As fall and winter begin in the upper Midwest, we are often asked about  SAD lighting.  There are many products on the market making all different kinds of claims.  Since these products are  not approved or regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, it can be challenging to figure out which will work best for your particular needs.   That’s why it’s important to understand your options before you choose one.  Mayo clinic has provided some guidlines for shopping for these products:

How bright is it? Some light boxes are brighter than others — which means you need to use them for less time each day than dimmer light boxes to achieve the same effect. Look for a light box that provides the right intensity of light when you’re a comfortable distance away. For example, it may be effective to use a light box that produces 10,000 lux (a measurement of light intensity) 12 to 14 inches (30.5 to 35.6 centimeters) from you for 30 minutes each morning. However, using a box that produces 2,500 lux at the same distance may take two hours or more to achieve the same effect.

Can it be positioned appropriately? Think about where you’ll want to place your light box. Keep in mind, most light boxes need to be positioned within 2 feet (61 centimeters) of you. Make sure the light box you choose can be positioned appropriately.

Does your doctor recommend it? Before you purchase a light box, talk to your doctor, mental health provider or pharmacist. Ask about the light box you’re thinking about buying. He or she may offer additional guidance or tips to make sure that treatment with a light box is safe and as effective as possible for you.

To read the full article from Mayo clinic: click here

Some people in the industry say that the polished brass finish will never go out of style. With that being said, when looking in various showrooms or online, one would be hard pressed to find any fixtures in polished brass.

What do you do when you have polished brass fixtures and hardware throughout your home and want to update?

Currently, bronze and satin nickel finishes dominate the options for finishes in light fixtures and hardware. Depending on budget and how long you plan on living in your home, you can minimize your polished brass by working with the newer finishes that are out there.

Let’s take a bathroom for example, in the past, most of the time the light fixture finish would match the sink faucet hardware. Which in turn, also matched the knobs on the door cabinets, shower and bath hardware and possibly the mirror. You can minimize the polished brass by replacing the light fixture with a finish that matches the colors in your vanity counter top, wall color, and or flooring color. If your bathroom has warm colors in the the three above mentioned areas, a bronze fixture with cream glass may look better. If you have lighter or white colors in your counter, walls, or floor; a satin nickel finish may work better. The mirror frame color could even match your light fixture for a further tie in.

Some bronze finishes have a mixed painted finish look in which multi-colors like brass and copper show through the bronze finish and can pick up those colors within your space.

A finish from Capital Lighting called Winter Gold has a silver/gold mix that could tie in with polished brass hardware.  Kichler Lighting has a Cambridge Bronze finish that’s a mix of antique brass and a bronze finish which makes it a lighter bronze.  Hinkley Lighting has a Brushed Bronze finish or a Brushed Caramel that is a lighter finished brushed brass look.

While polished brass may not be the current trend, by updating with the newer finishes that compliment and work with the brass, you can create an updated look for your home.