Attention all metal finishes….Gold is BACK, and better than ever. It’s good news for anyone that is currently struggling with trying to update their brass hardware based home with new lighting. Gold is on the trend…Again! Not that shiny show-every-finger-print kind of gold…a NEW gold. The lighting world is filled with lovely brushed brass and soft painted gold options this year. Some manufacturers have even succeeded in incorporating sleek and more sophisticated modern designs with the new hue, and the result is nothing short of fantastic. If you desperately want to rid your space of the old brass and glass fixture blues, but need something that will still work with all of that gold hardware, this is your time! And to any of you who are tired of the stainless and silver days, I encourage you to give gold a chance…again.

At least once a week, a customer will ask me if they should be stocking up on incandescent light bulbs due to the impending ‘ban’ starting in 2012.

While the government has taken great strides to conserve energy through the future wattage limitations of light bulbs, there obviously seems to be very little effort in educating the public about the actual details of the new laws.  To make matters worse, many manufacturers of ‘green’ products will twist and/or misquote the wording of the bulb legislation to put their own products in a better light (pardon the pun).

 What then, does the new law state, and what are the best options for light bulbs when the law takes effect?

 The law in question is The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.  The act builds on the progress made by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) in setting out a comprehensive energy strategy for the 21st century.  Lighting energy efficiency is covered in Title III, Subtitle B of the Act, specifically Section 321:

AFFECTED LAMPS

• General Service Incandescent Lamps (standard incandescent or halogen-type lamp)
• Medium screw base
• 310 to 2,600 lumens (40-100W in current wattages)
• 110 to 130 volts 

All affected lamps listed above must meet the following criteria as noted below:

• Modified spectrum (See Better, Feel Better®) lamp lumen ranges are 25% lower.
• Minimum of 80 CRI except for modified spectrum, which have a minimum of 75 CRI.
• Candelabra base incandescent lamps shall not exceed 60 watts.
• Intermediate base incandescent lamps shall not exceed 40 watts.

EXEMPTIONS

Specialty Lamps including:

Appliance lamp, black light lamp, bug lamp, colored lamp, infrared lamp, left-hand thread lamp, marine lamp, marine signal service lamp, mine service lamp, plant light lamp, reflector lamp, rough service lamp, shatter-resistant lamp, sign service lamp, silver bowl lamp, showcase lamp, 3-way incandescent lamp, traffic signal lamp, vibration service lamp, G-shape lamp with a diameter of 5 inches or more, T-shape lamp of 40 watts or less and a length of more than 10 inches, and B, BA, CA, F, G16-1/2, G25, G30, S or M14 lamp of 40 watts or less. (exerpt from the EISA 2007)

The letter of the law is to phase out some existing incandescent bulbs and replace them with lower-wattage alternatives.

The spirit of the law is to force manufacturers to create and/or market light bulbs that use 30% less energy (or better) to replace today’s higher-wattage versions.

The truth, in short, is the incandescent bulb is not disappearing from the American landscape, but the wattages as we know them are being replaced.  There are far too many uses for incandescent and halogen bulbs that CFL and LED bulbs are simply not able to supplant.

It is my hope that as we approach January 1, 2012 (phase-out of the 100-watt bulb), greater strides will be taken by the government to better inform people of the facts in the law, and replacement choices will be clearly presented by manufacturers and shopping centers.

The White House became the ‘Pink House’ late Thursday in a visible show of support for Breast Cancer Awareness month.  The presidential mansion was bathed in a rosy hue by colored spotlights for one night only, drawing a crowd of tourists, as soon as dusk fell.

October is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month every year, by public service groups, medical professionals and government agencies that combine to promote awareness of the disease.

The American Cancer Society says about 207,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women will be diagnosed this year and nearly 40,000 women will die from the disease.

Check out this video from the Associated Press to see White House transform into the “Pink House” and watch what a difference lighting makes!

Art Deco Pendant

What’s hot in lighting for Fall 2010? We have rounded up the best ideas happening in interior design and lighting right now and put them in an easy to read list:

• Art Deco fixtures – Deco lighting is timeless, going from Victorian to Contemporary interiors. Particularly nice for a bit of warmth in a a black and white decorated room. Deco lighting was plentiful, so there’s plenty affordable pieces in the secondhand market.

• Environmentally friendly fixtures are in – just like in every aspect of interior decorating, “eco-conscious lighting” is brightening the day for “eco-conscious homeowners”. Dimmer switches help keep energy usage down, as do automated lighting control. LED light fixtures enable longer lamp light along with compact fluorescent bulbs in traditional fixtures. Look for lighting to go more high tech as this trend continues.

• Larger lighting lingers in design, as great rooms and larger multi-purpose rooms need the big fixtures for scale.

• Metal bases for table lamps shine with the metallics that are setting the design stage in 2010.

