Living Room Lighting

Sitting, talking, entertaining, listening to music, reading, writing, and watching television are normal accepted activities in most living rooms, and therefore the best kind of light is a good measure of general or diffuse light with a play of light and shade. There should be adequate working light where necessary, and well controlled highlighting for the more interesting display of art, plants, objects, and arrangements.

Most lighting designers agree that the best sort of general light is the reflected variety – light bounces off a wall – because it gives the least glare. This is obtained either from indirect sources like more or less concealed uplights, or from light concealed behind coves, or from wallwashers of one kind or another: or from direct lighting like table or floor lamps.

Whatever happens, do not let general light be all at one level of brightness. Our eyes see by means of contrasts, and nothing makes a room so flat, even boring, as bland light. Dimmers are a great help here with their easy going control of intensity. And dramatic light can be provided by a mixture of judiciously placed downlights and uplights, with highlights from spots.

Reading lights should be at a reasonable distance behind anyone reading, or if the light is a downlight, about a foot in front of the book or work; otherwise, the light on the page will be too bright. For writing, light should fall over the left shoulder of a right-handed person and vice versa. Alternatively, a portable desk lamp or adjustable wall mounted light should throw light onto the work.

Looking at television in an otherwise dark room is a strain. As a light near the viewer will reflect in the screen, a dimmed light behind the set is best if the set is on a shelf. If the set is free standing, use downlight or a floor lamp shining at the wall or down to the floor.

Dramatic lighting can be provided in storage units and on shelves or in alcoves. Collections of glass and ceramics look their best in front of translucent wall of light (made by fixing vertical strips lights to the wall behind the shelves and concealing them with panels of pearly Plexiglas, acrylic, or glass), or with a spot shining down on them from an angle. Single precious objects like a piece of sculpture, or even a plant or arrangement of flowers, are best served by a single downlight set above them, and other shelves can be lit up by the sides by baffled vertical strips. Objects on shelves can be picked out with tiny portable spots, and deeply recessed sections of wall units can be similarly treated.

Conventionally, paintings are lit from above by so-called picture lights, but they are better lit by spots fixed to the ceiling or walls, and better still by specific spots for the purpose, such as the parabolic variety with inbuilt transformers, or framing spots which can be specially adjusted to the size of the picture. These particular spots also make a dramatic job of lighting foliage, plants, or objects. An entire wall of paintings can be beautifully lit by plug-mold or a wash of light from recessed strips. This has the advantage of staying beautiful however much the paintings are juggled out.

Lamp Shades for Bedrooms

How to avoid making mistakes when choosing lamp shades for your bedroom and how to choose even when you don't know where to start.




Lamp shades come in many shapes, colors and designs and they are a great way of enhancing your bedroom décor provided they are in keeping with the style of your room.

If you are not sure what style of room you are hoping to achieve, start with thinking about that because a room with different styles vying with each other for attention is never going to look good.

For example, you could have a contemporary bedroom which has a minimalist theme with plain walls, window treatments and bedding and a simple metallic bed. Then you could add some superb lamps and shades in chrome and glass, even a contemporary chandelier and it would look a million dollars. Your lamps shades and lighting might be the focal point for the room in this instance especially at night.

On the other hand, you might choose a period look bedroom with a carved wooden bed and more ornate curtains with valances in rich colors. With a bedroom like that a couple of tall candle type table lamps with small shades in pleated silk might look more appropriate.

Then there are the nursery type shades which are designed and only appropriate for small kid's bedrooms or shades and lamps featuring football teams, movie stars, cartoon characters or ballet dancers suitable for older children with a particular hobby or favorite theme.

In fact, many of us are better at designing bedrooms for our kids than we are for ourselves. That's because kid's rooms lend themselves nicely to a theme whereas we are often afraid of choosing a particular look and end up choosing bedding we like with one look, lamp shades we "don't mind" with another and curtains from a third. We may cast an eye over our color selections making sure everything "goes together" but we are still not keeping to one style.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are those who decide that everything must come from one rage and they choose curtains, bedding and lamp shades which have the exact same design. That is too over the top and can make your bedroom look contrived. Or we choose everything in plain white or cream for fear of "getting it wrong".

If you are at a loss for how to design your bedroom, it may be that you just need make a decision that you will take the time to design it rather than let things you see in the stores and buy on the spur of the moment lead you into a lack of design.

Perhaps you just need inspiration.

If your home does not lend itself to one particular style or another and your bedroom is quite featureless that can be a problem. If you don't know where to start designing your bedroom and lighting, spend some time looking through interior design magazines and web sites so that you can pick out the kind of looks that you like until a particular look or theme solidifies in your mind.

You don't have to follow the magazines or the sites and buy everything they suggest - that would probably be prohibitively expensive. It's the general look that you like that you are trying to find. And don't rule out browsing through lighting catalogs and sites either because you would not be the first person to fall in love with a particular lamp shade or light and build a bedroom around it!

Choose the Correct Bedroom Wall Lamps

Your bedroom is the place in your home that provides peace and relaxation away from the stresses of every day life. You want the room to reflect on your personal style while providing the right ambiance for the moment. One way to inject mood into the room is with the correct lighting. Lighting comes in a variety of styles from the typical table lamp to the wall lamps and sconces.

When choosing the right light, take into consideration your wall colors and how they will affect the intensity of any type of lighting. Bright colored walls need less light than a room painted in darker colors. The light will also determine how you feel and function in a room as well.

