Myia’s Renovations and Realty

Lee Dobbins our expert of the day, writes:

When you first get started on home interior decorating, it is a good idea to have at least some notion of the kind of color scheme you might like. That is not to say that you can’t change your mind while you are working out a plan. It is much better to change at this stage than when you already have the paint on the walls.

Good, well thought out interior decorating can add balance to a room and bring out its best features. Interior decorating should form the background for the way you choose to live in your home. If you’ve got a lot of books then it stands to reason that you will want plenty of good shelving. Plain wood shelves look best for this but if you already have some and they are beginning to look past their prime then play safe and paint them white. Think about the lighting in a room because this can enhance or detract from its overall design.

If you are not sure what color to use then play it safe and go for a neutral cream or magnolia - you can brighten it up with your soft furnishings and well placed lamps and ornaments. Many homes are a hodge-podge of furniture and decorating styles. If you replace furniture try to bear in mind the particular effects or style that you are trying to achieve. A well-chosen and well-placed piece can totally alter the look of a room.

Home interior decorating covers many aspects of the tasks. A lot depends on how much time you have to spare and what your budget is - whether you just want to spruce up a room or give it a whole new look. It is surprising for instance what new bath mats and towels do for a bathroom. Try sprucing up your room with some new cushions and perhaps a mirror or two. Move the furniture around and add feature wall paper on one wall - make sure that it tones in with the existing color scheme and you’ll be surprised how much style this can give to a room.

Perhaps the kitchen is your bete noir? If it is you can do a lot with some new blinds and lampshades. Try some potted plants on the window ledge this can brighten most kitchens. If the paint-work really is past its prime then you need to decide whether you need a whole new paint job or whether you can get away with touching up the doors and base boards. If your bedroom needs a face-lift then try some new bed covers and toning curtains. Add a few cushions to your bed and you immediately have a more luxurious look.

Mark van Tuel our expert of the day, writes:

There are many fans that do not come with lights attached and you may be missing out on good lighting for that room. Adding a light fixture to your ceiling fan is easy to do with a ceiling fan light kit. Lighting kits are the best way to add a little light to a dim room.

Where to find a ceiling fan light kit?

You can look on ceiling Fan Company or light company web sites and browse for good bargains on lighting kits. You can also comparison shop to find some good deals. There are many ways and places to find a good lighting kit. Finding good deals on a lighting kit for your fan can make any room look great and leave more money for other home improvements.

Easy to install!

Lighting kits are not very hard to install. Even if you do not consider yourself to be that handy, most lighting kits come ready and easy to install. All ceiling fan light kits will come with easy to read and follow instructions with electrical instructions to help you install your light without any trouble.

Different Styles

Lighting kits can come in many styles as well and you can find the right one for any room with any decor. If you have Victorian style decor and fan, you can find a Victorian style lighting kit. With many lighting kits you may have to wire the lighting yourself. If you have to wire the light your self you will have to make sure the electricity is off to the room so you do not electrocute yourself.

Decorative purposes?

One thing you need to remember is that most fan lights are designed for limited wattage. Basically, you need to make sure that the lighting kit you bought will be sufficient enough for its purpose. There are some kits that are purely for decorative purposes. These lights will not be very appropriate if you are looking to light up a big room.

Spot light fixtures

Stemmed or spot lighting fixtures seem to be the best when getting a kit for lighting up a room, this is because you can turn and point the lights where you want it giving good light in the spot you need it. Another popular light fixture is the bowl light fixture. This fixture has a bowl shaped cover over the bulb, the bowl it’s ordinarily either frosted or clear.

Energy Efficient Light kit

If you would like to have an energy efficient light on your fan, you can replace a regular bulb with an energy efficient bulb. These bulbs usually have low wattage but produce light that seems as if it was a high watt bulb. You can also find kits with the energy star logo on it. The energy star logo means that the kit is compliant with the energy star standards.

