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Home Lighting and Interior Design 101: Top Interior Design Tips From The Lighting Experts

Home Lighting and Interior Design 101: Top Interior Design Tips From The Lighting Experts

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Have you ever walked through your home and wondered, “why did my stuff look cuter online/in-store?” If you have, there’s a decent chance the problem is your home lighting. Product images and store displays always have excellent lighting, showing you the best possible version of their decor, paint samples, art, and furniture. 

But if you buy that gorgeous piece or perfect paint color and put it under poor lighting, you’re bound to feel like you got duped.

Luckily, the rules to great lighting aren’t very complicated! You can start updating your home lighting for relatively low cost, low skill, and low tools. 

Consider this post a free course on home lighting essentials, including practical interior design tips from lighting experts. Answer quiz questions along the way to see if you’ve got it, then apply what you learn to make your interior design shine!

The Basics

Let’s start with a few basic terms and ideas– including five layers of great lighting and why the bulbs you use significantly impact how your home reads.

Layers of Light

You can break up your home lighting into five different categories. Once you understand how the categories work, you can mix and match them to fit your needs. Here are the five layers you should consider in each of your rooms:

  1. General/Ambient: the primary light source for the entire room.
  2. Task:  more focused light over a workspace, like a kitchen island or desk.
  3. Accent: think mood lighting; creates an atmosphere rather than light up the whole room.
  4. Decorative: it’s more about what the fixture adds to the overall design than the light it gives.
  5. Natural: working with windows (and firelight) to maximize color and space.

We’ll break down tips for working with each of these layers later on. For now, keep in mind that a well-lit room typically has five to seven light sources spread across these categories.

Question 1: Which type of lighting is most responsible for setting the mood in your space?

Warmth of Bulbs

There is so much information available on bulb temperature. The truth is you can get started with just a few pieces of information. First, bulb temperature refers to the color and brightness of the light. So let’s break it down.

Cool light will wake you up, help you focus, and is best for showing the true colors of paint, makeup, and clothing. These are the bulbs in the bottom row of the image above. Cool bulbs are great for offices, kitchens, and vanities.

Warm light has the opposite effect– it relaxes and casts a yellow or orange glow on your walls and furniture. Warm light is perfect for bedrooms, living rooms, and dining areas.

Both ends of the spectrum are important for different areas. And sometimes you might need to combine them in the same room so you can control the activity you’re doing. 

Now, let’s get into some specifics about how to work with each of our five light categories.

Question 2: Which light temperature is best for relaxing, cool or warm?

General or Ambient Light

As stated earlier, general or ambient lighting is your primary source of light for your space. It’s often centered in the ceiling so it can cast a bright, even light across the room. Your light fixture will greatly impact how the light casts. For example, flush mount domes offer little resistance to light, while metal shades will concentrate light downwards.

Since general lighting gives the most light, it will set the tone for your space. Here are a few top tips for nailing the general lighting in your home:

  • Use cool ambient lighting for kitchens, offices, and bathrooms.
  • Use warm light for living rooms, dining, and bedrooms. 
  • Swap out your builder-grade flush mount for an immediate (not to mention cheap and easy) upgrade. 

Question 3: Where should you position your general light source?

Task Lighting

Task lighting concentrates light (and your focus) on important tasks, like homework, dicing up vegetables, and filling out expense reports. They are also more obvious choices in your design since they often hang down or sit close to the action. 

Top tips:

  • Hanging pendants often look best in odd numbers, so stick to one, three, or five pendants where possible.
  • Strip lights or spotlights tap into task lighting fixtures to highlight art or displays to create design focus. 
  • Don’t forget LED strips as a versatile option! Place them around mirrors and under cabinets for steady, bright light.

Question 4: How do you know what areas need task lighting?

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting covers mood lighting and rounds out the lightscape. From reading lamps to LED strips behind TVs, they land closer to decorative lighting than really focusing on function. 

But don’t underestimate what they deliver! Accent lighting easily becomes general lighting during movies, date nights, and intimate gatherings with friends and family. 

Top tips:

  • Warm light is usually best for accent lighting. Scatter a few accent light sources around gathering places to have enough light to fill the room without the general light source.
  • Sconces are a great way to switch up typical lamps. And some come with plug-in cords– no hard wiring needed!
  • Color-changing bulbs and LEDs are a great option for accent lights. Then they are versatile for task lighting or mood lighting as the situation requires!

Question 5: True or false? If I want to add accent lights to my home, I have to hire an electrician.

Decorative Lighting

The final category is sometimes lumped in with accent lighting since they both have more to do with aesthetics than functionality. But we pulled this out to give special attention. 

Decorative lighting is about adding a super cool fixture, with the provided light taking a backseat. For example, using a chandelier for general lighting offers general light for the room, but its top priority is providing a visual “wow.”

  • Try mixing up the expected, like using pendants or sconces where you’d normally use a lamp. 
  • Get creative and turn a statue or other thrift finds into a one-of-a-kind light source.
  • Work with a local light showroom for designer-level pieces for a fraction of the price– plus top tips on installation and more!

Question 6: What is the purpose of decorative lighting?

Natural Light

Natural light is the final component of your lightscape. While manipulating natural light isn’t as easy as shopping for a great light fixture, it’s still critical to the overall feel of your home. 

For example, when shopping for paint, check the swatches day and night to see if there’s a dramatic change in appearance. This will also inform your decision on what kind of bulbs you use. And if your room’s color changes a lot from day to night, you can use cooler “daylight bulbs” to keep your color from changing as much. 