What purpose will your bedroom serve? Do you use the bedroom primarily as a place to enjoy intimacy and sleep? Or is it a multi functional room where you read, watch television or do other hobbies? No matter what purpose the room serves there is a style of lighting to meet the need.

There are several types of lamp fixtures typically used in the bedroom. They include ceiling fixtures, chandeliers, ceiling fans with lights, track lighting, recessed lights and wall sconces and swing arm lamps.

The bedroom that's used for a variety of purposes needs to have layered lighting to provide light for specific areas that doesn't overlap. Layered lighting may require wiring on separate circuits. A study area lighting switch should be separate from indirect lighting that highlights featured art.

Task lighting is a major consideration if reading is a common activity in the bedroom. Swing arm wall lamps are a good choice, especially if one partner doesn't share in your love of reading in bed. The swivel arm on the lamp allows you to focus the light where you need it. The light should be positioned behind the reader. This will eliminate shadows and glare in your partners face. Each lamp should have separate power switches and dimmers. This way one lamp can be turned on while the other remains dark or dimmed.

The dressing area is very important in the bedroom since most people dress in them. A dressing table or area should have wall lights on either side of the mirror. This helps to eliminate shadows the face. For applying makeup easily, an adjustable mirror with magnification helps to reduce the amount of extra lighting needed.

For watching television, consider indirect lighting. A recessed light or wall lamps with low voltage bulbs the indirect lighting required to counterbalance the glare of the TV and still provide enough illumination to the wall area.

Many people choose to have a ceiling fan with or without lights in the bedroom. These are great for adjusting the temperature in the bedroom and providing a romantic feel. Make sure there is a dimmer control for a lighted ceiling fan.

Bedroom lighting should be soft and provide ambiance while promoting relaxation. Whether you choose to use swing arm wall lamps, sconces or table lamps, all lighting should be controlled with a dimmer switch. With careful planning in your lighting needs, your bedroom can provide you with just the right amount of comfort.

How To Use Proper Use Of Lighting

Lighting is the most important part to interior design. It can give the room atmosphere, from intimacy to enthusiasm. You do want to be sure that you are getting the look you are going for, and to do that it is important to know the four types of illumination:

Ambient lighting or general lighting, this is the lighting for the room as a whole. You can use the amount of light, the placement of light, and the amount of light in creating effects for every occasion.

Local lights, this is the intensity of the light. The amount of light needed for reading, doing crafts, cooking, shaving, or other household activities. It is the flow of light into a room, whether it is into the corner of the room, or the middle of the room. It has to be correctly measured so the eyes are not strained or exhausted when used for such activities.

Accent lights, these are the lights used to show off that special piece of art, or a particular area of a room. This is light used for "ornamental" purposes.

Natural light, this is the lighting that comes in through our windows and doors. This depends a lot on the season, time of day, and the weather. It can vary a lot in intensity and color.

You will need to do an analysis of your everyday activities, and know what you will do and where you will do it. Never hesitate in using different types of illumination. Creativity is a must. Illumination can create very interesting and different results and it is very difficult to get the same thing twice so uniqueness is practically guaranteed. Different lightning can appear to alter the dimensions of a room, meaning that it looks smaller or larger depending on the lighting.

The ways to apply lighting to a room may seem limitless so when deciding how to choose lighting think of them in two perspectives; esthetical and functional. In terms of functionality the lighting will serve the purpose intended, for instance will allow the person to see well enough to read or do their craft. So in this case, there will be enough light and the correct strength of light to fulfill that purpose. Creating the atmosphere is what fulfills the esthetical perspective.

For instance, when trying to choose lighting for your living room you may put a lamp behind every chair about three or four foot high. To highlight a painting you may put an accent light above it. You may also put one under the curio cabinet or bookshelf. Make sure that your general lighting is adjustable and that you have indirect light to cover the walls with light. You could place the indirect lighting in the floor in little spaces behind furniture, which would illuminate the walls.

Lighting For Bathroom

In the bathroom, you need plenty of even, shadow-free lighting for shaving, grooming, and applying makeup. In small bathrooms, mirror lights will illuminate the entire room, but in larger bathrooms, an additional ceiling fixture is needed for general lighting. A recessed infrared heat lamp will give you added warmth on chilly mornings.

Bath/Vanity Lighting Strips supply task lighting, while supplementing the general lighting provided by ceiling fixtures. Similar to the lighting in theater dressing rooms, these softly glowing strips of globe-shaped incandescent bulbs provide excellent lighting for applying makeup, shaving, and grooming.

Wall-Mounted Fixtures can furnish general, task, and accent lighting. Many are designed to match and supplement dining room chandeliers, or to provide hallway, bedroom, or living room lighting. Wall brackets are often used for task lighting at the bathroom mirror. They are available with a choice of incandescent, tungsten-halogen, and energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.


For small mirrors, decorative wall brackets on each side will illuminate both sides of your face evenly. You can also mount a wall bracket across the top of the mirror.

Fixtures equipped with incandescent bulbs behind glass or plastic diffusers provide the most flattering light. If you opt for more energy-efficient fluorescents, choose warm white tones They come closest to the color of incandescents.

Theatrical lighting strips around your bathroom mirror will give you the same excellent lighting the stars enjoy in their Broadway dressing rooms.


Tub and shower enclosures can be adequately lighted by placing an enclosed damp-location recessed downlight in the ceiling. These downlights are also recommended over whirlpool baths or in saunas.

