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Posts Tagged ‘low voltage lighting’

Outdoor Chandeliers ~ideas and location

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Hello! And WELCOME to Outdoor Chandelier Light. Below you will find outside lighting tips, ranging from safety issues to planning ideas. From small decks to large porches, to sun rooms and gazebos, an outdoor chandelier is a perfect way to make those special evenings even more memorable.

  • From running our log home construction business for the last 13 years, and answering many homeowner questions, here are a few tips I would like to pass on…

CHANDELIER FEATURES:

Whenever choosing outdoor chandeliers~

1. Be sure it is UP approved for outside and wet/damp locations.

2. An outside chandelier should come with sealed circuitry, a switch which is rubber coated, and a heavy outdoor cord which has a grounded plug.

3. Whenever a chandelier is exposed to more weather, i.e. in a shallow outdoor entry, choosing one with waterproof glass shades is not a bad idea.

4. Lastly, if you want one with fabric shades, be sure the shades are made from a weather resistant fabric or material.

LOCATION:

Deck or porch lighting~

Beyond safety and weather durability of outdoor chandeliers, you also should consider where you are planning to place your new light. When a chandelier is located over a table, a down light included in the chandelier is very helpful. Gazebo lights~ Many gazebos have a steeper pitch to the roof. Here is a perfect place to incorporate a “taller” chandelier, one with more height. (Not usually as viable of a choice with a normal porch ceiling height.) Sun room lighting~ Sun rooms and solariums are another wise place to utilize a outdoor rated light fixture. Especially in the case that the sun room has extensive plants or a hot tub, the extra humidity can be very taxing on a chandelier not rated for outside, damp use. Low voltage lighting~ Turn your outside space even more “GREEN” with a low voltage outdoor chandelier. There are two prime advantages to a low voltage light- 1. the lower energy consumption, and 2. low voltage is a more stable light source than a solar powered light. Solar lights can tend to grow dim. BUT MOST OF ALL: Your outside chandelier should reflect the overall character of you and your exterior home design. There are numerous choices out there, from rustic log cabins to beach motif, and contemporary to classic. Whatever YOUR choice, have fun with it and turn your area into somewhere you want to linger just a little bit longer…
Excerpt

Exploring Kichler outdoor lighting ideas

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Hello! And Welcome to Outdoor Chandelier Light.

  • Just recently I came across a very interesting addition to standard outdoor lighting fixtures, with a twist. Kichler, a very prominent brand in the outdoor lighting companies, has a real neat line of outdoor lighting called, the Garden Collections. Each of these eight series have several lights for different fuctions, but they each strongly fit in artistic design with their collection family. Additionally, two of the collections have outdoor chandelier lights.

The first, the Ainsley Collection reflect the flavor of an English garden.

The Almeria Collection has it’s roots in old world Spanish architecture (my personal favorite) and it has a matching outdoor chandelier.

The Aries Manor Collection is a low voltage line.

The Cotswold Collection sweeps you back to a country manor.

The Collection named Gate House has a European fliar.

Oak Trail Collection leans heavily towards the Western Lodge look, including an outside chandelier with globes looking like candles. Pictured below, with about 8 beige glass candles and the old bronze finish, it would enhance any porch. Coupled with the additional lights in the Oak Trail Collection, you have a combination that will accent not just your chandelier area.

 

The Vintange Park features an Early American feel.

And the Zen Garden is a low voltage solution with very simple boxy design, but elegant.

  • So even for the choosiest homeowner, Kichler has done an outstanding job of offering a wide variety of matching outdoor lights. Much of the lighting is available in aluminum, brass, and copper. With choices abounding, I am well impressed with the offerings of this company.

Make your outside just as beautiful as inside, as many memories will be made there.

Low Voltage Lighting

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

 

low voltage outdoor chandelierWhen helping a customer design an outside space, she asked about low voltage lighting options and solar lighting. With a little research, this is what I discovered.

Many times low voltage lighting is perferred to solar lights (which store the light during the day and shine at night). Outdoor solar lights tend to dim as the hours pass, so long evenings can get really dark if that is your only light source. Low voltage lighting, on the other hand, many times only uses  7-12 watt bulbs. Thus the energy consumption is decreased and you have a constant light source that does not dim.

Sue