MORE lighting?!?!? Never enough...

MORE LIGHTING?!?!?
More lighting?!?!? Think you have had enough? I just don’t want any of my friends, family or clients to forget the lighting….and of course I will only cover these topics briefly, so ask me for more details or find an expert in your area. (If you live in Great Falls, Mt, remember that Scott at City Lights is pretty awesome.)

Last blog, I gave a rule for determining the size of a chandelier and I will add these 2 rules: the diameter can be determined by adding the width and length of the room in which it will be placed(12' +14'=26')-convert this sum into inches (26") for the diameter of the fixture. In a dining room with the fixture to be hung over a table, the chandelier should be about 12" less than the table width.

Last week’s blog was about lighting and I want to follow-up with a few mistakes homeowners can and have made with lighting.

1. Not taking advantage of dimmers with halogen and incandescent bulbs as this will lengthen the bulb’s life and use less energy. A dimmer is available for low-voltage lighting, but is more expensive.

2. Don’t forget to have side –lights, such as sconces, and not just a down light at a bath vanity. It is more flattering and realistic to have lighting at the top and sides.

3. Don’t forget to use the 3 types of lighting, ambient, task and accent, in your space. Ambient is the general lighting for moving around and talking. Task lighting is for a more concentrated task such as chopping veggies or reading. The accent lighting is to highlight artwork or tile you’ve chosen.

4. Installing recessed down lights everywhere is one of the most common mistakes lighting designers see. Usually the recessed cans are inexpensive contractor grade and are not very efficient at shedding light on vertical surfaces. Remember that installing these recessed down lights in a high ceiling can leave your space feeling dark as they do not have enough “oomph” to get the lumens to the areas you need it in. In other words, the light will spread and not be sufficient to light what you need lighted.

5. Don’t forget task lighting in the kitchen. These can be xenon, LED, or fluorescent and be installed right under the wall cabinet. IN ADDITION, buy bulbs with a better CRI (remember this term from last week?) for a more pleasing light.

6. Remember to have separate controls for the different types of lighting in the space. You can do this with switches, or more advanced systems that allow you to control the lighting from your laptop or a programmable wall box.

7. Use more lighting sources or more wattage in your lighting if choosing darker surfaces for the space as darker surfaces absorb more of the light/lumens in the room.

8. Choosing light fixtures just because they “look good” or “match” can end up wasting energy or getting poor light output. There are so many different lighting manufacturers that there is bound to be a fixture with the perfect options for your space.

*** Remember, to avoid these mistakes be sure to consult a designer or lighting specialist to help make choices.

DESIGN QUOTE of the WEEK: (My husband hates this one!LOL)
“A house has to evolve and change.”—Furniture designer Julian Chichester, November 06

Pictures: Siding off-new cabinets next to fireplace-new siding

Remodel update: Last week we finished the floor, starting to install trims, cabinets have arrived with the bases installed, the concrete countertops have been templated and I am trying to put closets, décor and cabinet contents back in order. I am picking out tile for the ½ bath and laundry room. Siding should resume tomorrow, with a new walk-in garage door added. We are certainly looking for the end! And, we will have another trip to the dump...although I have donated everything possible, some items were just too dilapidated to keep in circulation.

Lighting, Lochsa, and "laws" for good lighting...

Remodel Update: Front door is stained a deep cherry stain (and we are getting alot of positive comments from passerby-ers, neighbors, and friends) and some of the front siding is up. (I know it is hard to see from this picture.) New flooring is being installed by my wonderful hubby-it too is a beautiful warm color; you can see we are about half way...it should be done by this weekend! YES!!! Trim is next...

The three L's...lighting, Lochsa and "laws" of lighting...

Happy second week of June! Last week I was fortunate enough to whitewater raft on the Lochsa(LockSaw) River(with 9' of water) with my family and now am getting down to work. This week I wanted to talk about lighting. During our remodel we moved or replaced 14 light fixtures. I was able to add some low-voltage lighting above some cabinetry that will just set it off! I have been searching for a pendant for above my dining table that is part-modern, part-rustic, part-traditional...some would just say "transitional". I have found some interesting sites with totally customizable shades and am including a couple of examples of colors I chose...I am matching them to an amber glass pendant for above the new island. Of course, I have found some awesome lighting that is very modern, just not quite right. I truly believe that someone will design the perfect light for me at a reasonable price-in the mean time I can play with the custom sites. So far the prices have ranged from $800 to $299...whew!

Check out the http://www.lampsplus.com/ website, as well as the http://www.stonegatedesigns.com/ website, and http://www.alluminaire.com/ where you can design your own drum shade versions, wallpapers and fabrics, all to match.. LampsPlus.com Design Your Own Custom Lighting: "I created my own lighting design ... check it out!"

Not sure how to size your lights(light fixtures)? or how about choosing a light bulb(lamp)?

The size of your dining light/chandelier is dependant on the size of the room: measure diagonal across the room, take that measurement and convert it into inches. For example, if the room is 24' wide diagonally, the light fixture should be about 24" diameter. How high do I hang the dining light above the table? Usually 30" above the table top or roughly 5' AFF.

