Choosing Outdoor lighting

There are many good reasons to light your property at night, not the least of which is safety. Beyond safety, though, there are other considerations. Outdoor lighting can completely transform the look of your home after dark. Outdoor lighting has a reputation for being expensive to install and maintain, but it does not have to be. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your budget to install outdoor lighting that makes a statement and turns your home into a nighttime showpiece in your neighborhood.

Evaluate your resources and power sources. If you keep your lighting close to the house, you can save on installing new power outlets and additional wiring. If you do need to install wiring and outlets, there are do-it-yourself kits that you can install on your own. If you opt to install your own and you're not a licensed, experienced electrician, though, do have your work inspected by one before using it.

On the same note, check with your local code authorities before adding any outdoor power sources to be sure that you adhere to regulations. Nothing turns a cheap job into a huge expense faster than fines for violating local ordinances.

Consider solar powered lights for walkways and paths. Solar powered stake lights are an extremely budget conscious option for path and safety lighting. You can buy them in sets of four or six at your local home and garden store for as little as $30. Installation is as simple as driving a stake into the ground. There are no wires, and no drain on your electric bill. Most are powered with a battery backup for those days when there's not enough sun to power the lights.

Consider safety first. Decoration is wonderful, but your first concern should be safety. Use motion sensor lighting to illuminate dark areas on your property without having lights glaring all night long. Do not skimp here – your safety is vital. Do, however, check with your insurance company. You may get a break on the premiums for making safety improvements.

The second safety issue is illuminating pathways and steps to avoid falls and injuries. Path and stair lighting can be very decorative and attractive. One inexpensive option for stairway lighting are strips that fit along the edges of the risers. The light is indirect and shines down on each step so you and your visitors can see where you're putting your feet.

Less is definitely more when it comes to outdoor lighting. Avoid garish, overbright lights. An additional benefit to using fewer lights is a savings of wattage, and, in turn, expenses; both up front and in long term maintenance.

Backlighting and low lights can add drama to a bland landscape. Choose a feature to highlight and use a single light behind it to cast it in silhouette. If you shine lights through a tree, the overall effect can be truly dramatic.

Don't be afraid to be tacky. Twinkling fairy lights may be overdone, but a single strand of tiny white Christmas lights twining a potted patio plant or edging the patio deck can be surprisingly effective.

Turn to unusual sources. For instance, instead of using overhead or spotlighting for your patio or deck, rely on battery or solar operated table lanterns on your patio tables. Light your outdoor space just as you would your indoor space, taking into account ambient light and task lighting. Do not light what doesn't need lighting.

Driveway lighting serves two purposes. It should illuminate paths and walkways so that your guests and family can make their way safely from vehicle to house, and it should outline your driveway enough that drivers can navigate it safely. Consider walkway lights along the edges of the driveway, especially if the driveway is edged with stones, bushes or raised flowerbeds.

Providing good outdoor lighting can offer added security as well as extend your outside parties or other activities well into the night. Adding outdoor flood lighting will also enhance the beauty of your home and increase its value. There is a wide selection of decorative outdoor lighting from which to choose. Before beginning your project, consider these valuable tips.

Step1Contact your local municipality on code requirements and adhere to these closely.

Step2Call the electric company to arrange for them to mark any areas with underground wiring prior to your dig.

Step3Purchase lighting fixtures that are comprised of approved properties and made for outdoor usage. Look for the Underwriter's Laboratory seal.

Step4Obtain a ground fault interrupter to stop the current should the hot wire become compromised in any way.

Step5Disconnect the power source to prevent electrical shock.

Step6Ground the cable and lighting fixtures.

Step7Dig your trench at least 2 feet deep to protect your cable. If there is above ground exposure use a conduit to prevent weather damage. Local codes may require the entire line be protected. Consider key placements for your fixtures and direct them away from the home. Prevent glare by using lower watt bulbs. Test your angles to make sure you are not flooding your neighbors yard or the street with your flood lights.