Top tips:

  • To get an airy feeling, use light curtains and hang them as close to the ceiling as you can, regardless of where your window stops. 
  • Which way do your windows face? You’ll get very different glows north versus south, as north-facing windows tend to get cooler light, with south-facing windows giving warmer light. Work with the natural light temperature when picking paint colors and decor!
  • Remember, dark colors absorb light, and lighter colors reflect it. So if you want a dark, moody space, dark paint will help to suck in extra light while still getting to keep the windows open. 

Question 7: True or false? Paint colors always look the same, no matter the time or the way windows face.

Summary

With a basic understanding of these simple lighting and interior design principles, you’re ready to convert your home from predictable and dull to vibrant and glowing! Remember:

  • You need all five layers of light to pull off a great room design.
    • General: main light source.
    • Task: focused light on important activities.
    • Accent: set the mood.
    • Decorative: dress it up, make it unexpected.
    • Natural: work the windows.
  • Bulb temperature affects concentration and color interpretation. 
    • Cool light for true colors and enhanced focus. 
    • Warm light for cozy relaxation and a golden touch to color. 
  • Updating your lighting doesn’t have to be complicated. Work with local professionals to get a leg up with great selections, expert advice, and affordable prices.

Need Help?

Proper lighting is essential to a fully functioning home– but it can be challenging to nail balanced brightness, great fixtures, and a budget! Contact the experts at Vogue Lighting for advice on your project!

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Quiz Answers:

Question 1: Which type of lighting is most responsible for setting the mood in your space?

General (ambient) lighting is a room’s main light source, so it’s the primary contributor to the mood.

Question 2: Which light temperature is best for relaxing, cool or warm?

Warm light naturally relaxes your brain and helps you to fall asleep. Cool light wakes up your brain for detailed work.

Question 3: Where should you position your general light source?

General lighting should come from as high and centered as possible for even light distribution.

Question 4: How do you know what areas need task lighting?

If you have an area where you perform detailed work, you should check to see if you need task lighting! Ambient lighting can provide enough light, but focused work often requires focused lighting.

Question 5: True or false? If I want to add accent lights to my home, I have to hire an electrician. 

False! There are many options for battery-operated and plug-in accent lighting.

Question 6: What is the purpose of decorative lighting?

Decorative lighting works with your decor as art, giving a unique lift to your design. It’s one more detail that helps you show off your style!

Question 7: True or false? Changing your lighting will change your paint colors.

True! All colors change with the quality of the light shining on them. Window position, time of day, and bulb temperature will all change how your paint reads.

7 Ways to Glow Up Your Pool: Lighting Tips from Lighting Experts

7 Ways to Glow Up Your Pool: Lighting Tips from Lighting Experts

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Having a pool in your backyard is an incredible luxury. But what takes a nice pool to a jaw-dropping show-stopper is excellent light scaping. So if you’re prepping for a high-impact pool renovation, your lighting is sure to give you the luxury factor you’re looking for!

Great lighting highlights your pool features and turns them into a breath-taking statement even when you’re inside. And it extends your pool party to after-dark!

But great pool lighting can be very different from landscape or interior lighting. That’s because pool lighting requires a lot of finesse, keeping glare to a minimum. So we’ve compiled seven tips to help you keep your pool area bright, luxurious, and inviting.

Let’s dive in!

Moonlighting– General Lighting Without Glare

There’s not much that’s better than a swim in the moonlight. Unfortunately, you can’t always count on a full moon and a cloudless sky, so a lighting technique called moonlighting is the next best thing. 

Moonlighting uses an elevated light source that softly concentrates light downwards– basically, it mimics the moon! It creates soft, ambient lighting without a harsh glare on your eyes or reflecting too much light off the water. And there’s no denying that moonlighting will bring your pool from basic to luxury!

Expert Tips:

  • When you can, tuck moonlighting fixtures away in trees or your roof to make it feel more like natural moonlight.
  • Use warmer, more yellow light to keep the pool area a relaxing space. Bright white lights are more likely to create a harsh glare.
  • The size of your pool deck will determine how many lights you’ll need to get the glow just right. If you’re unsure how many you need, it’s better not to guess. Too many, or too few, won’t create the illusion. Before you buy, contact a local lighting showroom to get expert advice on your yard’s unique dimensions and needs. 

Light the Water

Another great way to gently increase visibility is to light up the water in your pool. A bright pool makes it easy to swim or chat on the deck without disrupting the mood. So put lighting the water on the top of your pool upgrade list!

Expert Tips:

  • Always use underwater-grade lighting. Electrical safety is critical when you’re around water, so make sure you get the right bulbs.
  • Proper placement matters. Keep the lights relatively close to the water’s surface, spaced at least 3-4 feet apart. It’s easy to overdo it with underwatering lighting, so remember – the fewer bulbs, the better.
  • Lighting an existing pool? Unfortunately, installing underwater lights in an existing pool is pretty difficult. Your best bet is to contact a pool installation expert to see what it will take to get your pool equipped with underwater lighting.

Keep Stairs and Walkways Safe

Your pool renovation has to keep the surrounding area in mind. Whether entertaining or playing with your family, safety is always a top concern. So always keep walkways, steps, and pool borders clearly defined and visible. The good news is, you don’t have to sacrifice style to be safe! 

Expert Tips:

  • Tuck lights under the stairs to hide the light source and reduce glare. You can also light your stairs from the side with stylish fixtures that create visual interest while lighting the way.
  • Use reflective materials around the sides of your pool to highlight the edges so they’ll catch the light without having to shine light upwards.
  • Solar lamps are an excellent option for lighting walkways. They’re very low-maintenance and come in an almost endless variety of styles.

