Guides on Planning an Outdoor Lighting Layout

Outdoor lighting projects such as garden lighting, park, landscape lighting need a serious planing. A successful outdoor lighting plan requires selecting the right fixtures, then placing and wiring them correctly. The first thing before planing an outdoor lighting is Selecting the right design and components, Walk into any home center or garden center this spring and you’re guaranteed to run into a towering display of low-voltage lighting. You’ll find $69 prepackaged sets and $100 individual lights; plastic fixtures and metal ones; lights you can shine down from trees and up from ponds.

Use waterproof pond lights for illuminating pools, fountains and other water features; offset path lights for lighting walkways; cone lights for highlighting both walkways and the surrounding plants; tree-mounted spotlights for simulating moonlight; and flood lights for illuminating trees, buildings and other large elements.

Consider that a Special lights need special effects too, A MOON LIGHT should be installed 15 to 30 ft. high and have one or more branches between it and the ground to simulate moon shadows. Provide at least 24 in. between the light and branches to prevent “hot spots.”

Here are another tips on designing an outdoor lighting plan:

• If your lights come with press-on fittings—the type that bite through the insulation and into the wire to make their connection—cut them off and use the wire connectors shown in Photo 4. 
• The farther a light is from the transformer (and the more lights installed between it and the transformer), the less light it will put out.  
• Always leave a little extra wire as you hook up the lights. This will give you the freedom to move a light after you’ve hooked it up for testing or after you’ve installed it.
• Burying the wires should be your last step. Lay everything out, hook up your lights, test your voltage, and look at your results at night before burying the lines.
• Purchase a transformer with a built-in photocell and timer. Orient the photocell with some western (sunset) orientation so it doesn’t turn lights on too early.

more information: rd.com

Outdoor Lighting System of Confort Myojindai with EYE CERA ARC lamps

The outdoor  lighting system for this housing complex was revamped along with exterior improvements of the housing development. Pole lights and approach lights of human scale and height have been set up along the pathways for the development. Here is an outdoor lighting system of Confort Myojindai, located in Yokohama City, Japan.

By combining wide-span light distributing Cerca fixtures and highly efficient EYE CERA ARC lamps, a lighting environment was created, which contributes to energy conservation while ensuring sufficient illuminant for safety. Environmentally-friendly lighting system that controls light pollution gently illuminates the garden.

The solar LED blocks are set up along the roads, for creating a visual guidance effect and therapeutic space, so it make a romantic and safety road to use the roads. [eye]

Bathroom Lighting Design in Several Specific Area Lights

Bathroom lighting is an important element in creating a convenience bathroom, a well designed bathroom lighting can bring your bathroom alive at night or in the day (if you don't have a natural light outlet). As compared to the amount of money you end up shelling out for the cumulative of bathroom accessories including the bathroom vanity. There are several areas that should specific in creating a bathroom light, you can choose one of them or combining several of bathroom lights focus.

The first area is the ceiling bathroom lighting, Scones work out perfectly for a central lighting, usually at the center of the bathroom ceiling. Try to keep central lighting to minimum, it should be just enough to illuminate the bathroom to a visibility level.

The other bathroom lighting design is on the shower room or steam room bathroom light. Here again you can experiment with wall inset lights or go in for frosted bulbs. If you use the shower room for shaving also, then do consider placing the bulb so that there is no reflection or glare onto the mirror

Bathtub lighting can bring the atmosphere of romantic sense. Ensure the use of water resistant sockets near the tub. You can have inset lights along the top corner of the wall near the tub with the lights pointing away from the center of the tub. You can have a artificial candle lights surrounding the tub to give it a romantic touch. Cove lighting would be the best preference for tub lighting as it adds a air of soothing illumination.