You can create many other different effects without much investment if you take the time to plan your lighting blueprint as carefully as you do your landscaping. Find interesting features in your landscape and use light to accent them at night. Do keep in mind that light pollution has become a serious consideration when lighting at night. Keep the lights low, and angle them so that they do not disturb neighbors or local wildlife.

Desk Lamps and Table Lamps

Lamps of different kinds used for different lighting needs. One can’t find a home without a lamp that decorates the interior. Desk and table lamps may at first seem to be the same thing but there is most definitely a slight difference in these two items as regards their functionality. There are two very nice things about table lamps these days. The first is that when walking into a room, one of the first things people tend to notice is the source of light. When you turn on a table lamp the eye immediately goes towards it because that’ s where the brightness is coming from. The second nice thing about table lamps is that their cost to consumers is always lowering, not going up Table lamps might be seen as the more decorative type of lamp, perhaps used for some armchair reading but typically just to add more light to a room. In the case of tiffany style table lamps, it is easy to see how these types of lamps can also be used as a decorative piece by day.

Desk lamps on the other hand have a more definite function as they are used to provide light for tasks (and therefore are used for task lighting). Ideally used for work such as computer work, studying, typing etc. Desk lamps and study lamps are synonymous as these can either be placed on a desk, or can be fitted or connected to a shelf or other piece of the furniture nearby. Usually these are fixed using a clasp or clamp.

Clamp-on task lights occupy very little of the precious desk space but tend to only really fit properly/adjust properly in a limited number of places. Many desk lamps come with an adjustable or bendable neck which allows the light source to be twisted around and aimed at an angle that most suits the person who is working.

Also, desk lamps tend to be more functional looking and are just one color, made from plastic/metal and quite plain. But they tend to be quite cleverly engineered to allow them to be bent into many different positions and angles easily and usually with one hand and a light touch and they also need to have quite a heavy base and be sturdy so that they do not tip over easily.

Table lamps and lighting are available in a huge range of styles, designs and sizes. It is not uncommon for the purely decorative table lamps to have intricately adorned lamp bases carved out of expensive materials such as marble. By virtue of being decorative, table lamps lend themselves to much personal design taste because they serve as ornamental objects as well.

Table lamps also provide a nice source of light with which to highlight objects that are placed near the lampshade and effectively bask in the light of the lamp.

One thing to look out for when purchasing a table lamp is that there should be no glare emanating from the lamp and this is best checked when you are seated, given that most table lamps are placed on a table beside an armchair. Pay particular attention to the lamp height and also to the accompanying lampshade - as a fairly deep shade is needed to avoid glare.

It is possible to coordinate the lampshade of your table lamps with the fabric and furnishings of your room and there are companies that make shades professionally if you want the lamp shade fabric to closely match the rest of the decor in the room.

Task or desk lighting on the other hand will tend to be more functional looking and plain. Nothing fancy or decorative about that.

Commonly, most types of modern task lights tend to be tungsten-halogen lights that come with a dimmer. Following is about lighting fairs - East China Fair (ECF) is the largest regional trade fair in China with the most traders, great variety of exhibits and the most onsite deals. With an annul 5-day session from March 1st in Shanghai, ECF is co-sponsored by nine provinces and cities, namely Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong Province and two cities of Nanjing and Ningbo.

East China Fair, initiated in 1991 and thereafter 17 sessions have been held successfully. The 17th East China Fair had 18,557 business visitors from 117 countries and regions as well as 100, 000 of their Chinese counterparts. The trade volume amounted to about 3.55 billion US dollars. More than 160, 000 persons had surfed the website of ECF.

The 18th East China Fair was held at Shanghai New International Expo Center, on March 1st to 5th, 2008, with an exhibition area of 103,500sqm. 5,000 standard booths available. Meanwhile, ECF facilitated business talks concerning transactions, investment and various kinds of cooperation. We warmly welcome visitors and exhibitors from all over the world.