Highlight Water Features

A waterfall or fountain brings a home pool from a fun time to a luxurious experience. But the magic shouldn’t stop after sundown! Lighting your water feature will upgrade it to an around-the-clock art experience.

Expert Tips:

  • Color-changing LEDs help to match the mood and keep your water feature flexible. Check the packaging to ensure they’re safe for outdoor use and have color-changing capabilities.
  • Tuck light sources behind or underneath the stream to light the way. You’ll need water-grade lighting for a safe light show.
  • Highlight the fountain or waterfall architecture to complete the experience. While these lights may not be underwater, you’ll still want to make sure they can handle the strain of the elements in your climate.

Make Landscaping Pop

Your home landscaping plays a vital role in every swim, day or night! So play up your trees, shrubs, and flowers in your pool renovation with a few of these lighting tips.

Expert Tips:

  • Silhouetting uses a ground light source behind a row of shrubbery to create a shadowy effect on a wall behind them.
  • Highlighting also uses a ground light source but shines in front of trees or other plants to make them look like they’re glowing.
  • Hang fairy or string lights around or between trees for a soft, enchanting touch. Plus, these are easy to hang yourself and take down for the off-season.

Bring in Island Vibes

Want to bring a piece of island living to your backyard? A few careful lighting tricks can land your home beach bash in a true paradise. And it may be easier than you think to pull off this luxury pool vibe!

Expert Tips:

  • Nothing says exotic like firey displays. So use tiki torches or a feature firepit to heat up the party!
  • Color-changing LED accent lighting transports your party anytime! Bring in island blues, pinks, and greens with a touch of a button.
  • Use highlighting techniques to bring your tropical trees and flowers into the experience.

Brighten Surrounding Architecture

Your pool may be the center of your backyard entertainment– but the surrounding architecture of your home, gazebo, or pool house is the backdrop. Don’t let your unique architecture go to waste when the lights go out. So pull the rest of your home into the pool experience with your pool upgrade!

Expert Tips:

  • Highlight arches and beams to show off beautiful architecture around the clock. You can install small spotlights, use recessed lighting, or play with string lights for a custom look.
  • Downlighting or Uplighting? You can position accent lights to shine down walls or use ground lighting to literally light up your home exterior.
  • Brighten doorways. Direct guests and family members to the right places with beautiful sconces or spotlights.

Need Help?

Proper lighting is essential to a fully functioning home– but it can be challenging to nail balanced brightness, great fixtures, and a budget! Contact the experts at Vogue Lighting for advice on your project!

 

 

 

Keywords: pool renovation, upgrade your pool, luxury pool

5 Tips to Create the Dreamiest Porch

5 Tips to Create the Dreamiest Porch

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The front porch is an often overlooked space which is, in our humble opinion, a shame. A cozy front porch is a perfect refuge from any inside chaos. It’s the first thing a guest sees and a private place for an intimate conversation with a close friend or family. Here are some tips to help you create the front porch you’ve been dreaming about:

  1. When in Doubt, Add Plants
  2. Let Your Door Speak For Itself
  3. Lighting, Lighting Lighting 
  4. Less is More!
  5. Pick Comfortable Seating

1. When in Doubt, Add Plants

One of the simplest ways to level up your porch is to add some plants and flowers. Choose real plants if you have the time and motivation you to keep them alive or, if your thumb is less-than-green, just stick with faux. Either way, a little bit of green adds a lot of life and color to a house!

Throw a couple of potted ferns like these on either side of your door to add a touch of green without going overboard. Simple, but effective.

Look, we know not every house is blessed with beautiful draping greenery like this one, but who could resist this Secret-Garden-like oasis? If you’ve got a green thumb, this front porch is one to aspire to.

Flowers

If you want to turn the head of any passerby, flowers are the way to go. They add a pop of color and are a guaranteed way to brighten everyone’s day!

Potted flowers are a good solution if you have a minimal front yard or no flower beds. This porch’s flowers are to die for, but you don’t have to have this many for a stunning result! Even tossing a couple of pots next to your door can add vibrance and life.

Hanging flower baskets are a classic way to add some dimension to a porch. Choosing to hang flowers instead of having them on the ground can also save space so you won’t have to sacrifice the porch set you’ve had your eye on.

2. Let Your Door Speak for Itself

You can do a lot to dress up a front porch, but if the door is lackluster, you’ll be hard-pressed to make the rest of the porch shine. Whether you paint your door, replace the hardware, or replace the whole door with something more your style, don’t forget to give it some TLC!

Whoever picked the color on this door should be given an award! This minty green pops against the red brick, and the gold hardware ties the whole look together.

A simple wooden door can bring warmth to a neutral-painted house like this one. We love how the sconces match the hardware on the door of this home to create a cohesive look. Even the smallest detail is accounted for and we’re impressed! 

3. Lighting, Lighting, Lighting

Lighting is a simple way to take your porch to the next level. There are tons of options to choose from, but two of the most common (and effective) front porch fixtures are sconces and pendants. If you have a larger porch, you should also look into recessed lighting to give you more light.

Sconces

A sconce is a wall-mounted light fixture that’s often used next to or above the front door. Picking the right ones for your house makes a big impact on your porch’s aesthetic and style. Check out how well these homeowners did!

These sconces have a rustic feel that contrasts beautifully with the white siding. They give this home just a spritz of farmhouse!

