BRIGHTNESS (LUMENS) measure the amount of light produced, whereas watts measure the amount of energy required to light products. Simply put, the more lumens in a light bulb, the brighter the light. Lumen measurements are needed when comparing LED bulbs to other light sources. Shopping by lumens is how you determine the brightness of your bulb. The chart below shows the lumens values for common incandescent bulbs:

LUMENS & DIRECTIONAL LAMPS. While lumens can be a guide to measure directional lamps, they do not tell the full story. Directional lamps are measured by the amount of light that gets to the surface you are lighting. This measurement is called foot candles. Directional lamps can come in different spreads—flood, narrow flood, and spot, to name a few. The light that is on the surface will look very different depending on the spread, but the lumen output can be the same.

LIGHTING CONTROLS offer many benefits. They allow you the flexibility to design a lighting plan with multiple uses. Whether you are looking to reduce energy costs, increase comfort, or manage light control solutions, we can offer the flexibility you need with the energy savings you want. With the touch of a button Lighting Controls enable you to:

• Lower light levels to conserve energy and increase bulb life
• Create and vary the mood of a room
• Control the light levels as to the activity in the room
• Many controls allow you to save different lighting schemes in one room

It is an important part of your lighting plan as it will set a mood in each room and provide functionality for convenience, security, and ambiance. There are a variety of lighting control systems, all offering different benefits that fit your home and lifestyle. And with the many different light sources available, choosing the appropriate dimmer for the light source is important for the light to function properly.

Lighting controls come in many different styles and designs. They also come in designer colors to match your decor. Integrated lighting controls allow you to choose different scenes in one room. Walk into your house and touch a button to light up the hallway to your kitchen or bedroom, then another button to turn all the lights off. Maybe a switch at the top of your basement stairs to make sure all the lights are off without ever needing to go downstairs. These systems should be discussed as you plan the lighting for your home.

A well-lit home not only offers a warm welcome, but also provides safety and security to the entrance to your home.

FRONT DOOR deserves a great look! Choose a fixture and finish that you find goes well with the style of your home. Mount matching wall sconces on both sides of the front door or use a single sconce on the side of the door that the keyhole is on. For wall sconces placed on either side of the doorway select fixtures that are proportioned one quarter or one third the height of the doorway. Place them approximately at a height of 66 inches from the floor to the center of the fixture, and six to twelve inches from the door casing. Another option when there is limited space is to mount a flush or hanging light over the door. If hanging a light , best to be approximately 6” above the frame of the door. Depending on the shape and style of the light, you may prefer a different mounting height. Always hold the light up to see what looks right to you!

SIDE DOOR, GARAGE, POST LIGHTING when you have multiple areas to light, start with the front door. These should be the ones that are the largest and stand out. A side door light to match can be a size smaller. It’s possible a side door has a recessed or flush mount if there is no space for a wall sconce. The garage could have the lights mounted over or on the side of the garage. Generally, you want these lights to be large as they are next to large garage doors. However, many times you are limited with space, so it may mean choosing a smaller size. The size of the post light should be proportioned to the height of the post. The taller the post, the bigger the light.

LANDSCAPE LIGHTING should add drama to your landscape at night! Make your home stand out in the neighborhood, expand your outdoor living after dark, and improve safety and security. There are endless possibilities when it comes to landscape lighting, but the first place you need to start is what YOU want to light. Whether it’s a favorite tree, highlighting a part of your house, or maybe you just want security along a walking path. The type of light you choose will determine what look you want to achieve. Many lighting techniques are possible: downlighting, uplighting, moonlighting, diffused lighting, accent or spot lighting, shadowing, grazing, silhouetting, cross lighting, pool or fountain lighting, step or path lighting, and driveway lighting.

Choosing the size of your ceiling fan depends on many factors. The size of the room, the height of the ceiling, as well as the type of room. We hope to guide you in finding the perfect fan for your rooms!

For maximum efficiency, choose a fan to fit your room size.

CEILING HEIGHT. The height of the fan will allow for proper air flow. If it is too high on the ceiling you may lose the cooling effect. Generally you want the blades 8 to 11 feet off the floor. This is determined by the height of the ceiling, the room dimensions, and the type of room. The best mounting height is 8 to 9 feet above the floor, with a minimum of 7 feet to the bottom of the blades for safety. A short stem is included in your fan, however, you can buy longer stems depending on the height of your ceiling. If you have low ceilings you want to choose a low profile fan. These fans do not have stems, rather they are mounted directly on the ceiling to allow for a low height dimension.

MOTOR AND BLADES are what make the fan quiet and efficient. The motor is responsible for producing a quiet operation while driving the blades for air movement.

CEILING FAN LIGHTS. If you choose to have a light on your fan, LED integrated lights are becoming more popular. They are built into the fan giving the fan a more streamline look. You also may add a light kit to just about any fan that doesn’t have one integrated.

OUTDOOR CEILING FANS are designed and approved for damp/wet locations. These fans are sealed properly and have blades to withstand damp/wet locations. When installing a fan outdoors, make sure they are damp/wet rated.

