Your Bath Retreat

More spacious and multifunctional than ever before, the once-utilitarian bathroom has evolved into a private retreat for relaxation, escape and self-indulgence. The right lighting can make a bathroom even more gracious.

Whether built new or recently remodeled, bathrooms today demand intricate lighting solutions. Task lighting must be bright enough to do its job, but also work well with indirect accent lighting to soften the room’s ambiance and provide a warm glow. Decorative and ornate light fixtures and lamps provide elegance and sophistication. Shower light brighten up enclosed stalls. Reading lamps by the toilet provide more focused light.

For small mirrors, decorative wall fixtures placed on each side of the mirror will provide the even, shadow-free facial illumination necessary for daily grooming tasks. For best results, mount fixtures at least 28″ apart and 60″ off the floor.

Newer techniques of bathroom lighting even include using small pendants on either side of the mirror.

Side Lighting

For large mirrors, a strip of horizontal vanity lights will ensure that each person has sufficient light. Mount the strip 78″ off the floor. The best lighting solution is achieved with fixtures that include a shade for each bulb.

Vanity Lighting

Also add a dimmer to your vanity light. You will be amazed at how often you will use it and how much comfort it adds to the use of your bathroom.

Dimmers can match your decor!

Shower and tub lighting should be bright enough for cleaning, shaving and reading shampoo labels. Choose recessed downlights designed for use in wet areas. Shielded fixtures will protect reclining bathers’ eyes from glare.

An adjustable accent light aiming from outside the tub is dramatic, glare-free and great for those who bring books to the bath.

Undercabinet lighting can make middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom safer and easier. Install a low-voltage linear lighting or LED system in the toe spaces beneath the vanities and cabinets.

LED Toe Space Lighting

Consider installing an occupancy sensor wall switch so the lights come on when you need them and switch off when not in use to save energy.

Occupancy/Vacancy Sensor

In the center of the ceiling, a decorative light fixture that blends with the rest of your decor provides an elegant touch while providing adequate light for safety, cleaning and moving about. It also balances the brightness of other bathroom lights.

Ceiling mount fixtures, small chandeliers and decorative vent fans with integrated lighting are a few of the options for modern bathrooms.

Add some bling to your bath retreat!

Hall / Foyer Fixtures: Can create a welcoming atmosphere, while providing you with general ambient lighting. Use ceiling, chain-hung or close to ceiling flush-mount fixtures for lighting in hallways, stairways and entrance halls.

Halogen Lamp: Incandescent lamp with halogen gas fill and a quartz glass capsule. The quartz capsule requires a separate glass shield or enclosure. Due to the halogen cycle, halogen lamps operate at higher internal temperatures, producing more lumens per watt and brighter light than ordinary incandescent; lamp life is also extended. Halogen lamps include A, MB, T, PAR and MR types.

Halogen A-Lamps

Hammered Glass: Glass seen most commonly on outdoor fixtures that has a rippled, pitted “hammered” antique look.

Hand-Blown Glass: Individually produced glass made by artisans who blow molten glass into different decorative shapes.

Hand Blown Glass Pendant

Harp: Used to attach a shade onto a lamp.

Hard-Back: A shade that is lined with plastic.

Heat Ratings: Like recessed downlights, surface mounted fixtures must pass heat tests to assure they do not affect combustible ceiling materials. This limits the maximum wattage in these fixtures, and sometimes necessitates the installation of high-temperature wiring. Always follow the labeled lamping; never use higher wattages or different lamps.

HID: Abbreviation for high intensity discharge. Generic term describing mercury vapor, metal halide, high pressure sodium, and (informally) low pressure sodium light sources and luminaires.

High-Bay: Pertains to the type of lighting in an industrial application where the ceiling is 20 feet or higher. Also describes the application itself.

High Output (HO): A lamp or ballast designed to operate at higher currents (800 mA) and produce more light.

High Pressure Sodium Lamp: A high intensity discharge (HID) lamp whose light is produced by radiation from sodium vapor (and mercury).

Housing: Main body of a ceiling fan that connects the motor and other components.

Hurricane Lamp: A lamp having a distinctive globe glass housing for its bulb. Patterned after 19th century oil and candlestick lamps.

Illuminance: A photometric term that quantifies light incident on a surface or plane. Illuminance is commonly called light level. It is expressed as lumens per square foot (footcandles), or lumens per square meter (lux).

In-Ground Uplights: These outdoor accent lights provide maximum concealment because the source is recessed into the ground. Both line and low voltage sources are available.

Incandescence: Light produced by heating material so it glows. Incandescent filament lamps, candle flames and glowing coals are all examples.

Incandescent Lamp: Produces light with a wire filament, which creates light as it is heated by electric current.

Indirect Lighting: Lighting that directs all or most light upward for ambient or general illumination; comfortable illumination with few shadows. Typical fixtures include uplight cans, fluorescent lighting aimed up, track lights aimed up and torchieres.

Inside Frosted Lamp: Incandescent A lamp with a light etching or sprayed on diffusing coating on the inside of the bulb. Designated as IF.

Insulated Ceiling Fixture: Recessed down-lighting suitable for direct burial in ceiling thermal insulation. Called Type IC.