This sconce has a little more flair but is still a classic style you won’t need to replace when trends change. We also giving this porch bonus points for the fan above the rocking chairs! There’s nothing better – or more refreshing – than a cool breeze in the summertime.

This porch’s clean lines flawlessly match the sconces, giving the whole look a modern edge we love!

Pendants

A pendant is a light fixture with a cord or chain and usually just one light attached. They’re commonly used above a door in an entryway with a higher ceiling. Pendants are practical, but they also make a gorgeous focal point. Here are a few to inspire your next porch project!

The warm stone flooring on this porch needs some contrast to make it feel up to date. The black-finished pendant combined with the matching black door complete the whole ensemble.

This porch is timeless. A warm door combined with a simple, but elegant pendant is a classic combination to make any house feel inviting.

Pendants are incredibly versatile and work well in a number of locations – not just above the doorway. They’re also a great choice above porch furniture to create a comfy space for a leisurely chat with a friend.

4. Less is More!

Redoing your front porch can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. These simple porches prove that less really can be more with some expert advice!

There’s nothing prettier than a warm wood door and black shutters, especially on clean white siding. This porch has. it. all. Symmetrical greenery, gorgeous sconces, some simple furniture, and a fan are truly all you need to have a beautiful and functional porch.

If you have a small porch, using some hanging elements (pendants, flowers, etc.) will add dimension and will give you space for some furniture without sacrificing a beautiful result.

We love the creativity of this small porch! Since there’s no room for plants next to the door, this homeowner added greenery on the sconces. The arched window above the door is the prettiest focal point to bring together an elegant, but minimal look.

This porch looks bigger because of the reflection of the windows on the door. The rest of the space is also well-used. From the small plants placed on stands to make them look taller to the hanging pendant, every inch is accounted for!

5. Pick Comfortable Seating

There’s something nostalgic about sitting on the porch on a summer night – like an ode to the simpler times of days gone by. Picking comfortable seating will make you want to sit on your porch, reflecting and enjoying the simplicity of the moment.

Porch Swings

There’s nothing more soothing than the back-and-forth motion of a porch swing!

The cozy cushions and pillows on this swing make it the ideal spot to snuggle up with a blanket for an autumn nap or to curl up with a book.

This swing lends itself perfectly to a conversation with a friendly neighbor, family member, or friend.

Rocking Chairs

Make the most of warm spring and summer days by relaxing on a rocking chairs with an ice cold lemonade sitting on a table beside you!

Rocking chairs are a comfortable seating option, but they take up less space and aren’t quite as permanent as a swing. The pillows on these pretty white rockers tie in the shutters on the house and are the perfect spot to enjoy a bit of nature.

Rocking chairs are simple and inviting whether they’re styled or not. We love the idea of watching the neighborhood kids ride their bikes, watching the dogs be walked, and seeing the world slow around you as the sun sets from the comfort of your rocking chair.

Don’t let your front porch fall by the wayside any longer! When you’re ready to get to work creating the porch of your dreams, give Vogue Lighting a call. We’ll give you all the tips you need to make your dreams a reality.

Smart Lighting 101: 5 Top Tools to Upgrade Your Smart Home

Smart Lighting 101: 5 Top Tools to Upgrade Your Smart Home

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Everyone talks about “smart homes,” but what does that really mean? While smart assistants are often the foundation of any smart home, they aren’t truly smart on their own. Smart lighting is another essential element of your smart home. It includes a wide range of electrical products that use software to interface with your smart hub to give you enhanced control, function, and flexibility of your lights.

We know it can be overwhelming sorting through all of the options available to you as you build your smart home. So, we put together this quick guide to some of the most popular smart lighting tools to help you get started!

Special note: Before you go out and purchase any smart light accessories, remember to check for compatibility. Each smart lighting tool is programmed to work with one or more smart home hubs or apps, like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod, etc. It will be much easier to keep track of everything if you can control them all from the same place!

  1. Smart Bulbs

Smart bulbs are a great way to get the most out of your lighting. Smart bulbs are often color-changing or range in temperature. These bulbs will work with most standard lamps and light fixtures. 

Smart bulbs are typically LED bulbs and are also energy- and heat-efficient. In addition, they have a long life and are safer than fluorescent bulbs since they use a microchip instead of gas to create their glow. 

Smart bulbs can range in price, averaging at $7-$15 a bulb. 

  1. Smart Plugs and Outlets

You don’t have to change all your bulbs to get the benefits of AI and voice activation. Instead, you can plug your lamps into a smart plug or swap out the entire outlet! This will allow you to use multiple light fixtures or devices in the same place. 

Smart plugs simply plug into your existing outlet as an extension. Then you plug your lamps or other devices into the smart plug, and you’re ready to go!

Smart outlets take a little more work to install, but it’s definitely within DIY reach. While specific installation steps will vary slightly by your smart outlet choice– the basic installation steps are the same. Check out this YouTube tutorial to get a good idea of what you’ll need to do! 

Special note: Always be sure to follow the brand-specific installation instructions that come with your device. 

Smart plugs and outlets range from about $15 to $30 each.

  1. Smart Switches

Try replacing your dumb light switches with something smarter! Smart light switches help you to click through programmed light scenes so you can switch from day to night to entertaining light scapes at the touch of a button. 

Installation is as simple as swapping your current light switch for the next. Check out this YouTube video for a quick and safe installation. 

Expect to pay $25 to $45 amount for your smart switch. 

