Lighting New York

Lighting Tips

Before you decide between an elegant crystal chandelier and a masculine alabaster fixture, there are a few other factors you should consider first. According to some top lighting designers in the industry, the biggest mistake their clients make is they do not think ahead. Before each of our designers hand selects the perfect lighting fixture for each of our clients, there are many factors involved in making that decision. Where is the light going? How big is the room? Do you have any other lighting in that room? How much traffic do you usually have in this room? The answers to these questions provide us with all the information we need to find lighting that is both functional and stylish, and we are happy to pass our years of experience onto you.

What you first need to realize is that there are four different types of lighting; ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, and decorative lighting. Ambient lighting is a term used to describe the use of light to illuminate an object or background in a deliberate manner to evoke a certain mood or emotion. It is the act of creating a soft and warm glow of light, without a glare. You would consider using ambient lighting in a room to allow the mood to be inviting, or intimate. Some great ways to create ambient lighting are through the use of wall sconces and torchiers (standing lamps without a shade, with a glass dome that directs the light up to the ceiling). Table Lamps with darker shades, that better diffuse light, are also a great way to create ambience. This type of lighting is pivotal when illuminating a dining area. We always recommend adding a pair of wall sconcesor buffet lamps to a dining room to create a subtle glow of light aside from the main source, usually found over the table. This technique is known as layering, which we will discuss in further detail a bit later.

The second type of lighting is called task lighting. Task Lighting is a term used to describe the act of illuminating a particular work are with the maximum amount of light. This lighting is directed at a high traffic area in which bright lights are needed for every day activities. A good example of task lighting would be under the cabinet lighting, useful in illuminating the workspace in your kitchen. This is an area where mood and décor are less important than functionality.

The third type of lighting is accent lighting. Accent Lighting draws attention to a single item, and accentuates it. For example, we might use two wall sconceson either side of a portrait to bring it to life. Or, we might use low voltage path lights to illuminate an outdoor statue or birdbath so it jumps out of the garden and is the first thing to catch your eye. Accent Lighting is necessary in various parts of the home, but typically used in living areas, bedrooms and dining rooms.

The last type of lighting is decorative lighting. Decorative Lighting is the type of lighting that most of us are familiar with. We find a light that looks nice and matches our curtains, and we buy it. Decorative lighting is the type of lighting fixture that becomes part of your décor.

At Lighting New York, our goal is to help you choose the perfect lighting fixtures that will cover all four aspects of illumination. We are reachable my e-mail twenty four hours a day, and are standing by to serve you better. We encourage you to contact us with any questions you might have, as we are trained professionals with centuries of experience among us all.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Living Room Lighting Tips

When selecting lighting for your living room or family room, you have to first consider all of the activities that occur here, so you can make an educated decision based on all of your available facts. This is a high traffic area, where family and friends gather for fun and entertainment. This can include quiet talks by the fire place, television watching, video game playing, reading, or it can just be an arena to hold a social gathering. It is wise to have enough lighting to suit each mood because of the room’s many effects.

First, all of our lighting designers recommend layering your lighting. As we mentioned before, wall sconces are a great way to create ambient lighting. Wall sconces can be used to hang on either side of your couch, television or fire place. If you hang a pair of wall sconces on either side of your couch to create ambience, we always recommend using Swing Arm Wall Sconces, which often times contain three way bulbs, and can be set to maximum wattage to double as task lighting. Swing Arm Wall Sconces are perfect when one person in the room wants to read or sew, and another just wants to kick back and enjoy television without being disturbed by a glaring light. We suggest installing the swing arm wall lamps so that the bottoms of the lamp shades are just above eye level, to prevent a glare from the bulb. We all know how distracting those little blue spots can be! Check our section of Swing Arm Wall Sconces, by designers like Visual Comfort and Murray Feiss.