Integrated Dimming Systems: A dimming switch that allows you to create multiple preset lighting scenes within a room. Scenes can be recalled at the touch of a button from a single wall box or with a hand held remote control.

Whole Room Control

Intelli-Touch: On ceiling fans, a two-wire computerized system with wall control convenience that gives independent control of lights and fan. It has a silent multi-speed operation for the fan and provides variable light intensity.

IR Lamp: Infrared-Reflecting Halogen Lamp. A special interior coating redirects infrared energy onto the filament, which increases output without added power.

Iron: A strong metal, iron imparts a natural quality to a lighting fixture. Wrought Iron is heated and hammered into shape, and can be formed into pleasingly fluid forms.

Jack: Plug-in stem used in low voltage fixtures.

Junction Box: Enclosure that protects spliced wires and supports surface fixtures, such as wall fixtures or ceiling fans. Also called an outlet box.

Kelvin: Scientific unit of temperature. Color temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale.

Kilowatt Hour: KWH. A unit of measurement for electrical energy. One kilowatt hour equals 1000 watts of energy used for one hour.

Lacquer: Clear coating that protects metal fixtures from rusting or tarnishing. May be tinted in various colors by adding colored dye.

Lamp: A portable lamp consists of a (from bottom to top) a stand, a base, a mount through which the electrical wiring travels, a neck, a socket to hold the bulb, a lamp shade, a harp that connects the top of the shade to the socket, and a decorative finial that holds the harp in place. Also refers to a light bulb.

Lamp Holder: Socket inside a housing, which holds the lamp in place and connects it to the electrical source.

Lamping: Equipping a fixture with a lamp.

Lanterns: Unlike chandeliers which are oriented radially, lanterns hang vertically, often with several tiers. Modern pendant lanterns use hanging glass panels or glass rods, often with beveled edges to reflect the light.

Lantern

Lead Crystal: Fine quality glass having a high content of lead oxide.

Leaded Glass: Small pieces of glass joined at the edges with metal, traditionally lead.

LED: Light Emitting Diode. A small, solid state device used to indicate dimmer or control status; also used in signs and control units. Consumes low wattage and has a rated life of greater than 80 years.

Light Emitting Diode

Lens: Transparent or translucent medium that alters the directional characteristics of light passing through it. Usually made of glass or acrylic.

Lighting Controls: Devices which give you flexibility, decorative effects and multiple uses from your lighting sources. Today’s sophisticated dimming systems enable you to lower the light level to conserve energy and increase bulb life; vary the mood of a room; alter light source intensity; create lighting scene in each room. Types of controls include integrated dimming systems, touch dimmers, slide dimmers and rotary dimmers.

Light Distribution: Pattern of light produced by a fixture, or created in a room.

Light Sources: The performance of any light fixture depends on the light source, or bulb, that’s used. Different sources produce different effects.

Line Voltage Systems: 120 volt distribution is used mostly for lighting mounted to the outside of a house or for post-top lanterns along a drive or path. Line voltage landscape lighting can provide more light and handle greater distances than low voltage systems, but the installation is less flexible and more costly.

Louver: Grid type of optical assembly used to control light distribution from a fixture. Can range from small-cell plastic to the large-cell anodized aluminum louvers used in parabolic fluorescent fixtures.

Low-Pressure Sodium: A low-pressure discharge lamp in which light is produced by radiation from sodium vapor. Considered a monochromatic light source (most colors are rendered as gray).

Low Voltage Fixtures: Recessed track, task, decorative or landscape fixtures for low voltage lamps. A transformer is required for these fixtures and may by integrated, local or remote.

Low Voltage Housing: Recessed housing with an integral, or occasionally, remote transformer.

Low-Voltage Lamp: Incandescent lamps that operate at 6, 12 or 24 volts. Low voltage lamps require a step-down transformer to reduce the voltage from the normal household 120 volts. Popular lamps are MR11, MR16, and PAR36.

Low Voltage Lighting System: A type of lighting that operates on 12-volt current rather than the standard 120 volts. Power is supplied by a transformer, which is itself connected to 120-volt power.

Low-Voltage Switch: A relay (magnetically-operated switch) that allows local and remote control of lights, including centralized time clock or computer control.

Low Voltage Trim: Either a reflector trim with an integral transformer, which installs in a standard housing, or the dedicated trim to a low voltage housing.

Low Voltage Track: Track powered at low voltage by a step-down transformer, which installs in a standard housing; or the dedicated trim to low voltage housing.

Lumen: A unit of light flow, or luminous flux. The lumen rating of a lamp is a measure of the total light output of the lamp.

Luminaire: A complete lighting unit consisting of a lamp or lamps, along with the parts designed to distribute the light, hold the lamps, and connect the lamps to a power source. Also called a fixture.

Match your lighting controls to your decor!

Today’s discerning home owners are expressing their styles in a rainbow of colors. Whether adding a pop of color to wall coverings, floor decor, countertops or a lighting pendant, homeowners are coloring up their lives with their personal palates of fun hues like berry red, energetic orange, vintage yellow, mossy greens, terrific teals and coppery browns.

