Foyer Lighting Design: 2 Factors to Consider

The foyer of the home is usually the entrance used by guests.  Creating a welcoming and stylish foyer is not a difficult task.  Along with various home accents and furniture, foyer lighting can greatly impact the overall tone of your space. 

Most sizable foyers are illuminated with multiple layers of light.  If a home has a sizeable foyer, there are likely several windows at the entrance of the home.  One popular light fixture used in sizable foyers is the chandelier.  There are large elaborate chandeliers and modern chandeliers to accommodate several styles of home décor.  Another light fixture commonly found in foyers is the semi flush fixture.

Things to Consider When Shopping for Foyer Light Fixture

There are two important factors to consider when shopping for a foyer light fixture.  When shopping for your light fixture, consider the size of your space and the amount of natural light in your space.

Correct Size

Placing a large chandelier in small foyer will not be very appealing.  Although the chandelier itself is a beautiful fixture, placing it in a space far too small will take away from the beauty of the fixture. The first step in shopping for light fixtures, gather the measurements of your foyer.  Carefully compare the diameter of your light fixture and the dimensions of your foyer. 

Amount of Light

If the foyer of your home has a nice amount of natural light from windows, your lighting design plan will not require as much lighting from light fixtures.  Not all light fixtures offer the same amount of light.  When selecting a light fixture, consider the amount of natural light in your foyer.  This will help avoid too much or insufficient lighting in your foyer.

Living Room Lighting Planning: 3 Commonly Used Layers of Light Commonly Used

When creating a lighting plan for a living room it is critical to consider the various activities that will occur in the space.  More often, the living room of a home is used to entertain guest, watch movies, and menial tasks such as reading.  Considering the intended use of the living room, most living rooms require several types of lighting in the overall living room lighting plan.  Let’s review common types of lighting used in living rooms:

General Lighting

Of all of the types of lighting, general lighting is the one type of lighting that is almost a requirement in living room lighting design.  General lighting illuminates the room for day to day activities such as entertaining guests or enjoying a family movie.  Commonly, general lighting is provided by a ceiling light fixtures or lamps.

Task Lighting

Task lighting is used to provide light in a specific space or area within a room.  This form is used to complete tasks that require attention to detail such as reading, completing homework or working on various crafts.  While this form of lighting provides efficient lighting for a specified area, it is usually not sufficient lighting for an entire room.

Accent Lighting

If there is a desire to place attention on decorative wall art, a mirror, or other plant, accent lighting is included in the lighting design.  Accent lighting either shines from above or below a specified area placing an emphasis on a particular object.  A light fixture often used to accent various pieces of home décor is recessed light fixture.

When creating a lighting plan for your living room, carefully access your space and the intended use.  Next, take a look at the many layers of light used in residential lighting plan and determine which best suit your needs.  We hope we have provided a clear illustration on how various types of lighting are incorporated into living room lighting planning.

4 Unique Ideas to Light up Your Home

Some houses can be dark and dingy. If your house is like this, then this can have an adverse effect on your mood and emotions. Why keep yourself in the dark when you can light up your home in many ways? Yes. You don’t have to stick boring old light bulbs and florescent lamps. Here are 5 unique ideas to light up your home.

 

 

Candle sconces. These are brackets that come in different shapes and designs and are used to hold candles. They can be placed on mirrors, stuck up the wall or on picture frames. Candle sconces can give your home a warm and romantic air. However if you think that candles are too unsafe then you can opt for wall sconces. Instead of candles, they utilize bulbs that run on electricity. Wall sconces come in different designs and colors. To make your room more inviting, use yellow light bulbs.

Lamp posts. If you have a huge front or back yard then you’ll need to light it up with lamp posts. This can illuminate the outside of your home and make it a less likely target for thieves. Plus it would be safer for you and your family as you’ll have an easier time getting around. Lamp posts come in many designs, colors and height.
Deck lights. If you live in a huge house with a big deck then having deck lights can work to your advantage. There are many sizes and shapes when it comes to deck lights. They can also come in different colors. And since they often have a low voltage, they don’t generate as much in terms of electricity compared to regular lights. Aside from illuminating your house at night they provide a nice ambiance for sitting outside during clear nights.
Lanterns. Aside from deck lights, putting lanterns in your back yard is another nice way to light up your home. Lanterns often come in different geometric patterns. They can even be in the shape of different animals such as bird or butterflies. Lanterns can be used to light up your home both indoors and outdoors.
Playing around with the lighting is one of the easiest ways to add pizzaz to your home. So let your creative side lose and light up your home in these 4 unique ways.