Table Lamps, also have this wonderful effect, and both ideas are the perfect way to get the greatest bang for your buck. To choose the right height for your table lamps, you want to be sure that the bottom on the shade is just above eye level, so you are not staring directly into a bare bulb. For a more Whimsical or Animal Theme Table Lamps, we recommend you peruse the Frederick Cooper Collection, for more traditional table lamps- Kichler Lighting Table Lamps,and for Modern or Contemporary Table Lamps,try ELK Lighting Table Lamps.

For overhead lighting, you want to choose something that has a high maximum wattage, and you would select this light based on your ceiling height. For living rooms, Pendants, Chandeliers and Semi-flush Mounted Lightsare most popular. The overhead lighting is the glue that brings your lighting design scheme together, so be sure to tie in colors and style. Many of our collections contain numerous styles, so when purchasing something, be sure to check for the related products. And, don’t be afraid to call. If there is something you would like, but don’t see it on the site, a member of our experienced lighting design team is always standing by, ready to help!

Good Luck & Happy Shopping!

Dining Room Lighting Tips

When people think of illuminating their dining room, most minds go straight to chandeliers to hang over the table. According to lighting designers, what most people don’t consider is the many different types of ‘dining’ that we do. On most nights, dining is casual. We sit around the table, talk, and eat. However, there are times when we want dinner to be more intimate. The dining room should be a place where family and friends can gather around, eat, and be welcome. Lighting plays such an important role in the mood that is set before you even sit down.

As we recommend with all rooms, layer your lighting! Let’s tackle the table first, before we move onto accent and ambient lighting. When selecting the right light to go over your dining room table, measurements are key. You do not want your chandelier sitting on your table! You want your chandelier or pendant to be no wider than half the width of your table. So, if you have a 42 inch round table, you want to select a chandelier or pendant no wider than 21 inches in diameter. As far as height goes, you really have to measure how much space you have between the top of your table and the ceiling. The lighting fixture should not sit on the table, but measure for yourself. See where you would like the bottom of the fixture to hang, and that is your set height. Once you have the dimensions, you are ready to select the perfect chandelier or pendant to fit your style. This overhead light will be the fixture to decide your lighting scheme.

Overhead lighting is the main light source for the room. We will use this light most every day, for casual dining and gatherings. To create ambience, you want to select lighting that will create a warm or soft glow of light, without a glare. Ambient lighting will cast shadows and welcome your guests to an intimate meal together. We always recommend wall sconces in a dining room that has the wall space. If you do not have the wall space, and are working with a very tiny room, we like to use buffet lamps as well. Buffet lamps are table lamps that are tall and skinny. Typically they have thick fabric shades that diffuse the light nicely, and make for a more inviting atmosphere.

You want to allow the light to wash the walls without drowning them. Let the light come from different heights and cast shadows in different directions to set the right mood. For a formal dining room, we highly recommend Waterford Crystal Lighting. Waterford Crystal has an entire line of coordinating chandeliers, wall sconces, and buffet lamps. For a less formal dining area, may we recommend Kichler Lighting, who also does a great job providing a wide range of coordinating chandeliers, pendants, wall sconces, and table lamps. For a more modern look, with cool sleek lines and innovative design, try the ELK Lighting Collection of lighting fixtures.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Kitchen Lighting Tips

You will see that there are many ways to light up a kitchen and all roads point to one thing, bright lights and lots of them! There is so much going on in the kitchen that simply using recessed can lighting is just not enough. The kitchen is, and always will be, a high traffic area. Whether you are fixing a quick cup of coffee or a brunch fit for a king, you need to be certain that your kitchen provides you with the right amount of light to prepare your meals from start to finish.

A great way to illuminate your countertop workspace is using under cabinet lighting. The fluorescent bulbs provide a cool and crisp beam of light that shines directly where you prepare your meals. They are hidden from plain view, and are used simply for task purposes. It is a great, unobtrusive way to provide a great beam of light specifically where you need it, without creating a blinding blanket effect. We recommend you peruse the Kichler Lighting line, which provides an affordable array of under cabinet lighting that will suit your needs.

