Interior Lighting » Light Source

Here We Are, Discussing the Many Moods of Commercial Lighting

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:35:03 +0000

Commercial lighting encompasses a lot of different types of lighting. From high bays to low bays, wall packs to flood lights, ceiling fixtures, garden fixtures, barn lights and more. Commercial lights cover all lighting fixtures and types that are used for anything other than residential lighting applications.

Before delving into the market of commercial lighting, you should make sure you are aware of some of the common terms that are to be found there. Let’s first talk about candlepower. Candlepower refers to the brightness of the light. It is a measure of brightness that is adjusted to the select sensitivity of the human eye.

CRI stands for Color Rendering Index. This is an important factor that determines how surrounding colors will look when bathed in the light bulb’s light.

Light is the frequencies of radiation given off by the sun that we are able to pick up with our eyes. An example of radiation that we cannot see with our eyes is ultraviolet and infared radiation.

The light bulb refers to the light source, which is contained within the shaped glass. The lamp is the light bulb and all of the hardware that assists with mounting, positioning and framing the light bulb. However, it should be noted that in some industries, the light bulb is referred to as a lamp, and the assembly that contains it is called a fixture.

Lumens is a term that is often used but sometimes misunderstood. Let’s talk about the human eye for a moment. The eye is more sensitive to some colors than it is to others. Lumens are a measurement of light, in which the amount of radiation that is present is taken into account and then adjusted to the human eye’s selectiveness. A good example is having a room illuminated by an ultraviolet light. Because we cannot see ultraviolet rays, the lumens measurement would be zero.

Fluorescent lighting is a very popular choice in commercial lighting, because they are incredibly efficient. So while they may be a little more expensive to initially purchase, they make up for the added expense by saving on energy: they use around 80 lumens per watt, which is a big difference from incandescent lights, which often use only 10 to 12 lumens per watt. Better still, fluorescent commercial lighting can have a lifespan of up to 30,000 hours. This number has doubled since only fifteen years ago! While these are definite advantages, some of the disadvantages to using this type of commercial lighting include the large size of the bulbs and lamps, and the higher cost of this type of lighting.

By: Kimberly Green

Illuminate Your Home With the Best Lighting Fixtures

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:32:34 +0000

“Heaven is where the hearth is.” The warmth of your home is the place where you spend half of your life. No wonder you want to make it just perfect and lend it the kind of look and feel you had dreamt of for years. Even after spending a fortune, you find that your home does not exude the kind of ambiance you had dreamt of for so long. Your furniture, accessories are no doubt expensive and match the wall colors but still something is missing. Actually, the problem does not lie in the furnishings but the lighting.

Commonly observed, most homeowners overlook the importance of lighting systems. Merely installing some expensive lights is not enough. Lighting systems can make or break the ambiance of your home. Be it indoors or outdoors, good lighting system can turn your ‘not-so-good’ home into a ‘Wow! What beauty’ home. Imagine a space as dark as night with other areas highlighted with soft halo of recessed lights. Besides, if your walls carry a theme, flame patterns for instance, the ambiance of the room gets doubly enhanced.

While landscape lighting takes care of your outdoor landscape and garden, recessed lighting takes care of the interiors. Recessed lighting is highly versatile and is used to focus on specific areas without distracting the attention to the light source.

When focusing on specific objects like artifacts, plants, or statues, halo recessed lighting is the ideal. This lighting system comprises of ceiling mounted bulbs contained within alcoves or small niches. When used with other lighting systems, halo recessed lighting creates illusion of greater space.

However, the real dilemma arises when it comes to choosing your lighting fixture brand. For track lighting fixtures, most people rely on Halo, Lightolier, and Juno lighting. However, when it comes to the overall lighting systems, including outdoors and indoors, Kichler lighting fixtures score too well. Their high quality lighting fixtures give your home a completely new ambiance. You can easily switch the mood of your room through these high-end lighting appliances.

A number of people might be deterred by the prices of high quality Kichler lighting fixtures. But the good news is that these fixtures are extremely affordable during some seasons. Some stores offer festive discounts on popular brands. All you need to do is keep a track of these offers to bring home the lights to illuminate it the way you had always desired. Remember, it’s better to wait for the best than end up repenting with cheaper alternatives.

By: Wain Roy

Elegant Lighting For Your Home

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:55:11 +0000

As any artist or home decorator will tell you, you’ll find that there are many different options open to anyone who is interested in making sure that their home is comfortable and beautiful, but the truth remains that one of the most impressive and effective things that you can do in order to make sure that your home and the rooms in it look their best is by making sure that you take care of the lighting. Your home’s lighting serves to illuminate things, of course, but you will also soon realize that by paying attention to things like the lighting fixtures and the table lamps that you will be able to make sure that your house absolutely shines!

When you are considering what kind of lighting to bring into your home, don’t forget that you need to think about directional control. You’ll find that you should make sure that all of the light that is coming from your light source should be pointing down, and that it should be shielded in some way to ensure that you are are not blinding people when the light comes on. You’ll find that this is an important effect of making sure that your lighting fixtures will work for you, rather than against you, which is altogether too common.

For instance, take a look at the charm and grace that a well-placed table lamp can bring to your home. You’ll find that table lamp offers you a respite from the glare of an overhead light, which may very well be too garish or too bright for you to really see what you are doing. When you are considering taking the time to make sure that your lighting is good, remember that your table lamp can add a very powerful decorative cue in your decorating. Make sure that it complements the room around it, rather than fighting the existing decor.