Lutron Diva Dimmer in Seaglass

Lutron Diva Dimmer in Hot

Now that controls are becoming commonplace in many homes, the fashion police finally caught up with the function peeps and have added color to their controls. I asked my good friend Bryan Biga, National Sales Manager – Lighting Showrooms for Lutron Electronics, to share his thoughts on dimmers and colors and here’s what he had to say:

Importance of Dimmers to Home Lighting

Even the best designed spaces can be quickly ruined by improper lighting.  Making sure that the correct lighting sources are being used and that they illuminate each area of a space properly, can be the difference between average design and amazing design.  As many lighting designers will agree, you cannot maximize the layers of lighting in your space unless you can control them.  The fact is, we live in a world where we are constantly tweaking things around us to make the environment more comfortable, catering to an immediate activity or need.  Our days are filled with volume controls, temperature controls and other adjustments to cater to what we want, when we want it.  There is nothing that we use more on a regular basis throughout the day than lighting, and dimmers give us the opportunity to adjust it as we want it.  Adjusting the layers of light in a space to make it more comfortable and allowing everything to look its best is only part of the value of dimming.  When you start to add in the energy savings that comes with dimming all light sources and the lamp life extension that it adds to incandescent and halogen lamps, you quickly learn there is a large value package that comes with this $30 investment.  In a time when people are looking for simple remodeling opportunities that add significant value to the space, while also being affordable, dimmers are the perfect solution for every room.

Maestro Wireless Dimmer in Terracotta

Dimmers and Devices in Colors

The world of residential design is made up of an enormous variety of colors and finishes allowing every area of a home to be developed with someone’s individual style.  When someone is building a new home or doing a remodeling project, there really isn’t a detail that a designer or homeowner can’t adjust to make it exactly how they want it.  Let’s take a look at a kitchen for instance.  This space is one of the highest fashion spaces in a home today and the options are endless.  The counter tops, back splashes, cabinetry, flooring, molding, lighting and appliances are just some of the important details that are taken into account when designing the perfect space.  The reality is that there is a significant amount of time and money spent getting into the finest of details, but there is one category that keeps the room from being absolutely perfect, the electrical devices: all of those wonderful receptacles, switches, dimmers, phone jacks and face plates that we all know are necessary for our coffee makers, toasters and everyday devices that we can’t live without.  So what do we do with these eye sores?  Lutron brought the solution to every homeowner and designer looking for that finishing touch to every space.   The color selection gives opportunities to blend with neutral colors and stone finishes while offering high fashion colors like Hot red and Turquoise.  The world of residential design has given us everything we need to make a room look the way we want.

RadioRA Master Control in Bluestone

If you would like to learn more about lighting controls, I invite you to visit me at Lucia Lighting & Design at 311 Western Avenue in Lynn or call me at 781-595-0026.

Damp Location: UL listing for fixtures used in a moist unexposed area, such as a bathroom or porch area.

Deck Lights: Deck lights typically mount to the outside of a home or to the railing of a wooden deck. Since they are located near where people sit, good shielding and proper mounting height are important to reduce glare.

Decorative Bulbs (D): General service bulbs available in a variety of wattages and shapes. Decorative bulbs include flame, teardrop and candelabra shapes, among many others.

Decorative Fixtures: Decorative fixtures help establish the tone and style of a room. Decorative fixtures are meant to be seen, which means their brightness should be kept low enough to avoid glare.

Dichroic Coating: Film that reflects visible light and transmits infrared light. Reflector lamps with dichroic coatings, such as most MR16s provide a cooler beam because most of the heat goes out the back. Dichroic PAR lamps are often called “cool beam.”

Die Casting: Casting in a reusable mold (the die). Die-casting are generally precisely manufactured parts requiring a high initial investment in the die.

Diffuser: A translucent piece of glass or plastic sheet that shields the light source in a fixture. The light transmitted throughout the diffuser will be redirected and scattered. Opal glass and plastic, etched glass, fabric and paper shades act as diffusers.

Dimmer: Control that varies the output of the light source by reducing the voltage or current to the lamp.

Wireless Dimmer

Direct Lighting: Lighting that casts all, or at least 90%, of its light downward. The term can also refer to the distribution of light or the fixtures that produce this type of lighting. With intense beams, direct lighting is very dramatic, rendering forms and textures well. Typical fixtures include recessed lights, track lights, some pendant lights and task lights.

Direct-Indirect Lighting: Light comes from up and down. This light is well balanced and pleasing. Light that is predominately direct is also called”semi-direct.” Typical fixtures include most pendant lights, wall brackets and wall valances. Uses include task/ambient lighting over tables and in hallways.

Downlights: Downlights usually refer to recessed downlights. However, some designers use the term to describe any fixture aiming straight down.

Direct Mounted: Direct-mounted fixtures are typically bowls that are fastened to a ceiling holder. Most use diffusers of glass or acrylic. Beveled glass is also popular. These fixtures work best for low to moderate light levels.

Dual Mounting System: On ceiling fan units. This system enables you to mount a fan on a down-rod or flush to the ceiling.

Eclectic Design: A style of interior decorating that mixes different styles and period of lighting and furniture.

Energy-Saving Lamp: A lower wattage lamp, generally producing fewer lumens.

Entry Lights: Lights at the entry of a home that help guide visitors and provide security. These pieces can also be used to light breezeways.