Choosing Area and Type of Outdoor Lighting for Garden

Outdoor lighting type and design should considering several lighting effects, by placing the light at the base of a wall or hedge the light 'cover' over the surface creating a soft glow effect. However this can also be achieved by 'lifting' the light at certain angles to cover the desired area eg. garden area. Good areas and features to concentrate on:- Dining and seating areas, walkways, sculptures, water features, pots, specimen planting, trees, architectural features, garden features, buildings, etc can all be highlighted in a garden to create wonderful, varied ‘textures’ of light.

Uplighting, down lighting, mid-level lighting, step lighting, etc?

You may want to take into consideration how the garden will be used and how the garden will be viewed from the house. Also, consider security aspects, lighting can deter unwanted intruders! Consider how the lights are going to be ‘switched on’ – exteior switch or interior switch? How many lights are required to be switched on at any one time? If you require some areas of the lighting to be separate from others you will require different lighting ‘circuits’. You may want to consider ‘remote control’ lighting, whereby the lighting can be operated with a small keyfob, as opposed to using a switch. Do you require ‘sensors’? [greenways]

Outdoor Lighting Basics for Designing Garden and Landscape

Several garden and landscape designer forgot to designing the outdoor lights elements, Outdoor lighting is an often over looked, but crucial element to creating great outdoor spaces. Outdoor lighting extends the function of outdoor spaces into the evening, and helps define a warm and inviting living space. A variety of lighting effects are possible through proper use of outdoor lighting.

Uplighting: Uplighting can be used to highlight a vertical object in your outdoor space such as a specimen tree, an interesting façade, or landscape structure such as trellises and arbors. In order to prevent glare, fixtures should be aimed away from viewer. For objects viewed multiple sides, well lights with louvers should be used, and located as close to the base of the object as possible.

Spotlighting: Special landscape features such as sculptures, specimen shrubs or benches can be lighted from above utilizing shielded spot lamps. Lights should be concealed in adjacent trees or structures, and should be used judiciously in the landscape.

Path Lighting: Patch Lighting is accomplished by utilizing low mounted spread lights along one edge of a path. Path lighting is available in an endless array of styles, and often becomes a feature of your outdoor space.

Moonlighting: By strategically locating small ‘up and down’ fixtures inside of large trees, it is possible to replicate the effect of moonlight filtering through the branches. It is crucial the fixtures are specially designed for this purpose.

The key to all these affects is to not over due it. Nothing is more tacky than washing your property with gigantic flood lights. Remember, part of what makes a beautiful outdoor space at night, is the fact that it’s dark out!

Outdoor Lighting Ideas with Energy-Efficient Technology

Before designing an outdoor lighting, anyone who plan a new home or refurbishing an existing one should give early thought to lighting. Timely planning of electrics pays off: it enables comfortable, energy-efficient outdoor lighting solutions to be taken into account in the design phase.

There are four types of outdoor lights, with varying energy efficiency.

LED Outdoor Ligths are energy efficient. Look for multiple bulbs and higher wattage for garden beds and sculptures. A low-voltage LED (light-emitting diode) has a transformer to convert 240-volt household power into a safer 12 volts.

Low-Voltage Halogen Lights are brighter than LED but use more electricity. They’re best used for accent lighting around the deck area, and they also have transformers to convert power to 12 volts.

Solar Lights have rechargeable batteries powered by solar panels. They’re inexpensive to run, with the occasional battery replacement needed, but aren’t as bright as other types. They don’t require wiring and are good for lighting pathways.

240-Volt Halogen Lights are the most powerful and good for lighting trees, but require installation by a qualified electrician. They consume the most electricity so consider using with a timer for energy efficiency.

Dining under the Stars Extend the outdoor dining and entertainment area with lights for function and ambience. Always check if the lights are suited to being used outside and use just one long outdoor extension cord for mulTIP:le lights rather than piggybacking lots of cords into one power outlet.

Task Lighting should be unobtrusive and focused over the dining area. Set up a spotlight with a soft glow rather than harsher white light to brighten the dining table.

Accent Lighting adds texture and a decorative element. Highlight planters or position lights for dramatic effect with shadows. Connect outdoor lights to automatic sunset timers that sense dusk and dawn to operate more efficiently.

