1. For dark corners, use metal can up-lights. They can be purchased in a variety of styles and only need to be plugged in, with the light directed at the dark area. These are small and work great in a potted floor plant or on the top of a chest or armoire. Be sure to camouflage the fixture and just enjoy the light.
2. Install under-cabinet light strips in the kitchen, desk area, or workroom. The light will shine directly on the work area and make any task easier. Switch them off when you leave the job.
3. Add a decorative lamp to a bookshelf. It will not only break up the long line of books, but make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
4. Place a small decorative lamp on the kitchen or bathroom, tucked into a corner. (Be sure to keep it away from any water!) It can serve as a night light but also be decorative.
5. Be sure that every room in your home has a light connected to a dimming wall switch at the entrance. You’ll be able to turn it on when you walk into the room, then adjust the lighting as you find your way.
6. If your table space is limited, install a reading light on the wall near the bed or lounge chair. Reading will be a pleasure!
7. Remove boring ceiling fixtures and install can lights around the room. While you might need to bring in professional help for this one, it will be well worth it! You can direct the light to artwork, reading nooks, or work spaces.
8. Light your artwork with small fixtures attached on the top. There are many styles designed just for lighting art. Find them at a local home center, attatch it to the frame of the art, and plug in to the wall.
9. Install a dimming wall switch to control the light and fan on a ceiling fan. For even more convenience, purchase and program a remote control to turn the light or fan on and off.
10. Install a motion sensor on outdoor light fixtures to control the light when people walk too close to the house. Or, at a dark hallway or staircase, or in the garage or attic so that you never have to enter the space in the dark.
11. Add a light sensor to an outdoor light. You’ll have light whenever it’s dark outside, but the light will go off at daybreak.

Tips:

1. Use a lamp, up-light, and ceiling fixture all in one room. The layers of light will add interest and provide numerous lighting options.
2. Be sure to keep the light bulbs clean with frequent dusting. The light will be cleaner, too.

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LightingShowroom.com - Dining Room lighting tips

Useful tips on creating effective dining room lighting designs.

A Lighting Designer Advances Brilliant Energy-Saving Ideas

Have you ever heard of daylight harvesting? The idea is to leverage the available natural light for greater energy-efficiency and esthetic value. If you are green-minded and planning to build a new home, daylight harvesting is an amazing energy saving concept.

Linda Segreto of Schrager Lighting Design in Ridgefield, CT says the first step is to hire a green architect who will have a good understanding of how to maximize natural light and position your house accordingly on the lot.

The second step is to hire a green-minded lighting designer to work in conjunction with the architect.

The direction of the sun and which way your home faces is very important for daylight harvesting, Segreto explains.

For example, bedrooms don’t need natural light during the day, making a Northern exposure perfectly acceptable.

On the other hand, for rooms you spend a lot of time in - like the kitchen or family room - facing South or West will provide plenty of natural ambient light.

Another savvy energy-saving idea is to install a dimming system that controls lighting throughout the entire home. According to Segreto, the best system is Lutron’s Graphic Eye. This product allows the owner to schedule a sophisticated lighting plan for every fixture in the house with dimming capability. Not only can lamps be scheduled to turn on at a specific time, but at a specific power level as well.

“The beauty of the Lutron system is that you can create and program lighting scenes for each room, judiciously choosing energy levels for esthetic reasons and cost savings at the same time,” she says.

Segreto explains how lighting scenes work. A morning scene in the kitchen might include the light over the kitchen table set at 50%, counter lights at 50% and ambient light at 50%, depending upon window size and the available natural light. The evening scene after dinner would be completely different with the light over the table and countertops at 30% and wall washers at 60-70%.

The controls are located in a wall box and are programmed after installation. Then, as the seasons change and the lighting needs change with them, the program will need to be adjusted.

The schedule can also be manually over-ridden when special needs arise, like creating the mood for a party. Using a system like this saves a lot of energy because all the lights are not constantly on 100% power levels. Nor do you need to rely on memory to turn down dimmers or shut off lights. Plus, dimmers extend bulb life, which provides another layer of savings.

A system like this requires bulbs that are dimmable. The good news is that compact fluorescent bulbs, which are such big energy savers, are now dimmable and come in almost every style and size, just like traditional incandescent bulbs. Even though these bulbs cost more upfront, the energy savings make for a quick return on the investment.

About Linda Segreto

Linda Segreto has been designing lighting systems around the U.S. and abroad for three decades. She has a Masters in Architectural Lighting and, early in her career, worked with James Nuckolls, one of the founders of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). Her ability to interface with architects and construction managers ensures project quality, timeliness and adherence to client specifications. Design projects range from residential to commercial, including Bell Atlantic Corporate Headquarters, Cornell University Research Center, Columbia Presbyterian Health Systems, and Tiffany and Company Corporate Headquarters. To learn more, visit the Schrager Lighting Design website.

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