July 28, 2012

Put Your Home in the Perfect Light

Photo Courtesy of Hinkley
Lighting can make a big difference in your home. Good lighting helps you see better and perform tasks more easily. It also provides safety, security and a sense of comfort. Lighting, as well as lighting controls, provides the flexibility to adjust and adapt the mood and ambiance of your home.

Here are some tips for planning an effective lighting scheme:

  • Identify the activities that occur in each room (reading, cooking, grooming, laundry, homework, etc.).
  • Identify the mood or ambience desired.
  • Identify the decorative elements you wish to emphasize.
  • Keep in mind dark colors absorb much light, so dark wall colors and finishes need supplementary light.
  • When remodeling, identify existing electrical locations.
  • Identify areas serving more than one purpose and those that require more than one type of lighting.
Visit our showrooms and see how beautiful your home can be.

July 23, 2012

Summer style…enjoy the outdoors and beat the heat!

If there’s one thing you can count on in South Florida, it is the undeniable heat during the summer!

That’s no reason to give up on spending time outside though.   There are plenty of ways to keep cool.  If you must be outside during the day, hopefully it is on, near or close to a body of water.  Otherwise, the evening sunsets and gazing at the stars and moon are a wonderful times to spend outside. 

Make you patio as luxurious as a 5-star resort.  Invest in comfortable furniture that goes with your own personal style; contemporary, transitional or traditional.  There are many options to choose from, just find the one that fits your space and is comfortable.  Add the perfect lighting and accessories and your outside can be as inviting as the inside. 

Incorporate decorative lighting to illuminate the area with a glow that won’t compete with the stars and moon.  Dimmers on every light will allow you to create the desired mood you are trying to achieve, whether you are spending time outside to read or a soft glow over cocktails.  The levels of light will help you create these moods – wall lanterns, table and floor lamps and ceiling mounted fixtures all add different dimensions.

In the heat of the Florida summer, decorative fans with or without lights will help circulate the air on those hot, still nights.  Fans for patios are available in a number of styles and finishes to coordinate with your particular look and style.

Casablanca has thought of everything by incorporating a sound system in their fan – the Concert Breeze Light Fixture is a light fixture and sound system all in one.  Now you can have light, fan and music all in one piece.

Be sure that all fixtures are “damp” or “wet” location.  “Damp” location is normally or periodically subject to condensation of and includes partially protected locations.  “Wet” location is a location in which water splash or flow on or against a fixture.

Around the pool, be sure to keep the area well lit for safety and aesthetics.  There are many options for around the pool and patio area:  deck lamps that mount directly on the side of a fence, in ground lights, recessed wall lights, and an array of landscape lighting choices. 

There is no reason to hide inside during the summer, just prepare the outside with the proper elements and you will enjoy the summer outside, even in South Florida.