RECESSED LIGHTING and FANS. Be careful not to mount a fan over or near the beam spread of a recessed light. This will cause a strobe effect in your room when the fan is on!

AIR MOVEMENT for winter and summer months.
Clockwise in Winter. It may seem a bit odd to use a ceiling fan in the winter, but most fans are built for year-round use, saving you money on both heating and cooling costs. This is done by changing the direction of the ceiling fan and set the fan at a low speed. It forces warm air that is trapped in the ceiling down to your living space and in turn, allows for the thermostat to be lowered. Rooms with high or vaulted ceilings will notice a big difference. Depending on the model, the ceiling fan’s direction can be changed through the reverse switch on the fan’s motor or on a wall/remote control.
Counter-Clockwise in Summer. This direction will create a cool downward breeze and allow for the thermostat to be at a higher setting. Even just a 2 degree increase in the setting will save on energy costs.

CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) is determined by the fan’s motor, the blade size, and the blade pitch. Greater CFM’s will have more air movement. Just keep in mind, you could have a fan that moves a lot of air (with a high CFM), but does so at a high wattage. So, the fan may not be considered efficient. Look for fans that operate at a high CFM and low power usage.

VAULTED CEILINGS need a fan that would be compatible with a ceiling fan adapter. Many ceiling fans can handle a small pitch. If not you would buy a sloped ceiling fan adapter, as well as a longer down rod. Most fans come with a 3” down rod, longer ones are available to match the finish of the fan. Pay attention to the width of the blade and the position of the fan on the ceiling … you want at least 18” min from the wall to the blade. Check with the manufacturer for specifics of the adapter and down rods.

Lighting your bathroom may seem simple, but there are important tips you want to know. There is a difference when lighting a master/full bath where you get ready daily, and lighting a powder bath.

WHERE DO I PLACE THE LIGHTING. Let’s start at the mirror. The best lighting to illuminate your face is on either side of the mirror. Doing so prevents shadows as well as getting even light on both sides of your face. Especially important if you are putting on makeup, shaving, or styling hair and daily tasks. If you have one long mirror you can opt to mount lights directly on your mirror. If you do not have the space to put a light on either side of the mirror, mounting a light above the mirror is best. The length of the light usually does not exceed the length of the vanity.

WHAT BULBS SHOULD I USE. The brightest light will come from a medium base socket. With LED now being the more popular light source, you can screw in a bright LED bulb in the color temperature of your choice, 2700K warmer light or 3000K for a whiter light. You may also use a dedicated LED light. This means that the LED light source is built in the fixture. This allows for a more even light color without having to replace the bulb.

DO I NEED ADDITIONAL LIGHTING. This will depend on the size of your bathroom. Wall lights can give enough lighting for the entire bathroom, however if the bathroom is large, you may want to add a ceiling light, or recessed lighting. You will definitely want to add a shower light regardless of the size of your bathroom.

LIGHTING OVER A WHIRLPOOL or FREE STANDING TUB. This adds to the beauty of your bathroom! You may choose to match the lights by the mirror or go with a different look. Check local code requirements for specifications on hanging the light over a tub.

DO I DIM MY BATHROOM LIGHTS. If you have a light over the tub, this should definitely be dimmed to set the mood. You may also consider dimming the lights around the mirror for night time use of the bathroom- entering the bathroom with soft dimmed light is much easier on the eyes at night!

EXHAUST FAN is a must in all bathrooms. Exhaust fans should be chosen by the CFM (how much air is moved) as well as Sones (noice level). Your bathroom size and if you have a shower will determine what size CFM you will need. Exhaust fans come with or without lights.

LIGHTING A POWDER BATH that you do not use for daily tasks such as shaving, putting on makeup, etc. does not need to be lit as bright. Many powder baths will have a decorative mirror over the sink and two lights on either side or one above.

DOES THE COLOR OF MY BATHROOM MATTER. Yes! If you have dark walls or floors then your light source will need to be brighter as the dark surfaces will absorb most of the brightness. Lighter colored bathrooms will feel brighter.

We hope this guide will help you understand some of the basics when lighting your kitchen.

The kitchen is the center of your home. With more homes being an open floor plan, choosing the correct lighting can be challenging. Because there are many activities in the kitchen you should use a combination of different types of lighting. The best way to approach your lighting design is by using three basic types of lighting: GENERAL, TASK, and ACCENT.

GENERAL LIGHTING fills the space with soft overall light. The level of illumination allows enough light to be useful in the space.

Recessed lighting works best for general lighting. LED recessed is the most popular type being used. LED recessed lights are made with bulbs built into the fixture. This creates a more even color temperature of the recessed lights. Recessed lights have two parts, the housing and the trim. The housing is what goes above the ceiling, and the trim is what you see that holds the bulb. New “wafer” style recessed lights offer the look of a recessed without the housing, rather it mounts in a fixture box. There are some differences between the two styles that should be considered- appearance, lumen output, cost, and features.

