exterior home

Choosing Area and Type of Outdoor Lighting for Garden

Outdoor lighting type and design should considering several lighting effects, by placing the light at the base of a wall or hedge the light 'cover' over the surface creating a soft glow effect. However this can also be achieved by 'lifting' the light at certain angles to cover the desired area eg. garden area. Good areas and features to concentrate on:- Dining and seating areas, walkways, sculptures, water features, pots, specimen planting, trees, architectural features, garden features, buildings, etc can all be highlighted in a garden to create wonderful, varied ‘textures’ of light.

Uplighting, down lighting, mid-level lighting, step lighting, etc?

You may want to take into consideration how the garden will be used and how the garden will be viewed from the house. Also, consider security aspects, lighting can deter unwanted intruders! Consider how the lights are going to be ‘switched on’ – exteior switch or interior switch? How many lights are required to be switched on at any one time? If you require some areas of the lighting to be separate from others you will require different lighting ‘circuits’. You may want to consider ‘remote control’ lighting, whereby the lighting can be operated with a small keyfob, as opposed to using a switch. Do you require ‘sensors’? [greenways]

Outdoor Lighting Basics for Designing Garden and Landscape

Several garden and landscape designer forgot to designing the outdoor lights elements, Outdoor lighting is an often over looked, but crucial element to creating great outdoor spaces. Outdoor lighting extends the function of outdoor spaces into the evening, and helps define a warm and inviting living space. A variety of lighting effects are possible through proper use of outdoor lighting.

Uplighting: Uplighting can be used to highlight a vertical object in your outdoor space such as a specimen tree, an interesting façade, or landscape structure such as trellises and arbors. In order to prevent glare, fixtures should be aimed away from viewer. For objects viewed multiple sides, well lights with louvers should be used, and located as close to the base of the object as possible.

Spotlighting: Special landscape features such as sculptures, specimen shrubs or benches can be lighted from above utilizing shielded spot lamps. Lights should be concealed in adjacent trees or structures, and should be used judiciously in the landscape.

Path Lighting: Patch Lighting is accomplished by utilizing low mounted spread lights along one edge of a path. Path lighting is available in an endless array of styles, and often becomes a feature of your outdoor space.

Moonlighting: By strategically locating small ‘up and down’ fixtures inside of large trees, it is possible to replicate the effect of moonlight filtering through the branches. It is crucial the fixtures are specially designed for this purpose.

The key to all these affects is to not over due it. Nothing is more tacky than washing your property with gigantic flood lights. Remember, part of what makes a beautiful outdoor space at night, is the fact that it’s dark out!

Outdoor Lighting Ideas with Energy-Efficient Technology

Before designing an outdoor lighting, anyone who plan a new home or refurbishing an existing one should give early thought to lighting. Timely planning of electrics pays off: it enables comfortable, energy-efficient outdoor lighting solutions to be taken into account in the design phase.

There are four types of outdoor lights, with varying energy efficiency.

LED Outdoor Ligths are energy efficient. Look for multiple bulbs and higher wattage for garden beds and sculptures. A low-voltage LED (light-emitting diode) has a transformer to convert 240-volt household power into a safer 12 volts.

Low-Voltage Halogen Lights are brighter than LED but use more electricity. They’re best used for accent lighting around the deck area, and they also have transformers to convert power to 12 volts.

Solar Lights have rechargeable batteries powered by solar panels. They’re inexpensive to run, with the occasional battery replacement needed, but aren’t as bright as other types. They don’t require wiring and are good for lighting pathways.

240-Volt Halogen Lights are the most powerful and good for lighting trees, but require installation by a qualified electrician. They consume the most electricity so consider using with a timer for energy efficiency.

Dining under the Stars Extend the outdoor dining and entertainment area with lights for function and ambience. Always check if the lights are suited to being used outside and use just one long outdoor extension cord for mulTIP:le lights rather than piggybacking lots of cords into one power outlet.

Task Lighting should be unobtrusive and focused over the dining area. Set up a spotlight with a soft glow rather than harsher white light to brighten the dining table.

Accent Lighting adds texture and a decorative element. Highlight planters or position lights for dramatic effect with shadows. Connect outdoor lights to automatic sunset timers that sense dusk and dawn to operate more efficiently.

Ambient Lighting can be used on the table with candles or overhead with soft light from a chandelier.

Heavy Duty Lighting Minimise glare from floodlights by focusing them away from the direct line of view or diffusing the brightness by positioning rocks and foliage around them.

On the deck
Position matching downlights under the eaves for even light distribution onto the deck, and drape LED fairy lights along tree branches for year-round entertaining.

Smooth Bathroom Lighting System From K08 Karol

Smooth bathroom lighting system is suitable for this small K08 Karol Bathroom. With K08 collection, Karol pays a special attention to small bathrooms lighting system as well. By reducing to the reduced depth of the cabinets and to rounded corners, this collection is capable to answer the requirements of those looking for good quality and design of bathroom lights, even though not having much space available.

The basins, available in assorted designs and finishes, can be positioned either on the centre of the wash-basin cabinet or on the end of the corner to allow the full exploitation of the storage inside the cabinet and of the countertop. The lamps are installed on above the mirror, with small lamp,or with big white bulbs lamp. Main features of this collection are the attention to space utilization and the double finish option : lacquered + wood

Home Decorating with Contemporary House Design

Home Decorating with Natural Contemporary Lighting in living room

Home decorating describe you how to arrange home furnishings, furniture, flooring, ceiling, wall design and all element of house. Contemporary house design is one of best home style design with several home decorating style. Decorating a home is started from the living room. Impressive living room should be well festooned and giving an inviting aura. It should create a homey and comfortable image.

home decorating ideas with contemporary wall paint and mirror

Create space and depth for living room by positioning a mirror on a wall. Choose lighter and neutral colors for it should be used as any other room in the house. You can also give a more bright color such as red and white color combination in order to make the living room looks more live.

home decorating in contemporary home furnishing

home decorating ideas in contemporary red-white living room

Contemporary Bathroom Lighting System in Combination Lights

Combining bathroom lighting system should considering several aspects, Natural Lighting, Recessed/Can Lighting, Chandeliers Sconce Lighting or Vanity lights are several bathroom lights style. By combining several lighting system can improve your value of bathroom, so the bathroom become cozy and fresh.

Natural bathroom lights allow you to reducing the cost of lamp and the use of electricity, Find room in your design for windows/skylights. Windows over tubs create a natural backdrop for your bathroom and allow you to enhance the bathroom with window treatments. Try to place them so that the natural light does not reflect off of the mirrors.

Ceiling lighting, This type of lighting is great for the overall brightness of the room. Strategically placed, these work well for shower and tub areas, and provide a soft glow for creating a spa-like setting. Place two over the tub, or use in open areas or hall areas for added lighting.

Outdoor Lights for Garden and Landscape

Outdoor lighting become important since it used not only for making-over the garden and landscape, here are several beautiful outdoor lights system that installed on garden or landscape. There's much more to lighting than meets the eye, and considering how to light your garden can drastically change the look, feel, and ambiance of any outdoor lights system.

Outdoor lighting has some general, obvious uses: it helps you do things easily, makes you feel safe, and makes your home comfortable. But it can do much more when used to its full potential.