The sink is also an area in which direct lighting is needed. Depending on the size of your sink area, we always recommend overhead pendant lighting. This is an area in which we try to use decorative lighting, since you are not trying to illuminate a large workspace. Florescent or halogen bulbs are really not necessary, as you will see that a 75-100 Maximum Wattage fixture will brightly illuminate even the largest double sink on the market. For more contemporary pendant lighting, try ELK Lighting’s Pendants, which range in size and style and are quite affordable. Kichler Lighting also has a stunning line of Tiffany Pendants , which add just the right touch of color and style to any area. For a more traditional pendant, in a solid cast metal, we recommend you try Pendants by H.A Framburg , whose line of solid cast brass lighting fixtures fit perfectly in kitchens and dinettes.

Kitchen Islands are also a perfect way to show off your decorative edge, but we always warn our clients to be task specific. Kitchen Islands are designed for easy cooking, cleaning and preparing of food, all of which require a high lumen output. For your convenience, we have sectioned off our Island Lights, which are designed to illuminate an island area while adding a touch of style. They come in two or three lights, and hang on a straight across bar. The light points directly downwards, and typically has a maximum wattage of 100 per socket. Kichler Lighting, has a wide selection of Island lights, and they a carry a beautiful line of Tiffany Style Island Lights. Another choice for beautiful fixtures are Murray Feiss Island Lights which range from wrought iron to heavy metals. For a heavier, more traditional look, we recommend H.A Framburg Island Lights whose entire line is made of solid cast brass.

Just remember, task lighting does not have to be ugly! While bright light is a must, many manufacturers have designed a beautiful selection of task lights, perfect for any kitchen. If you need help selecting the perfect set of lights to illuminate your kitchen, we have a knowledgeable staff of lighting designers standing by to serve you better!

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Foyer and Entryway Lighting Tips

Nothing says ‘home sweet home’ like feeling you get when you walk through your front door. Even the longest and hardest days seem to melt away when you flip your light switch and toss your keys on the side table. Some top lighting designers in the industry say that with the right amount of light, in all the right places, everyone who enters your home will be blessed with that same feeling. The key is layering your lighting!

For those of you working with eight to ten foot ceilings, keep in mind that you must have a minimum of seven foot clearance. So, when selecting your fixture be sure to measure first. The last thing you want is people bashing their heads when they come in the house! Width is also a key factor, because if your area is large, you will want to choose one of our wider ceiling mounted lights. If you have less than ten inches to work with, try perusing the Flush Mounts section of our website. If you have between ten and eighteen inches, then you might want to try a semi-flush mounted light or a small chandelier (also called a “chandelette’).

For higher ceilings, be sure not to choose a fixture too small. According to some of our lighting designers, most people have a hard time visualizing a chandelier in their entry, and choose something far too small. Although a four foot chandelier may be quite massive in comparison to the norm, it does not seem so large when hanging twenty feet in the air. Be sure to choose a fixture that will properly fill the space you have. If you have a two story foyer, you must select a two story (or more) chandelier. If your ceiling height is above eighteen feet, you do not want to choose a lighting fixture with a height of less than four feet. Last but not least, the fixture that you choose is going to set the tone for the décor for the rest of your home. Be sure to choose something that you love!

If overhead lighting is king then accent lighting is queen. Try pairing some accent lamps on a side table, to cast a diffused light around a small section of your foyer. It gives the illusion of peaceful quietness. Wall Sconces are also a great way to add ambience. If you have a staircase in your foyer, then select wall sconces that coordinate with your overhead light, and set them shoulder height at every third step. When your overhead light is out, your wall sconces allow for safe travel up the stairs, almost calling out for bedtime. If you do not have a staircase, then try pairing sconces on either side of a mirror. The light will dance off the mirror, and allow for a warm and intimate feeling when you first open your front door. You want to allow the light to dance off the walls without drowning them. Let the light come from different heights and cast shadows in different directions to set the right mood.

The foyer is the introduction to your home, and it’s going to speak volumes for the personality of your entire home. So, when keeping all these tips in mind, also be sure to light it with love!