All in all, if your fan does not have a light attached to it, do not panic. You can go get a lighting kit and install it easily on your own. You can also brag to all your friends that you did it on your own when they tell you how good it looks. When you use energy efficient lighting kits and bulbs you are sure to save money on your electric bill.

To Find More Ceiling Fan Light Kits ratings and reviews for your home visit http://www.ceiling-fan-wizard.com

Copyright 2008 Ceiling-fan-wizard.com, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Kimberly Quang our expert of the day, writes:

Americans are constantly searching for new ways to illuminate their environment, and commercial HID lighting fixtures are leading the way in the business sector. This innovative development in the illumination industry is gaining high status among business owners. A commercial HID lighting fixture, better known as high intensity discharge, offers many benefits. Residential Landscape Lighting and Design has a large selection of commercial HID lighting fixtures for your business, and a professional staff, who can assist you in your selection.

Commercial HID lighting fixtures provide some of the most intense illumination to the naked eye. Take for example a 35 watt HID lamp, and compare it to the standard incandescent bulb. The HID fixture can produce up to 6 times the amount of light as its forerunner. Many commercial HID devices are similar to that produced by natural sunlight. Although not natural in its purest form, the white light produced from these fixtures can improve overall peripheral vision, as well as, enhance visibility. In aviation, a commercial HID lighting fixture plays a critical role in bad weather situations. The combination of a more natural light and the snow white coloring of this illumination results in greater lumens output, which allows planes to land safely.

How does a commercial HID lighting device work you ask? In simple terms, funneling a current through a metal vapor can disperse illumination. These devices basically take a standard light bulb and replace the existing filament with a gas capsule. Illumination is then dispelled from an arc with surrounding electrons all of which are encased in a tiny quartz glass piece that is shaped like a tube. In order for these lighting fixtures to operate efficiently, ballasts are required. These ballasts supply the right amount of voltage to the light fixture, while controlling the current at the same time. Most of these lighting devices have a delay time of about 15-20 seconds before its illumination is at full power. If you lose power by some chance or turn the power off, then you have to give the arc tube enough time to cool off before reusing it. A good example of this is the halcyon light bulb. These light bulbs usually require 15-30 seconds before full power is established. Although this may appear to be a deterrent from using commercial HID lighting, this form of illumination has plenty of advantages.

Some of the advantages that this commercial fixture has to offer are greater illumination output, whiter light, and a much higher service life (normally around 3-5 times as long) than standard incandescent bulbs. These bulbs are also extremely energy efficient. Like any light bulb though, you have to be cautious around commercial HID fixtures. Regular safety procedures should be followed, in order to ascertain the highest quality from your lamp. Some special precautions should be taken with these lights, since they produce mercury, which can be an environmental hazard, if used improperly. Be sure to keep the quartz glass clean, in order to allow for proper illumination to be dispersed. Moreover, these lighting devices produce UV rays so prolonged exposure to this light source should be avoided. Do not stare at your lamp for any length of time since ultra-violet radiation can be harmful to the eyes. Furthermore, never handle the bulb, if it is operating, and always allow the bulb to cool off before removing it. In addition, commercial owners should be sure to check to see, if the bulb is maintaining its luminous properties. Signs of a failing bulb include reduced illumination output, random starting times, and dark spots at the tip of the arc tube. Following these simple procedures will not only keep you safe, but also ensure the life of your wonderful commercial HID lighting fixture.

Marie Langley our expert of the day, writes:

When we talk about home decor a whole host of ideas will start to come into your mind. What colors to use, what furniture to use, whether or not to use accessories, thinking about whether to use wallpaper or paint!

These are just a few ideas that you might be thinking of at the moment, but what about all the others as well? There are so many options available to you when you start to rethink your home decor that it can be arduous task trying to make everything fit together.

Think about it, you may already have lots of things in your home that you want to keep, so you have to make sure that whatever else you add to your home decor that it all fits nicely together. What if you are on a tight budget? Decorating can be expensive and it can get out of hand quickly if you don’t budget properly for it.