Etched Glass: Glass treated by an acid bath, producing a satiny, diffused surface or design.

Eyeball: A recessed, adjustable accent light that protrudes slightly below the ceiling.

Extension Pole: Used to adapt a fan to high ceilings, lowering the fan from the ceiling.

Extensions: Piece used to make height adjustments for the shade on the harp.

Facet: Side of a prism, seen most often in crystal glass chandeliers and other wall fixtures.

Crystal Sparkles!

Faux Stone: Plaster and other material can be molded and textured or finished to look like real stone. Genuine stone is usually too heavy for the body of a light fixture, but is popular for the bases of portable lamps, where weight is an advantage.

Figure Lamps: A staple of Art Deco design and lighting. From this period most figure lamps portray a female figure, often holding a globe shade. Victorian figure lamps often involve cherubs or young maidens. Animal and cartoon figures in children’s lighting are more modern examples.

Filament: The tightly coiled tungsten wire of an incandescent lamp; glows to produce light when electricity flows through it.

Fill Gas: In incandescent lamps, usually argon or krypton with trace nitrogen. In fluorescent lamps may be argon. Halogen is used in halogen incandescent lamps.

Finial: Screws in the top of the harp to keep a shade secure on a lamp, and also serves a decorative purpose.

Fitter: Part of a fixture that accepts a glass or plastic globe. The diameter of the fitter determines the size of the neck or opening in the globe.

Fixture Types: Fixtures are described by their mounting and lighting qualities. Types include chandeliers and lanterns, diffusing and shaded pendants, wall-mounted lighting, close-to-ceiling fixtures, outdoor fixtures, portables and ceiling fans.

Flood: The wide distribution of a reflectorized lamp, abbreviated FL. Also a fixture with a widespread light throw.

Floodlights: Floodlights create a widespread distribution of light, perfect for illuminating a wall, sign or large object. A floodlight should be well shielded with an accessory louver or shield to avoid stray light and glare. You can also use
plants to block unwanted light.

Fluorescent Lamps: A light source consisting of a tube filled with argon, along with krypton or other inert gas. When electrical current is applied, the resulting arc emits ultraviolet radiation that excites the phosphors inside the lamp wall, causing them to radiate visible light.

Fluorescent Troffers: Recessed fluorescent fixtures for 2-foot and 4-foot lamps, generally in modular sizes; used commercially.

Flushmount: A type of ceiling fan or ceiling fixture that mounts directly to a junction box, and does not have a down-rod to maintain maximum clearance from the floor.

Flush Mount Light

Footcandle (FC): Unit of illuminance (light falling on a surface). One lumen falling on one square foot equals one-foot candle. Also, a measurement of the amount of light reaching a subject.

Frame-In Kit: Part of a recessed downlight connected to the electrical circuit and generally installed when the ceiling is open. The electrified mounting form or housing which supports the optical assembly of a recessed fixture. Frame-in kits are of various types according to the nature of the construction and the lamp.

Framing Projector: Fixture with lens and shutters, creating an adjustable, sharp-edged beam to outline pictures and other objects.

French Country: The French country style relies on the warm tones of the Provencal countryside, golden yellows, pure blues and deep reds. Lamp materials can be in wrought iron or antique finishes and the rooster theme is seen frequently.

G Lamp: Globe-shaped incandescent, generally for exposed use.

General Lighting: Also known as ambient lighting, general lighting provides an area with overall, non-specific illumination. General lighting radiates a comfortable level of brightness, enabling one to see and walk about safely. It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track lighting or with outdoor fixtures. A basic form of lighting that replaces sunlight, general lighting is fundamental to lighting a home.

General Lighting with a Chandelier

General Diffuse Lighting: General illumination from light cast evenly in all directions. Typical fixtures include pendant globes, chandeliers, and some table lamps.

General Service (A) Bulbs: General service bulbs are inexpensive and are readily available in a variety of wattages and shapes. They produce a yellowish white light that is emitted in all directions. Available in either clear or frosted versions.

Gimbal Lighting: An adjustable ring that holds the PAR or MR lamp by its rim. A gimbal ring track fixture has no housing.

Glare: Bright lighting that causes discomfort and impairs good visibility. Possible causes may be light sources that are too bright for the application, or fixtures that may not conceal bulbs sufficiently, among many others.

Grazing Light: Directional light at an acute angle, which emphasized texture. The sources of grazing light must be close to the surface. See also Wall Grazing.

Grill: On a ceiling fan, the lower part of the housing, which has many different designs.

Ceiling Fan Grill

Grounding: Connecting electrical components to earth for safety.

“Want to see yourself in a new light? Ditch the fluorescent bulbs for one of the many fixtures on offer at Lucia’s Lynn showroom. Staffers draw on countless resources to create custom solutions, including made-to-order shades and fixtures.”

Thank you to Boston Magazine Home, and thank you to our clients ~ we are truly honored!!!

Team Lucia

Our mantra may be that Bright Ideas begin at Lucia, but the reality is that it is you who brighten our business and lives each and every day. We wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season!

A Lamps: The most common incandescent household lamp; a standard general service lamp.

A-Lamp - Regular Everyday Lightbulb!

