Category Archives: Uncategorized

LED Basics

LEDs can help you save money, but it can be hard to know which LED to buy. It is easy to become overwhelmed by all of the LED options available today. Here are some basics to help you get by:

1. There are no current metrics to accurately measure LED performance. Many of the old industry standards don’t translate well when it comes to LED applications. However, there are a few new metrics that are already in place. To ensure a fair comparison check the LEDs LM-79 and LM-80 test reports. If they don’t have LM-79 or LM-80 test reports you may want to look at another option.

2. You’ve heard that LEDs last longer, but what may be more important is not how long will the LED last, but how long has the manufacturer been in business. LED warranties are often five years or longer, but anyone can offer a long warranty. If the company no longer exists three years down the road when your product fails, it doesn’t matter that they offered you a five-year warranty when you bought it. It is a good idea to select a manufacturer that has been in business long enough to give you some assurance that they will still be around to back their warranty if necessary.

3. LEDs are available in warm or cool colors but they tend to lean toward the cool, bluish end of the spectrum. To get the color that you want, check the color temperature. Lower numbers like 2700K are warmer, and close to an incandescent color. A color temperature of 4000K will be quite a stark white for architectural interior applications, and any number higher than that should be used with discretion.

4. Not every LED will work with every dimmer. Look for compatibility with your specific dimmer before making final LED selection. Many manufacturers publish compatibility tables. If not, try a sample first.

5. Need LED inspiration? Check out some of our Modern Forms fixtures!

Futuristic Fans

Ceiling fans have been around for almost 150 years. At first, they were widely used in industrial settings but soon caught on in restaurants, stores, and offices. Now ceiling fans are a staple in many American homes. Aside from being stylish additions to your home, ceiling fans help cool your home in the summertime and evenly warm the home in the winter.

Ceiling fans have come a long way from the days of using running water in conjunction with a turbine, to drive a system of belts which would turn the blades of two-blade fan units. In fact, these days you might think they came from an episode of the Jetsons. Check out 5 futuristic fans that will make your head spin. Click each image to learn more:

Task Lighting Tips

Lighting your work space should be practical, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be beautiful. The pendants in this home office provide the perfect task lighting without sacrificing style. Here are some best practices for task lighting:

The light should be well distributed over the work area and shadow-free.

Adjustability is very important; you should be able to direct the light where you need it.

The task light should be designed to avoid glare

It should be energy-efficient. Efficacy of 29lm/W (lumens per watt) is the minimum to meet ENERGY STAR requirements for LED portable task lights.

Most people prefer warm white to neutral white. Warm white is normally associated with a correlated color temperature between 3,000 and 3,500 Kelvin.

The light source should not shine in your (or anyone’s) eyes; adjust it downward, onto the task surface and/or the task at hand (such as a document you are reading).

Good task lighting results in less eye strain and more productivity. By pairing task lighting with your room’s ambient lighting, you’ll reduce energy consumption, too. Now that’s multi-tasking!

Accessorize Your Room Like You Would Your Outfit

Accessories can mean the difference between a room looking complete and a room looking forgotten. Although accessories are often put on the back burner and are not top-of-mind, they are the missing link in completing your room and bringing cohesion to the rest of your home.

There are many ways to approach interior decorating, but one of our favorite ways is to view your room as you would an outfit. In this metaphor, the accessories in your room such as a lamp, mirror, rug, or candle would be equivalent to the accessories in an outfit, such as a pair of earrings, pair of shoes, bracelet or a decorative scarf.

If you take away the shoes and scarf, your outfit is going to look unfinished and un-put together. Similarly, if your room is lacking lighting and wall art, it will also look unfinished and un-put together.

Quickly Change the Look:
What do you do when you want to take your look from day to night? Simply swap out those black flats and pearl earrings for a pair of red pumps and dramatic gold earrings. While you won’t be changing the look of your space from day to night, you may want to change it from season to season. Take your pale blue pillows, white table lamp and floral wall art and swap them out for red pillows, a glass table lamp and a modern mirror. By changing out a few basic accessories that every room should have, you can take your space in an entirely different direction.