LAMP DESIGN

SOURCES :

http://www.momoy.com/2008/01/15/the-leaft-wall-lamp-modern-lamp-design-by-stephan-siepermann/

http://www.trendir.com/archives/001488.html
http://artstyleonline.com/interior_design/lamponi-lamps-enlighten-your-life/

CHILDREN & KIDS BEDROOM FURNITURE PICTURES

Sources :
1. www.Shop_com.co.uk
2. www.Kidsroom.co.uk
3. www.Mymoondrops.com

MODERN BEDROOM FURNITURE PICTURES

Sources:
1. http://www.contemporaryfurniture.com/
2. http://www.spacify.com/

ART MUSEUM LIGHTING

Author: Russell Neal

Art museum lighting represents a delicate balance between visibility and safe lighting levels. Lighting levels must directly correspond to the type of art being exhibited in orderto properly showcase fine art. Natural light is generally not recommended as a source of art museum lighting. It contains harmful infrared heat and ultraviolet light waves that will damage a wide variety of paint types and canvases. Natural lightis also very difficult to control.

A much better solution lies with using fixtures specifically designed for art museum picture lighting exhibitions. Almost allsuch fixture types offer a measure of protection against harmful light wave lengths and the ability to adjust luminance levels appropriate to interior architecture, exhibit requirements, and artistic genre at hand.

The following examines a few of the main benefits each type orfine art museum lighting fixture offers. Keep in mind thatlarger museums typically approach lighting design on aroom-by-room basis and use more than one of these fixture typesto create a custom, in-house system of specialized illumination.

Accent Lights

Most accent lights in art museums contain halogen lamps that have been specifically designed for the purposes of art lighting. Ultraviolet light has to be stripped from the light beam in order to make the light safe for the art. Also, somesort of adjustment mechanism must be in place in order to regulate levels of illumination. This is because each genre ofart normally communicates its own unique set of values andcontains its own unique messages, and light is critical tovisually communicating these points of uniqueness.

Some accent lights resemble over the picture lights, although the base often attaches to the wall above the frame, and thearms are longer and more flexible than generic equivalents. This allows the lamp to be positioned at just the right distance from the picture in order to make the light fit the frame.

Accent lighting in art galleries and museums is also done with filtered spotlights that reside on or near the ceiling. These fixtures are often low voltage and create a less intenseluminance that is highly effective for special effects or ambient lighting. This type of accent lighting is particularly effective in art museums featuring sculpture and three-dimensional abstract art. By supplementing primary lighting with ambient effects, art museum curators can avoid the"flattening" effect that too much direct light can have on a human figure or abstract piece.

Track Lights

Track lights hang suspended from rails that run parallel to the wall. Although they are visually obtrusive in the sense that they are clearly visible to the public, many art museums illuminate a variety of works with track lighting systems.

The greatest advantage that track lighting installations offeris the ability to match the number of lighting fixtures to theexact number of works of art. Because the fixtures can move along the rail, each track light can be aimed precisely at its chosen object for pinpoint lighting effect. We often see track lighting in art museums show casing photography exhibits. Because such exhibits normally feature a number of works in a series,track lights allow for each photograph to be placed in its own individual light.

Recessed Lights

Recessed fixtures are a popular source of art museum lighting.One of the greatest advantages they offer is concealment. Unliketrack lights, which hang suspended from the ceiling, recessedlighting fixtures reside on or within the ceiling itself. Assuch, they are difficult for the casual viewer to detect, andthey can be used to light both art and sculpture from virtuallyany angle. Recessed picture lighting in art museums commonly utilizes halogen lamps that produce a very bright, white light withsuperb color rendering capabilities. This light must be filteredto ensure it is free from ultraviolet radiation, and the use ofdimmer switches to control lighting levels is generally recommended both as an aesthetic factor and a power saving feature.

Recessed lights are often used as accent lighting over sculptureand other three dimensional art forms, and they are also usedextensively in lighting large paintings.

