Sunday, April 12, 2015

Under Cabinet Lights Ideas

Adding under cabinet lights to your kitchen is an inexpensive upgrade that makes your kitchen more inviting and more functional. Cabinets can create large shadows that make it hard to see preparation surfaces while cooking food. This can not only lead to cuts and to a more difficult cooking experience, but it can also make cleanup more difficult, leading to bacterial growth. Under cabinet lighting is certainly the ideal solution, but getting the right lights for the situation is important.

This type of kitchen task lighting is available with many types of bulbs, including incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, and xenon bulbs. Not all under cabinet lights solutions are created equal. Options such as fluorescent bar lights can generate a great deal of heat, and if you are working in a small space you run the risk of burns as well as the risk of causing any fruit in the area to brown very rapidly. Incandescent bulbs would be simply impractical for the area, however, which is why so many turn to traditional bar lighting. If you are seeking a better option, it will certainly prove worth your effort to look into LED light strips.

With LED under cabinet lighting, there are many noticeable differences. For starters, you will find that these light strips offer the most natural looking source of light possible. This means seeing more exact colors and being able to see finer details than with other sources. By choosing a natural white light, you can also avoid the yellow or bluish tint that comes with most under cabinet lights options. LED lighting also gives off far less heat than other lighting choices, which means that it can be left safely on around fruit and other sensitive foods without the need to worry.

Many people choose fluorescent lights for their under cabinet lights. They are energy efficient, and the bulbs last a long time. A lot of fluorescent lights designed for under counter use are rectangular and fairly flat, so that they are completely unobtrusive. The main drawback of fluorescent lighting is that it can distort some colors (oranges, reds, and purples).

When choosing your under cabinet lights, consider your countertop material. If you have shiny countertops, consider lights with frosted lenses so that you avoid a "spotlight" effect on the countertops. For every four feet of countertop you want to illuminate, choose one 12-inch fixture, or three puck lights. Many designers recommend installing the fixtures toward the front of the cabinets so that they illuminate more of your working surface. And if your cabinets do not have a valance that would hide the under cabinet lights, you can easily find two-inch cabinet molding to fit to the fronts of your cabinets, or you can choose low-profile light fixtures that are barely noticeable.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Commercial Lighting Fixtures

Like any other hot item, commercial lighting fixtures also has trends and fashion. Centuries ago where everything was bleak and bare, these fixtures used in business establishments were just the orange colored oval shaped incandescent bulbs. However, as time and technology evolved a lot of different varieties emerged like mushrooms.

Fluorescent Lighting Fixtures


Fluorescent lamps are used extensively in commercial lighting fixtures for a number of reasons. First and foremost of these reasons is their ability to use less power than other commercial lighting fixtures, making them very cost effective from an energy conservation perspective. Fluorescent bulbs also produce a very bright light that is evenly distributed, making them ideal commercial warehouse lighting fixtures, canopy lights, security lights, in interior retail lights in discount stores where high levels of general lighting help psychologically motivate larger bulk purchases of discount merchandise.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Commercial Lighting Fixtures


It refers to a technology where light is produced by a gaseous arc discharge using a variety of elements. Typical elements include mercury vapor, metal halide, and high pressure sodium. The arc tube within an HID lamp will contain one or more of such elements, and when current passes between the electrodes at either end of the tube, the current creates an arc that generates visible light. HID lamps feature the highest efficiency in lumens per watt output and also feature a greater level of lighting control. They also last longer than other commercial lighting fixtures, making them a wise investment for a company on a Spartan budget that cannot afford to continually replace equipment. Each HID lamp consists of an arc tube which contains certain elements or mixtures of elements which, when an arc is created between the electrodes at each end, gasify and generate visible radiation.

LED Commercial Lighting Fixtures


As technology improves, the ability to create truly white LED light continues to evolve. LED commercial lighting fixtures are featuring higher lumens per watt efficiencies than their initial prototypes initially offered. This has opened the door for a number of architectural lighting and site lighting applications that were previously the exclusive domain of HID commercial lighting fixtures.

We are also seeing an upsurge in the use of led commercial lighting fixtures in street and roadway lighting, where a number of municipalities in the United States and Europe have reported some very promising findings in regards to both power cost reduction and the overall quality of street lighting itself.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Antique Brass Chandeliers Ideas

Compared to other kinds of chandeliers, antique brass chandeliers stand out for being ornate and at the same time down to earth. Although noted for its malleability, brass is a very durable metal, so that you are ensured of both timeless elegance and long-term practicality for your home.

