Can You Find Inspiration For Your Home in Your Summer Cocktail?

Looking for inspiration to transform your bedroom this summer? Well, look no further than your favorite summer cocktail!

That’s right many of the fresh colors we find in our cocktails are trendy today! Consider my personal favorite summer cocktail – the margarita. It comes in many different flavors and colors: golden, strawberry, lime, blue, etc. If you love the color in your drink, don’t you think you might love the color in your home? Beware – the bright pink cosmopolitan may not have the same effect on your walls.

The Walls

These fresh summer colors can be brought into all areas of the home. The bedroom is always a great place to use a refreshing color palette. After all, this is where we go to relax, refresh and recoup after a long day. For starters, I suggest painting the walls in your favorite cocktail color. Want to go the extra mile? Try painting one wall a couple shades darker than the main color for a stunning accent!

The Furniture

You will notice that you have a ton of the same color in the room once the walls are painted, so be careful not to use too much of just one color. I recommend using maple, white or ebony colored wood furniture. This will offset nicely off the fresh colored walls and bring a nice balance to your room.

The Accessories

Try pairing a white duvet cover with accent pillows that repeat different shades of the color on the walls. Keep the artwork of a similar nature. Flowers, seascapes and sunsets always speak well of a summer feeling and will most likely have corresponding colors.

Lamps on the nightstands should be kept light. Try a skinny silver base with a round white shade or perhaps a white or glass round base if you would like more of a weighted lamp.

Accessories that work well with these fresh colored themes are seashells, simple photo frames, candles and books. Don’t forget to buy some corresponding coasters. We wouldn’t want that glass of water to ruin your brand new nightstand!

The Flooring

Finally, keep the flooring a neutral color. Beige carpeting, hardwood or tile are great for creating a summer feel. If you are using a hard surface, try a simple solid colored area rug for under your bed to keep your feet warm when you get out of bed on those cool summer nights.

How do you create a light, summery feel in your home?

Not Your Grandmother’s Chandelier – The Best and Brightest Modern Day Lighting Solutions

On a recent trip overseas I came across a trend that I’m just crazy about! Chandeliers in the bedroom.

I have always been a fan of drawing attention to ceilings and bringing a little glamour to the room in a house where we spend the majority of our time.

 This awesome mix of a traditional concept within a modern interior is totally intriguing and practical. Why not have something gorgeous and sparkly to look at before falling asleep?

It got me thinking about modern lighting in American interior bedrooms and what we can do to bring in glamour. I found Boushka, a lighting companyfocused on modern chandeliers. They used light projection, so patterns will appear on close-by vertical surfaces. They also use stranding – multiple strands hang from the interior of the fixture. I think their work is a great mix of traditional elements applied in a modern way. They have some all black fixtures that are very chic!

Modern chandeliers include “multi drop light” fixtures. They take up a large footprint on the ceiling, but they offer multiple bulbs that can be dimmed to create a multi-faceted glow.

These fixtures can be made from simply purchasing a single unit or by installing many fixtures on one ceiling. I think this becomes more of a lighting installation than a single chandelier. If you have a vaulted ceiling in your bedroom you could make this happen.

Use some traditional concepts in a new way and add some mood to the bedroom with new lighting. What do you have on your ceilings? Have you tried multiple lighting options in a single area?

Can You See in Your Home? Important Design Considerations for Aging Eyes

Is someone you know or love finding it difficult to read in a favorite chair or navigate the stairs? The Illuminating Engineering Society and American Optometric Association have completed a study that discusses focused on the aging population’s lighting needs.

As we age, we need higher light levels. We can begin by increasing ambient lighting, the general lighting we have in our homes or offices.

Task lighting is is additional lighting that is added in areas where we read, scrapbook, do puzzles, or prepare our meals. It can be placed under cabinets, on the floor or on a table. These are especially important as the daylight decreases throughout the day.

We have accent lighting to draw attention to pictures, special collections we keep or architectural features.

As we age, it takes longer for our eyes to adjust to the change in light levels. The ambient light levels should be kept constant throughout the interior environment to reduce the risk of falls. Painting your walls in lighter colors can increase the ambient light levels in homes. Creating a contrast between horizontal kitchen counters and floors is also important for aging eyes.

Bathrooms can be an especially difficult space. If the light is above the mirror in a valance, it will create shadows, making it difficult for men to shave and women to apply make-up. If it’s possible, place lights on the sides of the mirrored wall area so the light illuminates the face. Having a mirror that you can walk up to rather than leaning over a sink counter is also beneficial for those with back issues.

