Many customers come in, not really knowing where to start when it comes to lighting a new home they are building or doing a large remodel.  Here are some things to consider when starting to think about lighting.

1. Call a lighting showroom, and set up a time to meet with a consultant. Set aside 2-4 hours for this process, any longer than that and you’ll be feeling drained.

2. Make sure to bring plans if you have them, any pictures you might have, and an idea of a budget. Keep in mind, if you haven’t shopped for lighting in a long time, prices have changed.

3. When you come in for the meeting, the consultant will most likely go over your whole plan with you, and make some recommendations of placement and types of lighting for each area, going over details with you.

4. A list will be made, for all of your lighting needs, and notes.

5. Usually, you will walk around the showroom and look at different options, and jot down any that you like or could work.

6. It will be different for every consultant, but usually you will get photocopies or emailed links of all the selections you made, and then you’ll either meet again, or work via email to make all of the final selections. Also, your consultant may want to visit your home to do a walk-through, and talk with your electrician to verify decisions and clarify any questions. The rest of the terms will be discussed at the time of ordering.

Things to Note: You will want to plan the locations before they install all of the junction boxes/wiring. Lighting is the last thing to go in, but you’d want to get it on order at least 2 months prior to your move-in date. Lighting is usually a 2-3 week lead time, but there can be unforeseen backorders. The earlier you can pick out your lighting, the better.

With rising energy costs and a general wish to consume less energy, many homeowners are deciding to install LED recessed lighting. LED recessed fixtures have reached a point in the marketplace where the cost-performance  ratio makes them a viable replacement for older incandescents.

Why choose LED for recessed lighting?  What are some of the differences from traditional incandescent that make LED worth considering?

LED, when performing correctly, uses roughly 25% of the energy of incandescent sources.  This not only leads to energy savings, but fewer watts equates to less heat in the lit spaces.  LED will produce a quarter of the heat of incandescent, and even that small amount of heat is filtered up through the top of the recessed fixture, rather than projected downward like a flood lamp in an incandescent fixture.

Today’s LEDs are reliable and rated operating life can exceed fifteen years.  Imagine not having to get up on a ladder and change a light bulb until your toddlers go off to college!  If you tire of bulb-changing, the investment of LED recessed lighting may appeal to you.

In the not-so-distant past, people have been turned away by the harsh, blue light of LED.  It is now common to find affordable, bright, color-true LEDs in a variety of recessed trim styles and sizes.

Homeowners with existing recessed fixtures may be unable/unwilling to tear open their ceilings to install an entirely new LED system.  Thankfully, many manufacturers supply ‘retrofit’ canisters that replace older incandescent trims, and utilize the existing recessed housings.  Replacing a trim takes only minutes, and there are styles available for less than $100.  If you factor the energy and bulb cost over 15 years for the old light, the money doesn’t seem so daunting.

Even if you are reluctant to change an old fixture, you can still pick up a reliable LED flood bulb for around $30 that will give you the same brightness as incandescent, yet last up to 50 times as long.

Whether new construction, retrofit trim or replacement bulb, you will find many choices of recessed lighting that will bring you energy savings, lower heat and extremely long life- all with a light quality that will please even the most discerning eye.

Watch this short 3 minute video posted by the American Lighting Association for some inexpensive ways to update your lighting and improve how your lighting works for you!

Video: How Lighting Can Update Your Home on a Small Budget

For more lighting tips, visit our website!

People have many options for purchasing lighting. You can go to big box stores, go to many online sites to do your searching and ordering or visit a local lighting showroom. Choosing to work with a consultant at a lighting showroom can be the most beneficial for you.

When working with a consultant, you are working with someone who works with lighting everyday and it’s their specialty. They have a knack for design, and can provide you with options you may not have thought of. Lighting consultants can help lead you through the lighting selection process by asking the right questions, analyzing your needs and space, helping select the best type of lighting and style for your space, offering you the opportunity to see what you are buying, and by providing you with follow up and local service.

Lighting showrooms carry a wide breadth of vendors so the options are limitless. If you are stumped with a lighting issue, (for instance, a wall sconce the needs to provide a lot of light located at the bottom of the stairs that has a low ceiling height, a narrow width and not much clearance) consultants can give you some options for lighting those spaces. Consultants are also knowledgeable about different bulb options, under-cabinet lighting, custom track/monorail lighting, dimmers and wall switches, and many other lighting options that can make a difference in your home and save you money.