Tuesday, October 30, 2007 10:30 PM
Ready to lighten up?
I love light, especially in my bedroom. In the morning the sun blasts in and excites me about the great day ahead! But I also want to control the amount and kind of light in my home. Natural daylight is great, of course, and I just would not be happy if the sun never streamed through my windows. But in the evening, when I am at home playing, reading or doing homework with my son, I really want the light in my rooms to work with and for me. That means having a variety of lighting options at my fingertips.
If you live in an apartment or house where the rooms have one center ceiling light and maybe a lamp or two on end tables you could be in the dark when it comes to the advantages of great lighting. Great lighting helps set the mood for date night or dinner parties, and allows you to read and write comfortably. It can also highlight artwork and pictures on shelving. And a good lighting system adds value to your home – dark rooms turn off buyers.
I recommend extending a single overhead fixture with halogen track lighting or energy efficient low voltage flush-mounted pin lights. Both come in an array of styles and prices, making them affordable options. Track and pin lights are easily installed and should take a licensed electrician less than half a day to finish one room.
Another bright idea when it comes to lighting is dimmers. If you have not installed dimmers on all the switches in your home, run don't walk to your nearest home center to pick up some dimmer kits. They are inexpensive and a very useful interior design feature.
Dimmers give you so much flexibility. When you need a lot of light, move the switch to full strength illumination. If you want softer light, just lower the switch. The instructions are easy to follow and it only takes about 45 minutes to install one unit. Just remember to take all necessary safety precautions when doing electrical work - even simple jobs require caution, such as making sure the power is off, and the work area is completely dry. So light up your life and enjoy the glow!