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Styles & Trends

Why You Should Use Your Ceiling Fan All Year Long

Why You Should Use Your Ceiling Fan All Year Long

by admin · Jun 9, 2020

Ceiling fans are no new invention. Yet, despite their prevalence, many renters and homeowners are in the dark about how to properly use one. Simply turning it on and letting the blades spin might not always do the trick. Your ceiling fan is equipped with a special feature to keep you feeling great through every season.

In the warmer months, ceiling fans are commonly used to circulate the air in a space to keep it cool.

But did you know that there is a ceiling fan switch that can also work in the winter to keep you warm and toasty?

Here’s how to determine which way your ceiling fan should turn:

How It Works

It all has to do with fan direction. Setting the blades to rotate in different directions affects how the air in the room is felt. How can you make use of this feature? A small ceiling fan control switch on your is the key to changing your fan’s rotation. One setting rotates the blades clockwise, the other works for counterclockwise rotation. The fan direction can be determined by assessing its direction from a point of view while standing below it.

But how do you know when to use which setting?

Outdoor ceiling fan with tropical imprinted, wicker design with additional features including a switch for winter

For Cooling

In the summer, your ceiling fan should be set to rotate counterclockwise. This way, cool air is pushed downwards and causes a “wind chill” effect that makes your body and room feel cooler.

For Warming

In the wintertime, ceiling fans can be a great asset for warming the home. A clockwise setting (on the lowest speed) will slowly pull the air upwards (away from you) and towards the ceiling.  This pulls cool air up and displaces the warm air that collects near the ceiling when it rises. The warmer air this then pushed lower down, toward the floor, making the room feel warmer, allowing you to lower the thermostat.

Simplistic 3-blade ceiling fan with control switch in modern, minimalist, neutral-colored living space

Energy Savings

With a simple ceiling fan switch, you can significantly reduce your energy costs. Because the ceiling fan only moves the air, it doesn’t actually change the temperature of the space. This explains the wind chill factor that results in your lowered body temperature with the breeze from your ceiling fan. If your air conditioner is set to a certain temperature and you are sitting under a fan in the hot summer months, your skin will begin to cool down without any actual change in room temperature.

When used in conjunction with air conditioning in summer, you can raise the thermostat 4-5 degrees with no loss of comfort and still save up to 30 percent on your energy bills And in winter, you can cut costs by up to 15 percent! That adds up to some serious savings.

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Filed Under: 2020, Ceiling Fans, Styles & Trends

Lighting Design to Match Your Home: Modern, Traditional, and Transitional Lighting Styles

Lighting Design to Match Your Home: Modern, Traditional, and Transitional Lighting Styles

by admin · Jun 9, 2020

When our clients furnish a new home or upgrade their lighting, one of their main concerns is matching light fixtures to their overall design. After all, what kind of lighting look good with shabby-chic or modern farmhouse décor? It’s a valid question!

Just like fashion or interior design, lighting fixtures can be divided into general styles based on common qualities and trends. It’s worth looking into—knowing what general style you’re looking for can help narrow your search to only the fixtures that fit you best. Read on to learn more about the three main lighting categories: Modern, Traditional, and Transitional.

Modern

In architecture, it might look something like that. As for lighting, the modern style was born in the early 20th century and hit peak popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Modern designs are often minimalistic with neutral tones. Lighting fixtures, like the one below, incorporate straight, clean lines with a seamless flow. 

Popular materials are bubble glass and natural materials, such as wood and metal. LED integrated fixtures are also the epitome of “modern”. For further examples, browse the Stix Collection from Sonneman – A Way Of Light. Similar fixtures showcase minimally scaled LED linear pendants and wall bars in a variety of lengths, finishes, and lighting configurations. 

Traditional 

Traditional style lighting and design has staying power! Like the timeless architecture above, these light fixtures last a long time and never go out of style. Traditional design is typically more formal and ornate. These refined fixtures, like the one below, feature intricate details and thoughtful design. Often inspired by classic architecture, traditional lighting fixtures add sophistication, warmth and richness to a space.

Bronze, brass and gold are commonly used materials within traditional decor. Traditional style usually matches from room to room, blending consistently throughout the home. For example, this Lorainne collection from Savoy House features oxidized black metal rods, along with arms and lamp posts topped with soft white fabric shades. It’s airy yet eye-catching, polished yet playful.

Transitional 

Find yourself drawn to styles a bit more unique, yet not quite as minimal as modern architecture? Transitional style is extremely versatile and widespread, making it hard to define but easy to love. In essence, it’s the midway point between traditional and modern lighting styles. Transitional pieces are less ornate than their traditional counterparts, but not as streamlined and out of the box as modern fixtures. They combine the best of both worlds for a clean, comfortable, contemporary look. 