Matte finishes in the bathroom can reduce glare. Good lighting over the bathtub or shower area will minimize accidents. Remember we are doing these activities without our glasses. Ease of access and exiting is important in these areas.

Closets are another source of frustration for the aging population. If you don’t have the proper lighting it is impossible to choose clothing that matches. This issue can be further aggravated by lamplight. Lamps that cast a true “daylight” color are best.

How many times have you had to walk out of your closet and hold your clothes up in the daylight to determine if it “goes together?” When looking for a lamp, purchase those marked 3500K and a color index of 80 or above.

Have you noticed the need for more light? What changes have you made in your home?

How to Choose the Best Fixture When There is No Light

A builder friend of mine said during these economic times he is finding it harder and harder for clients to make up their minds on what lighting fixture they want in the various rooms of the house. He was frustrated with the amount of time they were taking and the fact that many times after their initial choice, they would change their minds, which set the project back from it’s original completion date. “We are just talking about picking out fixtures” was his comment. I thought about just how thrilled he would be if I started to ask him the colors being chosen so that I could coordinate with the correct lamps, but such are the concerns of lighting design. I agreed to resolve the problem with this couple.

The issue is really simple. The fixtures we typically look at in a showroom may not be electrified. There is no light in them, which is a concern the woman had – “How do I know if it will give me the light I want?”

Her point should be well taken, especially if you have ever lived in a house and the lighting has not worked for you in the past. So a simple solution would be “photometric data sheets”.

Okay, I know this sounds complicated, but it is not. Every fixture made has a sheet that shows how the light comes out of the fixture and usually has three or four options based on the type of light you put in it. So you can get a sense of how the fixture works without it having to be on.

In bathrooms, you are better off not having the light come out of the bottom of the fixture placed on the wall over your head. The light will create shadows on the recessed parts of your face, eyes, lips, and neck. The best light comes from the sides of the mirror lighting the sides of your face.

I like having my bathroom lights on dimmers, so I can replicate the space I will be in. If I am going to a conference, the lighting will be up and I need to make sure that I don’t over do my eye shadow. However, if it is an evening gathering, a bit more eye shadow may be necessary because of the dimmed lighting.

How do you choose your fixtures?

Asian Influence or Is It Just Whimsy?

Another of the fun LZF lighting fixtures is called a mini Mikado, obviously from the operatic work of Gilbert and Sullivan. Like Gilbert and Sullivan’s s tongue-in-cheek operas, the mini Mikado is full of the fun and whimsy. What was most interesting about these fixtures is the ability to mix and match the colors. The banding on this fixture can be orange with the main body being a bright or soft yellow. It allows the fixtures to be the design “wow” of a room instead of the ho hum it provides light that we usually see.

Imagine these in your favorite sushi bar. The mini Mikado could even be used for way-finding, as the color could change to reflect that you were going into another area (not that I would expect our health care facilities to jump on board for anything this whimsical, but one could hope for something other than fluorescent fixtures at least in the medical offices).

Here is what is great about real wood veneers. The trees that are harvested come from agricultural plantations, which is typically a sustainable harvest (meaning that for what is harvested that year, a greater or equal amount must be available the next year’s harvest). By using veneer, the mini Mikado uses very thin sheets that are peeled from the timber.

The other material being used for these fixtures is reconstructed wood veneer. This means the wood for these veneers comes from different trees that grow rapidly and are harvested more frequently than other woods available. Many times these trees could not be used for furniture or flooring because of the softness of the wood.

After the veneers have been removed from the tree, they are dyed to the color of the species being replicated (cherry, walnut, etc.). The veneer sheets are then layered and pressed together to reform a “log.” The log is then re-sliced at different angles to form the new veneer.

This process utilizes sophisticated computer technology to visually see what pattern or texture will be manufactured before re-slicing the log back into veneer form. Because uniform sheets are created, it reduces waste. By reconstructing veneers, species that could become extinct can be replicated, creating eco-conscious alternatives.

Check out these fixtures. Can you think of some great places you would like to see them?

Issues When Relighting History

When working on historic projects, there are many considerations for a designer. Lighting design for exterior work in historic areas is complicated by new laws that talk about light trespassing. Light trespassing means that if you live in an apartment or loft over a store, the lighting for the sidewalks or the store entrance is not to “trespass” into your loft. In years past, homes near a car lot might have trouble telling the difference between day and night because of the amount of light that would “trespass” beyond the lot and into the homes and yards.

