PROPERTY OWNERS BLOG.

For home or business owners, the start of a new year is often a time for reflection on past projects and goalsetting. a great time for property owners to make some financially smart resolutions. our homes and places of work are our biggest assets. we cannot afford the lack of inspiration.

Lighting is an often underestimated part of our homes and businesses. Besides having a huge impact on aesthetics and functionality, it can also have profound effects on your mood, emotions, and wellbeing. As the days get shorter and shorter and we approach the darker days of fall and winter, it’s important to emphasize just how important our indoor/ lighting is.

Lighting Design Factors:

• Size and space
• Occupant’s age and preference
• Ceiling height and shape
• Color of walls and furniture
• Existing lights and electrical setups
• Points of interest, art work, and highlight areas
• Traffic patterns
• Shadows and reflections
• Daylight integrations
• Surface characteristics
• Color appearance
• Lighting controls and distribution
• Source, task, and eye geometry
• Economics and energy efficiency
• Spatial perceptions
• Level of illumination (lux)
• Psychological and physiological factors
• Electrical codes, documentation, and specifications

Although we can give you some general guidelines for how to light the different rooms in your home, every home is different and requires specialized attention. Take this guide as a starting point, but remember that you will probably need to consult with a professional in order to get your space exactly how you want it.Remember, that color is also a huge contributor to your psychological and physiological states. The color of your rooms combined with the color temperature of your lighting can mean the difference between feeling sluggish and depressed or lively and optimistic.

General Indoor Lighting Tips

• Dimming controls are highly recommended for cutting electricity use and providing more flexible lighting options.
• Make use of lighter colors and reflections to create the atmosphere you desire. Consider adding mirrors and reflective surfaces for a shinier and brighter appearance.
• Be wary of colored light bulbs. You will want to use these sparingly. Reds and warmer colors are better for creating an inviting atmosphere in dining rooms and living rooms, while blues and cooler colors should be reserved for calmer areas like the bedroom.
• The lighting levels in your home will depend on the amount of natural light that room receives. Take advantage of natural light whenever you can, since it can have positive effects on your health and mood.
• Low light is better for producing a relaxing and calming effect. Use brighter lights for high-focus areas to encourage activity.
• Save money by replacing your incandescent lights with LEDs and CFLs.
• Speak with a professional to make sure you are using the right wattage for each fixture and that your lighting combinations make sense for your space.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING TIPS.

pathways

We say it a lot, but we truly believe that we light the front of our homes for our neighbors and the rest of the property for us. That is why we think adding path lights to any pathway that leads to outdoor living spaces is a must. Incorporating path lights to the walkways provides safety and allows for you to show off the beauty that these walkways create in your property. This is especially true when the paths display gorgeous stone!

The spacing for pathways is the same as that of the sidewalk entrances! It is meant to provide the appropriate amount of light to guide one to the outdoor living space without over lighting the area. Staggering is key!

Entrances

The main area path lighting is needed is our front entrances leading up to the home. Adding lights to the sidewalks leading up to your home allows you and your guests to be safely guided to the entrances. This gives your home a welcoming and beautiful feel when arriving. It also eliminates the question of “where do we go” when guests pull up to your home.

When installing path lights to the entrances, it is important to stagger them on each side of the walk so that the light casts in a purposeful manner. The spacing is meant to provide a clear path without over lighting. The goal is to place the fixtures so the light that is cast work in sync with one another.

Stairs.

The next area we think path lights are needed is for steps on your property. Stairs can be such a hazard in the dark even for those who know them best. Adding lighting to them provides such a safety element because it allows both you and your guests to navigate them with ease.
When we place the fixtures to bring light to the stairs, we don’t want a fixture on every step. Instead, we want them to be spread out down the edges of the staircase so that they provide just enough light to ascend and descend the stairs without trouble. Landscape lighting often cast shadows from the neighboring landscape of stones, adding a bonus depth of beauty that is not thought about before adding light to the steps!

Pool decks

The final space we are going to talk about is pool decks! A pool deck is not the first thing you think of when thinking of installing path lighting. For certain pool decks, they can provide exactly what is needed. The best way to utilize path lights in a pool deck is by using them in conjunction with other lighting fixtures. Path lights are great for illuminating steps in your pool area or providing light to the perimeter of the pool deck. Placing the path lights in just the right place brings such functionality to the pool area for both you and your guests!