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Bedroom Lighting Tips

While darkness is key for nighttime, with the onset of new technology came the need for more light in the bedroom. Once a place for sanction and sleep, our bedrooms are now doubling for offices, exercise rooms, and home theaters! Over the years, bedrooms have gotten much larger, and therefore require much more thought into what your lighting needs might be.

When selecting your overhead lighting, choose something close to the ceiling with a high maximum wattage. Your overhead lighting will be the main source of light, used when you are changing the sheets, laying out your children’s school clothes, or changing a dirty diaper. We recommend installing this light in the center of the room, with a flip switch when you first open the bedroom door. Dimmer switches are a great way to control the overall flow of light, install a dimmer switch or hand held dimmer remote.

Task lighting is key for the bedroom, and this is where it gets a bit tricky. You want to select task lighting that will illuminate direct light to a workspace, but we do not want it to be too bright. The secret to selecting the perfect bedroom lights is that we want them to be turned on without disturbing anyone else who might share the room. A great way to do this is with Swing Arm Wall Sconces, which are installed on either side of the bed. They are independently controlled by switches on the wall lamps itself, so they can be turned on and off without disturbing anyone else in the room. They are most well known for their functionality and style.

Bedside Lamps also serve this purpose, and add a decorative aspect to your nightstands. There are so many different styles of accent and bedroom lamps to choose from, so a great designer tip is to choose something that coordinates with your bedroom set. Crystal Table Lamps and Brass Table Lamps accent rich mahogany beautifully. If you have a warm or rich wooden set, we recommend the Waterford Crystal Table Lamps and Accent Lamps. A light and airy oak set it paired lovely with wrought iron and resin based table lamps. For an extensive collection, we encourage you to look through the Murray Feiss Table Lamps, which are chic and affordable. Colorful Tiffany Style Table Lamps, scream designer quality when coupled with a simple traditional set, and you can view a large selection provided by Kichler Lighting. For modern bedroom sets, we encourage you to look at ELK Lighting’s Murano Glass Table Lamps, line, which add a nice contrast of color to the stark lines of contemporary style.

For a child’s rooms be sure to keep nightlights handy so you can check on the kids in the middle of the night without waking them up. Homework areas should be very well lit, using brightly lit desk lamps. For whimsical or animal theme table lamps, designer grade, try perusing Frederick Cooper Table Lampsor Tyndale Table Lamps. They add a splash of color with their beaded shades and whimsical animal prints.

There should be no blinding lights in your bedroom, and the secret remains layering multiple lights so as to create a warm atmosphere. Place your lighting at different heights and allow it to dance off of the walls. For further assistance, we are standing by to serve you better.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Bathroom Lighting Tips

The bathroom is one of the few places in the home where, I think I can safely say, you will not be holding family gatherings and social functions. While the bathroom is a rather low traffic area, its functions are many. All of which require great amounts of task lighting, and we would like to provide you with a few new and interesting ways to do so.

One of the most common bathroom fixtures is the vanity strip light. The vanity strip light is a straight across bar that holds anywhere from two lights to eight lights. You hang the vanity strip light over your bathroom mirrorso that the lighting fixture is directly illuminating your work space (also known as task lighting). You select a vanity strip light based on the size of your mirror, and a good rule of thumb is that you want to try to select a light slightly larger than the mirror, so all of the light bulbs shine on your reflection. Try to coordinate your finish choice with your other bathroom hardware (cabinet handles, showerhead, faucet, etc.) and set your lighting décor around this scheme.

Another choice for illuminating your vanity is to flank your mirror with a pair of wall sconces. Try to select a pair with a high maximum wattage, and steer away from candelabra sconces with fabric shades, because they may cast shadows. We recommend selecting a pair with a clear or white swirl glass cup, so you get the natural light. For task lighting purposes, we always recommend single light vanity lights, which have white or swirled glass globes which diffuse the light best.

