The longest lasting, most energy efficient downlight ever made.

• Make it easy. “The best part of being outdoors is the reduction in fuss in every single thing you do,” says Kinder. Let that lack of formality establish an easy style with informal groupings of furniture, for example, which invite easy conversations. “Mix and match it together,” Kinder says.
• Plan for the same comfort-inducing amenities you would on an interior room, such as ceiling fans on a covered porch. Make sure you choose one that is rated for exterior use.
• Provide plenty of seating and a dining table, and don’t worry about a high-end set. Friends and family can’t come and stay a while if they don’t have anywhere to sit. “The more comfortable the chairs, the better off you are,” Kinder says. Pick some that are easy to use and sturdy, but don’t worry so much about lifespan, advises Kinder. “You can change the design and color without any guilt.”
• Plant something - anything. “Potted plants are an outrageously effective way to liven up a yard,” Kinder says.
• Extend your kitchen outside. “If you cook outdoors, it’s an automatic invitation for a closer environment,” Kinder says. “Everyone is enjoying the hospitality in the casual freedom of the outdoors.”
• Raid your candle drawers and the kiddie pool. You don’t have to have amazing design flair in order to create an outdoor room that’s cozy and fun. All you need is a sense of what makes you and your guests comfortable and welcome and makes the space pleasant and inviting. Put stakes into pots with candles. Wrap a swingset in bunches of Christmas lights. Fill a plastic wading pool with floating candleholders. Stash a supply of bug spray right outside the door. “Create a space so that no one wants to go in for the night,” Kinder says. “Those little touches make you a better host.”

• Photo courtesy of Hadco Photo courtesy of Hubbarton Forge Photo courtesy of Fanimation

Arriving at home, opening your garage door and having a predetermined set of lights go on to welcome you and your guests to your home.

Pressing one button on a wall controller to turn on or off all of your lights.

Having a beautiful ambiance of lighting with one touch.

This reference guide gives a quick overview of the possibilities of the RadioRa lighting control for your home.

radioraproductreferenceguide4.pdf

Sure, it works, but you are missing the big picture. Lighting isn’t just there to make sure you don’t trip over the roller blades in the middle of the floor.

“With a few easy changes it can enhance the décor of any room and set a mood unique to any situation. And, it can save money in the process,” said Larry Lauck, vice president, communications for the American Lighting Association in Dallas, Tex.

“Dimmers give us complete and intimate control over our lighting systems,” says Dan Blitzer, the American Lighting Association’s consulting director of continuing education. “I say complete because it allows us to adjust the intensity of the light to meet the needs of different individuals and different tasks, to warm the color, and to extend the life of incandescent lamps.”

Such control allows the homeowner to set a mood in any room, not just the dining room. Adjusted lighting is ideal in a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and breakfast nookónearly anywhere. The only rooms that may not benefit from dimmers are laundry rooms, storage areas, and pantries. Basic dimmer controls are simple to install in any existing or new setting, but there is more to the dimmer than the common knob-style.

“As a category, lighting control is virtually unknown,” says Suzanne Miller, manager of public relations for Lutron in Coopersburg, Pa. “But not being able to control your lights is like not being able to control the volume on your TV, or the temperature in your oven. People want choices, they want control…and that includes being able to control lighting levels in their own homes.”

Lighting controls come in four different types:

• Integrated dimming systems allow the most variety. Homeowners can create several preset lighting settings in a single room. With the touch of a single button from a wall box or a wireless remote control, they can recall the pre-selected scenes.
• Touch dimmers create a lighting change with the press of a single button. One-touch recall allows the homeowner to return to the previous lighting level without resetting the light. Some dimmers also have a lighted indicator to show the intensity of the current setting.
• Slide dimmers offer manual control of the lighting in a room. Some also include a button on the plate so it is easy to return to the previous setting.
• Rotary dimmers are the ones most likely to conjure images of your Mom’s dining room. The manual dial allows a homeowner to alter the lighting level by turning the dial. Some have push-button control to switch the light off while keeping the current setting in place.