A couple of words about low-voltage lighting versus high-voltage lighting: first, the low-voltage fixtures cannot have any insulation touch them, so they must be protected. In my case, the fixture is 4 3/8" round, but the box that surrounds it is about 12" x 18". Sound like overkill?!?! They will be accent and task lighting for cabinet areas. Now, how about dimming them?

Yes, you can dim low-voltage fixtuers, but they must have a special dimmer that is magnetized, and therefore more expensive, of course. High-voltage fixtures are actually what most of us had in our houses all along, they run on "normal" wires and use incandescent bulbs. What you may not know is that eventually it will be against the law to use incandescent bulbs, (2012 I think) and you will switch to CFL, which is short for Compact FlourescentLighting. I usually cringe just thinking about CFL bulbs as I remember the old bulbs with the cool, washed-out look. But we can already get CFL's with a better CRI(color rendition index) than the early CFL's, you may just pay more for them until the demand is better. And, of course I can't forget to mention the LED's (light emitting diodes) bulbs and the fact that they are being developed for uses in lots of places. Even televisions are using LED lighting. I predict their cost will go down as well.

Have a great week!

DESIGN QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“The drama of this interior doesn’t come from the obvious; it comes from the strength of the point of view. The rooms are sets—not for theater, but for living.”—Interior designer Vicente Wolf, August/September 01

Faucets, Faucets, and more Faucets

I started researching kitchen faucets for my own kitchen and found quite a lot of interesting information that I will share with you. (Keep in mind that vessel sinks require special faucets.) And..I was told by a plumbing parts store that a sink is a sink, but don't skimp on the faucet!
1. Handle options: should feel good, be easy to maneuver and solid when in action.
2. Solid brass construction: Brass is tough with extreme temperatures and will outlast any plastic internal component faucet.
3. On the Wall: frees up the countertop and does not get the grime that sink-mount faucets can get.
4. Easier how-to: Now one of the simpler DIY projects as some models have snap connectors and that eliminates the need for a wrench and plumber’s tape.
5. People’s choice: Polished chrome is still the favorite!
6. Cleaner water: Get peace of mind with a faucet that filters high % of lead, chlorine, and other contaminants. They can also change from filtered to unfiltered easily.
7. Compression faucets: These kinds rely on rubber washers to stop the flow of water, are prone to leakage and need frequent repair-so beware.
8. Ceramic-disk valve: Reliable because 2 disks form an airtight seal when locked together. One disk stays in 1 spot, the other moves to block or open water flow.
9. Instant tea: Choose a faucet with an instant hot water feature and it allows users to get it for tea or whatever quicker.
10. PVD technology: Physical Vapor Disposition is process that protects metal surfaces from wear and corrosion. It binds coatings to metal to give faucets the always-untarnished look.
11. Go for the old: If looking for vintage faucets you can search antique stores or architectural salvage stores-just be careful to inspect for metal integrity and working mechanisms. The other choice is brand new castings that look old.
12. Pullouts: The trend is to get a faucet with a hose that will spray off dishes and get rid of the old style side-spray attachments.
13. Professional equipment: Toe switches for hands free washing or restaurant style faucets with long, metal-clad hoses are for the serious dishwashers.
14. Secondary sinks: Two sinks require 2 faucets. Try to keep the styles the same or similar.
15. Pot fillers: These are mounted on the wall behind the cook top and should reach both front and rear burners.
16. Price of admission: Prices range from $50 up to $500 plus with polished chrome being the least expensive.
17. Old world: Oil-rubbed bronze, wrought iron and hammered copper are popular choices for a vintage look.
18. Precious metals: Stain-less steel, brushed nickel, and satin finishes are becoming more popular and hide water spots and are very stylish.
19. Matte chrome finish: This mimics aluminum and is gaining popularity.
20. Escutcheon plate: These plates can cover unused faucets holes if you are replacing a 2-handle faucet with a single-lever model.
21. Call in the pros: If you need new countertops, trust professionals to drill the holes for the faucet.
22. Have it your way: Choose the shape of the faucet first, then the finish. There are a lot of choices!
23. Epoxy finishes: Colored nonmetallic finishes are available in white, almond, black, and other colors.
24. Brassy: This choice is upscale, but hard to keep shiny, so look for a model that’s guaranteed not to corrode, tarnish, or discolor.
And last but not least!....
25. Never forget: Turn the water off first if replacing it.
I hope you find this list to be a lot of good, concise information. There are so many wonderful choices—fun, fun, fun!!! I love this weeks’ design quote as we are remodeling and thought our house was generic enough to just change cosmetic things..like finishes(paints, carpets, etc.) over the years, and now realize how making certain changes can really change your life. An example is that we have taken down a 32' wall that will allow our guests to mingle with space to move around. Now, it seems like the space never ends…
Design Quote of the Week: “Too often when we’re buying or building a house, we do not consider each room. We are carried away by one charming feature and are blind to details that will give us trouble later on.” Dorothy Draper

More remodel pics...the brick coming down! We are getting ready for some of the siding to go up and then after that the (real) rock from Montana. Beautiful stuff!