Like in the fixture above, neutral colors are popular here, along with fabric and wood. Brushed brass and black are common finish colors, like the warm brass in the Kearney Collection by Savoy House. These fixtures have gently rounded brass rectangles surrounding a vintage black candelabra. The four lights have clear glass covers and a warm color temperature. The look is clean and sophisticated, making it the perfect piece for a transitional home. 

Feeling more equipped to find your perfect fixture? Obviously, there are plenty of variations on these three main groups of design, such as: Modern Farmhouse, French Country, Mid-Century Modern, and Contemporary. If you’re interested in learning more about those styles, or anything listed above, give us a call! Desert Lighting is here to make home lighting easy.

Filed Under: 2020, Outdoor Lights, Styles & Trends, Wall Lights

5 Ways to Use LED Strip Lights for a Safer Home

5 Ways to Use LED Strip Lights for a Safer Home

by admin · Jun 9, 2020

What’s the big deal with LED strip lights anyway? Let’s be honest. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the beauty and aesthetics of our home lighting fixtures that we forget to add into our design the practical purposes of light. Not only does light allow us to see things clearly, but it also provides protection from the dangers hiding in the dark. We want to protect you and your family, so we offer lighting options and tips to help keep you safe.

LED strip turned on and arranged in coil

Here’s what you need to know about LED strip lights:

LED strip lighting is an amazing technology that comes in different variations, but most have the same basic features: a continuous strip of thin and flexible LED lights on a flexible circuit board. They usually come on a reel or roll and can be adhered to almost any surface. Some options come with a fixed color and brightness while others allow for custom variations of both. Their safety comes from their low voltage power requirement and the versatility of adding lighting nearly anywhere that could be dangerous in the dark, offering additional safety for your loved ones at home.

In caring for seniors, ensuring an adequately lit living space can go a long way in preventing falls and other accidents. This is best done with motion-detecting lights that make it easy to light the space when someone enters. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.  Approximately one in four U.S. residents aged 65 years (or older) report falling each year.

Adequate lighting is also important for accident-prone individuals such as infants and young children. When lighting a home for these individuals, it’s important to place the lighting in key locations, as lighting from the ceiling and walls may not reach certain areas.

It’s best to mount them in places where the strip itself can be hidden but the light can provide a nice effect. Many people like mounting them under or behind unique structures to highlight interesting shapes or features of furniture or designs that would otherwise be ignored. But remember, safety is the first priority!

Here are some of our favorite places to use LED strip lights:

Kitchen

LED lights installed in the ceiling and under cabinets in kitchen

With sharp objects and hot surfaces, the kitchen can be a dangerous place for anyone. Having adequate lighting from top to bottom will help prevent accidents and keep you safe. Add LED strips under your kitchen cabinets that meet the floor—this area is known as the toe kick. This kind of lighting looks especially great under a kitchen island and makes those midnight snack runs or middle of the night drinks far less dangerous. 

Add safety lights for home kitchen

Bathroom

Much like the kitchen, installing toe kick lights adds a really beautiful effect while illuminating an otherwise pitch black area. This lighting allows for a clear view of the floor and helps prevent toe bumps and even slips and falls on those half asleep trips to the bathroom.

Try these easy-install LED tape strips

Stairs

Accident-prone or not, stairs present a hazard in any home. One misstep can send grandparents, kids, and even the rest of us clumsy folk tumbling, so add LED strip lights to the front, back, or side edge of each step to light the way as you walk. This way, each step is clearly seen and cannot be missed.

LED strip lights under staircase steps

Try these affordable LED tape lights for your staircase

Outdoors

With the right outdoor LED strip lights, you and your loved ones can enjoy the evenings with the confidence that you are protected from falls, burglars, and even unwanted pests. Place the lights around a central structure like a grill, or use multiple strips to illuminate the ceiling, posts, and steps of your patio.

Find great deals on outdoor lighting here

Walls and Ceiling

The space where your wall and ceiling meet may not be very hidden per se, but is not immediately noticeable at first glance. By placing LED strip lights around this perimeter, you can essentially light the entirety of the room in a fairly discreet way.

LED strip lights in ceiling and wall of room

Light your home with this LED strip

Staying Safe

LED lighting is a life-changing invention for the vision-impaired. LED lights are bright while still being easy on the eyes and present a lower fire hazard than other lighting options. With such a high risk of falls among the elderly, and dangers lurking in every dark corner, lighting your home for safety and efficiency must be a priority. Quickly add an LED strip anywhere more light is needed and reduce the risk of accident for the people you care about.

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Filed Under: 2020, LED Lights, Styles & Trends

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