The technology for these tubes actually goes back far in time; tubes have been used to bring sunlight in for centuries. Today, the standard solar tube is a cylinder that is usually installed in a roof to take the place of an electric light and bring more light in than a standard sky light due to the relay of more concentrated light.

Solar tubes are also called sun pipes, sun scopes, daylight pipes or light tubes. By any name, they are a cool addition to a home. Reflective material from inside the tube amplifies the light with a neat effect. When the tube is short and straight, the light can come in at its most powerful. Other solar tubes have bends or curves in them to bring light into a home.

How solar light tubes work (image source: Wikipedia, author: Stefan Kühn)

Here is a look at a few of the pros and cons for using solar tubes:

Pros

• Much more energy efficient than lights
• Better insulated than skylights or windows
• Can bring light to interior rooms that do not have outside walls
• More secure than standard windows. No thief can break into your home through a solar tube
• Can be installed in wet areas such as bathrooms and indoor pools because they don’t draw on any electricity. They work well in closets, too.
• Much less expensive than skylights
• Can be installed by DIYers
• Can produce tax breaks and credits

Cons

• You can’t see the outdoors through a solar tube
• Of limited value if you don’t live in a sunny climate
• Condensation can form if you live in a humid area
• If they are not straight, the effect is compromised
• Add-ons such as dimmers and fans can jack up the cost quickly

Prices

Prices vary greatly depending on where you live, what type of roof you have and what features you want in your solar tube. They are sometimes sold in combination with exhaust kits for the bathroom or with a dimmer (imagine turning sunlight “off”!).

Solar tubes can be purchased for $200-$500, with installation costing another $100-$200 if necessary. You might be pleasantly surprised by the powerful light that these tubes can produce. They act as a true light that can be turned off and dimmed.

Click here to visit the Amazon’s Lighting Department.

]]> http://www.breviouslighting.com/thank-you/feed/ 0 http://www.breviouslighting.com/creative-chandeliers-why-not/ http://www.breviouslighting.com/creative-chandeliers-why-not/#comments Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:25:58 +0000 admin http://www.breviouslighting.com/?p=769 That classic chandelier with the crystal pendants hanging in perfect order still looks great after all of these years. Yet, that timeless look might not be what you are after in your dining room, or living room, or anywhere in your house. Welcome to the exploding field of creative chandeliers, where almost anything can be placed around lamps to make a breathtakingly original chandelier.

Tired of standard chandeliers? Let me show you some other options

Here are a baker’s dozen of ideas for creative chandeliers that you can make yourself if you have a little dexterity and can either handle the wiring or find someone who can:

1.) Milk crates never looked so good as when they were joined together to make a chandelier. Go with a wide color scheme, fit them together and cut a hole in the bottoms so that lamps can be placed inside of them. The most elaborate designs have 16 crates joined together, hanging upside down and looking amazing.

2.) Recycle your nail polish bottles and arrange them in an artistic way, surrounding one or more lamps within that will reveal all of the glory of these oft-neglected yet artsy bottles.

3.) How about a drum kit suspended from your ceiling, with lamps within to highlight the different pieces? Perfect for a basement bar.

4.) Those solid wooden clothes hangers can be joined in amazing ways, and a lamp within will reveal lines that you never knew existed.

5.) Why not get in the spirit of fine dining and hang various pieces of silverware around a huge lamp or two?

6.) Plastic cups arranged skillfully around lamps could be a very inexpensive way to add a cool touch to your décor.

7.) Have you ever seen Bic pens look so good as when they are arranged like obedient soldiers around a lamp or two? Try varying sizes of circles of such pens as you stack them to magnify the effect.

8.) Any kind of glass bottle can look great in a creative chandelier. You can go for old-fashioned milk bottles, wine bottles, soda bottles, beer bottles, whatever looks good to you and can provide a bit of light as a lamp or two shine through them. Even plastic bottles will do, and you will enhance your reputation as a super-recycler.

9.) Soda can tabs arranged in a spherical shape or in any design that you like can look better than you might anticipate as part of a creative chandelier.