Accent Lighting: Localized and directional lighting used to highlight, focus attention or dramatize a room or outdoor space. As part of a decorating scheme, it is used to spotlight paintings, houseplants and other possessions, or to highlight the texture of a wall, drapery or outside landscaping. Accent lighting requires at least three times as much light on the focal point as the general lighting around it.

ADA Wall Brackets: Wall-mounted fixtures that extend less than 4” from the wall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and are usually called ADA brackets.

Adjustables: Adjustables are accent lights that can be aimed. The professional term is “adjustable accent light.” In practice, most of the fixtures used for accent lighting are adjustable in some fashion.

Alabaster: Shades can be made of either alabaster stone or alabaster glass. Alabaster stone is much like marble in that it is quarried, cut and made into shades and bowls. It creates a warm, rich look, with each piece being completely unique. Stone is very expensive, however, so many lighting pieces recreate the look with more affordable alabaster glass.

Alzak: The trade name used for a method of anodizing. Now a generic term for brightened, anodized aluminum.

Aluminum: A pure metal, aluminum can be shaped and finished easily. It can be dyed to a brass-like finish, but without the depth and luster of real brass. Aluminum is usually sealed through painting or anodizing to avoid oxidation.

Ambient Lighting: Also known as general lighting, ambient lighting provides an area with overall, non-specific illumination. Ambient lighting radiates a comfortable level of brightness, enabling one to see and walk about safely. It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track lighting or with outdoor fixtures. A basic form of lighting that replaces sunlight, ambient lighting is fundamental to lighting a home.

Amperes / amps: The standard unit of measurement for electric current that is equal to one coulomb per second. It defines the quantity of electrons moving past a given point in a circuit during a specific period. Amp is an abbreviation.

Antique Finish: A finish that simulates aging, often accomplished by wiping dark pigment across a metal or wooden part.

Aperture: Opening of a fixture through which light exists.

Architectural Lighting: This broad term generally refers to built-in fixtures, such as downlighting, valance lighting or a luminous ceiling. Some people also include functional lighting, such as track or simple fluorescent, which has an architectural appearance.

Art Deco: A mainstream design style that reached its heyday in the 1920s. Typified by streamlined design shapes, geometric patterns, bold outlines and the artistic use of industrial materials, such as stainless steel, plastic and pressed glass.

Art Nouveau: A decorative art movement that emerged in the late nineteenth century. Characterized by dense asymmetrical ornamentation in sinuous forms.

Average Rated Life: The number of hours required for half of a large group of lamps to fail or burn out. The actual life of any lamp or small group of lamps will typically be different from the average rated life.

Baffle: Part of the fixture that blocks light to prevent glare and control brightness. Baffles may be integral blades, plates or grooves or an accessory. Baffles are often painted black to absorb light.

Ballast: Electrical or electronic component required for fluorescent (and HID) lamps. Ballasts provide enough voltage to start the lamp and then limit the current for continuing operation.

Banker Lamp: A desk or table lamp, usually in a traditional style, that has a rectangular cased glass or metal shade. So-called because they were common fixtures in banks in the first half of the 20th century.

Base: The end of the lamp that inserts into a lamp socket. The end or ends of a lamp that makes electrical and mounting connections.

Bath: Bath or vanity lighting refers to fixtures used to light the mirror in a bathroom. A bath strip is a long fixture that mounts along the top or sides of the mirror. Also see “bathbar lighting.”

Bath Bar Lighting

Bathbar Lighting: These fixtures supply task lighting, while supplementing the general lighting provided by ceiling fixtures. Similar to lighting in theater dressing rooms, these softly glowing lights are most often arranged in a row / bar fashion to provide excellent lighting for shaving and grooming.

Beveled Glass: Clear glass, often with a high lead content, with edges that are cut on an angle to add depth and glitter.

Blades: Move the airflow in a ceiling or desktop fan. Blades are made of plywood, laminated woods or plastic.

Blade Holders: Irons that hold a ceiling fan’s blades.

Blade Pitch: Angle of the blade iron or blade holder on a ceiling fan. Fans with a higher degree of blade pitch will move more air.

Blown Glass: Hand blown glass is created by artisans who blow air into a molten balloon of glass. The artisan’s skill determines the shape and texture of the finished piece.

Custom Blown Glass Pendants by Studio Bel Vetro

Bobesche: The saucer at the base of a candle originally designed to catch the molten wax drippings of the candle. Used on chandeliers, sconces, etc.

Bollards: Lights mounted on short, heavy piers or posts. They are used mostly for larger residences and campus settings.

Bound Glass: Glass elements held together by metal strips, typically brass or copper; includes Leaded Glass, which has a heavier look.

Brass: An alloy of zinc and copper, brass forms and polishes easily. Solid brass means the fixture is made entirely of brass, rather than a brass-plated material.

Bronze: Harder than brass, bronze is used for its durability, especially in high-grade outdoor lighting.

Brushed Finish: Satin or lightly textured finish, usually on metal, produced by brushing with a wire wheel or buffing with a fine abrasive.

Built-In Lighting: Built-in lighting generally refers to lighting equipment mounted into coves and cornices, behind valences, or integrated into furnituire and bookcases.

