Schoolhouse Lighting: Ageless Design for Your Kitchen

Are you searching for lighting fixtures to add to your kitchen? Well, you might want to consider schoolhouse lighting. Schoolhouse lighting has been around for a long time. In fact, it was the lighting fixture of choice in public buildings in the US - schools, courts, libraries - and even private kitchens between the years 1900 to 1950. These globes provided ambient lighting and even task lighting to all the places mentioned. It would be safe to say, then, that the no-nonsense people of the olden days appreciated the functional yet elegant lighting fixtures that lit corridors, large rooms and large hallways pretty well.

Originally, these lighting fixtures came with white flare globes encasing bare bulbs, which where both held together by metal fittings. The early white globes typically used some kind of glass referred to as “milk glass” or “opal glass”, which was made in Venice. The milky appearance of the glass was created by mixing in bone ash or tin dioxide while making the glass. The milk glass also came in other shades: pink, blue, yellow, brown and black. 

Today, schoolhouse light fixtures are still very popular. Their appeal lies in the fact that they evoke memories of special moments spent in schoolhouses. Plus, the fact that these fixtures have clean and simple lines make them all the more attractive to practical people who want to get a functional lighting fixture that is also beautiful.

Because of this, schoolhouse lighting fits modern kitchens really well. The practical side of choosing these utilitarian fixtures lets homeowners illuminate their kitchens without worrying over too much glare. The soft, ambient light provided by these fixtures ensures that homeowners do not have a hard time preparing meals for their loved ones.

Furthermore, there are now more options when it comes to designs of schoolhouse lighting. There are flush-mount and semi-flush mount fixtures to choose from. The key is to consider the layout and the design of your kitchen. You won’t go wrong when you keep that in mind when you go shopping for the right lighting fixture.  Then there is also the matter of shape. The glass globes come in various shapes. This means that anyone can find the right look that will fit the kitchen that needs to be illuminated.

To cut a long story short, schoolhouse lighting is not meant only for public buildings anymore. They also fit right in any kitchen whose owner wants to bathe in warm yet diffused light.

Vintage Barn Lights Offer Functionality and Beauty

Vintage barn lights are popular lighting fixtures that many people enjoy. Today’s vintage barn lights are actually replicas of traditional barn lighting. Back then, the original barn lights comprised of metal shades and gooseneck arm extensions, with distinctly industrial warehouse designs.

But, how did vintage barn lights find their way into people’s homes and commercial buildings? Originally, these light fixtures lit up warehouses and factories in the 1930s. Because the farmers saw the functionality of these light fixtures, they used these fixtures to light up their barns and farm houses. That started the transition of vintage barn lights as purely industrial lights into residential and commercial lighting fixtures. Later on, shanties along the coastline adopted the barn light fixtures.

Why are vintage barn lights becoming more and more popular among homeowners and building owners? Well, it could be because these beautiful lighting fixtures are great for illuminating the outdoor area of homes or buildings. What’s great about these fixtures is that the metal shade directs the light in a downward direction. The result is light that creates striking contrasts between light and shadow. This implies that this light is what building signs need. For instance, the sign in front of a shop can benefit from the attention that the light can direct on it. Passersby will be drawn to the sign largely because of the light cast on it by the bulb hanging from the shade attached to the traditional gooseneck arm.

Today, the industrial design is still evident in the commercial barn lights available in the market. However, there are now many variations. You can find barn lights that include wire cages, cast guards and jelly jar glass. What this means is you can find an attractive lighting fixture for your entryway or the exterior of your building without worrying that it would look too industrial. Furthermore, barn lights now come with energy saving technology to impact the earth in a positive way, along with offering beauty and functionality to building and home owners.

More importantly, manufacturers of barn lights have just made it easier for people to find the right kind of barn light to install near doorposts, in patios, entryways and decks. This simply means that people today have more options to choose from when it comes to decorating and making their homes and buildings attractive. And they can do so with elegant yet functional vintage barn lights.