PLACEMENT OF RECESSED LIGHTING should be planned out carefully. There are several approaches to designing a recessed layout depending on the shape of your kitchen. In an open layout, you may be able to section off your kitchen and design the lighting for each area. This may include your cabinet area, a hallway, a pantry area, etc. When lighting around your cabinets, you want to try to position the recessed lights centered at the cabinets and along the cabinet walls. Placing them at the edge of the counter is ideal. If you place them further out you will get shadowing on the counter from standing between the light and the counter. We strongly suggest using under cabinet lighting, this will eliminate the shadowing on the counter. You want to take into consideration a hood fan. If you install a recessed light over that you will get what we call a “hot spot” on the hood, instead, position it on either side of the hood. Note: sometimes, joists, beams or pipes may prevent you from getting the recessed light in an exact location.

RECESSED LIGHTS COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES. For many years, the most popular size for recessed lighting was 4” or 6”, but with LED being so efficient and bright, 3” and 2” are increasingly being used. The height of your ceiling will also determine the size you choose. It is important to check the lumens as each recessed differs with size and manufacturer.

LUMENS (BRIGHTNESS) measure the amount of light produced, whereas watts measure the amount of energy required to light products. Simply put, the more lumens in a light bulb, the brighter the light. Lumen measurements are needed when comparing LED bulbs to other light sources. Shopping by lumens is how you determine the brightness of your bulb. The chart below shows the lumens values for common incandescent bulbs:

It’s important to note that lumens are measured at the source. However in directional bulbs, what matters is the amount of light that is landing on the surface. Some LEDs are more efficient than others and therefore use fewer watts to produce the same or more lumens. Check out the lumen comparison to wattage to determine what will work best for you. Consider the colors of your counters, cabinets and floors- dark surfaces will require a brighter lumen.

COLOR TEMPERATURE is an option when choosing your recessed light. It is measured in Kelvins (K). You can choose 2700K warm white, 3000K soft white, or 4000K-5000K daylight. The color of your cabinets and room can determine what Kelvin temperature you choose. With white cabinets, you may feel a 3000K compliments better. However, in the end, chose the one that is more pleasing to your eye. We recommend you see the options in person.

DO THE COLORS IN MY KITCHEN MATTER. Yes! The colors of your kitchen matter. If the colors in your kitchen are light, it will reflect more light. Darker kitchens absorb light so they may require more recessed lights or brighter lumens.

WHAT IF I HAVE HIGH CEILINGS. For high ceilings, you will need to choose a recessed with appropriate lumens to light your work surface. This may also mean you need a bigger trim to get more lumens from the light.

WHAT SHOULD I PUT OVER MY SINK. Either recessed or decorative light should be placed in front of you over the sink. Consider a separate switch to operate this light because it works well as a light to leave on in the evening or away from home.

TASK LIGHTING is important for the “working areas” of your home.

UNDER CABINET LIGHTING will light the most important area of the kitchen, your work surface. LED has taken over halogen as it is more efficient and does not get as hot. There are many types of under cabinet lighting in different widths and lengths. Cabinets either have an edge or are recessed to hide the light fixture from view. However, if you have a flat surface, consider tape lighting as an option.

DECORATIVE LIGHTING over a table or island will work as either general or task lighting depending on the light output of the fixture. If there is not enough general lighting from the fixture, you may add small recessed lights to accompany it. Decorative lighting will set the tone of the kitchen and create the personality you want in the room.

HANGING GUIDELINES. When figuring the height of your fixture, the following dimensions are not set in stone. Opt for what looks the best with that particular fixture and what’s comfortable for you. It’s a good idea to make a template of the fixture to get an idea of placement and height!

OVER TABLE. Hanging a fixture over a table the best height from the surface to the bottom of the fixture is at least 30”. The width of fixture should have a diameter 12” narrower than the table’s width. So a 36“ width table, your fixture width should be about 24”.

OVER ISLAND. Hanging a fixture over the island, a good height from surface of island to bottom of pendant is 30”- 36”. Think about someone standing at the island, you do not want the fixture to block the views. Spacing should be at least 30” apart. You may use two or three pendants over the island, depending on the size of the fixture and island. For the width size of the fixture, measure the width of the island and subtract by 12” to determine the maximum width your light should be.

HIGH CEILINGS. The hanging fixture height for over the table or island will also depend on the volume and style of the fixture as well as the height of the ceiling. Ceilings over 8’ can allow more space between the surface and the fixture- generally 3” for every additional foot of ceiling height. So if your ceiling is 10 feet tall, your lighting fixture could be hung 36-40 inches over the table/island.

ACCENT LIGHTING adds drama to a room by creating visual interest. It is used to focus on a particular object.

HIGHLIGHT a favorite picture, sculpture, any special object, or a textured wall. Using smaller adjustable recessed lighting or track heads work well. If you have glass cabinets, accent the interior using tape or puck lighting to light up your showpieces in your cabinet. Keep in mind if you have wood shelves you will need tape lighting that runs up the side of the cabinets to light up every shelf space.