Our guest author of the day is Chris Zuckerman. 
Chris Zuckerman is the President at his b deck and steel deck fabrication facility located in Atlanta GA. He loves to play golf and travel around the world with his wife and 3 kids.

Basement Lighting Design: Easy as 1..2..3

Basement Lighting Design 101

Image courtesy of basementlighting.org

Basements are no longer used solely for storage.  Basements are used for a variety of reasons these days from entertaining friends, to storage, living space and at times even  as a workshop.  It is important as with any living space to properly plan lighting design for your basement.

Recessed Lighting and track lighting are both perfect for basement lighting. Basements are usually used to entertain or for recreation. Both recessed lighting and track lighting easily enhacnce the décor of a space. While these type of fixtures can upgrade a space instantly, they are very inexpensive in comparison to other forms of lighting.
When designing lighting for your basement, make sure the basic components are addressed. For instance, when mapping out the placement of light switches, make sure a light switch is placed at the top of the stairs or at the entry of the basement. It can be very challenging and at times to enter a basement without proper lighting. The power switch for lighting should be easily accessible. Also, ensure there is adequate power for the lighting design. Poor planning in this area can lead to power failures, faulty wiring or worse, a fire. Finally as with lighting design for any room, consider the use of the room. If a portion of the basement will be used for a study or office, make sure adequate lighting is provided for reading or similar tasks.
Your basement lighting plan is just a second away. Proper planning and careful execution can yield wonderful results. The tips we have shared are sure to get your basement lighting plan off to a great start!

Add a Personal Touch: DIY Light Fixtures

Creating a custom light fixture for your home is an excellent option for homeowners looking to enhance their home’s decor. Not only are these light fixtures unique and one of a kind, they also allow individuals to add a touch of their personality to their home!

MopTopMaven created this beautiful Structural Pendant Lamp for her home. How beautiful! Think of the possibilities!

She even posts the following tutorial to help you get started:

DIY Structural Pendant Lamp (Adapted from Design*Sponge)
You will need:
40 Sheets of Felt (Although about 2 1/2 yards from a craft/fabric store should suffice, and will also be much cheaper)
Glue Gun
Glue Sticks

Melodi Lamp from Ikea (Mine was $12.99, although they had a BIG Melodi Lamp on sale for $4.99)
Scissors
Patience

Use a fabric pen/pencil to draw a circle about 1-2inches in diameter on a piece of felt.

Cut out the circle, and use it as a template to cut HUNDREDS of circles out – Don’t worry if your pieces aren’t all the same size.

Take a circle & fold it in half. With your hot glue gun, place a line of glue down the center of the crease [the back of the crease, not the front]

Overlap areas so that you can fill in the spaces, and create more of a “fluffy” appearance. That’s all there is to it, you can put them in all in one direction like I did, or lay them out randomly like Kate from Design Sponge.

Check out MopTopMaven to view more DIY projects!

Lighting and Contemporary Lighting: Is there a difference?

LED Under Cabinet Lights – Contractor Kit

When shopping for a light fixture for the kitchen, many are not considering the design of their homes decor. Perhaps the buyer may consider matching the color, but that is about as far as many will reach.

We found the following exert from Contemporary Interior Designs very helpful. Check it out:
Modern lighting is generally characterized by clean, simple; however, it may also contain elements of elaborate scrollwork. Contemporary kitchen lighting fixtures may be constructed from iron, bronze, or brass. Generally, modern kitchen lighting does not have colored class in its elements. Because it is used primarily to enhance the brightness of a room, kitchen fixtures that have glass elements tend to be luminescent in their shades’ coverings. The homeowner’s personal tastes and the overall décor of the room will determine the appropriate type of lighting fixtures for a kitchen.

Very interesting right?
If you would like to read more, visit Contemporary Interior Designs for a wealth of information concerning contemporary style home decor.

Classic Light Fixture|Vintage Chandeliers

Vintage Chandelier: Only a Few Left!!

Vintage Chandeliers Are Classical and Filled With Elegance
By Des Smalls

Are you a homeowner looking to add a vintage look of complete elegance to

your home? Then what better way to do this than to have vintage chandeliers

hanging from the ceiling which will make you be the envy of the whole

neighborhood? You can create any atmosphere you like by adding a chandelier to a

room. You can create the look that you are after whether you want to create:

o A Romantic Mood

o Calm

o Elegance

o Warmth

Why should you go for Vintage Chandeliers?

Do you think that chandeliers are something that really would add some great

character and personality to your home? The great news is that there will be a

vintage chandelier to suit everyone’s differing tastes. The benefits from having vintage chandeliers are easy to see and it is not hard

to see why these types of chandeliers are a popular choice. However, why do

people love to have these in their homes? There is not much out there that can

ooze elegance like it and there is just something about them

that increases the mood of the house.

