ABC’s of Fine Design

Lighting is a very important part of increasing the value of your home, it’s usually a cheap fix and works very well. With winter coming to most of us soon many people are getting ready for the cold dark nights that will be coming. Right now I would recommend concentrating on outdoor lighting before worrying about indoor lighting. You want to make sure you have enough light so that you can preform task, get to your home safely and of course help others get their too. Outdoor Lighting Fixtures are not that expensive and they really can help with safety. Here in the US one thing that we do in the fall is Halloween. Kids walk around asking for candy. You want a well lit outdoor area in order to keep those kids safe as well. Outdoor lighting also helps with curb appeal and may up the value of your home.

Once you have outdoor lighting done and ready to go then I would start with indoor lighting. If you have an entry with just a plan light, think about getting one or two Chandeliers for that space, depending on the size. When people see a chandelier they think money, and luxury. Having one in the entry way will also impress guest and potential home buyers.

The last place you want to look at for lighting is the bathroom, Vanity Lighting is another great way to impress guest and home buyers. Having good lighting in the bathroom can make it seem bigger and more inviting. Yes that is important since bathrooms and kitchens now sell homes.

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Next fall I will be taking a lighting class, at least I hope to be there are a few complications I have to get though first. I am though, looking forward to this class. Lighting is so much more then just having a light in the room so you can see. Lighting can make things pop out at you, it can set the mood by making it brighter or darker in a room and it can keep you safe.

There are many types of lighting you can buy. I recommend going green and buying compact florescent lighting or LED lights. LED’s take some getting use to as their light tends to have more of a blue tint then other types of lighting, but they last forever. Think of a child’s toy that has the small lights on it. Those lights hardly ever die and that is because most of them are LED’s. Both compact florescent and LED’s are great for the environment and your pocketbook. Yes they may cost more in the long run, but with energy prices going up they will really help save you money in the long run.

If your looking to switch but are not sure where to start here are a few tips.

1. change all of your night lights to LED lights. I got 2 LED bulbs for around $2 at walmart. Shop around though you may find a better deal

2. Figure out which lights you use most during the day and evening. Switch those first.

3. If you can replace all of you bulbs at once, if not do one room at a time.

4. Don’t forget about your outdoor lights

5. Buy all new holiday decorations made with LED’s. Sometimes trying things that are not permanent can help you see what you would get out of switching everything. Christmas lights are a great way to do this.

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Have you ever walked into a home with a beautiful chandelier in the entry and thought wow this person has some class and must have some money. Guess what they might have class, but they may not always have money.

People judge you by what is in your home and what it looks like. Most people can’t tell a good dollar store find from a more expensive piece and the same goes with lighting. Most of the time with lighting you do need to spend a little more then you would for artwork at the dollar store, but you don’t need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a priceless chandelier, unless you have that much money to waste. For good lighting check out sites online or your local retailers to see what bargains you can find.

Lighting creates a mood and a feeling that is why when you see a chandelier you think money, you see warm light you think cozy and welcoming. If you see colored lights you thing fun and funky. Remember when looking at lighting think about the room it’s going to be in, what it will be used for and what you want that light to say to someone coming into your home.

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I was looking at the new post on one of my social blogging sites when I came across a post about wind lights on design spotter. This interested me so I checked out the post then I checked out the product website.

Firewinder is a light that works by using wind power. You can hang it in a tree or on your porch and every time the wind blows you get light. I live in the country and we get a lot of wind, so much that my mother has considered putting in windmills for energy use. In fact the state has some up about 20 miles from my home for energy use.

I think this is a wonderful addition to any yard as you don’t have to worry about wiring and it’s a great talking point for parties. Firewinder is a UK based company so it’s a little more expensive for US citizens but it could be worth it.

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Lighting is a very important part of any good design. This week in class I have to make a lighting plan for a home. I always find these fun to do as they create such an interesting look to a room.

Using sconces in a room can help to light up the darker areas of a home. They also create a style and if put on dimmers can help create a mood. Another good thing about lighting is that it can help you do task, this type of lighting is called task lighting and it works well in the kitchen are or in an office. Task lighting can consist of table lamps or ceiling fixtures. They can be a spot light or they can hang from the ceiling over your work space.

The point is lighting help you not only to see for general things, but it makes doing simple task such as cooking, cleaning and home office work much easier. So next time you want to change something in your home, think about your lighting.

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I love lighting, I love how you can change the look of a room just by changing what light are on or where they are located. The best part about lighting is the environmental benefits LEDs or  light-emitting diode are lights that can not only save you some cash they can also help the environment.

Some of the benefits of LEDs are:

Save money on electricity

Produces light the color of daylight

Use only 2-10 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of incandescent or CFL)

Long lasting - up to 60,000 hour bulb life

Cool running (warm to the touch) - little heat compared to standard bulbs

Works with most dimmer switches

Instant on/off

Work in cold weather

Can sustain moderate power surges

Durable bulbs with no fragile filaments to break from shaking and rattling

Directional lighting generates less wasted light

Works with sensor activated lights

What exactly are LED lights? Well think of a children’s toy that lights up. those lights never die just the batteries right? Well those are LED lights, yes this technology has been around for a long time. The reason we have not seen more of these is because it has been expensive to produce. LED lights are extremely bright and run on much less power then other types of lights. They can also come so close to the light of the sun that they have actually improved moods and helped to keep winter depression at bay.

When used for design purposes they are wonderful in the fact that they shine where you want them to. They are great for highlighting a picture on the wall or under cabinetry. Of course they are also great for use in any other part of your home as well. You can use them for Holiday decorations, I’m sure you have all seen the LED Christmas lights I tried to talk my mother into buying them this year, it didn’t work, maybe next year.

LED Light.com has some wonderful charts and pictures that show the benefits of LED lights. Check it out if you would like to know more about these great lights.

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I love lighting. It not only helps you see but it can help you create a warm wonderful feeling or even a cold uncomfortable one. Most people want the first in there home, they want it to be warm and inviting so that people will stay there.

Lighting makes the difference. You can use candles to make a room not only look warm but feel and smell warm. With the holidays close at hand stock up on holiday scented candles and use them when your guest are over.

Another way to add light is to use a sconce or two in the dining room. There are many types of sconces, some you can use candles in, others are battery powered so you can take them down later. If you want something permanent of course they have those too and you can find them in most home improvement stores.

You can also make your own sconce by using any type of shelf or wall mounted candle holder and fiber glass or plastic cover. Get creative and wow your guest this holiday season.

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