Bulb: The everyday term for an incandescent lamp. Also refers to the outer glass envelope of the lamp.

Cable: Multiple wires arranged in a common covering of insulating plastic or other materials, used as an electrical conductor.

Cased Glass: Glass consisting of a layer of clear glass fused to a layer of opal or other tinted glass. Cased glass transmits light more efficiently than opal, with more luster and better diffusion. Cased glass can be blown or molded.

Candlea (cd): The unit of measurement of luminous intensity of a light source in a given direction.

Candlepower: Luminous intensity of a particular light source expressed in candlea.

Candlestick Lamp: A fixture that has a tall, slim column, taken after traditional candlestick lighting. Also known as a console lamp.

Canopy: Fixture part that covers an outlet box.

Cans: Another term for recessed downlights.

Casting: Pouring or forcing metal or glass into a prepared mold or any part manufactured in this manner.

Ceiling Fixtures: Provide general lighting. They are practical in busy areas such as foyers, hallways, bedrooms, kitchens, baths, laundry rooms and dens. They are available with incandescent, fluorescent and energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans consist of (from top to bottom) a canopy with hanger ball, a down rod, the motor, blades, and light kit.

Chain Pliers: Tool with jaws that open as you squeeze the handles together. Used to pry open links of chain to change the suspension height of a chandelier or other fixture.

Chandeliers: General lighting fixtures that can provide sparkle and style to rooms and entryways. They are also used in bedrooms, foyers, over a living room furniture grouping, or over a piano. Some are designed with downlights or use shades to provide task lighting for homework, reading or cooking. Chandeliers are available in both incandescent and tungsten-halogen models. The addition of a dimmer control allows you to alter the intensity of the light to suit your mood or time of day.

Channel: In dimming controls, a group of fixtures that are operated together, generally of the same type or for the same function.

Chimney: A blown glass tube of various shapes placed around flame to protect it against wind. In today’s usage, it is for ornamentation and light diffusion.

Chrome: Chrome takes a high, lustrous finish. A softly brushed chrome finish simulates stainless steel, but without the durability and depth.

Circuit: Wiring path for electricity, including conductors, load and circuit protection.

Circuit Breaker: Re-settable safety device to prevent current flow or prevent excess current flow.

Clip: Piece that is used to clip a shade onto a light bulb.

Color Rendering Index (CRI): A scale of the effect of a light source on the color appearance of an object compared to its color appearance under a reference light source. Expressed on a scale of 1 to 100, where 100 indicates no color shift. A low CRI rating suggests that the colors of objects will appear unnatural under that particular light source.

Color Temperature: The color temperature is a specification of the color appearance of a light source, relating the color to a reference source heated to a particular temperature, measured by the thermal unit Kelvin. The measurement can also be described as the “warmth” or “coolness” of a light source. Generally, sources below 3200K are considered “warm,” while those above 4000K are considered “cool” sources.

Colonial Style: Reminiscent of pre-revolutionary America, this style emphasizes clean, simple lines, though it may also refer to a more ornate style which relies on curving lines and scroll work.

Compact Downlight: Small recessed incandescent fixtures generally five inches deep.

Compact Fluorescent: A small fluorescent lamp that is often used as an alternative to incandescent lighting. The lamp life is about 10 times longer than incandescent lamps and is 3-4 times more efficacious. Also called PL, Twin-Tube, CFL, or BIAX lamps.

Contemporary Style: Lighting derived from the industrial styling of Modernism, blending function and form. Brushed metal surfaces, the use of plastic materials, sleek, streamlined forms, and geometrically shaped glass shades and bowls predominate.

Copper: A soft, pure metal, usually used for accent detailing. It oxidizes to a distinctive green color when exposed to the air.

Cove Lighting: Light built into a cove, a shelf or ledge at the upper part of a wall, to illuminate the ceiling. Typically fluorescent, cold cathode or low voltage strip.

Cove Lighting

Crystal Glass: Fine quality transparent glass. May be used in table lamps, chandeliers and floor lamps in a variety of styles and cuts. See also Lead Crystal.

Cylinder Downlights: Outdoor fixture, which can be mounted to a wall or an overhang to aim light directly on paths and porches.

Stay tuned for the next installment as we work our way through the alphabet of lighting!

The point of Thanksgiving is to remember the things we have to be grateful for …  not just for the obvious, like food, but for the thousands of fortunate moments, the multitude of blessings that we receive each year.

That’s not always as easy as it sounds. We tend to remember the bad things much more easily than the good. So here are some ideas to help you make thankfulness an everyday habit. It’s a skill that will benefit you throughout the year.

Begin by keeping a gratitude journal. Don’t write down negative things; only positive ones. For example, “I’m grateful that I made it through that heavy rush hour traffic safely.” “I’m grateful that I got to see a beautiful sunset.” “I’m grateful that I have a class at school that I really like.”

Think of all the good things that happened because something bad happened first. For example, “If that slow driver hadn’t pulled in front of me, I would have gotten a speeding ticket.” “If I hadn’t tripped on the playground, I would never have met such a nice person.” “If I hadn’t experienced unemployment, I would never have acquired the skills that got me a more fulfilling job.”