When working in Regensburg, Germany, the concerns were the same. They wanted to keep their historical fixtures that had been present since the medieval days, but they wanted to be able to control the light so it did not “trespass” into the spaces above the fixtures. Though the existing lamps (Mercury Vapor) were efficient, there were issues and the designers wanted to replace the lamps with LED lighting, which would improve energy efficiency.

There was also the issue that mercury vapor globes were used in the street lights. Mercury vapor has numerous potential issues. First, there is mercury in the lamp so when they burn out, they must go to a hazardous waste site. The larger problem is that to create light, mercury vapor lamps also create ultraviolet radiation. These lamps are encased in an outer envelope that filters out the wavelength containing the ultraviolet radiation, but if the outer envelope is broken, so is the protection. The mercury vapor lamps also do not give the same color quality as LED’s because they cast light in the blue/green spectrum.

The designers had Germany’s national electrical codes, which stated that in retrofitting existing lighting fixtures you cannot use the original socket in the fixture. Everything had to be rewired . Using a great deal of creativity, they put the ballasts in the roof of the fixture. They had the wires hidden in the metal brackets holding the fixture. 48 LED’s were used, allowing for great control of the light distribution pattern. 4-6 LED’s were used for the street lighting, creating a soft ambient light. The LED’s were lensed, non-lensed, dimmed or used at 100% to light the building’s facades and architectural details.

In addition to creating a beautiful streetscape, the LED lighting increased efficiency so each fixture uses 40W less of power. By careful positioning of the LED’s there is no light trespassing into the spaces above the street level.

Lighting Energy: Concerns About Mercury

Osram Sylvania, a major manufacturer of lamps used in lighting fixtures, took their second telephone poll of more than 300 homeowners and renters. The poll, which was done in November 2009, had the results issued in December 2009.

Now, this may not be as important as the U.S. census, but it did show that many of us want to save money on our lighting through efficient lamps. We are also interested in what they are made of and how it may affect our planet. This interest by the public may well be of interest to other manufacturers; the public’s views are not micro but macro, as we do understand that there is interconnectivity in the choices we make.

Osram Sylvania found that three out of four consumers had switched to the energy efficient lamps we know as compact fluorescent. The survey also showed that though compact fluorescent lamps were the overall favorite choice by the public. There were, however, serious concerns about the mercury found in these lamps. Lamps with mercury are considered hazardous waste items and are not to be thrown in the trash to go into landfills.

What was a surprise in this survey was the fact that the public did not know about the legislation that had been introduced and pasted requiring phase out of incandescent lamps by 2014. With the United States being the major consumer of incandescent lamps, the phase out would reduce the demand for incandescent by 1/3.

Experts say that by changing to compact fluorescent from incandescent, this could lead to a drop in energy demands and close 80 coal fired power plants because compact fluorescent lamps use 75% less energy. The phase out of 100w incandescent lamps is scheduled for 2012.

Americans are not the only people being asked to change over to compact fluorescent lamps. In February 2007, Australia instituted a mandatory program to phase out incandescent lighting by 2010. Great Britain announced, approximately six months later, a voluntary initiative to change over by 2011. The British officials estimate they will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5.5 million tons annually just by changing from incandescent to compact fluorescents.

Did you know about the legislation phasing out incandescent? Did you know there was mercury in fluorescent lamps? Did you realize there was that kind of energy efficiency in a compact fluorescent?

Space and Money Saving Lighting Concepts

Ever want to add light to a space but not have the room for more lamps? Or ever want to save a few dollars and not spend a fortune on new fixtures? Most importantly, do you not want to buy something cheap that will just fall apart and not survive just one move from apartment to apartment? Here are a few ideas to save some cash while shedding a little light on your situation.

I recently moved into a new apartment. It’s actually a pretty cool space for a rental. It is an open floor plan with hardwood floors and a loft above the kitchen where the bedroom is located. So the living space has a vaulted ceiling with a little “roof” over my sofa, where the stairs go up to the loft.

When they delivered my new sofa (a very cute chocolate grey mini-sectional), I did not want to have to buy end tables because I had a coffee table…and I did not want to buy floor lamps because I wanted my floor space. Instead I decided to just buy some cool lamp shades and some wiring kits for basic light bulbs (energy-efficient of course). I hung the shades from the underside of the loft. They hand directly over the ends of sofa. So I got to keep my floor space and only spend about $10 per lamp! Keep in mind with this application that you will have to get shades that permit light to glow from the sides too. Also, if you place the fixture right above a seated location, if someone looks up they can get shot in the eye with direct light. So you may need to use a piece of frosted Plexiglas to make a filter for the light or pick a fixture that wraps around the bottom, like a paper shade.

