Category Archives: How To

Tips for Choosing the Best Outdoor Lights for Your Home

Adding outdoor lighting can help enhance the overall exterior areas surrounding your home. But aside from increasing the curb appeal of your home, it also helps improve your safety and security, as well as your guests. That’s why more and more homeowners are choosing to add outdoor lights to their homes.

However, when choosing your outdoor home lighting fixtures, there are several things to consider. Here are just some of them.

Location

When choosing a porch light, you need to take into consideration where you intend to place it. For example, if you only intend to replace an existing wall light, then your choices are only limited to wall-mount fixtures. On the other hand, if you’re planning to add more porch lights, then you have more options to choose from. But do check your circuit capacity first before making a purchase.

Style

Outdoor lights come in a wide variety of styles, such as Southwestern, rustic, casual, contemporary, and traditional—just to name a few. However, in some instances, a home’s overall design and architecture will dictate the style of the lighting fixture you should get.

This is especially true for older homes with very distinct characteristics. For example, a colonial-style home will need lights that are more traditional than rustic. On the other hand, if you have a home that lacks defining characteristics, then you have more room to play with your choices of porch light.

Size

The size of your entry doors and your porch light should balance each other. If you have a standard-size door of 6 feet 8 inches, then it is recommended that you install a porch light that’s between 5 and 9 inches wide. Porch lights that are between 10 and 12 inches, on the other hand, balances better with an entry door that is 8-foot-high. Make sure to install porch lights that are the same—or at least similar—in size width when installing outdoor lights on your porch for a more consistent design.

So now that you have a better idea of what exterior light fixtures you need for your home in Tucson, AZ, it’s now time to buy them. But before you purchase anything, make sure that you are only buying from a reputable shop. Premier Lighting has been providing homes with high-quality lighting fixtures for many years now. We carry a wide range of light fixtures, so you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for.

Finding the Perfect Lamp

Decorating a home can be fun and overwhelming at the same time. Follow these tips and you can avoid any frustrating moments during your lamp shopping adventures.

Determine the Shade Height

To find the height range for your lamp, sit down in the space next to where you’re going to place the lamp. Then, measure the surface area where you’re placing the map to eye level. Use this base measurement to find the average height of the shade by diving it by 3.

Example: if the surface area is 21 inches, look for lamp shades that are 9 inches.

Decide on a Size

To find the estimated height of your lamp, add 18 inches to the shade measurement.

Example: if your lamp shade measurement came to 9 inches, you’ll need a lamp that’s 27 inches high.

Select a Shade Style

Make sure you pick a shade style that works for your use for the lamp. If you plan on a desk lamp that’s near your television, look for an opaque or dark shade to minimize any glare. If you’re interested in a lamp for reading, look for a semi-opaque shade that creates a warm glow.

Purchase the Right Bulb

Every bulb is different, and you need to choose one that’s right for your needs. If you’re picking out a reading lamp, you need a 60 watt or higher light bulb. If you’re more interested in saving energy, look for an energy saving LED bulb. Check out the lumen output and compare it with a 60 watt regular incandescent. You can also buy dimmer bulbs for flexibility.

Looking for the perfect lamp? Speak to the lighting pros at Premier Lighting.

Lighting for Your Condo

Lighting a small space like a condominium can be quite challenging. Condo owners in Scottsdale are often frustrated with the little lighting fixture options they’re presented with and are tempted to just give up. Living in a condo, however, doesn’t mean you have to suffer with inadequate lighting. Efficient and beautiful lighting fixtures come in all shapes and sizes. Here’s how to find the perfect ones for your condo.

Wall or Hanging Lighting Fixtures

Placing lighting fixtures on the wall or ceiling frees up a lot of space. Replace your floor and table lamps with track lighting or sconces. Track lighting is utilized similarly to task lighting and leaves both your floor and walls free. Sconces, on the other hand, are installed on your wall. However, they don’t take up much room at all and can really help create ambiance. Don’t let their size fool you—these beautiful fixtures illuminate space very effectively.

Utilize Dimmers

Lighting and space have an interesting relationship. Not many realize that beyond furniture décor, lighting impacts space tremendously. An interesting trick to creating the illusion of more space is using dimmers. Varying the output of your lights gives you control over the space of your room. It can make your rooms look larger, create layers of light, and add visual interest. You’re also saving money by saving energy and extending the life of your light bulbs.