  1. Smart Bulb Bases

Another way to keep your existing light bulbs but enhance smart features is to add a smart base to your light bulb. Simply unscrew the light bulb, screw the new base on, and reinsert it into the light fixture. Now your bulb’s power is controlled by the base instead of relying on the light switch!

Smart bases won’t enable features to a bulb that isn’t designed for dimming, temperature, or color changes. But it will allow you to incorporate AI, voice activation, and remote reach from anywhere with your phone. 

You’ll likely pay between $15 and $30 for a smart bulb base.

  1. Smart Lighting Kits

Skip the hassle of buying individual tech with a smart lighting kit. These kits include several bulbs and other pieces of tech to get you started for a discounted price. 

These kits range anywhere from $60 to $200, depending on your selected bundle.

Need Help Creating Your Smart Home?

Proper lighting is essential to a fully functioning home– but it can be challenging to nail balanced brightness, great fixtures, and a budget! Contact the experts at Vogue Lighting for advice on your project!

9 Ways to Upgrade Your Home with LEDs

9 Ways to Upgrade Your Home with LEDs

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With their excellent energy efficiency, affordable price tags, and numerous customized options, LED light bulbs are quickly becoming the top choice for home lighting. Available in small bulbs and flexible strips, these microchip-powered wonders fill almost every need in your home– including some you didn’t even know you had!

So get ready to upgrade your home’s functionality and style! Here are nine ways using LED bulbs in your home can improve your home’s design, costs, comfort, and safety.  

1. Energy Efficient

LEDs are highly energy-efficient light sources because they create light with a microchip. With no gas or burning filament, they waste far less energy in heat production (not to mention much better customization in color, brightness, and temperature. But we’ll get to that later!) 

Unlike older bulbs, LED bulb packaging uses lumens instead of watts to tell you how bright they are. Watts measured the electricity needed for incandescent bulbs to glow, but lumens directly measure the amount of light a bulb gives off. The higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb.

But it’s not just the packaging that’s changed– your utility bill will decrease when you replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs. They use far less energy than incandescent bulbs to give off the same level of light, savings you’ll actually be able to see. 

2. Work with Most Light Fixtures

No matter your light fixture, there’s likely an LED bulb that’s a perfect match. LEDs come in a wide variety of standard-sized bulb sizes and shapes– so you can even use them in your candelabra chandelier! 

The only thing to watch out for is ventilation. LEDs are cool bulbs compared to incandescent and other traditional options, but they’re not entirely immune to overheating. So if you’re ever in doubt, give a local lighting expert a call and they’ll help you find the correct bulb.

3. Safer than Other Bulbs

LED bulbs are one of the safest ways to light your home– they produce minimal heat and use very little energy. They’re even safer than fluorescent bulbs, a top competitor for energy-saving lighting. Compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs, glow by passing an electrical current through mercury gas. So CFLs are a little risky in “accident-prone homes,” like homes with pets or small children.

On the other hand, LEDs glow using a microchip. In fact, LEDs don’t even need to use the glass bulb case– they’d be just as safe and contained without it! So if you want to increase your home safety while still being energy efficient, swap out your CFLs for LEDs.

4. Best Color Rendering Index (CRI)

Did you know that the way you see color depends heavily on the type of light shining on it? Stores and online product photos use great lighting to show their products at their best potential. But if you bring those products home in poor lighting, you may be surprised to find that it doesn’t look as great as they did before. It’s not always buyer’s remorse, though– sometimes it’s just bad lighting!

LEDs are one of the best on the color rendering index (CRI), meaning they show colors more accurately. Their light will be very close to the lighting in-store or in the product images, so it’s much more likely to look the same in your home as it did in the cart.

As a bonus, high CRI lighting is a huge help in places like your bathroom or closet. Accurate lighting can help you pick the right clothes and do your best makeup. No more surprises when you see yourself in the office mirror!

5. Dimmable

Dimmable bulbs are perfect for rooms with multiple functions. Take your living room, for example– during the day, you’ll want bright light as you move about your daily activities and tasks. But in the evening, you want your living room to be a soft, cozy space where you can relax and unwind. 

LEDs can come with dimmable capabilities, making them perfect solutions for bathrooms and bedrooms. They will also work with your existing dimmer switches and remotes. So simply swap out your old bulb, and you’re ready for a day-to-night lighting experience!

6. Vary in Temperature

A bulb’s light temperature refers to whether the light falls into cool (blue) or warm (red) light. Cool, blue light is in the same range as direct sunlight– it wakes you up and gets you focused. Warm light is similar to fire and candlelight and helps you to relax. Traditional bulbs were all warm light, but modern LEDs come in a wide variety of light temperatures.

How will knowing this improve your home, you ask? Our bodies work with a circadian rhythm– the natural cues to wake up with the sunrise and relax at sunset. But our modern life surrounds us with blue light well after sunset, eliminating the natural transition to red light before sleep. Choosing the right LED bulbs makes it easy to reintroduce the red light phase to your circadian rhythm. 

Opt for warm light bulbs in places where you relax at the end of the day (dining room, living room, bedroom, etc.), and it’ll help signal to your brain that it’s time to go to bed– making it easier to fall asleep at bedtime. Just don’t undo your brain’s relaxation by staring at your phone screen in bed afterward!

7. Smart Integrations

What’s a smart home without smart lighting? LED bulbs are a top smart home choice because they offer a wide range of stress-free customization.

This flexibility makes them a great choice to use on their own, but they’re also great options to use with your smart home setup. Set routines for lights to turn on and off and control settings from your phone on the go!

