED strip lights. These can be used for a variety of purposes and they can

provide all types of lighting needed, such as ambient lighting, task lighting, and

accent or decorative lighting.

Just as there are varied types of lighting fixtures for home interiors, there are also

numerous kinds of lights for outdoor purposes. These wall lights, lamp posts,

bollard lights and flood lights are but some of the most commonly used lighting

fixtures outdoors. These also come in many designs to suit any style of home.

Choosing the right kind of outdoor light may be a little tricky, however, because

these various kinds of fixtures also differ when it comes to strength of

illumination and types of bulbs used. To help make the selection process a little

less complicated, there are a few things that homeowners must consider.

One of the key features that you must take into account when choosing outdoor

lights is the purpose for installing them. Would you like to ensure your homes
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safety and prevent any accidents that can happen at night? Are the lights meant

to enhance the homes aesthetic appeal so you can sell it better in the real estate

market? Or are you worried about your propertys security? If you are more

concerned about safety in your home, or if youve been tripping or falling far too

much when walking through your garden at night, then spotlights to light up

paths and wall lights on the porch may be enough for you. On the other hand, if

you need to light up your home for aesthetic purpose, spotlights and bollards can

do the job. Meanwhile, for security, the best option is a flood light.

In addition to the purpose of the lights, another important consideration is the

amount of light that you need for your homes exteriors. Spotlights produce

bright lights that are concentrated in a smaller area, while wall lights offer lowerillumination for a wide area. Flood lights provide very strong illumination covering

wide spaces.

Another key factor to consider is the design of your home. Wall lights come in

many designs that can complement any architectural style, while flood lights have

limited shapes or sizes. Bollards, on the other hand, offer an unobtrusive and

modern-looking light fixture for garden paths and driveways.

These are the most important factors to consider when choosing lights for

outdoor spaces. Keep in mind all three purpose, amount of light needed, and

style so that you can find lighting fixtures that are not only functional but also

elegant to look at.


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There are basically three types of lighting that can be used to make a home

beautiful and functional. These include ambient lighting, task lighting and accent

or decorative lighting. Ambient light is necessary to enable people to move

comfortably and safely around their homes. Task lighting, on the other hand, is

best for sight intensive tasks like sewing, reading and food preparation as it can

prevent eye strain. Decorative lighting, as its name suggests, is used to highlight

attractive features and increase a homes overall aesthetic appeal. All of these are

necessary in a home and they can be provided by various types of lighting.

One of the most versatile lighting fixtures for home use is the LED strip light.

These lights, which are comprised of small LED bulbs connected to form a

continuous strip, can provide all three kinds of lighting and they can be used for

just about anything. Listed below are some of the most common areas whereLED

strip lightscan be installed:

1) Kitchen cabinets - Strips of LED lights can provide ample illumination for

those hard-to-reach areas inside the kitchen cabinet, making it easy for

homeowners and regular kitchen users to find the tools they need for theirchores. In addition to lighting up the interiors of kitchen cabinets, LED strips can

also be installed underneath the cabinets themselves; this is a very stylish and

elegant way to illuminate kitchen counters and spaces underneath the cabinets.

You wont be able to see the strips of lights under the cabinets, but the light they
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provide not only makes the room look much brighter, it also enhances the

functionality of the space.

2) Shelves and closets - Getting objects that are stored in dark shelves or

closets can become a really bothersome task. A really simple answer to this issue

is to line shelving units and closet interiors with strips of LED lighting. LED strips

are not expensive and they are also very energy-efficient, making them a truly

effective yet cheap long-term solution to a very common problem in homes.

3) Cove ceiling - Cove ceilings are great architectural features that can make a

room look more elegant. A strip of LED lighting placed within the cove, however,can instantly upgrade the rooms entire appearance and make it look even better

than before. If you have a cove ceiling in your entertainment room, strips of blue

LEDs placed within the cove can give the room a more cinematic feel. For other

rooms, warm white LED bulbs can complement or enhance illumination from

elegant chandeliers or pendant lights.

4) Bathroom mirrors - A strip of LED bulbs behind a bathroom mirror makes

for a very interesting accent piece. When placed on top of the mirror and coveredby a translucent pane of glass, however, LED strips serve not only as a good

source of lighting, but also as a modern-looking and stylish decoration.


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There are several types of lighting fixtures that can be used to illuminate homes,

and one of the most commonly used is the ceiling light. Ceiling lights are an ideal

choice whether you have a small or large home. They do not take precious floor

space the way floor lamps or table lamps do, and they also come in a wide array

of designs that can complement any theme or architectural style. To know what

type of ceiling fixture is best for a particular room in your home, its important to

know the different types of ceiling lights that are commonly used these days:

Flush mount lights - Flush mount lights are perhaps the most popular type of

ceiling fixtures used in homes. As its name implies, this kind of light is mounted

with the edges of its cover flush against the ceiling. The cover is usually rounded

in shape, but flush mount light covers can also come in just about any design.

They can be used in any room of the home, but they may be too plain for living

and dining rooms. Because of their unobtrusive structure, they are best used for

smaller areas.

Pendant lights - Pendant lights are a good source of task lighting and they can be

lowered or raised depending on your needs. A single pendant light with a well-

designed cover can serve as an elegant accent piece for dining rooms. Pendant
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lights above kitchen and bathroom sinks ensure safety and comfort of users, while

a series of pendant lighting fixtures above the kitchen island makes for elegant

yet highly functional decorative lighting. A group of pendant lights arranged in

different heights can serve as a modern-looking substitute for crystal chandeliers.

Chandeliers - Chandeliers are similar to pendant lights in that they hang from the

ceiling through a cord. Commonly, chandeliers are made of crystal, but other

materials such as glass or shells may also be used. These hanging light fixtures are

usually lengthy, so they may be too overwhelming for small rooms and are thus

most appropriate for rooms with high ceilings, such as living rooms and the foyer

area.

Recessed lights: Recessed ceiling lights are very simple and minimalistic, but they

can provide enough light to illuminate large rooms. They are best used to support

lighting from decorative pieces such as chandeliers and pendant lights. They can

also be installed with dimmers, so that the amount of light can be controlled to

achieve a particular ambience.

Ceiling fans with lights: This kind of lighting fixture is both decorative and highly

functional. They can be used in bedrooms and living rooms that need ample air

circulation, but the fans may be too big for small rooms. As such, they are best

placed in rooms that have plenty of space.

Documents

Finding The Right Lighting Fixtures For Your Home