10.) This might sound crazy, but light bulbs arranged around other light bulbs look pretty cool, too.

11.) Gummy bears? Yes, gummy bears. You can buy plastic models of these bears that won’t melt when they are placed around a large globe light. Just keep small children away from it!

12.) Disco balls of various sizes can be joined into a memorable chandelier.

13.) Some people have even used bicycle parts to make a chandelier, with the chains hanging down and adding a nice effect.

As you can tell, your imagination can run wild when you plan creative chandeliers. What idea will you add to the mix?

If you don’t want to make your own, there is a wealth of chandeliers for purchase that represent the finest of the designers’ creative minds. Some of them got really carried away—planters anyone?—but we are the winners as their crazy imaginations make it to market.

You might not ever go back to that standard chandelier again after trying one or more of the choices described above. Let your creativity run wild, too, and see what you come up with as you build around a lamp or two with objects that no one would guess could work as a light sculpture.

Advances in technology have given homeowners many more choices for casting the right light on their bodies of water. LED, halogen, fiber optic and solar lights all can be used to create a green waterfall or a blue fountain, a white pond or a multi-hued pool.

Most of the lighting options for watery contexts can be submerged without damaging them, but many of them are designed to float on the top of still water. Anyone wanting to illuminate bodies of water should never, ever try to use standard lights in these hazardous applications.

If you want a little color with your lighting, you can either buy bulbs of differing colors or lenses to place atop a white light. Tastes differ, but many homeowners prefer a classic white look for their fountains and ponds, and bright white lamps are the best choice for this look. Whatever you choose, make sure that it is bright enough to accomplish the job. Many water lighting lamps are actually floodlights encased in a way that they can get wet and not short-circuit.

Here are a few of the many choices that you have when considering how to light your watery areas:

• Lights on stakes can be pushed into the ground to shine on your waterfall, pond or pool from the side. These are often called accent lights.
• Lights in waterproof cases can be used inside or outside of the water. These LED lights can be placed at the base of a fountain or pond, or on the side of a pool. They can also be purchased in sets of three with multiple-colored lenses.
• Lights embedded in heavy-duty plastic islands can be purchased that channel shooting water and light it up as it ascends into the air.
• Aerator kits that include lights will keep your water clean and your body of water shining.
• Floating LED disc lights can rely on solar power for their sustenance.
• Heavy-duty underwater lamps can be bolted to the side of a pool or staked to the bottom of a pond and shine upward.
• Lights in the shape of flowers or rocks can be used for decorative and lighting purposes.

Most of the lights described above come with mounting stakes, extra-long power cords and timer kits to take the worry out of turning them on and off. The primary criteria as you choose these lights should be: 1) Are they safe? 2) Are they extremely bright to cut through the water that they are highlighting? 3) Are they heavy duty and resistant to shock, in case of storms? 4) Are they energy-efficient, because they will be on for many hours, especially during the warmer months of the year.

The good news is that stair lighting continues to advance in its sophistication and beauty. You have more options than ever for safely lighting your stairs in the house or yard.

Stairs also need some light

A good way to test and see if you need lighting for your stairs is to consider if you have enough ambient lighting to provide a safe descent. In many homes, there is little light at nighttime for lighting a stairway, and switches are not always conveniently placed for a safe passage. Installing light fixtures on or near your stairs will also add visual appeal and value to your home.

Because the need for outdoor stair lighting is often greater than what is needed indoors, we will begin there:

Outdoor Stair Lighting Options

Outdoor stairs can be illuminated from above as well

• The hottest choice right now is recessed stair lighting. These low-key lights are placed within the stairs themselves (on the horizontal or vertical plane) or along the railways that hopefully accompany your stairs. If your stairs did not come with such lights, they will need to be cut if you want to install these trendy lights that are flush with the surface. Wiring will also have to be done unless you pick a solar-powered light.
• Another popular option is down lights, which do not require cutting of the stairs or railways, but do need to be wired unless you choose the solar option. These lights are usually put on the railways or walls surrounding the stairs, in alternate spots on either side to avoid an airport runway effect. One advantage of these down lights is that they do not interfere with a walker’s vision as s/he descends, as recessed lights can. Be sure that they provide enough wattage, however. Some down lights are fairly dim and might not do the job adequately in a very dark yard.
• If you do not have railways large enough to take on light fixtures and no walls around the stairs, you can opt for post lighting. These stakes are buried deep into the soil or rock and shine from their tops. They are available in solar-powered models as well.
• Another common option is post cap lights. These posts are placed on railings, lighting the path in intervals down the steps or providing strong light from the bottom of the stairway.
• An increasingly popular option for some homeowners is under-railing lighting, using rope lights. These LED lights encased in within a plastic tube can also be placed under the lips of the stairs, too. Again, be sure that they provide enough wattage to accomplish their purpose.

In summary, two design tips that experts give are:

1) use many lights with lower wattage to combine for adequate illumination, rather than one or two lights with the huge glare;

2) vary the lighting scheme on and around your stairs, using cap lights and recessed lights together, for instance. This breaks up the monotony of your design and adds appeal.

Whatever arrangement you decide on, make sure that it will be bright enough to light your way on a moonless night when you keep hearing strange sounds in the yard. All of the visual appeal in the world will do you little good if you can’t see your way at that crucial hour.

Indoor Stair Lighting Options

Typical indoor stair lighting

Many of the same options that can be used for outdoor lighting can be applied indoors, but you can become even more creative inside.

• Under-lip lighting is growing in popularity indoors, too. LED rope lights are used, or cutting-edge light tape. These lights can also be put on the front facing of the steps, but that might not be considered in good taste if the lights get too gaudy.
• Recessed lights can be placed into the wall(s) beside the staircase. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of having these lights fitted and wired, consider attaching battery-operated motion sensor lights to the wall. They are inexpensive and super-easy to attach and use. Whichever option you choose, use one light for about every three stairs and alternate their positions to avoid the airport runway effect.
• You might need to beef up your overhead lighting above the stairs. A low-hanging ceiling can function with recessed lights, but a high ceiling will require more powerful pendant lighting.
• A more creative idea if you are building new (or planning a huge remodeling) is to fit lights in a small gap between the wall and the stairs. This soft, indirect lighting gives a super-cool effect, as if the stairs are floating.
• Another creative idea is to install lights that will turn on as you go down or up the stairs, one at a  time. Some DIYers are confident enough to attempt this, and tutorials are available online.
• Other ultra-modern possibilities (if you have the budget) are fiber optic lights built within a clear railing, milk glass lights placed on the stairs, and glass stairs with built-in lights of a wide variety.

As with outdoor lights, it is recommended that you feature a variety of lighting effects to achieve adequate light layering and to avoid a monotonous scheme. Going up and down the stairs does not have to be a hazard or visually painful. The right lighting design can give you plenty of visibility and look great, too.

Perhaps you have avoided displaying lights outside your home because you thought it would be too much trouble. That might be if you are trying to match your neighbor’s extravaganza down the road, but who said that you needed to, other than your own competitive spirit? You don’t have to cover the entire yard, house and rooftop with lights. Sometimes small, creative displays are more attention-getting than large, elaborate ones, and more tasteful, too.

Here are several ideas that will take less time and money than covering every square inch of your property with lights. Who knows? Perhaps you will win the “Best Light Display” award after all.

Too much light? It’s up to you.

Outdoor string lights can be fashioned in many novel ways

The most modern look with outdoor string lights is to go all white. One way to make them look great is to use a pole that you have (or erect one temporarily), then attach string lights to the top and fan them out to create a light Christmas “tree.” Stake the ends of the light strings into the ground around the base of the “tree.” You can use all-white or multi-colored lights. The effect is dazzling.

String lights also come in a variety of shapes, so if you want to spice up your string along the front of your house, buy string lights in the shape of stars, snowmen or snowflakes. These ornamental string lights look great and have pleasant colors as well.

