Island Lighting

Kitchens are made all the more efficient by island countertops. Islands usually have creative countertops, designed with extra cabinets, shelves, overhead storage areas, and sinks. Kitchens are generally known for their particularly bright lighting, mostly because of all the activity that takes place in a kitchen. Installing lights for your kitchen islands is a great opportunity to improve your kitchen’s functionality, as well as its aesthetics.

If aesthetics is what you’re after, chandeliers are beautiful additions to any kitchen. Depending on the type of chandelier, it can provide a good source of lighting for your island, although most chandeliers are really not built for task lighting. Still, if you want an attractive kitchen, a chandelier will make a good source of secondary light, in addition to the different kinds of island lighting fixtures.

Pendant lighting is popular for kitchen islands. This is because the light they provide is very direct and straightforward. A downrod places the source of light a lot closer to the island, making it better to see whatever you’re doing. Generally, more than one pendant light is hung in a row over an island; the rule of thumb is to follow odd numbers, such as three or five pendant lights in a row, though this may depend on other factors like the length of the island, as well as the lights’ designs.

Track lights are also a good choice of island lighting, specifically the light emitting diode (LED) type. LED lights are perfect if you want to save on energy costs, though the initial buy might still be on the pricey end. (Still, if you want extremely long-lasting lights, LEDs are your ultimate solution.) Track lighting is also a lot more flexible than pendant lighting, mostly because you’re allowed to fix them up any way you want.

Recessed lighting can be used to highlight the important features of a kitchen, such as appliances and other architectural features. If you have any dark spots on your kitchen island, recessed lights can balance out the shadows. A good place to install recessed lights are underneath cabinets or shelves, if you have them on your island.

You can also make island lighting a lot more effective by matching up the finish on your island with the color of your lighting fixtures. A lot of sinks look relatively plain, however, more dedicated homemakers tend to decorate island countertops with specific finishes. 

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Pumping Up The Party with the Best Lighting Techniques

Unlike how they make it seem in the movies, party lighting involves a lot more than simply stringing together a couple of strobe lights and letting them blink crazily on and off the whole time. Coming up with the best lights for parties usually takes a lot more finesse than that, and lighting can play a pretty huge role in creating just the right ambiance you want for your gathering.

The first thing you need to consider is what kind of party you’re holding. For instance, there’s not a chance that you’re putting up green neon lights in your living room if you’re entertaining a more adult audience for a sit-down dinner. Conversely, you’re not going for formal mood lighting if you’re throwing a graduation pool party for a sister. Think about what the party is for before you start worrying about what kind of lights to get.

The second consideration is size. How much space are you lighting up? You’re going to need different lighting techniques to make smaller spaces look bigger, for instance. If you have a larger space you can work with, then that’s awesome.

One crucial technique for most parties though, is that you don’t want the same ordinary overhead lighting. It’s quite bad for mood lighting, and the best lighting techniques are usually built around dim light, so turn down the glare with a dimmer switch. Or switch to the ambient lighting that most floor lamps and accent lighting fixtures are meant for. If you don’t have a dimmer switch, simply turn off the ordinary light bulbs and replace them with low wattage yellow lighting for a better effect.

In fact, the rule of thumb is to have, at most, three lighting sources in the room, just keep well away from the ones overhead. Floor lamps, table lamps and wall lights are good examples of the best light sources for effective mood lighting.

Also, don’t be afraid to get creative! If you’re aiming for a fun, turn-up-the-music kind of get-together, opt for colored LED lights that will make your room buzz with vibrancy and trendiness. If your party is a little on the formal side, you can choose candle light (with elegant candlesticks) over colored lights, and position them in strategic places around the room. Remember, how to spice up your party depends largely on what kind of party you’re throwing, and it’s good to keep this in mind when considering different lighting techniques.

Useful Tips in Buying Outdoor Lighting

The outdoor lighting you put in your outdoor space does three things: illuminate the space, add beauty to your surroundings, and keep intruders away. Yes, outdoor lighting fixtures are useful pieces to add to your home. Good thing that there are multitudes of styles and designs to choose from. However, the number of fixtures to choose from could completely bewilder you. As such, you can benefit from the following tips on how to buy outdoor lighting.