Remember this metaphor next time you are decorating a space in your home. You don’t wear the same colors and types of clothes in the winter as you do in the summer, so why should your home be decorated with the same accessories during those very different seasons? The quick answer is they shouldn’t, and by swapping out a few accessories here and there and replacing them with new pieces in different colors, patterns and textures, your space will look fresh and updated.

Modern and Hi-Tech Lighting Options

Are you ready to bring your home into the 21st century? With the help of our remote light switch controls and modern light fixtures, you can do just that.

Your home is probably already well equipped with hi-tech devices such as flat screen TVs, iPod speakers and fancy coffee makers, but now it is time to bring that modern technology to your lighting.

At Premier Lighting, we offer remote controls for your light fixtures, as well as for your indoor and outdoor ceiling fans. What better way to show off how tech-savvy you are to your friends and family than by changing the speed of your ceiling fan or by turning a light on or off from your seat at the dinner table? Not only are these remotes hi-tech and fun to show off, they are also convenient and practical.

Want your home to look and feel hi-tech in addition to actually being it? Choosing modern and sleek fixtures will give your home that instant updated feel. We have a wide selection of fixtures that fit the bill. For instance, our Kichler Nickel Ceiling Fan is just one of the many fixtures we carry that can bring any existing room into the 21st Century. With its sleek lines and nickel finish, this ceiling fan is sure to make a statement. Want more inspiration? Browse through our “Modern Lighting” Pinterest board for more ideas on how to update your space.

By adding some fun and useful gadgets to your home, as well as sleek and updated fixtures, your home is sure to look and feel modern.

Dining Room Lighting 101

For lighting to be effective in a Dining Room, it should have the capability to set a relaxing, romantic mood, as well as a festive, holiday mood. Highlight the dining room table as the focal point with a light fixture centered above. A dimmer switch is a great feature to incorporate into your lighting plan to allow for different occasions or moods.

TIP: In addition to a chandelier above your dining table, add wall sconces, on either side of art work, collectibles, or niches.

We also suggest using torchieres and buffet lamps for this feature to incorporate layers of light to your room, adding to a spectacular dining experience for you and your guests. For a distinct design statement, install a decorative ceiling medallion with your chandelier.

What size chandelier do I need for my dining room?

Measure the size of your rectangular or square dining table and deduct one foot from the width of the table to determine an appropriate sized chandelier for your space. Rooms with a high ceiling or that have a large round dining table can accommodate a larger chandelier to call attention to the setting.

How high should I hang the chandelier in my dining room?

Generally, chandeliers should be hung high enough so that diners can see each other across the table. For higher ceilings, raise the chandelier so that the chandelier, and not the chain, is the focal point. If your ceiling is 8 feet high, the bottom of the chandelier should be 30 inches above the table. For a higher ceiling, the chandelier may be raised 3 inches for each foot of ceiling height above 8 feet. For example for a 10 foot ceiling the proper height would be 36 inches (30+6).

What is the recommended wattage for my dining room chandelier?

For a multi-armed chandelier, where the bulbs will be visible, 25 watts per socket will provide adequate dining light. Shades can also be used to hide the bulbs, but you should not use over 40 watts per socket or the shades may burn. If you have a chandelier where the bulb is not visible, you can use the recommended maximum wattage for the fixture. Always install a dimmer switch in order to lower the lights for dining.

Dimmer Switches 101

Dimmer Switches can be used in a wide variety of rooms throughout your home and help add a bit of versatility to an otherwise one-use room. With the use of a dimmer switch, a family room can quickly turn into a party room, movie room or game room. Dimmers allow you to be in control of how much light each room gets at any given time.

Can I use a dimmer switch on low voltage lights?

Yes, you can use a dimmer switch on low voltage lights if you use an appropriate low voltage dimmer. Magnetic low voltage lights require a magnetic dimmer, and electronic low voltage lights require an electronic dimmer. Line voltage lights may also be dimmed with the low voltage lights if they are on the same switch. For instance, if you have a dining table chandelier with low voltage recessed lighting on either side, they may all be dimmed with the low voltage dimmer.

Warning: Low voltage lighting may be damaged if the dimmer used is not a low voltage dimmer.