Another growing trend is outdoor icicle string lights. These sometimes come in a variety of lengths for a nice touch of diversity, and they look more and more like real icicles. The soft blue color that some feature are gorgeous outside your home, giving it a wintery feel even if you live in a warm climate.

Other ideas for string lights include:

• Wrapping them around decorative statues and sculptures so that people can enjoy your reindeer and Santa’s sleigh even at night, for example.
• Enfolding trees and bushes to give them a holiday look, or placing string lights around real wreaths and pine branches so that they can be highlighted at night.
• Creating a curtain of lighting in holiday colors.
• Arranging string lights in shapes such as wreaths and other garlands.

Rope lights open up all sorts of possibilities for holiday lighting

Have you gotten a look at the new rope lights comprised of tiny LED lights encased in plastic tubes? They are very cool and easy to manipulate. You can bend them around corners or even shape them into words and rigid designs, opening up all sorts of options for holiday lighting.

Here are some ideas for rope lights:

• Bend them into snowflake shapes. Use a paper template if you need it. Hang your snowflakes from a pretty ribbon for a complete effect.
• Spell out holiday wishes to your neighbors as you bend rope lights across your fence or the face of your home. You can buy rope lights already formed into words as well.

More traditional light structures are always a hit

If you are less of a do-it-yourself person with limited time, you can always opt for the light structures that outline popular holiday motifs, such as Santa in his sleigh with the reindeer leading the way. Other popular designs are snowmen, stars, nativity scenes, etc.

Other low-cost and low-fuss ideas include:

• Highlighting the trees and plants in your yard with red and green lights. Try using an uplight at the base of your tree to showcase the lights wrapped in and around it.
• Uplights or spotlights shining on decorations that you’ve placed on your front wall, roof or in your yard. If you have a nativity scene, place a couple of spotlights in front of it so that people can enjoy it 24/7.

As you prepare to decorate your house with lights at whatever level of sophistication that you have the time and money for, begin to plan now and prepare for what you will need. Don’t forget to check where your outlets are that will be used for lighting, and remember to buy as many extension cords as necessary to create your spectacle. Include the cost of such cords in your planning budget. If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow in December, plan for a safe design that will not be buried or become wet in dangerous places as you decorate.

Consider these tips:

• If you can’t install more or larger windows, alter the way that you decorate the windows that you have. Use sheer curtains rather than drapes, for instance. White sheer curtains let in the most amount of light, but other colours can help to brighten up a space as well, such as light yellows, blues and greens.

• Use mirrors on the walls that can reflect light and also make the room(s) seem larger. You will be amazed at what a few mirrors can do to brighten your space.

• As light enters your living space, it will have maximum impact when you work with the colour white in great quantities. The formula is simple: light + white = bright. That means shopping for white (or off-white) bookshelves, display cabinets, even picture frames. Try to use white and off-white upholstery and cushions for more brightening effect. You will probably not decorate in all white, but the more you use, the brighter your space(s) will be.

• To counter the all-white look yet still maximise light, splash a bit of colour around via your accent pieces, such as glass borders and trim, lamps and fountains, even a bit of coloured water on window sills throws a different shade of light into a room. Metallic accents also reflect light in a creative way. Variations in the colour of light simply enhance it—and the room itself.

• As you overhaul your interior design to brighten your space, part of that might involve cleaning out your clutter. Crowded surfaces block light, so figure out how to maximise the storage areas in your home to maximise the light in it. Your walls can also become cluttered if they get too busy with artwork. Try a single piece rather than a cluster of examples; it will make the room feel more open, and make that top piece the focus of attention.

• Finally, take a look at your furniture as well. You might need to thin it a bit to give your room more breathing space and make it seem larger. All of that dark furniture you have absorbs, rather than reflects, light. What’s under the furniture counts as well—dark carpets increase the absorption of light and add to the gloominess.