This is where a good thought out plan could come in handy. There is no point just going to the hardware store or the DIY store and buying lots of different things: paints, accessories, lighting, tapestries, rugs and then getting home and none it fits anywhere!

Home decor can be easy if it is planned and done right from the word go. Go from room to room and make two lists. One list should detail everything you want to keep in your new home decor ideas and the other list can be of everything that can go and has no place in your home anymore. You could either take the unwanted belongings to the charity shop or sell them or if they not fit for either you could dispose of them safely.

When you have a list of everything you want to keep and you have disposed of everything else, you can start to plan your home decor ideas in a clear manner. You could even take photographs of everything you like and look to see if your new ideas match your old ones.

Your colors in your home decor plan don’t have to match exactly, but shades of similar colors or other colors that match each other are vital. Your home decor must look as though it flows from one to the other, so the colors have to have a flowing feel to them. Your accessories within your home decor can help to do this as well making it easier to get the general feel of the home’s personality.

Your home is a reflection of yourself, that’s why home decor is so important. Get it wrong and you feel uncomfortable, edgy and not relaxed. You should feel relaxed and comfortable in your own home, that’s why if you get your home decor right, you will enjoy spending time in your home and you will be able to feel more at peace with yourself.

Find more tips at http://www.Decor4u.com. Remember to plan your Tapestries and Final Touches in Home Decor carefully and you will be reaping the rewards for many years to come.

Camille Howe our expert of the day, writes:

Many companies act as a one-source online vendor for commercial lighting fixtures of every type and size. Companies can design their own commercial lighting systems through the companies online order process. Specialists are always on hand to answer questions about which lights work best in different building and outdoor areas. Their fixtures for commercial lighting can ship from the world’s top manufacturers and deliver both longer bulb life and reduced energy than older, outdated equipment and generic retail lights provide.

Most companies carry a widely diversified selection of emergency lighting fixtures for commercial and industrial use. Emergency lights can mean the difference between life and death in an industrial accident or major power failure. Most companies carry halogen; battery powered, and LED emergency commercial light fixtures that will ensure clear visibility of traffic areas, exits, and outdoor facilities regardless of weather conditions or municipal power fluctuations. They could also have single wall mount, single headed, and double headed emergency lights for different sized facilities and lighting level needs.

Most selections of indoor commercial lighting fixtures feature all major lighting types and offers industrial clients the ability to systematically light their indoor facilities room by room. They can have halogen commercial light fixtures and bulbs that add decorative touches to management offices and create lower lighting levels for guest areas. We have task lights for break rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Some companies carry both incandescent and fluorescent lights that are ideal sources of steady, cost effective illumination in storage and utility areas. For state of the art technology and maximum efficiency, consider indoor LED lights that offer cool burning temperatures at only 20 percent of the power required by other types of lighting. Average LED lights last for 30,000 bulb hours and require no maintenance and very rare replacements.

Outdoor facilities, parking lots, and docks all require bright light and maximum power conservation. Some companies carry the full spectrum of parking lot lights and commercial fixtures for exterior building and perimeter security lighting. Night crews and security personnel will see more clearly at night with our glare free parking lot lights that sit on any number of pole heights to evenly distribute illumination in a way that eliminates pockets of shadow but avoids reflecting glare from equipment and windows. Facilities can beef up parking lot security even further by adding floodlights along the perimeter. Commercial flood light fixtures can operate either on motion sensors or automated timers, allowing owners to keep some of the lights on from sundown to sunup and keep others in reserve for additional lighting as an intruder alert system.

Companies can also improve the security of buildings themselves with wall packs. Wall packs are exterior commercial lighting fixtures that attach directly to the structure of an office, factory, or warehouse itself. These lights maintain an even distribution of light around the building and any walkways or access points around doors or windows and offer a very strong deterrent to break-ins and vandalism. Lighting specialists can help companies select the specific models, luminosities, and sizes that work best with building architecture and provide optimal lighting for security cameras and on-site security personnel.