You can even create a habit with your smart home assistant to ”warm up” the temperature of your LEDs a few hours before bed. It’s a simple change that could significantly help your family rest better– and avoid the increased risk of depression, anxiety, and weight gain connected to regular poor sleep.

Remember, not every LED bulb is “smart,” so make sure you read the packaging to get the perfect addition to your smart setup!

8. Customize Color

LED stands for “light emitting diode”– big words to describe a glow from passing electricity through a microchip. Because of the way they work, many LED bulbs can change color, temperature, and brightness with the press of a button.

Color customization may seem like a party trick with little functional use. And while they are a great novelty at parties, color-changing lights can also help you wind down at night and reduce eye strain when watching TV or sitting in front of a computer monitor.

LEDs are excellent for creating bias lighting for your TV or computer. Bias lighting casts light on the wall surrounding your screen to help decrease the intensity of the image, making it easier on your eyes. It also increases the contrast of your screen, so you’ll get a better view without upgrading your tech!

9. Strip Lighting

A lesser-known use for LED lights in the home is strip lights. If you’re looking to make your home look and feel like a bespoke model home, these are the way to go. The best part– they’re inexpensive and simple to install. 

LED strip lights can be wired to a switch, but homeowners often opt for battery-powered or plug-in options for noninvasive installation. They typically come with either a remote or smart home integration capabilities. They’re also tiny, and since many come in a user-friendly peel-and-stick variety, they’ll fit just about anywhere! 

We recommend trying out LED strip lights in places like:

  • Kitchen Cabinets: Stash these inconspicuously under cabinets to make dinner prep easier and safer, or add them inside glass-fronted cabinets to turn your dishes into art! You can also place them under the toe-kick to light those late-night snack runs.
  • Stairways: Make your evening bathroom trip safer by lining your stairs with light. Don’t want to see them? Try tucking them underneath the handrail!
  • Closets and Shelves: Want to turn your dark closet into an elegant dressing room? LED strip lighting will elevate your closet without any structural changes. Add them to the top of shelves, above your shoes, or around the top edges of your walls – they’ll go anywhere you need more light.
  • Bedroom Mood Lighting: String a few LEDs around your walls and change the color  or brightness of your entire room without lifting a paintbrush– a very popular DIY for teenagers and social media creators
  • Bathroom GlowUp: Stash a few LEDs under bathroom cabinets for a toe-kick touch of luxury and soft lighting. Or use around your mirrors for true lighting during your daily skincare routine!

The Possibilities are Endless

LED bulbs and strips are small, easy to install, and can fit just about anywhere. Whether you’re swapping out all of your home’s bulbs or just adding custom lighting to your favorite spaces, LEDs can give you that luxury feel without breaking the bank. And when you factor in their energy efficiency, customization applications, health benefits, and smart home applications, it’s easy to see why LED bulbs are the swiss army knife for home lighting needs.

Proper lighting is essential to a fully functioning home– but it can be challenging to nail the balance between light levels, fixture designs, and a budget! For your next project, contact the experts at Vogue Lighting.

9 Surprising Ways to Glow Up Your Home Exterior (Literally)

9 Surprising Ways to Glow Up Your Home Exterior (Literally)

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Most neighborhoods look the same when you drive at night. Because no matter what makes homes unique during the day, they almost all only use a porch light or two at night. But your home doesn’t have to lose its character and statement features just because the sun went down!

You may be surprised that there are at least nine ways to light your home’s exterior. We’ll dive into expert tips to unlock the unexpected for your evening curb appeal and outdoor activities. From increasing safety to creating drama to inspiring luxury, mix and match these lighting methods to customize an unforgettable “evening look.”

1. Accent Lighting

Accent lighting uses light to draw attention to a feature of your home or garden. In fact, any of the following eight lighting techniques can be used as accent lighting! For example, try using a spotlight to show off a flagpole, up-lighting on a few trees to increase their impact, or silhouette shrubbery for subtle mystery.

A tip from the experts: Trying to figure out what to accent on your home exterior? Make a list of your favorite things about your front yard (or what you’d like to add to your yard).

2. Down-lighting

Want to increase visibility for outdoor activities? Try down-lighting! This lighting technique positions the light source up high with a shade that concentrates the light towards the ground. The bright light makes evening play safer and keeps the party going after sundown.

A tip from the experts: Trees are a great place to nestle down-lighting sources with finesse.

3. Highlighting

You’ve likely seen yards in a fancy neighborhood that look like their trees are glowing somehow. They’re probably being highlighted! By shining a spotlight or two from the base of a tree or other feature, the light will reflect only off the object. This concentrated glow makes the object look like it is lit from the inside!

A tip from the experts: Highlight is a simple way to immediately make your home look upscale and luxurious.

4. Moonlighting

Are you looking for more magic and romance in your outdoor space? Then try out moonlighting! Like down-lighting, moonlighting uses a high-up light source to concentrate light downwards. However, this method uses more subtle sources and dimmer light– mimicking the softness and mystery of a full moon!

A tip from the experts: Moonlighting is most effective in backyards and wooded areas, where the soft light can trickle down through the leaves.

5. Silhouetting

Silhouetting is the opposite of highlighting, but its effect is equally dramatic. Instead of lighting the feature itself, you can use the light source behind a tree and the wall. This will shine the light on the wall and cast the tree or other features into shadow. So you’ll get the soft shape of your feature, giving impact in a subtle way.

A tip from the experts: Make sure to angle the light towards the wall to create the greatest effect!