Tips For Ideal Kitchen Lighting Design

Lighting in the kitchen is key, not only for it's decorative value but also for your everyday tasks. Find out how to get great lighting that is both decorative as well as practical.
Having the ideal kitchen lighting design can have a pronounced impact on your interior decorating scheme. It is a good idea for functional reasons as well as adding great decorative value. When thinking about kitchen lighting design, there are certain elements which you ought to consider. Below are some tips on how you can add wonderful kitchen lighting.

The type of lighitng you go with is pivotal and florescent lighting in particular is a huge no-no. Flourescent lighting is very stark and not charming at all. You can compliment your kitchen lighting design purposes by making use of an alluring dome or chandelier. You might also install a chandelier over the eating section.

You might want to decide on using recessed lights in your kitchen lighting design plan. You can use them together with other methods of lighting fixtures. Recessed lighting won't detract from your general interior decorating scheme as they are set into the ceiling . If you plan appropriately, they can supply even lighting all over the room. It is also practical to buy Pot lighting that you can move around to illuminate a chosen spot like cabinets or a certain display.

Installing your lighting in the most fitting place is another thing that is important. You would be smart to place the lighting where it will be needed the most. You will need to be sure to plan for lighting in the food prep area of the kitchen together with the dining section. Aim for even, moderate lighting but steer clear of over lighting, which could be harsh and give off more heat. It is a fantastic idea to have each light be operated from a separate dimmer switch so you are able to adjust the level of light.

For lighting above an eating bar or island, make use of pendant lights. They can be bought in several distinct lengths and designs to match any kitchen. If your island is used for food prep, this style of lighting is great as it illuminates directly down to brighten a particular area.

Since you will be chopping and preparing food in the kitchen, you also will need task lighting for those areas. Now, this can be accomplished with recessed lights, even still there are other places where task lighting should not be disregarded. Generally, undercounter lighting is practiced for these task areas. This type of lighting can kill two birds with one stone. They light up your food prep tasks. And they can also illuminate any decorations you have on your counter.

There are various kitchen lighting design options to make your home interior design really shine. Pick what you like, but be certain that the lights coordinate with your room design. Lighting should be practical but also balance your room design. There are a bunch of lights which you can pick, so have fun decorating with your own distinct lighting design.

Lighting Tips: Easy Ways to Improve a Home

In this economy, people turn to investing in things closest to them particularly the comfort of their homes. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to do that is with lighting: Redeco-rating with lighting is not only a nice reflection on a home, it can upgrade your living space.

Whether you install a dramatic chandelier, accent your house with outdoor lighting, or simply plug in a beautifully designed table lamp, lighting does more than complete the décor it boosts the value of your home, creates atmosphere, and helps to express your per-sonal style.

The reason lighting is one of the most economical investments for homeowners is that it can make a great difference without involving major renovation expenses. People see their homes as havens from day-to-day difficulties, says Todd Langner of Kichler Lighting, the world's largest decorative lighting company. The right lighting sets a comforting tone and conveys to guests that the people who live there value home and family.

Dollar-for-dollar lighting adds more to your home because it makes an impact in more than one way: when it's off, the light fixture or lamp itself is a design element, and when it's on, the light plays can dramatically affect the look and feel of the room.

Lighting also is functional: It can make a small room look spa-cious and a large room seem cozy. Here are some tips to help you choose the right light:

*Consider the size of the room. Simply put, it should be in the right proportion for your space. It's a good idea to bring a photo of the room as well as its dimensions to the showroom, so the lighting professional will be able to tell you the proper height, width and extension to select.
*Ask yourself what you want the lighting to accomplish? Do you want to illuminate the whole room, highlight a task, or accent an area for effect?
*Use a professional, certified electrician for installation. Refer-ral from an authorized lighting showroom can mean the work is backed by service guarantees.
*Bring the inside out. Don't forget that outdoor lighting not only adds to the curb appeal of your house, it can increase its value and provide security for your surroundings.
*Look for quality in design and craftsmanship. Remember that lighting should look as beau-tiful in a room in the daytime when it's turned off as it does in the evening.

Choosing Kitchen Lighting

Lighting has a major role in setting up the moods and interiors of any place. Same is applicable to the case of a kitchen. Even in a kitchen it is very important to go for the right kind of lighting. It's up to you to decide what kind of light makes you feel active and vibrant, for most of the people bright and clear light are mind and activeness booster. The lighting in your kitchen not only affects your mood but also your quality of work then also while designing kitchen people tend to ignore this aspect. Here is something that you must know about choosing Kitchen Lighting

Kitchen Lighting: What should you keep in concern?
There are basically two types of lighting in Kitchen, the functional lighting and the decorative lighting. For functional lighting popular fixtures are fluorescents, recessed lights, and low voltage lighting. For decorative fixtures people tend to opt for ornamental glass, pewter and satin nickel lighting fixtures. The most important factor in Kitchen lighting is that there should be a balancing nature between decorative and functional lights. If a kitchen has a amicable environment, it is because of the proper task and ambience lighting.

How to choose the right kitchen lighting?

You should be clear about selection and placement of lights in your kitchen and the focus should be on amicable lighting environment in the Kitchen.

If you are completely unaware of the lighting procedure, it is better to seek a professional advice. A professional lighting expert will tell you about the correct lighting fixtures in accordance with your interiors.