Lightly Colored Furniture

This is an odd piece of advice, but one that any lighting and décor expert will give you: lightly colored furniture makes rooms look bigger. There’s a reason homes with mostly white decoration look spacious. White and light colors entice feelings of organization, minimalism, simplicity, and just look clutter-free overall. Lightly colored furniture is an important asset for your condo lighting.

Need lighting fixtures for your condo? Contact the lighting experts at Premier Lighting, and we’ll find you a perfect fit for your home (big or small).

Ceiling Lights – the Forgotten Element

Ceiling lights can add drama and class to your interiors. They can stand out or create harmony in your interiors. If you’re thinking about buying one as you look for home decor products in Scottsdale AZ, here are a few tips for you.

Get the Basics

Start with the basics: height, length, and width. Determine all three when you look for ceiling light fixtures in Scottsdale AZ. Make sure you’re aware of how low a light fixture can hang. For instance, the fixture must be 7 feet from the floor. If you’re having pendant lighting or chandeliers installed in the foyer or hallway, then the bottom of the fixtures should be about six inches higher than the door.

Measure the Distance

Spacing affects your lighting. If you’re going to hang two or three hanging lights over your dining table, then they need to be spaced apart just right. Plan it out so you can sort the details out.

Consider the Table

Your lighting options need to work with your furnishings. If you’re shopping for fixtures to put over the dining table, then consider the existing table’s shape and size. For square or round tables, a single pendant or chandelier right in the middle is a classic. Multi-lights can also provide a dramatic effect and add a modern touch to the room.

Think About the Ambiance

Lighting controls the mood in a room. If you need one for your bedroom, then look for lighting that’s suitably relaxing and soothing, something that’s going to help you sleep easier at night. If you want stylish lighting that’s going to stand out or provide gorgeous lighting for you and your guests, then there are plenty of options that you can try out.

Pick a Combination

You don’t have to focus on buying a single ceiling light. While a good one can serve as a centerpiece in your home, you’ll want to add a few other light sources too. A combination of lights can help create the mood and atmosphere you want to go for, from hanging lamps to sconces and more.

Shop around for fixtures to add lovely touches to your home. The right one can be a powerful addition to your interiors. Have fun checking out options for home decor products in Scottsdale AZ when you visit Premier Lighting. Whether you want something classy or modern, traditional or bold, you’re sure to find something that suits your taste and style.

Hanging Lights – Chandeliers or Pendant Lights?

Shopping for lighting fixtures involves going through a number of options. If you’re set on putting up hanging lights, but can’t decide whether chandeliers or pendant lights make for a better option, here are a few tips to help you decide which home decor products in Scottsdale AZ fit the bill for you.

Decide on What You Want

If you want lighting fixtures that stand out and create a dramatic impression, then chandeliers are the perfect addition to your dining hall. Options run from the truly fabulous to glamorous. If you want hanging lights fit for a palace or chateau, then shop for chandeliers. On the other hand, if you want lighting fixtures that are convenient for your kitchen islands, bars, and counters, then pendant lights are a good choice.

Pick a Spot

Choose where you’ll put the lights. That’s going to influence your choices when you browse around for hanging lights in Scottsdale AZ. While there are chandeliers with understated and simple designs, these are quite known for being attention-grabbers—and ideal for big homes. If you’ve got cozy interiors, then whimsical and stylish pendant lights are a good alternative. Choose lighting that works with the style and ambiance of your home.

Consider Lighting Sizes

It’s a mistake to go for a huge chandelier when you’re only putting it in a small dining room. That’s going to make the entire room look a bit crowded. You’ll have better results when you pick lighting fixtures that are sized just right for the room. Keep that in mind when you shop around.

Measure the Lights

Make sure you know the right height from which to hang the lights. It won’t work if the tip of the lighting fixture is too close to the table. If you’re installing pendant lighting over your countertops, for instance, there needs to be about 30 to 36 inches of space between the countertops and the tip of the lighting.

Add Dimmers to Your Lights

Create better modern lighting for your home when you add dimmers to your private space. That makes it easy to adjust the brightness of any lighting in your home. With a dimmer, you can also control the mood and ambiance in your rooms, which make for a wonderful feature when you invite friends and family over for meals.

