Before you venture out to buy lighting, it helps to take a few minutes to prepare.  This will help you and your lighting consultant select lighting that will meet your style, function and size requirements.

Before shopping consider the following:

1. What do you use your room for?  For example, is your dining room used only for formal dinners, or is the table used for homework, paying bills, etc?  The use of the room plays a role in the type of lighting you’d want.

2. What are your ceiling heights?  A foyer with an 9′ ceiling can use many fixtures which would be too tall for an 8′ ceiling.  In the dining room, taller ceilings open up many design possibilities.

3. Styles.  Have you seen anything you like?  Are you trying to match a style in the space?  Whether it’s a picture from a magazine or a website, bringing in ideas that you like will help us help you find exactly the right light.

4. Special Installations.  Are there any impediments to what you want to light?  For example, before you can put a light in a bedroom make sure that you have a junction box.  If you have sloped ceilings, or drop ceilings, they can also affect your choice in lighting.

5. Colors.  What colors are you utilizing in the room? Dark colors will require more lighting than lighter colors.  Also, using warm tones (browns and yellows)  may requires one type of lighting, while cool colors (blues and grays) require a different type.

For additional considerations before shopping: CLICK HERE

LED Desk Lamp

Great New LED task and desk lamps have just arrived at Creative Lighting! A simple design, a great price, and a superior color LED make these a great way to be part of the LED revolution!

Compared to fluorescent bulbs, advantages claimed for LED light bulbs are that they do not contain mercury (unlike compact fluorescent light bulbs), that they turn on instantly, and that the lifetime is unaffected by cycling on and off, so that they are well suited for light fixtures where the bulbs are frequently turned on and off. LED light bulbs are also less apt to break.

LED Floor Lamp

LED lamps have no glass tubes to break, and their internal parts are rigidly supported, making them resistant to vibration and impact. A LED light bulb can be expected to last 25–30 years under normal use. The bulbs maintain output light intensity very well over their life-times.  Creative Lighting has great prices for our LED Desk Lamp: $99.90, and our LED Floor Lamp: $129.90 (both available in Chrome or Black).  Plus, if you come in right now, you can save 10% off all our LED lamps with this coupon.

Retailers and home fashion experts say consumers are looking for ways to express personality in their homes this fall, with something that shows an artisan’s touch and adds a little sparkle. Also, as the days get shorter and the nights longer you may find that general lighting just isn’t enough for your hallway, foyer or bathroom. You don’t have to stumble around in an area that lacks the proper amount of lighting. When you’re ready to fill your living space with the right amount of light, consider a wall sconce. These classic fixtures can be both decorative and task oriented and are a perfect accent piece that double as functional art.

Many wall sconces can also complement main lighting sources, like chandeliers and ceiling fixtures, and a good number of them are also reversible and can be mounted for up or down lighting.

There are few places wall sconces cannot be mounted. We could reasonably put these versatile little gems into three different categories:

• Indoors conventional: Bathroom and hallway fixtures provide a small amount of light for accenting already existing fixtures. Foyer fixtures offer an exemplary complement to ceiling fixtures, like chandeliers or pendants.

• Indoors unconventional: The American Lighting Association suggests placing sconces on each side of the fireplace to draw attention to that area and provide general lighting. This is a way to use wall scones to create a focal point in your room.

• Outdoors: While beautifying your property, outdoor wall sconces placed at the front and back porch or by the garage will also make your home’s exterior safer and more secure. In addition, basking in the glow of outdoor wall sconces allows you to enjoy the times you spend outdoors.

Whether you’re planning to install wall sconces along a hallway or in a bathroom or foyer, they should be hung roughly 60 inches from the floor, and spaced no less than six feet apart from each other.

One way in which wall sconces are unique from all other lighting fixtures is in their architectural styles. Corner sconces provide accent light and can showcase a cherished piece of furniture or art. Lighted shelf fixtures offer a small ledge to accommodate a knick-knack, picture frame or any other decorative touch.

Swing arm fixtures are great since the light source itself can be moved to cast light anywhere the swing arm will reach. Wall washers flood a specific area with a soothing array of light, perfect for complementing other fixtures in the room.

Because wall sconces come in so many different styles and can be used for so many different lighting situations the possibilities are virtually endless. The best thing to do is to work with a lighting professional and find the design and lighting solution that speaks to you.