You can actually get confused if you go to market without drawing a rough sketch of your requirements and wishes, you must priory decide whether you want to go for a traditional or a contemporary kind of lighting.

You can customize your kitchen lighting by using two or three kinds of lighting together, this will also help you achieve a dramatized effect.

Do not just think of the looks, also keep in concern that the fixtures that you are choosing are easily maintainable or not.

It is good to choose lighting systems with dimmers so that intensity of light can be varied according to need and mood.

Apart from top lighting, you should also go for fluorescent lighting in the cupboard and below the shelves. If you have a kitchen island go for two or three pendent fixtures over it.

Tips On Choosing A Chandelier For Your Family Room

Fashionable and functional elegant lighting fixtures should be incorporated into the home just as any decorative accessory or art object would be chosen. Most home decor experts say that a fine chandelier is an investment that will add to the value of your home.

In finding the right chandelier style for your home, simply begin with a color or a material that is predominant in the overall decorative scheme of a room. What catches your eye in a specific room and what type of statement do you want to make?

If the room is more traditional, choose chandeliers with more ornamentation and classical decorative details. If your home is modern, go for those with less ornamentation and simpler details.

Tips In Getting The Right-Sized Chandelier For Your Living Room

Mounted lighting fixtures have dual purposes. They are there not just to illuminate a room; they also provide aesthetic appeal to it by bringing elegance and adding a unique glow to your room. Unlike lamps that one can move around, chandeliers are more of semi-permanent structures which will require more proper positioning for these fixtures to work well and look good.

The first tip in choosing a chandelier relates to size. Homeowners need to consider the proportion between the size of the room and the size of the lighting piece. A chandelier that is too small for a room will surely look isolated. On the other hand, if it is too large for a room, it will appear cluttering. With a wide array of chandeliers available today, the chances are high in getting the perfect one that suits most homes.

Employ Some Creativity When Getting The Right Chandelier

The art of squeezing out the best of your creative juices, is very much needed in getting the right lighting fixture for your room, as there are a wide range of designs, finishes and styles to choose from. Each chandelier adds a touch of elegance to any room and vibrancy into the domestic atmosphere.

Many unique styles can range from the elaborate and large ones to minimalist and aesthetically pleasing designs. These elegant lighting pieces can complement other lighting very easily and will certainly add value to one's home. When choosing a living room chandelier, in particular, attention to proportions becomes clearly magnified.

The fixture must neither dominate a room nor look totally insignificant. The best thing to do is to measure width and length of the family room's main table and consider these measurements in shopping. As a rule of thumb, the span of the chandelier must be 12 inches shorter than the table's width (or diameter).

It's a rule that most chandeliers should be placed generally higher than 8 feet above the floor in the middle of the room or foyer for safety and style. If the electrical connection on the ceiling does not work with the center of a room, add a heavy-duty decorative hook on the ceiling above the center, and then attach a length of chain to carry the wiring from the electrical connection to the hook.

A chandelier with three or more light sockets is probably more suited to 40 watt bulbs. Once correct bulbs are chosen and installed, the chandelier should give off sufficient light coverage without blinding anyone. Installing dimmer controls is often recommended because they allow adjustment of the light's intensity, and suit your preferences.

Practical Living Room Lighting Tips

These living room lighting tips takes into account the many activities in the living room. With these living room lighting tips, you’ll be able to get a grip of flexible lighting to accommodate the range of activities:



Mix Lighting - Avoid using one central light that will create hard shadows and glare. Instead, combine general lighting like fluorescent or PLC downlights with halogen lights. This will distribute light more uniformly throughout the space. Also, general light, recessed in the ceiling or spots overhead will need back up from 'task' lighting at eye level.


Spotlighting - Your prized decorations, be they a favorite pottery or sculpture – are probably in the living room. So show them off with spotlighting, this goes for art on walls as well.


Floored - Floor lamps are handy for areas where it isn’t easy to fit wall, ceiling or table lamps. Position one behind the sofa to add interest to a room.


Level It - Lamps placed at a low height around the living room emphasize the “sit-down” feel around the sofa.


Glare Gone - Don’t strain your eyes by watching television in a darkened room. Backlight your TV set by placing a lamp behind the screen to soften the contrast and reduce the glare.


Read Well - The best reading light is provided by a floor lamp with a bulb shielded from the eyes and adjustable shade that casts a direct beam of light to the exact spot you need it.



Chill Out - Dot table lamps around the room; such as side tables, shelves and consoles. When you want a chill-out mood, switch these on instead of general lights.


Diffuse It - For the day, folding screens of fabric, wood or paper on pivotal hinges can be unique options to curtains and shutters for diffusing light. Also, indirect lighting (suggested above) creates flattering glow. If you can, reflect light off the ceiling, walls and floor. I recommend using warm white light bulbs instead of daylight bulbs since the latter pick up everything, reducing the feeling of warmth most home-owners seek.


Control It - Using a centrally controlled lighting system, pools of light may be created in the living room to define separate areas.


Fake It - If you have areas where general lighting does not reach, install false ceilings with overhead downlights to cover the entire room with sufficient lighting.


Dim It – With a dimmer, you’d be able to control artificial light to suit your mood and the range of activities.

Lighting For Dining Room and Extra Tips.

Dining room lighting should be both beautiful and functional. This requires a mix of general, task, and accent lighting that can set the mood for a number of functions, including a formal dinner, a family get-together, and other activities such as homework, hobbies, or family bookkeeping. Dimming controls will enable you to vary the light for each occasion.

