The latest ideas and products, tips & techniques for lighting your home and garden, from America's top home lighting designer.
In today's economy people are reluctant to move to the next bigger home or remodel their existing house. One way to get a lot of bang for your buck is to look and see what you have existing outside your windows. There is valuable real estate outside, waiting for an upgrade without a huge outlay of cash.
Read MoreFor me, LEDs for task lighting is still a developing technology. I am very happy with the lumen output that we are starting to see now, along with the color quality. I personally lean towards a warmer color tone that is close to that of incandescent (2700° Kelvin), but many others do prefer the slightly cooler color temperature like that of halogen (3000° Kelvin). Still others who are doing fine detail work, such as jewelry making, like to have a color temperature close to that of daylight (5000° Kelvin).
Read MoreThe entry is what sets the tone for the rest of the house. This is not normally a gathering space but more of a pass-through area, so you just have a few moments to give your guests a feel for how you live. Don't be afraid to be a little bit more creative in this space.
Read MoreAs I was watching the opening ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games I suddenly realized how much LEDs have become an art form. I was fascinated to see a boat, carrying the Olympic torch, speeding up the Thames River with David Beckham at the helm. As they transition to an aerial shot I saw that the boat was illuminated with brightly colored LEDs, while the buildings and rooftops along the banks were also dressed up with solid-state lighting.
Read MoreI've been following the development of a particular LED MR 16 lamp that is going to offer some distinct advantages over other similar products that are on the market. The lamp is made by a company called Soraa (www.soraa.com).
Read MoreOne of the things I've been advocating for a while now is the idea of having one company that makes both SSL (solid-state lighting) fixtures as well as dimmers and dimming systems. That way we as lighting designers, architects, contractors and interior designers would be able to comfortably specify products that we know will be able to communicate clearly with each other.
Read MoreAuthor, designer, innovator, and lecturer Randall Whitehead is America's top expert in residential lighting. He has drawn upon his experience from over thirty years of consulting practice to develop a unique and comprehensive body of knowledge about lighting and how it affects us everywhere we live and work. Randall has appeared many times as a guest expert on The Discovery Channel, HGTV, and CNNfn. He has developed an extensive series of seminars on lighting design and has produced them throughout the United States, Canada and South America.
Bathrooms (and kitchens) should be the first areas considered in remodel projects. Homeowners can add 80-90% of their investment of a bath or kitchen remodel onto the value of their home. Today that's a very good return. Plus, getting the lighting right in these spaces will make them dramatic, functional and relaxing.
Kitchens are now becoming the center for casual entertaining. With the way the economy is now, more homeowners are having people over for a meal instead of going out to a restaurant. Often friends and family bring an appetizer, salad or desert to add to the meal. Everyone gathers around the kitchen island or table as others trail in, so the kitchen needs to be as inviting as the rest of the house.