Don’t focus on what you don’t have. Focus on what you do have. For example: “I’m so fortunate to have a warm place to sleep in the winter.” “I’m so fortunate to live in a safe neighborhood where I can take walks.” “I’m so fortunate to be able to see the beauty around me.”

Think about people you’ve known that have made you thankful for their existence. They can be family, friends or simply people that you’ve read about or seen on television. Imagine how many other people there are who might be equally as wonderful. You just haven’t met them yet.

Think about people who have made life hard for you. Now think about the things you accomplished because of them. Did you finish something because they said that you couldn’t? Did you get better at something because they made fun of you when you did it badly? Did their cruel actions make you vow never to treat others that way? Even the negative forces in your life can be hidden blessings, worthy of your gratitude.

Think about the animals that have given you joy: Dogs that love you with every inch of their hearts, cats that think your lap is the best place to nap in the whole world, birds whose songs uplift your spirit, squirrels whose antics put a grin on your face and so on.

Think about the places that make you smile: A favorite hangout, a wooded trail, an exciting city, a great spot from which to view the sky, a hill that you once rolled down. Give thanks for all these things.

Now pass it on. True gratitude involves action. Lend a hand. Pitch in. Make a gift. Give your time. Listen. Give back as often as you can. Even a friendly greeting can make all the difference in the world.

Create your own opportunities for gratitude. Do you know someone who never seems happy? Be ready with a smile and a kind word each time you see them. It may require patience, but eventually, they’ll smile first when they see you. Your interactions with them will be much more pleasant. Guess what? You’ll have a new reason to be thankful!

Let others know when they’ve done something that you’re thankful for. For example, “I’ll never forget how you stuck up for me. It meant a lot.” “That email you sent really made my day.” “You make shopping here a pleasure.” An attitude of gratitude spreads like ripples from a tossed pebble, benefitting all it touches.

Remember that hard times make good times sweeter. Also keep in mind that obstacles and challenges not only make you stronger, but they force you to explore outside of the comfortable routine that you’ve settled into. Without challenges, there can be no progress. Without obstacles, there can be no achievement. Be thankful for the opportunities that they provide.

In conclusion, giving thanks is a powerful tool that can dramatically improve your life and the lives of those around you. Start by embracing gratitude’s special day, then make it a habit!

Thank you to http://knowledgehound.com/khhow2s/giving_thanks.htm for this post!

Courtesy of Brian Clark Howard of The Daily Green

Lighting does more than dispel the darkness. It helps us accomplish our tasks, and it can affect how things look and how we feel. Since Americans now spend 90% or more of our time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, it’s worth it to give our lighting a little thought.

The good news is that more options than ever are available for better and more efficient lighting, with a broader range of technologies. It’s not all compact fluorescent versus incandescent anymore. Much of the learning and early adoption has been driven by the commercial sector, because corporate and government buildings use more lighting than households do as a portion of their respective energy budgets. But smart homeowners can take advantage of technologies that commercial building managers have used for years, and enjoy falling prices and rising reliability.

When it comes to our pocketbooks, “greener” lighting can make a real impact. Improving lighting efficiency is typically one of the easiest changes someone can make, with some of the quickest payback periods and best ROIs (returns on investment). It is partially in that spirit that Congress passed new lighting standards that will begin to take effect in January.

A new analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that the standards will save the country more than $12.5 billion annually when fully implemented in 2020. Each household would see its energy costs drop by an average of 7%, or about $85 per household each year, when the standards are in place. Overall, the standards would eliminate the need for 33 large power plants.

Replacing Incandescent Bulbs

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to get improved lighting, including better bulbs and other efficiency technologies. Let’s first take a look at a typical annual home energy bill, which totaled $2,200 in 2009, according to the Energy Star program. An average of 12% of that goes to home lighting, or $264. Let’s say that you are a typical homeowner and use only standard incandescent light bulbs, and that you currently spend $264 a year to illuminate them.

The trouble is, regular old incandescent light bulbs are inefficient beasts, and up to 98% of the energy they consume is wasted as heat, not light. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, on the other hand, are on average 75% more efficient than incandescent. So if you made a complete switch over, you might cut your lighting energy bill by three-fourths, from $264 to $66.

Quite a few households have made such a wholesale switch, and they do start saving energy right away. However, there are a few cases where fluorescent tubes and CFLs aren’t optimal and will wear out quickly, so a somewhat more measured approach will give the highest payback, as well as the most attractive and flexible lighting.

By the way, if you decide to go for more expensive LED (light-emitting diode) lights, which are up to 90% more efficient than incandescent, you would end up with an annual lighting bill as low as $26.

When you are shopping for lighting, always look for the EPA’s Energy Star logo, which certifies a wide range of quality criteria, as well as a minimum efficiency. Among other specifications, an Energy Star CFL can’t emit an audible noise, it must turn on in less than a second and reach at least 80% of its output within three minutes, and it cannot contain more than 5 milligrams of mercury. The EPA estimates that each Energy Star CFL, when properly used, saves about $40 over the lifetime of the bulb compared with an incandescent, and the payback time can be just months, depending on how much it is used.