As you evaluate your rooms and figure out how to brighten them up, you might discover that your home has seemed dark not only because of limited light streaming through the windows, but also due to your decorating touch. Go with white and other light colours, thin the artwork and furniture clusters, and watch what happens. We predict a nice mood change as a result of your home’s brighter interior!

Interactive lighting control systems are used primarily in commercial settings at this point, but they will soon expand more heavily into the homeowners’ market in months and years to come. The principle behind these systems is that light turns on and off in response to the “user’s” commands, be they sounds, gestures or movements, sort of a full-blown Clapper system on steroids.

Some systems are DMX-based, which allows users to “instruct” lights with movement or sound, linking up with almost any type of video source (security cameras, for instance), light sensors and microphones to create an all-encompassing light experience far beyond what most people have when they walk into a room, whether at home or at the mall.

But, are such lighting systems for everyone? Here are the pros and cons to consider as you think about installing an interactive lighting control system in your home or business:

Advantages

• One of the primary benefits of an interactive lighting control system is its frugality when it comes to energy costs. A business or homeowner can save a lot of money by installing such a system, offsetting the cost within months, in some cases. One example of such an application would be lights illuminating only a few desks on a given floor of a business as some workers burn the midnight oil. The savings that result from lighting three desks rather than an entire floor are substantial, especially over a year’s (or 10 years’) time.

• Interactive systems can be installed with a variety of colours in operation, lending a very cool atmosphere to a home or business. One recent application viewed online featured vibrant blue lights in an upscale shoe store that turned to white light (for clearer viewing) when a customer approached a given pair of shoes. The twin effects of colour and illumination based on movement are absolutely stunning.

• Interactive lighting can greatly heighten the user’s experience, which could draw a consumer, for instance, to your business again and again, increasing the likelihood of one or multiple sales. These systems also open up all sorts of fascinating design possibilities as light is thrown around in various shapes in response to movement and gestures.

Interactive lights show in Hong Kong

• Interactive lighting can be a true boon for people with disabilities, as they are now able to turn lights off and on without standing or reaching. They can now light their way without the help of others, a major step in independence for these people.

• Another level of interactive lighting that will soon sweep the workplace is individualized lighting according to the user’s preference. For instance, when logging into a computer to begin the day’s work at one’s cubicle, the work area can be lit precisely according to the person’s preferences, going dark when s/he leaves the desk. Eye strain is reduced, resulting in higher productivity, and wastefulness is slashed—a win-win for any business.

• In the home, interactive lighting can be used in conjunction with the ever-more-popular automated systems, creating moods in different rooms depending on the occasion. The possibilities for different lighting schemes grow exponentially when these two systems are combined in a home.

Disadvantages

• Whenever more technology is applied, more glitches can result. Imagine the frustration of an interactive lighting control system gone awry—certain lights not coming on when they are supposed to, others illuminating for no reason at all. Any savings or experience would be offset by the anger that you would feel towards a system loaded with bugs.

• Some people like to have their destination lighted well before they reach it! Not everyone enjoys the feeling of walking towards a dark area or entering a room that is dark just milliseconds before one enters it.

• As with any lighting system reliant on sensors, many other causes can make lights illuminate even when the user does not want them to. For instance, the noise of a cash register could light up an entire wall of lights in a store even if no one is near it. Ditto for a breeze in an area of the house that is wired for illumination by motion.

• For retail applications, not all consumers will be wowed by this system. Some will feel disoriented and thrust into a more modern, foreign age. The end result could be reduced (not increased) sales.

One of the coming hot trends in lighting will be interactive lighting control systems. Consumers have greatly enjoyed the control and savings that they have with automated systems; interactive lighting is the next step in that technological process. These systems will spread, whether we like them or not.

Incandescent bulb, for instance, transfers 80% of its energy in the form of heat, which can help plants to grow. Other types of lamps are even better (and more green) in helping plants, flowers, herbs and other vegetal life to sprout and thrive. Two options for using light to help your plants are: 1) placing a plant in a light fixture, and, 2) shining light on your plants from outside the plant holder.