Ambient Lighting can be used on the table with candles or overhead with soft light from a chandelier.

Heavy Duty Lighting Minimise glare from floodlights by focusing them away from the direct line of view or diffusing the brightness by positioning rocks and foliage around them.

On the deck
Position matching downlights under the eaves for even light distribution onto the deck, and drape LED fairy lights along tree branches for year-round entertaining.

Smooth Bathroom Lighting System From K08 Karol

Smooth bathroom lighting system is suitable for this small K08 Karol Bathroom. With K08 collection, Karol pays a special attention to small bathrooms lighting system as well. By reducing to the reduced depth of the cabinets and to rounded corners, this collection is capable to answer the requirements of those looking for good quality and design of bathroom lights, even though not having much space available.

The basins, available in assorted designs and finishes, can be positioned either on the centre of the wash-basin cabinet or on the end of the corner to allow the full exploitation of the storage inside the cabinet and of the countertop. The lamps are installed on above the mirror, with small lamp,or with big white bulbs lamp. Main features of this collection are the attention to space utilization and the double finish option : lacquered + wood

Home Decorating with Contemporary House Design

Home decorating describe you how to arrange home furnishings, furniture, flooring, ceiling, wall design and all element of house. Contemporary house design is one of best home style design with several home decorating style. Decorating a home is started from the living room. Impressive living room should be well festooned and giving an inviting aura. It should create a homey and comfortable image.

Create space and depth for living room by positioning a mirror on a wall. Choose lighter and neutral colors for it should be used as any other room in the house. You can also give a more bright color such as red and white color combination in order to make the living room looks more live.

Contemporary Bathroom Lighting System in Combination Lights

Combining  bathroom lighting system should considering several aspects, Natural Lighting, Recessed/Can Lighting, Chandeliers Sconce Lighting or Vanity lights are several bathroom lights style. By combining several lighting system can improve your value of bathroom, so the bathroom become cozy and fresh.

Natural bathroom lights allow you to reducing the cost of lamp and the use of electricity, Find room in your design for windows/skylights. Windows over tubs create a natural backdrop for your bathroom and allow you to enhance the bathroom with window treatments. Try to place them so that the natural light does not reflect off of the mirrors.

Ceiling lighting, This type of lighting is great for the overall brightness of the room. Strategically placed, these work well for shower and tub areas, and provide a soft glow for creating a spa-like setting. Place two over the tub, or use in open areas or hall areas for added lighting.

Outdoor Lights for Garden and Landscape

Outdoor Lights for Garden and Landscape

Outdoor lighting become important since it used not only for making-over the garden and landscape, here are several beautiful outdoor lights system that installed on garden or landscape. There's much more to lighting than meets the eye, and considering how to light your garden can drastically change the look, feel, and ambiance of any outdoor lights system.

Outdoor lighting has some general, obvious uses: it helps you do things easily, makes you feel safe, and makes your home comfortable. But it can do much more when used to its full potential.

Outdoor Lighting Design for Enhancing Home Security

One of the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of creating an aesthetically pleasing outdoor lighting area is landscape lighting. Its important to know that an outdoor lighting will provide security to the center most part of your home.  If you pull into the drive after dark, the lights will turn on and allow you to see your way to your home.

They also have an economical benefit that a lot of people overlook. Since the light is only designed to stay on for a certain amount of time, there’s no worry about someone forgetting to turn it off. Or perhaps you want to turn off the exterior lights when you go to bed, you can be assured that the front of your home is still covered.

Bathroom Lighting Ideas for Elegant Architecture

An elegant bathroom need an elegant bathroom lighting system too, here are the ideas on modern bathroom lighting with several decoration such as mirror to make this small bathroom looks wider. In this bathroom, it would be difficult to place the lights in the optimal position, which is on either side of the mirror when there just isn't space, so here the lights above is the right decision.

In order to get maximized lighting system, the bathroom lights always near with the mirror, So, it's a difficult to install the lighting system. [bathroomdownlights]