• Chandeliers can add sparkle and style to your dining room while giving you the general lighting you need for dining and entertaining. They are also used in bedrooms, foyers, or over a living room grouping or a grand piano. Some are designed with downlights to provide task lighting for homework or table games, or to accent table settings. Chandeliers are available in both incandescent and tungsten-halogen. The addition of a dimmer control lets you alter the intensity of light to suit the mood and activity.
• A buffet or sideboard can be flanked with wall sconces on either side. Choose fixtures that complement the style of your chandelier. Displayed objects can be accented with recessed downlights installed in the ceiling above.
• A chandelier is the focal point of the dining room. Suspended over the dining table, it serves as a decorative style element that enhances the beauty of your fine furnishings. When the light is dimmed, a soft, glowing atmosphere similar to candlelight is created. If equipped with a downlight, the chandelier provides task lighting for the table and accent lighting for a centerpiece.
• A China cabinet, breakfront, hutch, or wall niche can become a showplace for your prized collectibles by installing strips of low-voltage mini-lights under the shelves.
• A family portrait can be dramatically lighted with recessed adjustable accent fixtures. Ask the certified lighting consultants at your local ALA showroom to help you choose fixtures that are best suited for this purpose.
• Recessed or track lighting provides general lighting, while enabling you to highlight prized possessions throughout the room. A ring of four recessed downlights around the dining table supplements the light from the chandelier, while providing accent lighting for your tableware. The pure white light of low-voltage fixtures with tungsten-halogen bulbs will make your crystal and silverware sparkle.

6 Essential Tips For Choosing Children’s Room Lighting

When you’re doing up a room for your child you always come up to a problem of choosing the lighting for the room. There are a lot of lighting units in the store but you should choose the one that will suit the whole design of the room and will be safe and convenient for the child.

All the things that surround your child in the room should have the minimal injury risk and the maximum material quality. That’s why you should always make purchases in special stores and check the manufacturer and certificates.

A newborn baby doesn’t need a lot of light for the first months of its life. A simple table lamp with a matt lampshade or a night-lamp will be enough. But in about three months you may start thinking about placing something else. Children lamps in the shapes of different animals can be a good choice – they light up the room with a gentle yellow, light orange, light green or blue light and provide a source of entertainment for the kid. They can be either ceiling lamps or table lamps.A lot of manufacrurers produce lamps for childern. You may check out IKEA Store, for example.

When your child gets older, a simple lamp in the shape of an animal won’t be enough. The room should have a better lighting in the play zone and the area of the kid’s desk where he draws or learns to read or to write. Moreover, lamps in the room should be break-resistant. Your child will also need a bed lamp for reading with a regulated brightness, so that it could provide a good lightning when the child reads and could be dimmed when the child goes to sleep.

When it’s time your kid went to school you should make sure that the child’s room has three sources of lighting: ceiling lamps, wall lamps and a proper lighting of the working area of the desk. While you’re free to choose any style and type for the first two sources, you should pay special attention to the last one. The desk should be lighted with a halogen light – this type of lighting is quite close to the day-light and gives less tension on the eyes.

And at last - you should always control the safety of plugs and make sure there aren’t too many wires in the child’s room.

How to Light Your Art

For many people, illuminating art is an afterthought at best. Most of the time, we simply drive a nail into the wall and stick the thing on it. Sure, you can hang a painting on your living room wall and call it a day. But the addition of properly chosen and installed lighting fixtures can really highlight your artwork – as well as protect it as an investment. Deciding what fixtures to use, where to use them, and how to complement your decor and the piece’s framework is all it takes to take your art to the next level of design perfection. Follow these simple suggestions, and you can’t go wrong.

1. Is your art behind glass? If so, and if it’s not special non-reflective glass, you’ll want to go with more subdued lighting, usually in the form of a much lower wattage, softer bulb.

2. If the piece is particularly large or grand, consider illuminating it using a pair of fixtures, like sconces or small wall lights, on either side. Be careful with this, though; if you choose lamps that are overly ornate, the effect might come off as over the top and baroque. Unless, of course, that’s the look you’re going for. In which case, go for it with gusto!

3. Never under any circumstance should you hang your artwork in direct sunlight. Many a valuable painting has been destroyed by the sun’s UV rays, and this damage is not typically covered by most home insurance policies. Avoid the problem in the first place. Even if you put the art behind glass that claims to block UV rays, the heat from the sun can wreak havoc.

4. Not that you would use a fluorescent bulb, anyway, but – just as a reminder – you shouldn’t. Displaying artwork should involve incandescents, which emit a very small percentage of UV rays, limiting the potential damage they create to your art.

5. Visit a frame store to see what options are available to you for individual lights designed to illuminate art. Your framer will also be a great resource for ideas and troubleshooting.

6. A basic rule to remember: Use the lowest level light you can. A brightly lit piece of art is never enjoyable to look at; on the other hand, a painting that has just enough light to enjoy its depth and richness is much more pleasing.
There are, of course, other factors to consider, like complementing framework (for example, if your painting’s frame is gold, you probably don’t want to go with a brushed nickel fixture) and your home decor (if your furniture has a stark, modern aesthetic, you probably want to stay roughly in that feel). But the rules are not hard and fast, and you can certainly mix and match different fixtures to achieve the result you’re looking for. Just remember that displaying art beautifully should focus attention on the art itself, not how it’s displayed.