Don’t forget to include daylight in your plant lighting plan

Plants in Light Fixtures

More and more pendant lamps are showing up with soil and plant life in them. The bulb at the top of the lamp shines down on the plant, which is fully enclosed, enabling the heat to stay trapped and thus create a mini-hothouse. These new types of lamps are as green as it gets, and they will be sure conversation starters as well.

Plants in Their Pots

More conventionally, people use light to help their indoor plants (in their own pots) to grow.  As you consider how to best use light in the growth process, keep in mind that many plants need abundant light to grow, and they might need more than what you turn on in the time that you are in your house or apartment.

For instance, flowering plants often need a total of 16 hours per day of light. If they are primarily receiving artificial light indoors, then the source needs to be about 12” from the plant (further away for non-flowering plants).

Thus, you might need a timer to keep the lamp turned on and feeding your plant even while you are away or asleep. Many people are turning to LED light strips with timers to ensure that their plants get the light that they need to thrive.

Mixing Light for Your Plants

This could be an issue if the bulk of your plants are in your living room and you don’t like the sight of five spotlights beaming down on them when you have company over. The solution? Use brighter light when guests are not around, then light from other sources when you favour mood lighting in the evening. Some plant lovers even opt for light under the plant during the less intense hours of “feeding.”

Of course, natural light is the best type of light for your plants and herbs, so you should consider how to maximise that first before turning to man-made sources. During the times when natural light is not flowing in, you will need red-orange light for flowering plants and blue-violet lights for other foliage. You can mix both warm and white lamps together to provide all of the wavelengths of light that you will need. Fluorescent lamps have proven to be the best bet for plant lighting to this point.

Living in the city or even in a house or apartment with no garden does not mean that you have to bid adieu to the plant world. You can grow a veritable jungle indoors with the right mix of natural and artificial light, distributed generously at all hours but not in a way where stalks of mint take precedence over humans in your place. Hopefully, you will be pleasantly surprised by how well your plants do as you feed them a mixed diet of light as frequently as they need it.

Fortunately, for those who love such lighting, the options available are far more numerous than even a few years ago. Whether you want to create a romantic mood in the bedroom or simply practice good light layering in your living room, the choices that you have continue to explode. Some would even argue that a house does not become a home until at least some mood lighting is used to make the place cozy.

Candles are still very popular, but you can look at some other mood lighting options as well

Here are just a few of the options for mood lighting in various parts of your home:

- Dimmer switches – these have been used for decades to create a lower light to match a given mood. They are a faithful standby in the mood lighting department.

- Color-changing lights – these come in a variety of applications, from lamps to night lights. You can alter a mood through light color, not just light intensity. A blue light gives a completely different feel than a white lamp, for instance.

- LED fiber optic lights – these come in a huge range of styles and can be used to enhance art, sculpture, flower arrangements or simply to be a conversation piece all on their own. Many of these LED lights can be controlled by a remote in a number of applications, such as the ice bucket that can change colors.

- Programmable lighting – as you get into more sophisticated programmable lighting, the number of options simply increases. Some companies can put you in control of 16 million possible colors as you mix and match lamps and their combinations.

- Flameless candles – these are growing more common, so they cannot be considered cutting edge anymore, but they are very handy to establish a mood, usually romantic.

- Color options by touch – there have been a couple of versions of this type of light. The latest is called the Jellyfish by Yantouch, a sleek shape that takes on different color as the user touches it. This type of light can add a lot to a room’s environment. The Jelly Wash light splashes different colors onto a given surface and is easily altered for different effects through alternate colors.

As you consider lighting in different colors, don’t forget that some walls and fabrics lend themselves much more readily to a variety of colors than others. If you want the best effect of your different colors, go with either soft pastels on your walls or a dark burgundy/rust color. These walls and fabrics will look good in the daytime, too.

As light technology advances and color and intensity options multiply, it is easier than ever to establish just the right mood for your home in each of its rooms. Lower intensity and changing colors are two of the most popular ways to set an ambiance in any room, and both can be done through touch, programming or central control these days.