Pendants are an attractive way to illuminate a home, if used properly. The American Lighting Association provides the following tips for selecting pendants for optimal design and functionality. Pendants must be placed at the proper height and in the appropriate quantity for the space being illuminated. The type of pendant to use depends on whether it’s the primary or secondary light source in the room.

When it comes to selecting which type of pendant you need, style isn’t the only criteria. The first decision should be whether the pendants will be the primary source of light. If an adequate layer of general illumination is already in the room, pendants can be selected purely for aesthetic purposes. If they will be the only light in the area, the placement and selection must be more deliberate. The two most common pendant lighting mistakes homeowners make are not placing them at the proper height and not installing enough.

The best advice is to visit your local lighting showroom for guidance. Sitting down with a trained lighting professional who can asses your needs will help to result in the best outcome for your lighting project. That being said, here are some guidelines to follow when selecting pendant lighting for your home:

What height should pendants be mounted at?

Our relationship to most pendants occurs when we are standing up. Therefore, each should be mounted so that the bottom of the shade is approximately 66 inches above the floor. At that height, it is possible to look across the room below the pendants while they are low enough to create a dramatic focal point. If the shade is not very deep and there is seating at the kitchen island or peninsula, it might be necessary to install the pendants a few inches lower, say 60 inches above the floor. This is because shallow shades allow us to easily see the bulb inside when we are looking across the room and can cause glare.

How many pendants do I need?

The general recommendation is for one pendant to be placed at every two feet of counter space. For instance, a six-foot island would require three pendants to adequately cover the area. In that example, one pendant would be mounted in the center and the other two would be placed roughly 20 inches on either side.

The size of the pendants can also impact the spacing. If thin, narrow pendants are selected, you might prefer the addition of one or two extra fixtures than you would have if a wider diameter was chosen. Odd quantities of pendants over a counter or island give a more balanced look than an even number. Always keep with the rule of thumb of suspending the middle fixture at the center-point with the others equidistant from the center. Spacing from 12 to 24 inches will depend on the size of each pendant.

Does it matter what the pendant is made of?

Actually, no. It’s all a matter of personal taste. Glass is currently the most common material used for pendants, followed by spun metal. White or off-white colored shades will complement any decorative or interior design theme. Glass styles are offered in a broad spectrum ranging from a neutral color palette that blends into the surroundings to the more vibrant, color-rich pendants that steal attention.

If the pendant will be providing the general lighting for the space, it is important to select a shade that is translucent but not so dark that it prevents light from emanating horizontally. Another important consideration is that the bulb outline should not be readily visible – especially if it’s a compact fluorescent. Today, we are seeing a split in preferences. Bronze is on one side and silver is on the other. While the rule is not hard and fast, bronzes are typically used in more traditional or transitional spaces, while chromes and nickels are perfect for contemporary settings. For the foreseeable future, both metal families will be popular, but there will be a growing demand for the shiny finishes instead of matte.

With rentals and dorm rooms, it’s always hard because you can’t really change a lot. You have to be innovative.  Students, of course, are usually on a tight budget, and decorating tips must take that into account.  Find out what kind of lighting you’ll be working with. Does your dorm have an overhead light or floor lamps? It’s typically standard for your college to supply at least one form of primary lighting, but you should count on having to purchase an accent or desk lamp of your own. Here’s another item that combines function and decoration: a lamp will come in handy when your roomies are fast asleep while you’re pulling an all-nighter, and can add a unique element to your dorm.

Good, soft lighting and task lighting are important.  The more lighting you have in key areas where you study, the better.  Just make sure that it’s not too bright and that it’s about a 30-degree angle from your books, because you don’t want it shining directly on your book or directly onto your face.

Right now is the perfect time to come into Creative Lighting and buy lamps for your dorm because we are having a “Back to School Sale”.  Come in and save 10% off all of our desk, table and floor lamps.

Hallway lighting can sometimes be overlooked during remodel or building projects.  The light in a hall needs to be functional, but can also be dramatic and unexpected depending on the fixtures you select.  

Ceiling fixtures should be placed about every 8 feet.  Either flush mount or semi flush mount fixtures work well.  If you have a high ceiling chandeliers  or chandelettes could also be used.  The bottom of the fixture should be at least 7 feet from the floor.  

 Another great way to light a hallway is with wall sconces.  Wall sconces should be placed 6 to 8 feet apart and approximately 60 inches from the floor.  Placing every other sconce on the opposite side of the hall helps balance the look and the light spread.