| Any person who has remodeled their home or has | | | | these four categories: |
| embarked on building a new home from scratch | | | | 1.decorative (purely ornamental) |
| knows about the varied of choices one needs to | | | | 2. task (needed to make work surfaces clear and |
| make before the project is complete. The last home | | | | illuminate rooms) |
| I built, my 15 year old son and I lived the blueprints | | | | 3. protective and/or safety lighting (outdoor fixtures |
| for 11 months. We sat up nights imagining the flow of | | | | such as floods, spots, porch) |
| each room, where the light switches would go, | | | | 4. accent (to wash a wall or shine down on a specific |
| where to hang the light fixtures, what color to paint | | | | non-traffic area) |
| the walls, choosing the floor coverings. Every aspect | | | | 5. ambient (background) |
| affected the project in some way. So we thought it | | | | 6. general lighting (the misc. category covering |
| all through carefully. We walked the foundations (my | | | | everything else and this is the one where |
| son realized its was 4 feet off the day the footings | | | | “murphy’s law” will prevail because you |
| were dug), measured the framing, generally ran the | | | | won’t realize you needed it until after its too |
| contractor crazy but we were certain we had all the | | | | late) |
| answers until the week before the final punch list | | | | Fixtures also come in different types: |
| walk through the contractor asked…..what are you | | | | chandeliers |
| going to do about door knobs? Door knobs? You | | | | pendants |
| mean the doors didn’t come with knobs? No and | | | | spotlightstrack lights |
| the closets don’t come with ceiling lights, shelves | | | | wall or ceiling-mounted (especially in bathrooms) |
| and brackets either! | | | | fluorescents |
| Additionally as the house took shape we realized that | | | | cabinet or undercabinet lighting fixtures. |
| all of the thought we had put into light fixtures went | | | | Most of these need no further description here but |
| by the wayside when the rooms took shape. Corners | | | | do need to be thought of individually so you |
| were dark, walls needed to be lit for anything we | | | | won’t forget that you need them. What each |
| wanted to hang and be able to actually see, the | | | | does require is proper selection, placement, scale, |
| kitchen fixture cast a shadow on the countertops | | | | size, wiring/switching and most importantly must fit |
| which would have made cooking in the dark a newly | | | | your style sensibility. Additionally, these days, more |
| acquired art. These faults are more prevalent in new | | | | and more of us are becoming more concerned with |
| construction but are equally important in a renovation | | | | the environment and the costs of operating a home. |
| because you can now correct all the lighting problems | | | | So ask about which lighting fixtures are most |
| inherent in your existing house, with some careful | | | | economical, consider the fixture’s illumination |
| thought, planning and some assistance from people | | | | quality, as an example dark tinted bowls or shades |
| that know lighting. Choosing a light fixture and | | | | cut down considerably on the quantity of light they |
| planning for the right type of lighting may appear to | | | | emit. What type and size bulb does it take? |
| be a challenge, but one of your greatest sources of | | | | Specialty bulbs can be VERY expensive to replace. |
| information can be your dealer. Unlike the big box | | | | Can it utilize low voltage or compact fluorescents? |
| stores, who staff their lighting department with | | | | Lastly and probably the most important to you is to |
| whoever isn’t working in the plumbing | | | | consider the style that is most likely to weather the |
| department today, lighting specialty and many | | | | test of time as opposed to that “satellite |
| internet dealers can be invaluable in providing guidance | | | | shaped” flying dining room chandelier that you |
| for helping you make those decisions easier. They | | | | thought “you just had to have” (my son |
| can also be your best source for hanging heights, | | | | chose that one). |
| style, color, power needs, wattage etc. Many can | | | | In summation, everyone has their own preferences |
| offer help in positioning of each fixture by preparing a | | | | when it comes to the type of lighting and the |
| lighting plan. Even with this help you still need to live | | | | decorative style of light fixtures that best reflects |
| the plan, imagine how each fixture will affect your | | | | their own sense of taste. The most important thing |
| living space. Is one recessed light to little or six too | | | | to remember is to choose effective lighting for what |
| many? Lighting can be an expensive and VERY | | | | you want to achieve, and choose fixtures that |
| PERMANENT part of your plan. So plan carefully and | | | | compliment your home and can do the most to |
| seek guidance. | | | | promote the environment. When in doubt seek |
| The fixtures will generally fall under one or more of | | | | competent professional help. |