The choice that is available is staggering and if you delve back into time, you

will notice that a lot of famous people have had them in their homes. They have

always been a popular choice and they still remain as a popular choice for many

people today. If you are searching for antique vintage chandeliers, you may be interested in

finding out about the history and the period from where the type light

originated from. You may be able to find books or to ask an antique dealer and

when all else fails, search on the internet for it.

Are you looking for:

o Victorian chandeliers

o French antique chandeliers

o Or any other vintage chandeliers

The chandeliers mentioned above will have a lot of history attached to them and

because of this, coupled with the time frame, then you could end up spending a

fortune on getting them for your home. For a lot of people, they are fascinated

about vintage chandeliers and it gets to the stage for them where money is no

object and that they must have them in their homes.

You do not have to spend a fortune on purchasing them because

there is a large range of chandeliers that are not as expensive, but which are

still high in quality. You can find the chandeliers anywhere, whether you:

o Search on the internet for them

o Go into your local department store

o Mail order catalogue

If you are stuck for inspiration or if you want to find a great vintage chandelier, you can browse in a store or online to find what suits you. There is a great range in many places, so if you want to add instant elegance to your home, you will be able to do it easily.

[http://www.snslamps.com], which is a division of SNS Designs, Inc. They carry wide selection of unique Chandeliers [http://www.snslamps.com/chandeliers.html], Vintage Chandeliers [http://www.snslamps.com] and Antique Chandeliers. They offer the most popular housewarming ideas, such as tiffany style lamps, table lamps, buffet lamps for everyone.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Des_Smalls

http://EzineArticles.com/?Vintage-Chandeliers-Are-Classical-and-Filled-With-Elegance&id=754579

Swag Lamps: The Pefect Light Fixture for You?

Kathy Ireland Pacific Gateway Swag Pendant

If you are new to interior lighting and light fixtures, the term “swag lamp” may sound strange. A swag lamp is bascially a lamp that hangs from the ceiling. How is a swag lamp different from a chandelier or pendant lighting? We found this description to clarify:
“In interior decorating, swag generally just refers to something that is hung from the ceiling in a certain method. The name comes about because the object is hung by two hooks with a swag in between them. So a great number of things and light fixtures can be “swag.”” (visit here for more on swag lamps
Unique Swag Lamp

Swag lamps are available in an assortment of styles, colors and sizes. These lamps can compliment just about any style of decor.

Hot Lighting Fixture! Mystic Candle Base Mini Black Glass Chandelier

Mystic Candle Base Mini Black Glass Chandelier

Chandeliers are a wonderful accessory to add to any home. They are known for enhacing the style and class of dining rooms and foyers. Glass chandeliers are very popular in the world of chandelier lighting. A black chandelier is both elegant and stylish. Incorporating a black glass chandelier in a dining room space will instantly transform any space.

This black glass chandelier is a mini chandelier and features hanging beads. The retailer describes this Mystic Candle Base Mini Black Glass Chandelier as follows:

Light up your life with this beautiful masterpiece. Our Black Mini Chandelier is made from elegant black crystal. It has black beading covering the frame as well as hanging glass teardrop accents. This home accent will look great in your foyer, dining room, powder room or any other space you think up. This functional work of art is sure to be a hit in any home!

3 Tips to Achieve Perfect Entrance Lighting!

The entrance or foyer of a home is the first room seen when someone visits. When designing entrance lighting, there are several factors to consider. Some factors to consider when creating entrance lighting design are space, amount of light needed and safety.

When planning to light a space, one of important factor to consider is space. Smaller foyers will not require the same amount of light as larger foyers. When lighting larger spaces, there are times that multiple lighting fixtures will be used. In some larger entrances, there is a ceiling lighting for functional lighting and other smaller light fixtures for accent lighting.
Some foyers require more foyer lighting than others. If the space is very small or if there is a nice amount of natural light in the foyer, the space may not require much light from light fixtures. However, if using decorative wall art, shadow boxes or decorative rugs, accent lighting will likely be required to illuminate these features.
Finally, when planning lighting design for entrance lighting, safety should definitely be a concern. If the space has steps or a dip in flooring, it is imperative to highlight these areas for visibility. This is very important if the entry way is the main or only entrance to the home. The last thing a homeowner should experience is a visitor injured due to poor lighting and missing a step. Usually, this is not an issue; however some larger foyers are elevated.
Remember, the foyer is the first space visitor’s experience. At times, some guests do not continue beyond this area. Make sure the lighting of this area leaves a favorable impression with visitors.

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