Get premium lighting products. Shop at premier lighting for Home Decor Products in Scottsdale AZ.

Lighting Your Home Theater

Home theater systems are great ways for friends and family to kick back and relax. They make great entertainment areas. However, there’s nothing worse than entertaining guests under dim or bad lighting. Your home theater requires different lighting than the rest of your house. It’s important to have enough lighting to not strain your eyes, but not too much that there’s a glare on your screen—it’s a delicate balance. Here are our tips for lighting your home theater.

Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting takes up extremely minimal space, leaving you with plenty of room in your home theater. Fixture-free, recessed lighting doesn’t get in the way of your television screen and won’t cause a glare either.

Capped Lighting

Capped lighting allows you to direct your light wherever you desire, like your walls. This helps not create any annoying glares and also allows you to be creative with your lighting design.

Wall Sconces

Wall sconces are great for home theaters which often need less light than the rest of the house in order to create that movie theater feel. Sconces provide enough light without making your room extremely bright, especially wall sconces with shade.

Dimmers

Dimmers are fantastic for home theaters. One, they create a dramatic effect when lowered. Two, they can leave the choice of how bright or dim you’d like the room to be completely in the hands of the homeowner.

Looking for lighting fixtures in Scottsdale for your home theater? Shop at Premier Lighting and speak to one of our lighting experts today.

How to Clean High Hanging Lights

It may seem easy—but it’s not. If you’ve ever attempted to clean your hanging lights, then you know how hard and frustrating it can be. If you’re still determined to go ahead with your cleaning plans, though, here are a few useful tips to keep in mind.

Know What You’re Dealing with

Different lighting systems, styles and designs require different approaches. If you’re dealing with removable glass lighting globes, it would be best to dip them in tub filled with soapy water. Rinse and drain before you put them back on. If you are dealing with a glass chandelier, you will need to dust off the lights first before using a cleaning solution.

Prepare the Right Cleaning Solutions

Find out what kind of cleaning solutions will work with the material of your lights. A solution of 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar works if you’re cleaning glass.

Do it One at a Time

You need to remove the glass globes carefully and clean them one at a time. This may seem time-consuming and tedious for you. But if you put them all together in the tub, they’re going to shatter or get damaged if you accidentally—however gently—knock one globe into the others. That’s also a distinct possibility if you remove them all at once. Doing it one at a time will reduce those risks.

Be Careful

Remember that these fixtures can get slippery. One minute, you feel like you’ve got a tight grip and the next, it’s slipped out of your hands and you’ve got one globe glass that’s shattered at your feet. Having presence of mind while you clean will keep you from letting any more globes end in smithereens.

Use the Right Cloth

You’ll want to look for streak-free cloths. They make it so much easier to clean glass lighting fixtures without leaving any streaks behind. Just make sure you pick machine washable ones. Also, don’t wash them with any fabric softener.

Buying Tips

If your lights are a goner, though, this is a good time to check out hanging lights in Scottsdale AZ. Browse through your favorite online shop for options. Before you pick one, consider the maintenance and cleaning that the piece will require. If those considerations aren’t an issue for you, then go ahead and start shopping.

Enjoy an extensive selection of hanging lights in Scottsdale AZ when you shop at Premier Lighting.

Table Lamps – an Old Favorite in Home Decor Lighting

There are plenty of ways to spice up your interiors. Buying the perfect table lamp is one of them. If you need tips on making sure you get the best lamps for your home, read on.

Determine the Height

Before you start checking out inventories of interior design stores, you’ll want to get the basics. What is the perfect height range for your lamp? Measure from the surface you’ll put the lamp on to your eye level. That’s going to be your base measurement. Divide that by three to get your average height.

Think About the Size

What is the ideal size for your lamp and its shade? If you are putting in the living room, you’ll need to consider balance in the furniture. If the lamp is too small, that’s going to look out of place. If it’s too big, not only will it occupy too much space, it’ll make the rest of your living room feel crowded.

Decide on the Brightness

Consider the location first. Where are you going to put the lamp? What are you going to use it for? If it’s solely for nighttime or bedtime reading, then you’ll want something small and not too bright, just enough to be adequate for you to read in the dark. If you’re putting it in the library, then you’ll need something brighter. A big, sturdy lamp is going to be a good addition to your work desk.