Of course, you should also not forget the charm that you can bring to the room through the use of a desk lamp. Do you have a place where you write or study a great deal? You’ll find that a desk lap, with its small but powerful circle of light, will be able to keep you focused without distracting you with the glare of a larger, overhead light fixture. If you are looking to use something really special, consider taking a look at the Tiffany lamps. Tiffany lamps originated at the turn of the century and even today, they continue to enchant with a stained glass lampshade made in brilliant colors.

Take some time to make sure that your home’s lighting is giving it that wonderfully elegant look that comes with good lighting. Far from simply making sure that you don’t bump your toes, your home’s lighting options are as much an element of its design and its presence as the art that you hang on the walls. Make sure that your home won’t fall short of its potential, and put some time into making your home glow!

By: Des Smalls

Monorail Lighting System – State Of The Art Light Design

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:44:41 +0000

Monorail lighting systems are a state of the art light design that allows a person to configure the lighting any way they choose. The system is a low-voltage single circuit, two conductor rails available in four and eight-foot lengths. Usually used best for task or accent lighting, these systems are used with xenon or halogen bulbs.

Molding Monorails by Hand

One is able to mold the monorail by hand into a shape that best fits ones style or needs. It is bendable by hand to a minimum radius of 12 inches. Geometric and straight shapes can also be achieved using L and T connectors.

Do-It-Yourself Monorail Kits

There are do-it-yourself kits available that provide everything you would need to launch your own project, except for the actual light fixtures. The first thing to consider would be the amount of drop below the ceiling where the monorail is going to be installed.

To suspend the monorail, you will need to use either a rigid rod or aircraft cable. You will have to form it to the shape that you desire before suspending the monorail.

A Second Transformer May be Needed

Regarding power source, the rails are rated for a maximum output of 300 watts at 12 volts or 600 watts at 24 volts. However, if the sum of the wattages of the bulbs to be connected exceeds the wattage of the transformer, a second transformer is needed.

The light source offers three different types of fixtures that can be connected to the monorail. They actually connect directly to the track itself.

Advantages of Monorail Lighting

One of the advantages of this type of lighting is that it allows the track to follow the contour of the object being illuminated. There is a great degree of flexibility when wiring for these lighting systems since the transformer can be hidden in a remote location.

You also have the option to install it where a previous light was located. There are so many places that the monorail lighting can be installed that the possibilities are virtually endless.

Enhancing Your Home

Monorail lighting systems are great for illuminating such things as artwork. They also work well in areas where there are mounted ceilings so that the lighting needs to be brought down to a level plane. Many commercial businesses, especially such places as department and clothing stores, rely on monorail lighting.

The reason for its popularity within the business sector is because there are so many changes within a storefront and monorail lighting can easily be changed to adapt to such changes.

Business uses of Monorail Lighting Systems

It also looks great and fits most of retailer needs for flexible and adaptable lighting. These lighting systems have intense low wattage bulbs that allow the colors and the quality of retail items to really stand out.

Of course this makes the merchandise look more appealing to the customer which in return increases sales too.

While there are both advantages and disadvantages of monorail lighting, the advantages seem to surpass the disadvantages. This type of lighting system is a sure way to add interest to any room through the various fixtures that can be added to bring elegance and beauty to your room.

By: Ernest Jarquio

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Easy-to-do Bathroom Makeover – Bathroom Lighting

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:32:54 +0000

The bathroom, along with the kitchen, is always a priority when comes to home remodeling and design projects. Aside from the fact that it does a great deal for you property value, it is a priority because of the amount of time people tend to spend in the bathroom. A poorly lit ‘cluttery’ bathroom is not the first thing you want to see in the morning, or the last when you go to bed. But you don’t have to break the bank to make drastic improvements if you keep in mind a few simple design concepts.

Dressing up the walls

The most important design aspect of any bathroom is the lighting. The lighting in your bathroom serves three main purposes; ambience, general, and most importantly lighting for tasks. Inadequate amounts of light will can result in unwanted shadows and an unattractive reflection in the mirror. Conversely, too much light can result in glare and eye-strain. Now, what does this have to do with design you ask? Adding a pair of decorative vanity sconces to your bathroom will make a huge difference in the appearance of the room. There are great variety of designer wall sconces that can be purchased for under $150.

Using Chandeliers and Pendants

Small chandeliers and pendants are becoming increasingly popular as a light source in the bathroom. If you still have a exhaust/light fixture mounted on the ceiling, you should seriously consider the difference a small chandelier can make. Aside from providing proper light contrast with taks lighting, a chandelier or pendant can make the bathroom feel more cozy and attractive. You may want to consider a crystal ‘chandellete’ or a pendant with decorative glass for added effect. Again, you can find a great looking hanging fixture for you bathroom without spending a lot.

Summing Up

A fresh new look for the bathroom can be had at a cost of a few hundred dollars. Granted, it won’t make as big a difference as a complete bathroom makeover, but it also won’t cost thousands of dollars and all the hassle of dealing with contractors and such. Lastly, it gives you the opportunity to decorate and add your own touch, making your bathroom more personalized and comfortable.

By: Kevin Hatan