You might find yourself becoming overwhelmed at first when you go out shopping for an antique brass chandelier, because of the many styles and designs to choose from. To aid in your selection, take note of the interiors of the room where you are planning to install it. For large rooms like the living room and dining room, you will need to give it an aura of homey elegance with the use of antique brass chandeliers with Murano glass, Capiz shells or crystal ornaments. If you are on a tight budget, you can get a wrought iron chandelier that has been electroplated with brass in a special antique finish.

Homeowners who are constantly on the go will be delighted by how little is required to maintain their antique brass chandeliers. With just regular dusting, wiping it with a soft cloth moistened in mild soap and water or metal polish, you can maintain your chandelier's lustrous glow. To prevent rust and corrosion from developing, make sure to wipe your chandelier completely dry. Another rust-preventing measure is to place the chandelier in only cool, dry places in your home. There has been a question about using antique brass chandeliers outdoors to give a porch or veranda a classy feel. However, exposing it to the elements may make it prone to rusting, so regular maintenance is required.

If you are looking for a lighting fixture that will be a great addition to your room, you can't go wrong with the warm, gorgeous glow of a timeless classic like an antique brass chandelier.

Flush Mount Light Fixtures Ideas

Flush mount light fixtures are an easy and affordable way to make a room seem bright and cheerful. Alternatives include stand up lamps, chandeliers, desk lamps, and track lighting; however, the most cost effective solution for most home renovations are the use of mounted light fixtures. These fixtures are wired through the wall and are controlled by a switch that is usually placed at the entrance to the room.

There are several advantages to using flush mount light fixtures compared to the alternatives. Since the fixture is flush with the ceiling, it allows for a wider radius of light to penetrate to all corners of the room. This can be very welcomed, especially if the walls are painted in a darker color and/or if the room is accompanied by darker leathers and furniture. It also ensures that if the ceiling is a little low, taller individuals won't have to worry about knocking their head when walking through the room.

There are several well known brands available to the average consumer. Quorum International makes a variety of different models of flush mount light fixtures that can be purchased online or at your local home improvement stores such as Home Depot. The price of these fixtures depends entirely on the brand and model. They range in price from as low as $30 (on sale) to as much as $200 for the most sought after models.

When time comes for you to renovate your home or part there of, consider adopting a set of flush mount light fixtures. They are easy to clean, provide a large array of light, and are quite affordable. I have used a variety of different forms of lamps, track lighting, and mounted light fixtures, and I'd have to say that the later are the easiest to maintain

Thursday, April 9, 2015

LED Landscape Lighting Ideas

LED landscape lighting is the latest and greatest improvement in lighting in decades. It is eco-friendly, bright, and lasts a long time. Using LED lights in the landscape is a great way to be able to see your yard during the hours of darkness. Using landscape lighting has many different benefits from the added security of being able to see into your yard to the visual appeal it gives when used as an accent lighting for a focal point in the landscape.

One of the great benefits of LED landscape lighting is that they come in a range of colors and you can really get creative with them. Think about how you could use blue LEDs to highlight a portion of your garden that has Blue Salvia or a cascading fountain. Or how a red LED could be used to do the same with mass plantings of  red Petunias or Geraniums. The possibilities are endless! Many times LED lighting is used in the modern themed landscape to accentuate architectural features, such as columns, fountains or planters.

The Environment and Cost Savings


Keep your home green using LED landscape lighting. LED lights are extremely efficient, especially when you compare them to standard halogen bulbs. LED's use 90 percent less energy than halogen bulbs which means you pay only around 10 percent of the normal costs when it comes to your electric bill. LED's are also produced without using harmful and poisonous chemicals such as mercury, which is another great reason to use them.

LED's have an incredible lifetime. When you compare these bulbs to halogen lights you can see the amazing differences between them. Standard halogens last for about 3000 hours while specialty halogens last for about 12000. LED's last much longer at about 40000 hours of life. If you turned them on and never turned the lights off they would last for around 4 and a half years in total.

The best lighting that is available today is LED landscape lighting. Incorporating it into the garden does take a financial investment but that investment pays off in safety, energy savings and creating a more beautiful landscape.