• Barring a metal base – look for more organics, such as bamboo, cork, wood veneers and even vines to be used in lighting.

• Lighting is going global with Japanese influences sneaking into fabric styles, look for the trend to continue to lighting as well.

Japanese Influence

Organic Material

Metal Base

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.

The US Department of Energy Building Codes Program created ‘Residential Requirements  of 2009 International Energy Conservation Code’. The code is applicable to all new home construction.  Before these criteria were developed, there were no requirements for lighting or home appliances. Below are the highlights.

 Criteria:

-50% of permanently installed lighting fixtures have to be high-efficacy lamps (has to take CFL’s or LED’s only, has to be pin-based not a medium/standard base)  All fixtures rated Energy Star will meet these requirements.

 -All recessed cans must have IC (insulated ceiling) rated housings with a gasket or airseal.  

 These criteria are required  in most states.  You can find out more information at www.energycodes.gov

This 10-watt fixture produces more light than a 54-watt xenon

Undercabinet lighting has come a long way since the days of flickering T12 (fat) fluorescent tubes. While these are still fine for laundry rooms and ‘man-cave’ workbenches, they don’t do much to flatter the high-end countertops and custom cabinetry that today’s homeowner demands.

For over twenty years, customers have had the option of using color-true halogen undercabinet lighting. Halogens will make granite dance, but will also produce so much heat as to ruin spices and even warp cabinets if used for many years. Xenon has all but replaced halogen as the go-to undercabinet lighting choice, but even xenon still produces a fair amount of heat (25% less heat than halogen).

LED (Light-Emitting Diode) technology seems to be a perfect fit for undercabinet applications. Long-life, energy-efficiency, and very low heat output seem to crown it the new king of undercabinet lighting.  The very thought of kitchen lights that last for 18 years of average use may make you want to rip your current system out of the wall.

Is it really that simple?  As of July, 2010, I can confidently tell you, yes.  Even folks’ main objections to LED- high initial cost and light quality- are much less of an issue today.

For instance, a high-quality low-voltage 22 inch xenon undercabinet fixture will run about $110, whereas a middle-range non-dimmable LED fixture with acceptable light quality will only be 40-50 dollars more.  You can certainly find higher-end LED fixtures with even higher color rendering and light output for a much higher cost, but I believe there are currently enough reliable LED choices in a reasonable price range to recommend over xenon lighting.

When considering an LED system for your undercabinet lighting, make sure it is from a reputable brand, offers at least a three-year warranty, and is purchased from a retailer that will be able to answer any questions you may have.

Most importantly, purchase a (returnable, of course) plug-in version of one or two brands of LED you are likely to choose so you can take them home and decide for yourself if the brightness and light quality meet your expectations.  Unlike xenon, LED brightness and color vary greatly from one company to the next, even in higher-end products.  Only after this test should you buy a whole kitchen’s-worth of LED undercabinet lighting.

There are myriad options for LED undercabinet lighting, and the staff of Creative Lighting would like to help you make the selection as smooth as possible.  A bright, cool, energy-efficient kitchen is just around the corner!

 June Market releases show a wide variety of refined naturals. Natural elements such as, burlap, twigs, linen, cork, stone, shell and driftwood are being incorporated into all types of lighting. These natural elements are a great way to add texture and warmth to your decor without having to be  too “rustic”.  Stone and iron chandeliers, mother of pearl lamps, or  twig mini-pendants are sure to enhance your style!

Lighting has a larger decorative value today than it did even a few short years ago, and consumers are now choosing lighting products as an important accessory to their overall home design.

Three Major Movements. Most of today’s design choices fall under one of three definite categories: casual elegance, with fixtures a bit more upscale in design that still create warm, relaxed and cozy environments; simplified traditional that removes the ornate by such methods as stripping down solid brass fixtures and applying an antique patina; and soft contemporary that is still clean, modern and simple, but no longer “cold.”

• Larger Fixtures: As the average size of homes in this country have increased, so have the design elements that go into them. Larger interior volumes need larger lights, and energy-efficient compact-fluorescent lamps (CFLs) often need larger fixtures than their incandescent predecessors.

• Layers of Light: Rooms need multiple sources of light to get the best balance of light in a room. Especially in areas such as kitchens and eating areas, a simple overhead light is only the beginning. Well-placed task and accent lighting is a must to brighten the perimeter and fill the background.

• Energy Efficiency: Consumers are looking to save energy when they can, and lighting is an obvious place to cut back consumption. Dimmer switches and whole-house control systems allow for mo re precise usage, conserve energy and extend lamp life. Low-voltage bulbs cont inue to grow in popularity and use, as CFLs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) offer a higher quality, warmer light than just a short time ago. Also, many contractors are fitting recessed fixtures more tightly, which cuts down on conditioned-air loss through ceilings.

Think of approaching lighting design the same way you would approach buying a piece of art. There are enough lighting options out there to suit everyone’s taste.