6. Shadowing

Want to spread the beautiful pattern of your tree leaves against your home? Then shadowing is the perfect technique for you! Shadowing combines highlighting with silhouetting for a completely new effect.

Like silhouetting, you’ll position your light source towards a wall behind the tree. But, like highlighting, you’ll put the light in front of your tree. As a result, you’ll cast a dramatic shadow of your tree against your home while clearly illuminating the trunk.

A tip from the experts: This works best with tall, leafy trees for an enchanting summer evening. The bare branches will look stunning in the winter too!

7. Path-lighting

Upgrade the magic and safety of your front walk or garden path with path-lighting! Solar lights are easy to install and come in endless designs and colors. Not only will path lights make your home safer, but you’ll get to enjoy your plants and landscaping around the clock.

A tip from the experts: Space your path lights 5 to 10 feet apart, depending on the lamp’s brightness.

8. Up-lighting

Want to add drama with a contoured view of your home? Up-lighting uses spotlights to throw light upwards on your home exterior. You’ll work with the natural layers of your home to create interest and luxury. Even in a cookie-cutter development neighborhood, your home will stand apart!

A tip from the experts:  Try staggering these lights along the ground level and roofline to maximize the impact of your home’s features.

9. Wall-washing

Our final lighting tip brings us to wall-washing. This method uses focused ambient lighting to cast even light across an entire wall. Instead of the dramatic shadowing created by up-lighting, you’ll get a clear picture of the garden or home wall without harsh light.

A tip from the experts: The key to great wall-washing is placing the light source at a wide enough angle. Hide the source in low foliage for added mystery.

Need Help?

Proper lighting is essential to a fully functioning home– but it can be challenging to nail balanced brightness, great fixtures, and a budget! Contact the experts at Vogue Lighting for advice on your project!

How to Safely Install a Ceiling Fan

How to Safely Install a Ceiling Fan

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Installing a new ceiling fan is a cheap way to save on energy costs all year without compromising on comfort. In the summer, ceiling fans cool down the house by creating a breeze. In the winter, they help circulate the heated air to warm the whole room evenly. 

Putting in a ceiling fan is a win-win for your comfort levels and your budget – and it’s a pretty simple DIY project for homeowners. Plan on giving yourself a few hours (depending on the type of fan and your experience level with lighting DIYs), and grab a friend that can help you hold things in place while you work.

If you’re buying a ceiling fan new, it should come with thorough installation instructions. We always recommend following those instructions exactly to be sure that your fan is installed safely and properly. If you’re installing a secondhand fan, you may be able to find the installation guide online by searching with the model number on the fan. Either way, we’ll walk you through the basic steps here so that you can prepare. 

1. Preparation

Before you break out your tool belt, make sure you have a good plan in place. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and realizing you don’t have everything you need to complete the task.

Tool Checklist

Before you take on a ceiling fan installation project, make sure you have all the tools you need so you don’t have to rush off to your local hardware store for a last-minute purchase. To install a ceiling fan you’ll need to have a:

  • Voltage Tester
  • Ladder
  • Measuring Tape
  • Screwdriver
  • Ceiling Fan-Rated Junction Box
  • Fan Brace
  • Wire-Cutter/Stripper
  • Light Bulbs
  • Globes/Shades if they aren’t included
  • An extra-long downrod if you’re installing on a sloped ceiling
  • Ceiling Fan and Kit

Choosing the Right Fan Size

Measure the room you’re working in before you start. Not all fans are created equal, so pick one that will fit. Use the following guidelines to help. 

  • For rooms smaller than 75 square feet (like bathrooms), pick a fan with blade spans of less than 36 inches.
  • Blade spans between 36 and 42 inches are ideal for rooms up to 144 square feet. 
  • A 44-inch span is perfect for rooms up to 225 square feet, like a dining room.
  • For rooms that are 225 square feet or larger (a large living room, for example), you’ll need a fan with a 50 to 54-inch blade span.
  • The more space between the ceiling and the fan, the better! The ideal ceiling fan height is 8-9 feet above the ground. 
  • If your ceiling is less than 8 feet, you’ll most likely need to install a flush-mount fan (no downrod).
  • High pitched ceilings typically require you to buy an extra-long downrod (so that the blades won’t hit the sloped ceiling), so check your ceiling height and angle before choosing your downrod.

Pro Tip: Once your fan is installed, the tips of the blades should be at least 30 inches from the walls, and the bottom edges of the blades should be at least 7 feet above the floor. 

Other Important Tips

  • Ceiling fans are heavy! They need to be anchored properly to an electric ceiling box designed to hold the weight of the fan. Inspect the electrical box to ensure it’s fan-rated. There should be an inscription on the box to indicate this. If it’s not, you’ll also need to purchase a fan box before you get started.
  • Check to make sure the light switch you’re using is wired appropriately for the fan. If it isn’t, you may need to call a professional to get the job done.
  • Check the ceiling joists for any wiring or plumbing pipes that may be in the way.
  • If you’re adding a new fan where one didn’t exist, check local building codes to determine if you need a permit.
  • Always check your installation guide for any additional requirements that are specific to your fan. For some expert help choosing the perfect fan for your space, give us a visit or a call and we’d be happy to help.

2. Safety

Now that you’re ready to begin, head out to your circuit breaker and turn the power off for the room where you’ll be installing your fan. Also, make sure all of the wall switches in the room are safely in the “off” position. Do not rely on a wall switch alone to protect you from electrical shock! Always use a voltage tester to be sure the power is off before handling wires.