Lighting Up Your Space

One aspect of decorating that many people may not think about is lighting design. We might add in our table lamps and call it a day, but lighting design is much more than a couple of decorative table lamps. So, before you run out and buy the first lamp or fixture you like, think about how it will function in your space.

Lighting design incorporates 3 types of lighting to create a welcoming and functional space with dramatic style and interest.

The 3 Basic Types of Lighting Are:

Ambient or General Lighting: General lighting is the all-purpose typeof lighting that creates a comfortable, safe environment.



Task Lighting: When you think of task lighting, think of the type of lighting that focuses on a certain spot that makes working much easier, like under-cabinet lights in your kitchen. This type of lighting is essential for kitchens, home offices, reading and even bathrooms.


Accent Lighting: Accent lighting is used to highlight certain features or aspects of your home to include artwork, niches, built in bookshelves or simply to create a sense of drama. Accent lighting is not designed for room illumination so it should be used in conjunction with both General and Task lighting for balance. There are several forms of accent lighting that can be used to create mood and style.


Kinetic Lighting: Lighting that evokes movement such as the soft flicker of candles or the romance of a lit fireplace. Kinetic Lighting can also be lighting that comes from lava lamps or mirrored balls for example.

Indirect or Up Lighting: This type of lighting is similar to general lighting and uses fixtures to throw the light onto ceilings or upper portions of the walls. This is a great way to reduce glare in your home office or living room.

Wall Washing: This type of lighting design highlights a vertical surface. Think of the recessed lights that throw a single beam of light downward to highlight a piece of artwork or flank a fireplace. The light can be placed on the floor directed upward as well.

Once you understand the types of lighting, it's time to take a look at your space and determine your needs. If you're designing a lighting scheme for your kitchen, you know you will need to incorporate task lighting with your general lighting. Think about where you do your food preparations and the light you need over your cooktop. A great example of task lighting in the kitchen would be using recessed ceiling fixtures directly above an island area. The same type of lighting design should be used in a bathroom. Your task area will be your vanity space.

Another important aspect of lighting design is understanding that the fabrics, colors and surfaces in a room all contribute to the feel of a room and often reflect light differently. It is important to consider all aspects of a room from the materials used to the lighting source in order to create a comfortable room that comes together in both function and style.

Some Tips in Choosing and Installing Right Chandeliers for Your Homes

Chandeliers are ubiquitous in that they can be found in practically all homes - at least in the ones that are elegant - in the United States and elsewhere.

Having had its roots in the Medieval period, the earliest known chandeliers took the shape of crosses with spikes on which candles could be securely placed. During that time, the presence of chandeliers could only be found in places of assembly. How times have changed.

Today, the chandeliers are more intricate in design and has found their way into private homes, specifically in dining rooms. But what makes chandeliers in style? They are popular because no other furnishing can command as much attention.

How To Choose The Right Chandelier

If you're thinking of buying a chandelier, the criteria for choosing the best one is actually NOT based on your personal taste, but rather in (a) the size of your table and (b) on how much illumination your dining room needs.

The typical feature across all light bulbs is that they have multiple bulbs that shed off a great deal of brightness. But how much light does your dining room need? Measure the size of your room. Multiply the length of the room by the width, then you multiply the result with by 1.5. So if the size of your room is 12 feet by 15 feet, the formula would look this way: 12 x 15 x 1.5. If you do the math, you will find that you need a total of 270 watts. The chandelier that will provide enough illumination is the one with 6-40 watt bulbs. To provide the best lighting, you should coordinate the chandelier with other light fixtures, wall sconces or buffet lamps.

A chandelier's diameter should not exceed to around 1/2 of the width of your dining table. It should be suspended from 27 to 30 inches above. Certainly, the number of light bulbs on the chandelier shouldn't be your only consideration when buying one. You should keep in mind the chandelier's design, its size and, of course, your finances.


Installing Your Chandelier

So, now you've bought a chandelier. What you need to do now is have your chandelier installed. Handle with care when installing your chandelier as they are elaborately designed.

- Check the weight. You surely don't want your newly-bought chandelier to fall off upon installation. Should your chandelier be heavier than you existing lighting, you may need to replace the ceiling's junction box.

- This is practically common sense, but you need to disconnect the power connecting to your chandelier when you are in the process of installing it.

- Take out the old lighting and take note of how your previous lighting was installed. Replace the old lighting with your new chandelier.

Be sure you have a mounting strap in place from your ceiling. Attach your chandelier's hardware to the mounting strap. Screw the mounting strap to the junction box.

- Connect the wires of your chandelier to that of your ceiling.

Tips on choosing the perfect lighting for your Living Room

Unless you're well versed in home decorating techniques and terminology, sorting out the variety of home lighting functions and effects can be a daunting task. What's ambient lighting? What's the difference between incandescent and fluorescent bulbs? How do I choose the right lighting for my kitchen? A hallway? The dining room? Do I need task lighting or utility lighting for my home office?

The best way to make sense of all the options and choose what's best for each room in your home is to plan your lighting scheme around the activity or activities that will take place in the room. In general, you need more light for performing involved tasks such as reading or cooking, and less for relaxing and entertaining. Next, you need to answer three questions:

1)How bright should the light be?
2)Should it be direct or indirect light?
3)What type of light source is best - halogen, fluorescent, or incandescent?