Pick a Shade

Color always plays a factor. When you shop for home decor products, what kind of colors appeal to you? Do you want something bright and cheerful? That will add a burst of color to your room. If you want something that’s going to blend in with the rest of your interiors, you’ll want to pick out something in neutral shades or that picks up the dominant shade in the room.

Get the Right Bulb

When you shop for bulbs, look for 60 watts or more. You can also check out energy-saving LED bulbs. If you’re slowly switching to energy-efficient solutions, then starting with your table lamps wouldn’t hurt.

Shop Wise

Don’t just go to any shops you find online, though. Go to interior design stores like Premier Lighting for excellent quality options and an extensive inventory to choose from. Buying from a trusted shop means you won’t need to worry about your lighting fixtures breaking down any time soon.

Hanging Light Fixtures – Striking the Right Balance

There are plenty of factors you’ll need to consider for you to achieve the perfect lighting. Here are a few tips on how to strike the ideal balance.

Look for the Right Size

When you shop around for hanging lights in Scottsdale AZ, one of the first things you need to consider is the size of the fixture. Is it too big or small for the room? If it’s the wrong size, that’s going to impact the look of your space. You need to double-check the measurements of any fixture you buy. Make that a habit before you shell out any money for your lighting needs. With the right size for your fixture, you can ensure balance and harmony in your space.

Check the Weight

Before you start installing those lights—or hiring pros to install them for you—be sure to check the weight of the chandelier or pendant lighting you have. These types of lighting aren’t often heavy and are quite easy to lift so getting them in place won’t be troublesome for you.

Think About the Style

Look for options that fit in with the rest of your interiors. What kind of style or ambiance is evident in your living space? When you browse around for hanging lights in Scottsdale AZ, consider the dominant style in your furniture and surroundings. Use that to pick out lighting that’s going to blend in well with everything else. That’s going to help create the harmony you want in your home.

Pick a Spot

Think about where you’ll want to put your lights. If it’s over a table, then that’s going to mean different measurements compared to if you decide to put it in your foyer.

Calculate the Length

If you’re putting up pendants, then these should hang about 12 to 20 inches below an 8-foot ceiling. If there is any additional foot of ceiling height, then add 3 inches to the number. That’s going to ensure balance and proportion.

Shop for Lights

Go for pieces that demonstrate solid craftmanship and design. These pieces often last. If you want lighting that’s going to be there for many, many years to come, then invest in topnotch options. Check out hanging lights in Scottsdale AZ from Premier Lighting. With a slew of options to consider, you are certain to find the right hanging lights to tie up the rooms in your home.

Home Decoration is an Art and Science

Whether you’ve just moved into a new home and you’re excited to decorate your interiors or just want a change in scenery, experimenting with home décor styles is a must. Before you get started, here’s why decorating your home is both an art and science.

Patterns and Styles

A lot of homeowners love to play with patterns, and patterns are governed by shape and symmetry. That’s science. However, it’s not all about balance. You need the right colors or shades to make your interiors pop. That’s where art comes in. You can play with patterns, but art helps you figure out which patterns work for your rooms. That’s because not every pattern is going to capture the vibe and personality of your home.

Lighting and Strategy

Home decor products in Scottsdale AZ can do a lot to brighten up the room and add a bit of whimsy or elegance to your interiors, depending on the ambiance you want to achieve. However, haphazardly putting in any lighting fixture you want isn’t going to be ideal. That’s where strategy comes in. If you’re going for an elaborate lighting fixture for a dramatic effect, science can help you position your lighting fixtures in your room in exactly the right way. When you calculate the proper height distance of your lighting in relation to your dining table or the floor, that’s your knowledge of science and numbers helping you show off your chandelier or pendant lighting to the best advantage.

Design and Endurance

When you shop for exterior light fixtures in Tucson AZ, you don’t just consider the way the lighting system looks. You’ll be picking out lighting options that hit the mark in terms of being the ideal match for the rest of the design or style you have throughout your home. That’s your artistic eye at work. But then you also need to consider which materials and options will provide you with longer lasting performance. What lighting fixtures will stand up best to the kind of wear and tear that’s common in your area? That’s you factoring in science when you check which options will stand up best to local weather conditions in your home.

These are just a few of the things you need to consider when you shop for home decor products in Scottsdale AZ. For excellent inventory and product updates, visit Premier Lighting.