Another great space and money saving lighting concept is wall hung lamps. You can find really simple to install wall sconces at places like Ikea and even local hardware stores. You can find the kind that are plug in versus hard wired for a temporary application. These will be a little less expensive. Keep in mind – there might be a little damage to the wall when you remove it, but nothing a little spackle can’t fix. And, hey, a little repair beats living in the dark anytime!

Which type of lighting do you prefer?  Table lamps?  Wall sconces?  Hanging or floor?

Lighting Basics: Determining What to Use Where

Interior lighting is usually described as three different types: ceiling lighting, wall lighting and lamp lighting. Lighting effects the way we feel and it also effects the way we see room surfaces. By looking at patterns of light on a wall casted by a row of compact fluorescent down lights, we can gain a sense of importance of what the light is directed towards, whether it be a row of artwork or perhaps angled at a fantastic sofa. Artwork locations may be selected or lighting may be designed to highlight it. It may also be possible to determine whether the pattern created on a wall will produce luminance extremes that will cause glare or reflections on television screens or mirrors.

Ceiling lighting is some of the most basic lighting in your home. Many of us have recessed can lighting in our rooms. It is the bread and butter of lighting capabilities in a room. The fixture choices are endless and lighting design has come a long way. I recently had a client who was battling the size and scale of a chandelier for a large room with high ceilings. We went back and forth on finish, fixture height and width and ultimately chose something which was large. However, due to the number of lamps and the suspension height, we were able to achieve a very soft and intimate space in an otherwise very spacious room.

Wall lighting generally refers to wall sconces and generally come in pairs catering to the style of early Americana. The look is timeless and lends itself to a traditional setting. I have enjoyed using sconces as bedside lighting and have also used them in bathrooms and flanking artwork above mantels. Wall sconces offer an appealing accent light to emphasize perhaps a unique wallpaper. They cast shadows and shades and offer another level of casting color throughout the room.

Lamp lighting is generally task lighting, but can be the main lighting in a room. We see all types of lamps in stores. Some are more interesting than others – large and small, modern and traditional. The shape of the shade can effect the luminance factors in the room. I find that by incorporating a variety of lighting in a room, you can set the mood and tone for various times of the day and the tasks being performed. You may want more accent lighting when gathering for an intimate dinner, which could include small table top lights and dim lit chandelier. Whatever your pleasure, lighting can be one the most important and fun factors involved in designing a room.

More about lighting to come!

Accessorizing the Perfect End Table

The key to selecting the best end table is to consider how well it works with the rest of the furniture in your room. Do you like modern furniture? I suggest a sleek ebony wood end table. Do you like traditional? Then an end table with more detail or carvings would be great in a cherry or mahogany.

The Shape - Deciding whether your end table should be round, oval, square or rectangle depends on the area in your room you will be placing it. If it is in a corner, a square or rectangle end table may fill the space more evenly. Circle end tables tend to work well if the sofa is floating in the middle of the room or if a chair is angled next to the end table.

The Lighting - The next step is selecting the perfect lamp to place upon your table. The base of the lamp should cover about 25% of the end table. We often make the mistake of selecting a lamp that doesn’t cover a large enough space, leaving the end table to look off balanced and can immediately throw off the entire display.

The base of the lamp should weigh out the end table and sofa. Pick a lamp with a bigger base if you have a very “heavy” sofa and end table. A lamp with a skinny, straight base would work well if your sofa and end table are more sleek and thin.

The Height - It is also important to know how to select the right height for your lamp. You should not be able to see the light bulb in the lamp when sitting on the sofa. This is a dead giveaway that the lamp is too tall. Be careful not to get one that is too short either. You want the light to spread evenly on your book or magazine. A good indicator that your lamp is too short is if there is a heavily cast shadow.

The Accessories - It is now time to add the accessories. Always work in odd numbers. I suggest one to three accessory pieces for each end table. They should be of varying heights. It’s important to be able to build the display with interest. Always keep the tallest accessory shorter than the lamp shade and placed in the back.

Popular accessory choices include candles and/or picture frames. Do not be afraid to use a little bit of greenery as your third accessory. It tends to cover a lot of the empty space you may have. Make sure you cover about 75% the table with the lamp and accessories, but leave room to set down a book or a drink. We want your end table to be usable. After all, you do have to live there!

The Base - Finally, you may want to look at the base of the end table for any additional opportunities. I personally love end tables with drawers. I don’t think you can ever have too much storage in your home. Shelves are a great opportunity to store books. If the base is open, try putting some floor accessories under it. These accessories may include boxes, decorative suitcases, vases or possibly even some greenery.