Brightness

Home offices, studies, and reading areas need moderate brightness. Be sure not to make the common mistake of over-lighting a reading area. Choose bulbs around 75 to 100 watts for optimal reading and working light - any more creates too much glare and shadow and causes a strain on your eyes.

Dining and living areas take moderate brightness as well, but because these rooms are used mainly for entertaining and conversation, just how bright you make them depends on your family's tastes. A general rule of thumb for dining areas is 200 to 300 watts from a single fixture (usually a chandelier), whereas a living room often needs several fixtures anywhere from 75 to 150 watts to ensure good light coverage. To make sure the brightness of your lighting is perfect for every occasion, try putting dining and living area lights on a dimmer switch so you can easily control the rooms? ambience.
Your kitchen should be the brightest room in your home, while hallways and entryways need the least amount of light. You'll need lots of bright light to perform food preparation tasks, so consider options such as track lighting in addition to overhead pendant lights to highlight a cutting area, as well as recessed undercabinet and stove spotlights to brighten sinks and counters. On the other hand, hallways and entryways require subtle lighting - just 40 to 60 watts is fine - since they're used only as passageways to other rooms.Direct and indirect lighting

Direct lighting comes from a single, "exposed" source, such as a pendant light or desk lamp, and provides lots of brightness, which is ideal for tasks such as reading and playing games.

Indirect, or ambient, lighting is more subdued. The source is often hidden - recessed lighting is an example - and the resulting light is more diffused and gentle. Indirect lighting is used primarily to flood large living areas with soft light. It's often used in combination with task and accent lights to illuminate an area to create ambience and intimacy or to soften harsh shadows created by powerful direct lighting.

An example of where this combination of direct and indirect lighting is essential is in the home office or study area. A desk lamp is a good choice for a direct lighting option because it brightly illuminates a reading area. But the direct light causes glare on white reading surfaces, which often leads to eye strain. To counteract this effect, you can add indirect overhead lighting such as track lights to soften glare and remove shadows.

Types of light sources

There are three types of light sources to choose from when planning your lighting scheme:

* Incandescent
* Fluorescent
* Halogen

- Incandescent bulbs are most commonly used in residential applications. This type of bulb produces warm, natural-looking light that resembles daylight.

- Fluorescent light, which is most often used in commercial settings, is more economical than incandescent because it produces less heat and less energy (about 7 watts compared to 60 watts). Fluorescent bulbs also tend to last longer, because they don't contain filaments. On average, one fluorescent bulb can last up to six years longer than an incandescent bulb. However, it's important to remember that fluorescent light makes skin tones look less natural, and many fluorescent bulb types can't be dimmed.

- Halogen light is another energy-saving option. Halogen bulbs are filled with halogen gas, which causes the particles of tungsten to be redeposited onto the tungsten filament. The result is longer-lasting, whiter, and brighter light than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs can render. Though they last longer and have low energy output, halogen bulbs are typically more expensive and bulkier than their counterparts. Also, keep in mind that their nonstandard contact elements require your fixtures and housing to be halogen-compatible, so you could be looking at a significant initial cost outlay.

In general, incandescent light works best in living and dining areas, while fluorescent or halogen light brightens task-oriented areas well.

Remember, when deciding how to light your home, start with an evaluation of room usage, traffic patterns, and the individual tastes of your family members. You'll end up with a lighting design that will transform your home into a warm, intimate environment you love spending time in.

How to Choose the Right Lamp for a Dining Room

Choosing lamps for a dining room is about your style, the room's color palette, the mood you want to create and the kind of light you want in the room during the day and at night. Lamps come in many shapes, sizes, colors, styles and materials. Choosing the right lamp for your dining room can be an extension of yourself and your needs.


Choose Your Style

Step1 Define your style. Is your taste traditional, contemporary, Asian, Spanish, Mexican, English country, Italian, Mediterranean, Swedish, Victorian, vintage retro or one of many other styles?
Step2 Decide if you want a table lamp, floor lamp or a combination.
Step3 Determine the size of the lamp you want. Define your desired width and height.
Step4 Decide on a color for the lamp. Decide on the material for the shade and the body of the lamp.


Evaluate Room's Usage

Step1 Track the traffic patterns in the room.
Step2 Define where the room is lightest and darkest both during the day and at night.
Step3 Decide where you want to put lamps. The buffet, dining table, end table and sideboard are all potential locations.


Choose Lighting Options

Step1 Decide whether the light should be operated with a toggle switch, a dimmer switch or a three-way switch.
Step2 Decide if you want soft and warm or bright and cool light. Use incandescent bulbs for softer light and fluorescent bulbs for cooler light.
Step3 Use halogen bulbs for a high-intensity bright light.

Interior Design and Decorating Lighting Planning in your Home - General Considerations

General Considerations for Planning Lighting
General considerations when selecting interior lighting for new or existing spaces.

Light in the room needs contrast and/or shadow.

If it is too even then it will become bland and give little stimulation which leads to a boring and depressed feeling in the room (note this should not be confused with an office or studio or classroom which may require a bright overall ambient light for concentrated work).

Consider texture in the light effect. A strong direct light on to a heavily textured fabric or wall of stone or grooved timber will flatten it, so what is the point in having the texture.

This note relates directly to features. Features usually have to be given special treatment concerning lighting to bring out the best in the feature and to help others notice it in the overall look of the room.

Remember that the lighting is there as the accent to your interior design. It is not just function, it shows the form.