It is also possible to control the lighting in your entire home by building in a custom system. This is the most cost-effective route, but it is possible to add a whole-house lighting system to an existing home. Wireless, infrared systems, and radio wave dimmers are available, and can go with you when you move. Another easy way to add the control of dimmers is an extension cord dimmer, which is a quick way to alter the light level of individual lamps.Prices for lighting control systems vary based on their technology and the extent of their control. A single dimmer will cost a few dollars, but an automated system for the entire home will run in the $1,000s.

“Every incandescent light in your home should be connected to a dimmer,” says Lauck. “Just so that you can get the benefits of installing the light the way you want it and take advantage of a dimmers ability to extend lamp life.”

A dimmer’s operation is fairly simple. It essentially limits the amount of electricity that goes to the light. Less electricity means less electricity costs. Using a lower wattage bulb can do the same thing but will not allow any lighting flexibility.

“The end result is you use less electricity,” says Miller. “Dimming a light 10 percent cuts electricity usage by 10 percent and [that] generally has a direct correlation to cost. What’s more, the human eye adapts to light so easily that you probably wouldn’t even notice a 10 percent decrease.”

Dimming controls will also extend the lamp’s life, which will save you cash over time. It can also save you the hassle of replacing bulbs in hard-to-reach places.

“I think the real benefit is to lamp life,” says Penny Henderson-Maher of Garland, TX, Lightolier’s regional control specialist for the Northeast. “By dimming the light somewhat and turning it on with a soft fade, the lamps last a long time, like 3 to 4 years on a lamp that would normally last 6 months. That’s really convenient because the light bulb always blows out when you don’t have a spare.

“It’s all sorts of drama, convenience, and comfort, and energy, and lamp savings all wrapped into one,” she says.

Jenny and Clayton Reid of Lenexa, KS recently moved into a new house fitted with integrated dimmer controls in the main areas of their custom-home. “The architect suggested them because we had a vision for the lighting and we knew it’d look great with dimmers,” Jenny says. “I really like how they fade out.”

Light can dictate the activity in the room it is illuminating, according to Henderson-Maher. Bright light creates motion and a lot of activity. It’s ideal for getting everyone going in the morning, but not for relaxing. For that, or if an intimate party is what you have in mind, keep the perimeter of the room a bit darker. The “campfire effect” will draw people to the brighter area at the center of the room. Trying to get folks to mingle at a large gathering? Brighten the accent lighting around the perimeter. It will encourage people to move around.

Experiencing the environments varied lighting can create is really the key to understanding its importance in a room’s décor.

“It is one thing to say dimmers create an ambience,” says Miller. “And it is another to see it for real. Why settle for ‘on’ and ‘off’ when you can have ‘on,’ ‘off’ and everything in-between?”

(Sidebar)Saving Energy

Dimmer controls are not the only way to help save energy in your home. Here are a few other ideas from the American Lighting Association:

1. Be sure to turn lights off when you are not using them.

2. Keep your outdoor lights energy-efficient by using timers to turn them on and off automatically. Or, choose lighting with photoelectric cells.

3. Select bulbs with the more efficient reflector bulbs, especially in task and accent lighting applications. (For example: An energy efficient 50W “R” bulb will emit as much light onto an area as a 100W “A” bulb.)

4. Fluorescent bulbs get more bang for their buck. A fluorescent bulb produces more light out of the electricity it uses than its incandescent partner does, so consider installing these lights wherever applicable. Now more versatile than ever, fluorescent bulbs can produce light color that is more similar to their warmer siblings. They are also available to accommodate a wide variety of lighting styles and functions.

(Sidebar)What about Dimming Fluorescent Lights?

It is possible to dim fluorescent lights, but it has a different effect on a room. While incandescent bulbs create a warm, candlelight look as they dim, light from a fluorescent bulb remains cooler in color. Dimming won’t increase the life of a fluorescent bulb, either.