When selecting your overhead lighting, you want to choose something that will blanket the entire room with enough light to function. For a standard size bathroom (10 x 10, 8 foot ceilings), we recommend using semi-flush mounted lights. We carry a full line of semi-flush mounted lights that have many bulbs in a small space. In regards to the overhead lighting, 150-180 Watts of light will brightly cover that amount of space.

A nice way to create a little ambience in your bathroom, for those rare occasions where you get to soak in the tub, try an accent lamp on your vanity. If space allows, install a chandelier and put in on a dimmer. When you have guests over dim the lights, to create a warm and inviting feel for your guests. If space does not allow, keep a candle burning for the same effect.

Since bathrooms are typically the smallest room in the house, try to coordinate your lighting scheme within the same family, because the lighting will be so close together. For a retro décor, try a ELK Lighting for vanity lights and semi-flush/chandelier combos. They add a splash of color, without going over the top. For more simplistic, metallic sets, geared to matching your bath hardware, try Murray Feiss Lighting or H.A Framburg Lighting. For tiffany stained glass vanity lights or wrought iron bath/vanity sets try Kichler Lighting.

One last tip, don’t skimp on your task lighting, I promise you will regret it later. Select a vanity strip light or wall pair of wall sconces that are going to illuminate your mirror as much as possible, and an overhead light that will blanket the entire room. Move over dad, brightness is the new king of the bathroom!

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

Outdoor Lighting Tips

Lighting your outdoors in not only necessary for décor and good appearance, but also safety. We use outdoor lighting to safely navigate into our home in the evening hours, when the natural light of the sun no longer illuminates your home. Outdoor lighting is also the number one deterrent for robberies and burglaries, and we would like to give you a few expert tips on proper placement for outside lights so as to maximize both great style and safe keeping.

The first rule of thumb, illuminate all of your entrances and exits. Keep windows illuminated through the use of in-ground accent lights that point upwards. They give the appearance to a robber that someone is right behind that window waiting for them to make a move. To get the most use of these in-ground accent lights (which can be found in the landscape lighting section of the website) place leafy plants on either side, to create shadows that dance off the side of your house.

To illuminate your driveway or a smaller side path to your home, try landscape lights. Landscape lights are small posts, usually less than two feet high, that goes into the ground and illuminates your path. A well lit path will prevent burglars from trying to break into your garage or front door, because it gives them the idea that someone is awake inside the house. A well lit path also allows for safe travel from the street into your home on late night when there is not other light available. To maximize décor, Kichler Lighting has an entire line of Kichler Landscape Lights to fit all styles. They range from simplest to most extravagant. Some styles include nautical, animal and woods themed, rustic, and modern. Landscape lights come in all shapes and styles, so choose lighting that match the theme of your home and the rest of your outdoor lighting décor. For maximum illumination, place two taller post mounted outdoor lights at the end of your drive at the main street side. Put your security stickers (real or fake) in plain view right here, to deter unlawful entry

Lighting your front door is very important; not only for deterring burglaries, but for providing enough light to fetch your house keys and unlock the fortress. We always recommend flanking a pair of Wall Mounted Outdoor Lights around the front door, even if they are the only lights in your outdoor scheme. If one side of your door does not allow for a light, than use only one. We cannot stress the importance of illuminating this area of your home, because this is not a spot where you do want someone lurking in the shadows, waiting for you to come home.

To maximize outdoor lighting décor, place in-ground accent lights at the base of trees and plants to cast shadows and accent your landscape. Line your deck or patio with outdoor deck lights, and mount on every third post for unobtrusive lighting that illuminates a great area of space. For indoor patios or lanais try outdoor chandeliers and wall sconces, to bring the feel of the indoors outside. Kichler Lighting provides a wide array of outdoor lighting products that fulfill all of your exterior lighting needs, including safety and style. For solid cast brass outdoor lighting, try H.A Framburg whose line includes a large selection of post mount lanterns, wall mounted exterior lights, and post lights. Murray Feiss Lighting also carries an entire line of stylish and coordinating outdoor lighting fixtures at affordable prices.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!