How to Spice Up Your Livingroom with Lighting

A lot takes place in the livingroom, and trying to decide the perfect kind of lighting for it can be a little challenging. You can check out some established lighting companies, like Meyda Lights for their awesome livingroom selections.

If you don’t have a family room, the livingroom usually serves as the ultimate convening area for all important activities, whether you’re discussing the details of your latest family vacation, entertaining guests, discussing the details of your latest family vacation, or simply relaxing on a Saturday night for some popcorn nights.

One of the primary things you need to know is that livingroom lighting is not constant, that is, you’ll need to utilize various types of lighting to achieve both a functional and stylish effect. This doesn’t mean to say that the more layers of light you use, the better. Strategic layering is important, but you wouldn’t want to overwhelm your eyes with too much glare.

An excellent source of lighting would be a floor lamp situated just off to the side of your chair or sofa. If you do a lot of reading or sewing in your livingroom, that big old chandelier just won’t do the trick, at least not for activities that tend to put a strain on the eyes. Placing a lighting source directly in front or directly behind will cause shadows, stressing your eyes out even more.

Entertaining guests warrants a more special kind of lighting, and this is usually the time to dim down the overhead lights and whip out ambient lighting fixtures, like table lamps and other similar lighting. You could also use the chandelier for ambient light, and several manufacturers, such as Meyda Lighting have chandeliers that allow you to install a dimmer switch or adjust the different lighting levels.

Installing light for watching TV can be a little tricky. Because a home television is a lot smaller than a widescreen in the cinema, your eyes need to adjust a little more to the glare coming from the screen, as well as the lack of light around the TV set. The combined effect can be strenuous. . This is usually no problem if you keep the lights on during movie nights, but if you’d like to replicate a theater feel (complete with popcorn and soda), you’ll need to keep the lights off.  Howeer, this is easily solved by placing a floor lamp directly behind or to the side of your TV set to ease the strain on your eyes.

Everything You Need to Know About the Easy Reader

It’s official. Nearly everything these days is going digital, and with the number of devices out there that can hold up to a lifetimes’ worth of information, it’s only natural that books make the progression from the printed word to the digital word.

The EasyReader is an ingenious way of keeping track of dozens, even hundreds, of electronic books (ebooks) with you wherever you go. Convenient and easy to take along, this piece of software allows you to use portable reading devices to keep an entire library in your pocket.

Because of its ability to “read” text aloud, it is an ideal program for readers with blindness, low vision, dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities. EasyReader is also ideal for use in schools and libraries to empower readers to access a wider reading world. If you are a natural bookworm, you will love all the features that will make ebook reading a much better experience.

Installing EasyReader on your computer allows you read through ebooks, or use a preferred EasyReader voice to read highlighted text and speech via the ‘speak to me’ button and menu reader. If you find the font visually difficult or unappealing, the reader allows you to change the font face, size and contrasting foreground and background colors.

In addition, you never have to worry about losing a page again as you breeze seamlessly through ebooks. The EasyReader allows you to skip to any heading, page number of bookmark without having to flounder among pages and pages of text. If you’re looking for specific passages, you can also use the find function to help you look for key words and phrases.

It also offers excellent accessibility, as the EasyReader provides an easily navigable user interface that is friendly for both kids and adults. It offers a built-in zoom function that helps you read tiny text. Regarding compatibility, the EasyReader reads DAISY, NIMAS, HTML, TXT, and unprotected EPUB formats.

EasyReader is easily downloadable off the Web, though legitimate copies may cost you a set fee. It’s highly recommended that you get the legitimate version, as EasyReader may release useful updates in the future—something you definitely don’t want to miss out on. The software doesn’t require fancy equipment, and fits standard specifications of most personal computers. It works best installed on a Windows operating system, though, as support has not yet been released for Linux or Apple.