Tips To Achieve Energy Efficient Lighting

For most of us, there's just no getting around the necessity of light. There's also no getting around the fact that most forms of lighting take electricity, or the impact that electricity has on both our budgets and on the environment. Fortunately, nature blessed us with a free light source to get us through the day; but once that sun goes down, the electric lights go on and the energy drain begins. As the summer winds down, the days are growing shorter, and the need for artificial light is growing longer. Here are a few tips for conserving energy in the process of lighting up your nights.

• Switch out incandescent light bulbs for CFL or LED bulbs. This isn't the first time we've made this suggestion. It probably won't be the last, either, since it's such an easy change to make, and it carries such a heavy return on investment: their longevity and efficiency make them far less expensive to the consumer than incandescent bulbs. Plus, replacing just one bulb with a CFL will prevent half a ton of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.
  
  
• Turn off lights that you aren't using. This may be common sense, but it can be a difficult thing to remember. To help with that, you can install motion or occupancy sensors that will automatically turn the lights on and off as needed. It's another small investment with a big return.
  
  
• Install dimmers, like we discussed in last week's post, to reduce wattage and make sure you're not using more than you actually need.
  
  
• Instead of lighting up an entire room, opt for targeted task lighting to focus light where it's needed the most.
  
  
• Consider hanging mirrors throughout your home. They'll not only make your space appear larger, but also brighten it by reflecting light.

It's hard to imagine here in the dog days of summer, but winter will be here before we know it. If you start making these little changes now, you'll be able to enjoy a cozy, well-lit holiday season without breaking the bank.

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The Lowdown on Dimmers

As often as this blog suggests the use of dimmer switches, we thought we should give you a little more information on what's available. There are several different types of dimmer switches, with some being easier to install than others. While they all give you control over the level of light in a room, some provide finer control, while others are simpler to operate. If that sounds confusing, don't worry. Here's the breakdown:

• Rotary – Probably the oldest and most basic, these switches replace a regular wall switch and allow you to control the level of lighting with the turn of a knob. These usually double as an on/off switch—either push them like a button, or turn the lights down until they click off.
  
  
• Sliders/Gliders – Another manual switch, these vertical knobs start at the top and slide down to dim the lighting. Much like the rotary switch, the knob is usually also a push-button that can turn the lights off or on.
  
  
• Plug-in – The easiest to install – just plug it into an outlet, and plug a lamp into the switch. A rotary knob on the plug-in unit controls the lamp's light output.
  
  
• Push-button – A little more high-tech than rotary or slide dimmers, push-button dimmers have one or more buttons set to a pre-programmed level of light.
  
  
• Touch – Like push-button dimmers, these switches are programmable – just select your pre-set lighting levels, and then simply touch the plate to dim the lights.
  
  
• Remote control – This self-explanatory switch allows the convenience of controlling the lights from anywhere in the room.
  
  
• Integrated Control Systems – The most high tech and customizable, this type of system requires some extra funds and a professional installation. You can wire just one room or an entire house to be controlled from a single push-button panel or remote control.

As you can see, there are dimmer switches to fit every budget and DIY comfort level. With the potential energy savings of turning the lights down a single notch—not to mention the ability to set the mood of a room—adding dimmer switches should be on everyone's home improvement list.

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Lighting Up Your Child's Room

If you have children, no matter what their age, chances are that their bedrooms are far more than simply places to lay their tired heads. Typically, a child's room is also a play room, an office, a study hall, a gaming or TV lounge, and a place to entertain friends. A successful lighting plan for these special, multi-purpose rooms takes into consideration all of these functions, as well as safety concerns for young children.

Start with good overhead lighting. You can have a lot of fun with pendant lamps or semi-flush fixtures that come in a wide range of whimsical designs, but be sure they produce a bright, soft light that is easy on young eyes yet bright enough to provide play areas with plenty of illumination. Adding dimmer switches provides more control over the level of light they provide, with the added bonus of helping young children get mentally primed for bedtime by gradually dimming the lights throughout the evening.

Consider lighting that will adapt to your child's needs as they grow. Night lights help young children feel safe, and also prevent older kids (and parents) from stumbling over stray toys or dirty laundry in the dark. Because they lack cords and can't get knocked over, wall sconces over the bed are safest for very young children, and they also free up room on the nightstand for books, alarm clocks and stereo equipment as your child gets older. In small spaces, they might even eliminate the need for a nightstand altogether.

If you do choose freestanding lamps, go for lightweight, unbreakable lamps that won't cause injury if they get knocked over, and keep cords under control. Any light fixtures within reach of little hands should use CFL or LED light bulbs that stay fairly cool to the touch, and any metal parts should never get hotter than 140 ºF.

As children get older, they'll need good task lighting for reading and homework. Desk lamps and track lighting serve well in this area. If your child spends a lot of time in front of a computer or television, again consider adding dimmer switches, or go with three-way lamps with flexible necks that can be turned down or pointed elsewhere to prevent harsh glare on the screen that can be damaging to young eyes.

Involving your children in picking out lighting for their room can be a fun and rewarding activity for you both, but use common sense in deciding how much control your child should have in the process. Don't allow a three-year-old to pick out an overhead light fixture that she's sure to hate when she's thirteen, unless your prepared to shell out the money to replace it. Observe how your child uses the room and communicate with him about his needs and preferences, and with these tips in mind, you'll be sure to develop a lighting plan that brightens his days as much as his nights.

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Shedding Light on Tiffany Lamps

When you think of lighting and art, you might automatically think of gallery-style lighting meant to illuminate a painting or a photograph. It's easy to overlook the light fixture itself as a decorative object; but lamps can not only be an integral part of the décor, they can themselves be works of art. A classic example of the lighting fixture as a work of art is the Tiffany lamp.

The Tiffany lamp began as the brainchild of Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the founder of the well-known jeweler, Tiffany and Co. Louis was already well-known for his stained-glass windows when the invention of the electric light bulb by his contemporary, Thomas Edison, inspired him to use left-over pieces of stained glass from his windows to create light-up electric art. He unveiled some of the first Tiffany Lamps at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and his studio began manufacturing them commercially in 1895.

Although Tiffany has long been given credit for the elaborate Art Nouveau designs that marked the height of his lamps' early 20th century popularity, in February, 2007, the New York Times reported that historians had uncovered documents proving that the creative talent behind many of the more popular designs actually belonged to Clara Driscoll and the team of women she supervised, who worked for Tiffany in the uncelebrated role of “glass cutters.”

Regardless of who originated the designs, the Tiffany lamp is a timeless, still sought-after classic. Authentic originals have sold in auction for millions of dollars, and are exhibited in art museums all over the world. Fortunately, you don't have to be a millionaire or an art collector to enjoy the beauty of a Tiffany lamp in your own home. Licensed reproductions are still made today by manufacturers such as Meyda Tiffany, Dale Tiffany and Quoizel, offering the same quality of the originals at a fraction of the cost.

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