CFL Light Bulbs

CFL Benefits

Let’s first take a look at a typical home fixture for general lighting. Let’s say you currently have a 60-watt incandescent bulb and that you use it six hours a day. The average U.S. home electricity price is 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (If you live in a state with appreciably different electricity rates, you should adjust your own calculations accordingly.) So if you pay 12 cents per kWh, and that light bulb uses 60 watts x 6 hours x 365 = 131.4 kWh a year, that’s costing you $16 a year.

Of course, you’ll also have to buy the bulb itself, which isn’t the most expensive part of the equation when it comes to lighting. If you buy them in a six-pack, you can get an Energy Star-rated, major-brand CFL for $2 each. Regular old incandescent still go for around 75 cents each. But you’ll need a lot more of them, since they only last around 1,000 hours, as opposed to around 10,000 hours for most good CFLs. If the light is used six hours a day, you’d go through two incandescent in one year, or 10 in five years. In the latter period, you’d spend $7.50 for 10 incandescent, versus $3 for one CFL.

If you put a 13-watt CFL in the fixture, you’ll get the same amount of light, but use only 13 watts x 6 hours x 365 = 28.5 kWh a year, which costs nearly $3.40. So you save $12.60 a year versus having an incandescent. Divide that by 12 to get a monthly average of just over $1. That means the payback period for a light bulb that is between $2 and $3 more expensive than an incandescent upfront is somewhere between two and three months.

Multiply that result by how many general-use fixtures you have in your house to see the savings grow. Of course, not all fixtures are general. But there are now good CFL replacements for several key areas, including bathroom vanities, candelabra-style fixtures, outdoor floodlights, outdoor post lamps and even ceiling-fan fixtures (avoid putting a regular CFL in a fan, because the vibrations can shorten its life and increase risk of breakage).

Even so, there are still some places where CFLs aren’t the best. Rapid switching greatly reduces their life span, so you may not want to use them in areas where you frequently will be turning them off after short periods. For many people, this means they may not be the best choice for closets, halls and rooms we rarely use. Instead, you may want to rotate through old incandescent to “use them up,” or read about halogens in the next section.

Halogen Light Bulbs

Halogen A-Lamps

If you can’t stand CFLs, even if you’ve given the newest generation an honest try, if you need something that offers very smooth dimming or that can tolerate rapid switching, or if you want to avoid any mercury, you may want to consider halogens. A halogen light bulb is an incandescent bulb with some added technology, namely the presence of halogen and a quartz envelope around the inner chamber to sustain the higher temperatures they operate through.

In past decades, halogens were available mostly for specialized uses, such as in car headlights and in track lights and torchieres, and they had dedicated pin bases. However, over the past few years, manufacturers have been churning out “hybrid” bulbs that use halogen technology in familiar bulb shapes that can be screwed in to standard sockets. Halogens are typically 10% to 40% more efficient than incandescent, they can be switched and dimmed as much as you want, and they give off the soft, yellow light we are used to.

Dim It Down!

Wireless Dimmers

Another win-win when it comes to lighting is a dimmer, which gives more flexibility and control, can enhance mood and saves energy. Modern dimmers use simple electric circuitry to limit the amount of energy that is sent to a bulb. Most designs knock off 2% to 5% of the energy all the time they are installed, even if they are never turned down.

But let’s say for argument that you have your lights dimmed to 50% as an average over the year. So for that fixture with the incandescent bulb that you use six hours a day, you would be spending half as much for energy, or $8 a year instead of $16. And you will be doubling the life of your bulb, too, so you will go through one incandescent a year, instead of two.

Motion Sensors

Occupancy Sensor

As commercial building managers have known for years, another great way to save energy is with motion sensors. When it comes to your home, a motion sensor can be a good idea for hallways, porches and outdoor spaces. How much you save depends on how often you use the light, but let’s say you are a typical user, and putting a motion sensor on your hall light means it is on for only a few minutes after someone walks by.

Let’s say this cuts down the amount of “on” time by 90%. Instead of $16 a year for our fixture, we are spending only 10% of that, or $1.60. We would also be vastly extending the life of our bulb, so that saves us an additional 75 cents in the first year.

LED Light Bulbs

LED A-Lamp

If you want to consider an LED bulb for your fixture, you’ll get even better efficiency and longer life. For a 60-watt replacement, one popular choice right now is the Satco 5.8-watt LED, which produces remarkably soft, yellow light. It’s also fully dimmable, and is rated to last 25,000 hours. It costs $40, which we know is more than you’re used to spending on a bulb. But let’s calculate potential savings.

For a lamp that’s on six hours a day, that would give us 12 watts x 6 hours x 365 = 26.3 kWh. At 12 cents per kWh, that’s $3.12 a year to operate. Subtract that from $16, and that’s a savings of more than $12.80 a year. With a lifespan of 25,000 hours, it should theoretically last for about 12 years in this application. Over 12 years, we would otherwise have to buy 24 incandescent, for a cost of $18, or about $1.50 each year. With the annual savings of $12.80 in energy and $1.50 in bulbs, the LED will pay for itself in just under three years.

That’s not bad, when you consider that many upgrades take longer than that (solar panels, a geothermal system, a wind turbine, a hybrid car), and most things we buy never pay for themselves. For years, you’ll enjoy high-quality light and you won’t have to worry about changing bulbs or disposing of harmful materials.