Art Projectors

Art projectors represent the most high-end of art museum lighting fixtures. Like recessed lights, many recessed lighting projectors such as the Phantom Contour assume a very unobtrusive position near the ceiling. Almost all projectors have advancedlens adjustment mechanisms, sophisticated light filters thatstrip the beam of harmful wavelengths, and built in dimmer controls that allow lighting levels to be adjusted appropriately to genre, style, and individual characteristics of a work of art.

The Phantom Contour Projector offers a number of advantages overcompeting projector models. It is smaller and therefore easierto conceal in more eclectic, formal art museums. Lighting controls on the Contour Projector are exceptionally userfriendly and do not require a technician to adjust. A number ofmodels are available specific to interior architecture,including retrofit models such as the RM Series Projector thatdo not require messy patching or painting.

Although Projectors such as the Phantom Contour cannot be usedto provide all off the light in an art museum, they can beutilized to create magical lighting effects around keynote paintings, abstract pieces, and classical sculptures. The lightbeam itself that emanates from a Contour Projector is completely invisible from side angles. This creates a magical, lighted fromwithin effect when the beam strikes the artwork, adding athree-dimensional effect to illumination and creating acomplimentary aesthetic to the work itself.

Because art projectors can fit the light to the precise dimensions of a painting, and because they produce the safestform of UV and Infrared-free lighting, art museums frequently rely upon them to illuminate the most important and rare worksof art on display.

Source : http://www.phantomlighting.com/

INTERIOR DESIGN

Interior design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space, through the manipulation of spatial volume as well as surface treatment. Not to be confused with interior decoration, interior design draws on aspects of environmental psychology, architecture, and product design in addition to traditional decoration. An interior designer is a person who is considered a professional in the field of interior design or one who designs interiors as part of their job. Interior design is a creative practice that analyzes programmatic information, establishes a conceptual direction, refines the design direction, and produces graphic communication and construction documents. The distinction between interior design and 'interior decoration' is one relevant in the United States but not common elsewhere. As the United States definition does not exist in most of the world, non-Americans would be confused by the distinction.

To see more : http://www.interiordesign-web.com

Source : wikipedia (nov 2007)

PLANNING AN HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL FLOWER BED

There are a number of reasons why perennial bedding plants, as opposed to annual ones, are used in garden designs. Perennials by growing beyond a single season, are thought to demand less care and maintenance than annuals that have to be replaced every few months or so .In dry climate gardens especially, annual flowers consume significantly more water than any other group of plants, requiring at least 1000 liters per square meter a year, in comparison to some perennial species, which can often grow on a third as much water.
Yet many home gardeners end up being disappointed with their flowerbeds. One reason for this is that in many cases, too many short-lived perennials are planted in the border. read more

Garden Styles: What's Your Style?

Your personal preferences are what will set your garden apart and define the space as your own. Choosing what best reflects your sense of style can seem overwhelming, but it is also the most fun and creative part of the design process.

But what you ultimately decide on will depend not just on your personal taste but also your climate and what works well with the architectural style of your house. In addition, it will depend on how much time you can, and want to, devote to garden care. garden homeIf you're an avid gardener, then time spent keeping up the space is not a chore but a hobby. If you're looking for good looks but not a lot of upkeep, then you'll want to choose a design, materials, and plants that don't require much upkeep.

Just as with interior design, there are any number of styles from which to choose, from classic to cottage to contemporary. Some choices seem obvious: a succulent-inspired landscape surrounding a desert adobe, a hedge-lined formal entry leading up to a Tudor-style home, or a garden filled with ornamental grasses to set off a modern structure.But don't feel that your garden style choices are necessarily limited by your home's style. With the right selection of plants, you can create a style that shows off your home's architecture while incorporating some of your favorite garden themes. You can also use different styles for different parts of your garden (use repeating elements, whether it's hardscape material, plants, or decorative elements, to tie the areas together).

source :www.hometips.com

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