Picture lights obviously highlight pictures, and they add lighting to the perimeter of the room, helping to define the outside dimensions of the room.




Picture lights obviously highlight pictures, and they add lighting to the perimeter of the room, helping to define the outside dimensions of the room.
When deciding on the interior lighting for a room, consider these questions: What kind of mood should the lighting create? What different activities take place in the room? What decorative elements do you want to attract attention to?

In general, to create an inviting atmosphere use five to ten light sources in every room.

To simplify your interior decorating decisions, there are lighting collections available with the same finish and style for pendants, chandeliers, wall-mounted sconces, as well as floor and table lamps. Using fixtures from the same collection within a single room creates a unified look and can save a lot of time searching.

To make rooms interesting, vary the height of the light sources in the room. The differing heights add depth and interest by creating separate areas of light and shade.

In most rooms, you should allow for varying intensities of light. Add dimmer switches or use three-way bulbs in lamps for flexibility. In addition, alternate switching patterns between general lighting, task lights, lamps, and accent lighting.
For example, while you are preparing food for a dinner party, you will need task lighting instead of accent lighting, but when the guests arrive, you will want to be able to switch off the task lights and turn on the accent lights.
Remember, because dark colours absorb light, you will need to use more lighting in rooms decorated with dark colors than rooms with light colors.

When lighting a room from the ceiling due to the ceiling's reflectance the room appears larger.

Conversely when lit from the floor or table lamps the room will feel more intimate.

Wall reflectance in large rooms is usually unimportant because of the rooms very size the walls will always seem distant however in a smaller room wall lighting is significant as it will appear to increase the size of the room, depending on the colour, or bring the walls in closer by causing focus on them.





Candles and Candelabra provide little light but the naked flame creates warmth and a romantic mood.


Why does directed light create mood more than overall or ambient light? Because it allows focus as well as illumination. With these two tools, features that evoke mood can be enhanced or reduced in their appearance.

Tricks include:
Concealed lighting. E.g. Behind pelmets to shine down drapes, lights fixed under tables eg side tables, lights fixed under permanent furniture eg cabinetry, or lights fixed under a couch, easy chair or coffee table.

Candles and Candelabra
These give little light but the mood is created by the focus on the candle and its holder as well as the warmth of a naked flame. Ideal for creating a romantic feeling in a bedroom or dining room.

To summarize, there are numerous factors to consider when selecting interior lighting. The interior decoration of a room, the furniture placement, the function and activities to be performed in the space as well as budgetary and aesthetic issues.

As long as you approach the task in a methodical manner, it should all be straightforward. Write down all the influencing factors, needs and wants for each room, use your plan and then set about creating the lighting for each space.

Interior Design and Decorating Lighting Planning in your Home - The New Room

The New Room Interior Lighting Planning
Before you embark on purchasing or deciding the lights that you prefer, look very closely at the room.

It is essential to have your furniture plan worked out before deciding on the light fittings and fixtures positions.

Allow for some general light, this is a light that is an overall source.

The general light has not had its light focused into a beam or set in a particular direction.

The light shines in all directions from its source without obstruction, glass and translucent shades are included in this.




A central light source on the ceiling providing general light for the room. It does make the room appear small as it does not highlight the corners of the room.

Then allow to highlight focal points with directional light, this is light that is focused and forced to travel in a particular direction by either a reflector or baffle. This may be a spotlight of any sort or a lamp with an opaque shade (not translucent) so that the light goes in a particular direction.





An option to make general light softer in a room is with reflected light, this is light that is bounced off another object usually a wall or a ceiling or it can be part of a fitting or bulb. It comes from a directional light source usually but has the light diffused by the reflection.

Rather than a spotlight shining directly onto an object the light is bounced off a wall or ceiling to subtly and/or softly illuminate rather than the full intensity of directional light.

Uplighters and downlighters are forms of spotlights that rely on the reflected light off the floor or the ceiling, although note that a downlight can be used to illuminate an object directly at a pinch.

Downlights come in all sorts of forms that give a narrow beam that spreads down to the floor. They are recessed or semi recessed and may be a feature or extremely discreet. Some have baffles or reflectors and are able to be angled to direct light to wash a wall i.e. a wall washer.
Uplighters can be freestanding or may be mounted directly to the wall and either fully shrouded or have a translucent shade giving an overall ambient light as well as a reflected light.

Interior Design and Decorating Lighting Planning in your Home - The Existing Room

The Existing Room
A number of options exist to illuminate the room without having to change fittings that are hardwired or permanent features and fixtures.

Using freestanding lamps and uplights we can enhance and focus on the features mentioned previously.

The Table Lamp
These come in all forms and sizes, and the shade can be a feature or selected to blend in with the existing decoration.
The lamp can be used to illuminate a corner or as a task light beside a chair for reading, writing or needlework.


The ideal positioning of the lower edge of the lampshade should be at eye level when you are seated - varying between 970 mm and 1007 mm above the floor.
Other features of the simple table lamp are that it gives three forms of lighting; uplight / downlight, task light or ambient background light.

This is especially useful if the lamp is attached to a dimmer.





The lamp can be used to illuminate a corner or as a task light beside a chair for reading, writing or needlework.


This is similar to left but is used more for placing in corners to make a room feel larger, or dividing up spaces when placed between two sofas for example.





The Free Standing Lamp
This is similar to above but is used more for placing in corners to make a room feel larger, or dividing up spaces when placed between two sofas for example.