When can I use a dimmer switch?

Most rooms can benefit from dimmer switches. The dimming feature provides flexibility for different holidays or moods, enhances highlights in the room and saves energy. For example, in the dining room a dimmer allows for soft light for dining and bright light for reading or cleaning. Dimming a light, even if only slightly dimmer than usual, will save energy and extend the life of your light bulbs.

Foyer Lighting 101

The Foyer welcomes in your guests and sets a tone for the rest of your home. This area should not be overlooked when designing a lighting plan. If the foyer is a smaller area, a chandelier or a few wall sconces can provide enough light to make the transition from the outdoors into the home. If it is a larger area, incorporate recessed or track fixtures for instant drama. To add more lighting, you can display lamps on side tables or a buffet, columns can be flanked by torchieres, art on the walls can be lit and plants can be highlighted with portable up lights. If there is a closet in your foyer, add a fixture to the closet to be sure there is enough light to see into it.

How high do I hang the chandelier in my foyer?

The bottom of the chandelier should be at least 8 feet above the floor. If the ceiling is very high, the chandelier may be hung higher than 8 feet. If there is a window above the front door through which the chandelier will be seen from the outside, the chandelier should be hung centered in relation to the window.

What size chandelier do I hang in the foyer?

The size of a chandelier should be chosen based on the width of the foyer, the ceiling height and any architectural details, such as double doors, or a window above the front door. A general rule is the chandelier width should be at least the same size in inches as the diagonal measurement of the room in feet. Example: If the room is 20 feet on the diagonal, then your chandelier should be about 20 inches long.

Wall Sconces 101

Wall sconces are an extremely versatile and popular type of lighting fixture. They can be used in a variety of room types, such as bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms, dining rooms and even outdoors. Wall sconces are commonly used to create visual balance in a space by placing one on either side of a focal point, whether that focal point is a mirror in the bathroom, a bed in the bedroom or something else entirely. They add balance, light and a sense of style to the room in which they are installed. Exterior wall sconces do the same, but with an added bonus. Because they are one of the first things you see when looking at a home, by replacing old sconces with a new updated pair, your home’s curb appeal can increase immensely.

What height should wall sconces be hung at?

Generally, wall sconces should be hung 72 inches from the floor. If the ceiling is very high, sconces can be hung higher for a dramatic effect or at the tops of pillars or beams to highlight the architectural element. If there are people taller than 6 feet in the house, the sconce should be hung high enough so the tallest person cannot look directly into it.

What does ADA certified mean?

ADA certification is regulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA dictates that if a light fixture is mounted on the wall between 27 inches from the floor and 80 inches from the floor, it must not extend more than 4 inches from the wall. ADA enforces this regulation in public facilities for safety reasons.

Table and Floor Lamps 101

Table and floor lamps are two of the most popular and common lighting fixtures available. Their versatility and ease make them a top choice for most homeowners.

How tall should my floor lamp be?

The bottom of the lamp shade should be at eye level when you are sitting down. Generally this would be 38 to 42 inches from the floor if the lamp is beside you and up to 49 inches if the lamp is behind you. Lamp shades 15 inches wide or more supply the most ample light for reading.

What type of lighting is best at my desk area?

Small table or desk lamps will provide task light directly onto the desk top without causing glare the way overhead lighting can.

Must my table lamps be the same?

No, as long as the height is the same and the colors and shapes blend with each other, two different lamps can add an element of surprise to your décor.

What size should my table lamps be?

The table lamps must be comparable scale to the furnishings they are near. High sofa backs or arms call for larger size lamps. Also, consider the size of the table they will be on. The width of the lamp shade should not be bigger than the table it is on.

What else should I consider when choosing table lamps?

Consider the purpose of the light. Is it purely decorative? If so, you can choose whatever style you love. If its purpose is mostly for a task, like reading, you must then consider the wattage (3-way 150 watt are good for reading lights), and the size and color of the lamp shade. Wider shades (at least 15 inches diameter) allow an adequate amount of reading light to be available. White and beige shades allow the light to shine through. Dark or Black colored shades will contain the light and only allow the light to shine down onto the table top.