Pro Tip: Place some electrical tape over the switches you’ve turned off on the circuit breaker. This will prevent anyone from switching it back on while you’re working.

3. Remove Your Old Fixture

Let’s get started! First, you’ll need to take down the existing fixture. Most fixtures have easy-to-find attachment points, like screws or twist-off caps. Remove accessories like light bulbs, shades to get down to the base of your fixture, then unscrew the base from the ceiling.

If you’re removing an existing ceiling fan, remove the light bulbs and globes first. Then, take down the light kit (if needed – some fans have them, some don’t). Unscrew and remove the fan blades next. At this point, you may need to enlist a helper as the full weight of the fan base and motor can be heavy. Pull off the canopy (metal cover at the base of the fan). The last step is to remove the mounting bracket with a screwdriver!

Once you have the base of your fixture dropped away from the ceiling, unscrew the wire nuts connecting it to the electrical box. Be sure to test the wires with your voltage tester first!

4. Install a Fan Box

Before you start, check your existing electrical box. If it isn’t rated to support the weight of your fan, you’ll need to install a new one. To see if your existing box is rated to hold a fan, just take a look at the label! If you can’t find a label, err on the side of caution and get a new one. 

You’ll have to do a little bit of homework here to figure out what will work best for your project. Fan boxes are easiest to install if you have open access, like in the attic or an unfinished ceiling. If you won’t have easy access you may need to widen your drywall hole a little, but you can usually find a brace that will slip through the existing hole. 

Take a look at your rafters to determine the best way to install your fan box. Fan boxes can be attached directly to the rafter with a side bracket. If your new fan won’t be right next to a rafter, look for a brace that will span the space between two rafters. These braces can be a little trickier to install through a small hole in the ceiling, but they’ll give you a lot more breathing room when it comes to getting your fan box in the right place. 

5. Install the Mounting Bracket

To secure the mounting bracket to the fan box, start by threading the wires through the mounting bracket. If the fan has a slide-on bracket, leave the bolts on the junction box, slide the bracket over the mounting hardware, and tighten the screws. For fans without a slide-on bracket, place the bracket over the mounting bolts that poke through the bracket. Then, secure it using the provided nuts. If your fan is a flush mount, pull the wiring through the canopy (the part that covers the wiring/mount bracket) and skip to step 7.

6. Install the Downrod

To set the downrod, you’ll want to find a flat work surface. Slip the canopy onto the downrod and pull the primary wires through the hollow downrod. Then, connect the downrod to the fan base. With the downrod and base assembled, attach the other end of the downrod to the mounting bracket. 

7. Wire the Fan

Next, it’s time to wire! Hang the downrod – or canopy, if you’re installing a flush mount fan – on the hook on the mounting bracket. If there isn’t a good place to hang it, phone a friend to hold the fan up for you to free up your hands while you connect the wires. 

Before you start, check to make sure all your wiring (and the wire nuts) will fit in the ceiling. Use your wire cutters to trim down any wires that won’t. This will also keep them from vibrating against the canopy when the fan is on. Use wire strippers to expose the copper of the wires on the new ends. 

Connect the corresponding wires using the provided wire nuts. Your installation guide will have a diagram to follow, but, generally speaking, the fan’s green wire connects to the ground wire, the fan’s black motor wire connects to the black supply wire, and the fan’s white wire connects to the white (or neutral) supply wire. 

Double-check your work against the diagram, then gently push the wires into the junction box. Lift the fan into position, then clip it to the mounting bracket and secure the screws.

Pro Tip: Some fans come with additional wires for extra features, like having a separate switch for the light and fan. If your switches or wires don’t match the diagram, you might need to check in with an electrician or a lighting specialist at our showroom to help you get things set up correctly.

8. Blades and Bulbs

Now it’s time to install the fan blades. Every fan is a little bit different – but most fans will have an arm or bracket that you’ll need to attach to the blade and then to the base using a screwdriver. Some fans have quick-install blades that speed up the process using keyhole slots that slip over the fan’s mounting screws and lock into place with a little tug. 

Some fans have reversible blades – so make sure you’re checking each time that you have the correct side pointed down!

By now, you should be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel – so let’s install the bulbs! For fans with a light kit, refer to your guide to ensure everything goes in place correctly. Generally, you’ll just need to install the shades, globes, or light cover. If your fan did not come with bulbs, make sure the bulbs you install have the correct base type and wattage 

If your fan came with a remote, don’t forget to install the remote control holder!

9. Lights… Fan… Action!

Last, but not least, it’s time to test out your new ceiling fan! Go back to your circuit breaker and turn the power back on. Try switching your fan and lights on and off using the light switch or remote control. Test all of the speed settings to make sure your fan is secured properly and doesn’t wobble or rattle.

Most of the time, installing a ceiling fan is a pretty straightforward DIY project. Occasionally, an odd issue can crop up due to things like old wiring. If you run into any trouble, be sure to give us a call right away, or call an electrician that can help you troubleshoot the issue.

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Congratulations DIY master! Now that you’ve successfully installed your new ceiling fan, get ready for a fresh breeze to blow your way–and some savings too. With all that extra cash blowing around, come visit us and we’ll help get you started on your next project. 

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DISCLAIMER: Be sure to follow all the manufacturer’s installation instructions and take all recommended safety precautions. Check before installing to see if you need a permit and be sure all building and electrical codes are observed. If you have any questions or are unsure about installing the fan yourself, contact a licensed electrician or Vogue Lighting for more help.