Here are useful tips for you:

• Find out your purpose for buying outdoor lights
  This first tip is crucial as you will be able to zero in on the type of lighting fixtures to purchase. So, be sure to answer the following questions: Do I want to illuminate a walkway? Do I want to highlight a plant or statue? Do I intend to keep burglars away? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you pick the right fixtures for your outdoor space. When you know what you want you can have an easier job of selecting from the different accent lights, path lights, and security light available.

• Determine the type of light that you want
  There are different types of lighting fixtures fit for outdoor environments. Here are some of the most common.

Lanterns
You can hang lanterns over your door. However, be sure to keep the bulb of the lantern 66 inches above the top part of the doorway.

Pendants
It is also possible to attach pendants to the ceiling above your door. Just be sure to keep the bottom part of the fixture six inches above the door for safety.

Pier and Post Mounts
Lighting fixtures can also be installed on top of walls and roofs. These are the pier mounts. Post mounts have to go one to two inches below the surface.

Security Lights
With security lights, you need to ensure that you put them in an inaccessible place so that persons with bad intentions cannot get to and disable them. It is advisable to put light fixtures in every side of your home.

• Pick a design theme that goes with the look of your outdoor living space
  Yes, you need to coordinate the outdoor lighting fixtures you buy with the existing theme of your front or back yard. You won’t find it too difficult as light fixtures are made of different materials. Plus, these fixtures have different finishes. Just be sure to pick something that will go well with the overall theme that you want for your outdoor environment.

•  Go for bulbs with low wattage
  When looking for something to adorn your space or to illuminate it, choose fixtures with low wattage. You will benefit from the energy-saving capacity of these products.

• Consider other features that go with outdoor lighting fixtures
  One of the features you need to look out for is motion sensor. This can be helpful if you intend to keep intruders out of your property. The motion sensor will turn on the light once motion is detected. You actually save a lot on electricity bills with motion sensor technology.

Be sure to remember these tips when buying outdoor lighting for your home.

Buying a Wall Sconce 101

Wall sconces have the ability to evoke a magical feeling in any room where they are found. Whether it is a hallway or a foyer, you can bet that wall sconces can aptly set the mood that you want to create. In fact, just by being there on your wall and providing illumination, sconces can give the room a distinct character.

It is good to know that wall sconces come in lots of styles and materials. There are sconces made of wood, brass, iron and combinations of different materials. Because of this, you will surely need to know how to buy a wall sconce. However, before you pay for any wall sconces, you have to know how to buy a wall sconce.

Basically, wall sconces differ in the material they are made of. As such, you might want to know as much as you can about these materials so that you can pick the sconce that suits the décor of your home.

• Wooden sconce
  A wooden sconce is the best choice for homes with rustic feels. As such, they are great for homes with earth tones or with many plants.
  
  Wooden sconces can be safely used with candles to give the desired effect. How safe are these sconces? Basically, wooden sconces come with blocks of wax encased in metal. Because of the metal housing, the candle has no way of burning the sconce.
  
  If you choose well, you will get your hands on wooden sconces that are made to withstand the elements and cannot fall prey to termites. Just be sure to ask the manufacturer about this.

• Brass sconce
  A brass sconce is durable and functional. The material can withstand the weather and is strong. In fact, these are the sconces that light up porches or entryways. Furthermore, light that reflects on the brass gives the fixture a shine that is all its own. In short, your porch or entryway can get a magical feel with brass sconces.
  
  Just be prepared to do a lot of polishing on these sconces. Brass does have the tendency to become dull over time. But, if you want something a little less shiny and sparkly, not polishing your brass sconces can give you that effect. Plus, when you pick this type of sconce, just make sure that it complements the other elements of design in your home.

• Iron sconce
  The dark and durable material of the iron sconce makes it the easiest to clean. Furthermore, stains are difficult to see. This type of sconce is the best option if your home has the Old World style. Also, if you live in a grand mansion, you can definitely use iron sconces. 

In conclusion, wall sconces can be great sources of light as well as excellent décor. The play of light and shadows brought about by wall sconces makes your living space more interesting and striking. As such, you owe it to yourself to buy the right wall sconce that will evoke the feeling that you want. Just remember your style and the existing theme in your home and you will not go wrong in selecting the right wall sconce.