“It is much less expensive and more convenient to dim fluorescent lighting than ever before,” says Dan Blitzer, the American Lighting Association’s consulting director of continuing education. “Where fluorescent lighting is used in kitchens or dining rooms or family rooms, you can install it on a dimmer.”

Altering fluorescent lighting is not as simple as just changing the switch, such as with incandescent bulbs, Blitzer says. A special fixture and compatible dimming control are necessary. And, although it is possible and more inexpensive than in the past, altering the level of fluorescent lighting remains at a higher cost level than controlling standard lighting.

From function to design, lighting affects everything. A room’s appearance and feel, highlights and accents, and utility and cost are all important in considering how our homeís lighting affects how we live. When contemplating a renovation, consider how lighting renewal can transform your eyesight, living space and energy consumption.

“Many of today’s lighting trends include energy efficiency and conservation,” says Rick Wiedemer, president of Hinkley Lighting in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC). “People are seeking decorative ways to direct light exactly where it is needed and still conserve energy. Under cabinet fixtures and multiple pendant lights in nooks and over sinks and counters are ways to add decorative flare when they need special light. And the new lighting is available with high wattage and low voltage to get a higher output per watt.”

Ceiling, wall-mounted and portable fixtures, and recessed and track lighting are all available in energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs as well as light-emitting diode (LED) lights.

“Baby boomers are finding that they need three to four times as much light and that glare is hard on the eyes,” says Norm Brown, CLC, of Norburn Lighting & Bath Centre in Burnaby, B.C., and a consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA). “Fluorescent bulbs are easier to see by than regular light bulbs. LED lights are being used more for their reduced glare, as well as Halogen, for their white light quality. You can choose energy-efficient bulbs in many styles for redecorating your whole house.”

So, you have heard about LED lights but aren’t sure what they are?

As Joe Rey-Barreau explains, “Light-emitting diodes resemble a very small computer chip - a sandwich of two very thin layers of glass with a chemical in between, that when charged with electricity, emits powerful illumination and saves energy.”

Rey-Barreau, a professor in architecture and interior design at the University of Kentucky and consulting education director of ALA says, “They’re being used in traffic lights, flashlights and cars. Soon they will penetrate the residential market, and eventually replace regular light bulbs. They’re extremely long lasting with 50 to 100 times more light and 50,000 to 100,000 more hours.”

LED lights will be constructed for every type of lighting to fit the style in your home. Rey-Barreau says, “There’s no singularity to style. I call it populism ñ a continuing major trend thatís going on; a diversification of styles. Because thereís a style for every person, and everyone can get what they want.”

With decorative finishes in brushed nickel, pewter or Italian glass, you can find a look that suits your taste. In the kitchen, the keystone of entertainment, adding a few under-cabinet fixtures will make food preparation easier, and a few pendant fixtures over the island or breakfast nook will add a touch of art that draws the eye in a whole new direction.

Historically, exotic finishes were seen as high-end, pricey items that are now more affordable and can be found in the entry level of product availability. For example, items like Murano glass from Italy in a pendant, chandelier or sconce have become available to the mainstream.

“More recently, the varied styles in light fixtures have been combined to create a new combination of designs for a completely different look. Traditional and contemporary styles come together - modernist materials like stainless steel combined with crystals - for a trend that’s different that anything weíve seen in the past,” says Rey-Barreau.

Create a lively, warm living environment with precisely placed light. Illuminate your prized painting, book collection or family heirloom with recessed lighting, sconces or the latest, MonoRail.

Kathy Held, manager, buyer and vice president of South Dade Lighting in Miami, Fla., and a 25-year member of ALA says, “MonoRail is the biggest thing since ice cream. MonoRail is like track lighting was 40 years ago. It’s twistable to configure to any position you want, to hang pendants or directional head lights, or fixtures - right up to the rail, and they come in brushed aluminum and bronze, which is great if you have a wood ceiling; it just disappears.”

Carefully aimed light allows you to see well, and lights up what you want people to see; as if creating a work of art with your living space. In the dining room, where the attention is on the guests at the table, a chandelier provides the general lighting you need and adds style and sparkle, perfect for dining, tasks or table games.

