Home Lighting Improvement Ideas and Options

Advances in modern technology and science have provided unlimited options for home lighting design. Any layout you can dream up is more than likely available to you today.

Here are some guidelines and choices:

First you need to consider what electrical limitations your home might have, as well as local electrical and wiring codes. If you live in a home that was built several decades ago, the wiring simply might not be able to handle what today's homes can.

It might be a good idea to talk with an electrician, to see if rewiring is recommended. At least find out what your electrical system consists of and what it can handle before you start overloading it.

Fortunately, with the efficiency of some of today's systems, you actually use less electricity by installing new and better lighting.

An example of this would be compact fluorescent bulbs, which will use 30% less electricity, while still providing a natural balance of color. Bulbs are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and levels of illumination.

One of the most popular options on the market today is LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights. Their long lifetimes make the initial up-front expense well worth it in the long run.

Believe it or not, but some of these lights are rated for 35 years. Many people would probably be satisfied with a light bulb that lasted a fraction of that. Some have a hard time getting a light bulb to last longer than six months. The Enlux is one type of LED light that is rated for 50,000 hours and will consume only 22 watts. This bulb would last around six years if it was in use 24 hours a day every day.

Light Transmitting Concrete (LiTraCon) is a type of block that provides a unique and modern look. These blocks have embedded fiber optics that emit light when the block is back lit.

Luminex fabric is along those same lines. This fabric, which comes in a variety of weights and colors, has fiber optics woven into the cloth. These fiber optics give off a soft illumination when connected to LED's and a power source.

Each room's lighting is designed with a different purpose in mind. Bathrooms need to be bright for performing daily hygiene activities. A more subtle lighting is preferred for bedrooms. Living rooms need a variety of designs, from bright to indirect and softer areas. There are a few basic lighting rules that should be observed in every room of the house.

Objects appear the way they do in natural light because of temperature in degrees Kelvin (Kelvin is in identical increments to Celsius, offset by 273 degrees). A clear Northern sky at midday will be anywhere from 7,000K-8,000K.

Light bulbs usually have lower color temperatures, thus causing them to provide light that sometimes looks unnatural. Fluorescent bulbs are usually around 4000K, while regular incandescent bulbs will be around 2800K.

Depending on what you want, newer style lights can deliver temperatures closer to that natural range. Lower temperature ratings, as well as recessed lighting can create a subtle 'candlelight' feeling. It all depends on your taste and purpose for each room.

Take your time and check out the multitude of lighting design options that are available today. Whatever you can think of, you can probably make it happen.

         

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