“The dining room fixture is like jewelry for your house,” says Held. “You don’t change it as often, but when redecorating a room you notice that your fixture is dated.”

Good light is essential to seeing well, especially for the tiny fine print. For better lighting where you need it most - for reading or hobbies - MonoRail is perfect. Direct it exactly where you need it, and readjust the direction later when your need changes. Or, include recessed lighting around the whole room with numerous switches and dimmer choices to adjust the light on demand.

To learn how to light up a room for better visibility, accent dècor and energy savings, find a professional who knows how the proper application of light will suit your needs and bring warmth into your home.

You can learn what works best, what the trends are, and what to avoid by finding a qualified lighting design consultant through A & A Lighting and Design Center in Sacramento, California, 916-452-7641.
Courtesy of ARA Content

(ARA) – The real estate market may be in a slump, but not all industries having to do with the home are in trouble. Companies that specialize in remodeling and renovation, particularly in the area of outdoor living, are doing extremely well right now.

“People don’t want to lose money on their biggest investment so instead of moving, they’re improving their homes,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s School of Interior Design and education consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA). He says now that warmer weather has arrived, people are adding decks, patios, gazebos and outdoor kitchens to their homes, and they aren’t just planning to use them in the daytime.

“The trend towards expanding outdoor living space has been growing for some time now,” says Richard Lentz, president of Lentz Landscape Lighting in Dallas, Texas. “In past years, our goal was focused on lighting the space and showing off the garden. Now we’re concentrating a lot more effort on finding innovative ways to light outdoor spaces so they can be used at night, much like they’re used during the day.”

Backyard decks no longer just have a small light near the door. Lentz says lighting designers are now installing down lights in trees and attaching them to chimneys to shine light down on the space. “We’re also putting in a lot of step lights to make the transition from the upper to lower level easier,” says Lentz, who adds that people no longer have to feel like they’re under a spotlight when they sit outside under the stars. “If there’s a tree nearby, we can shine light down from it. Attaching fixtures to a chimney is also a nice way to get light from above that feels like moonlight.”

And when it comes to lighting outdoor kitchens, innovation is key. “We do a lot of task lighting in the outdoor kitchen,” says Lentz. “We’ll utilize the arbors to hang task lighting over the sink, the grill and the table, for example, and put them on dimmers so when the light isn’t needed, it can be turned down.”  

Lentz credits the recent innovations offered by various lighting manufacturers for making those projects possible. “Technology sure has come a long way in a short amount of time,” he says.
 
Rey-Barreau agrees. “Manufacturers realize there’s a growing market for outdoor fixtures and they have responded by stepping up to the challenge to develop chandeliers, table lamps and sconces that are rated for wet conditions so they can be safely installed outdoors,” he says.

Safety isn’t the only factor being considered by manufacturers. So is operating cost. Not so long ago, the U.S. government mandated that the lighting industry find ways to cut energy consumption of their products. Kichler Lighting of Cleveland, Ohio, responded by coming out with a line of outdoor fixtures that use highly efficient L.E.D. bulbs that require one-third the energy of incandescents.

“When people realize they can get the same light output, a nice comfortable color and reduce energy use by 75 percent, they are more than willing to make the change,” says Jeff Dross at Kichler Lighting.

There have been innovations in the area of lighting for curb appeal purposes as well. “Landscape lighting is about safety, security and aesthetics. As far as the latter goes, the key to success is being subtle. Less is always more,” says Monty Gilbertson, manager of Lighting Design by Wettsteins in La Crosse, Wis.

Doug Prexta, who works for the landscape division of Cleveland, Ohio-based Hinckley Lighting confirms lighting the outdoors is a trend that’s here to stay. “Our business is way up in the landscape division because people are investing in their homes more and more,” he says.

For more information about landscape lighting call A & A Lighting and Design Center at 916-452-7641.

Courtesy of ARAcontent