For construction companies and maintenance crews on the move we have a variety of Worklights that produce equivalent output to fixed commercial lighting fixtures. Worklights prove ideal for underground operations, street work at night, and portable safety for delivery drivers who may have to perform emergency maintenance on overnight long hauls.

Jesse Akre our expert of the day, writes:

If you are looking for furniture that is looking out for you, you should stick to the category of bedroom furniture.

The key to modern bedroom furniture is function over form. While this may not mean much to you as a saying, when it comes to certain bedroom conditions, the simplicity of modern bedroom furniture offers an ability to get around without too much trouble.

While you know where things are in your bedroom when the lights are on, how well can you negotiate the space when the lights are out? This same space can seem like a totally different location without illumination. When the lights are out all that furniture can become the evil enemy.

Consider this scenario. You have to go to work very early, before the sun comes up, and your spouse is sleeping. While you don’t want to wake them up, you need to get around the room and get yourself ready for work.

While you could do a little pre-planning, and have your clothing set out before you leave, you still have to get around the room to get to the bathroom and make your final arrangements to get out the door.

The furniture you have put into your room and where you have put it will make a major difference in how easy or painful this process can be.

First, let’s set this scenario in a room with fancy Victorian furniture. The tables, chairs and other pieces in the room have sweeping cabriolet legs, fancy edges, and are larger than life. From the time you get out of the bed, your mind makes sense of where things should fit in the room but the first thing you notice is that the leg on your nightstand curves outwards, because you have slammed your shin into it. Next, you move towards the dresser. Simultaneously your stomach hits that fancy, outstretched corner of the dresser top, and your toe stumps into that protruding claw foot. While you may not have turned on the lights, you will still likely wake up your spouse when you cry out in pain.

Now, let’s offer this same scenario once again, but this time with modern bedroom furniture. When you get out of the bed, your shin will stay intact, as the legs on a modern night table would never stick out. They will be exactly where they belong, under the table, holding it up. Next, move on to the dresser. Your hand will find the top of the dresser before the rest of your body finds the protruding pieces, because there are no protruding pieces.

Modern bedroom furniture pieces were created to be just the right size to do their job, and not to have any excess material that you don’t need. When you are negotiating a room in the dark, this means there really is more floor space to make your way around, and less of an opportunity to cause any damage to your body in collisions with any pieces of the furniture.

Subhash our expert of the day, writes:

Interior design is a widely misunderstood profession. People get the romantic notion this business is all about picking out colors, working with lush beautiful fabrics, and being creative all the live long day. That isn’t so. It is about making the sale, organizing the details and making sure everything is perfect. It’s about negotiating with installer’s, paying furniture manufacturer’s, keeping accurate billing records, ensuring you have met codes for your local municipalities, getting more of that fabric you ran out of, making sure the wall paper hanger is in the room when he needs to be, and making all of it seem effortless and stress free.

•The first thing to consider when choosing an interior decorator is style. Ideally, you should find somebody whose style matches yours. Ask to review the portfolio of any candidate you’re seriously considering and look for someone who has rooms you admires. While an interior decorator should be able to diversify, most have a signature style that defines their approach to decorating.

•Another thing to look for is an interior decorator that listens to you when you describe what you envision for the room. While a good professional will bring her own ideas to the table, she should be willing to work to make your vision a reality.

Before hiring an interior decorator, make sure you know what you want for your room. Find photos of rooms in decorating books or magazines. Decide which colors, materials, and patterns you prefer, and which you would hate to see in the room. This will help the decorator get a better idea of your style. If there is anything in the room you want to keep, let the designer know, so he can plan to incorporate it into the room plan.

It is also important to choose an interior decorator who is willing to work around your lifestyle. For example, if you have pets or children, your decorator shouldn’t recommend white silk for the sofa cushions. The best interior decorators aim to fit the style of the room to your personality, not their own. A good interior decorator will not promise miracle results or speedy results. Professionals know it takes time to create a design, order the appropriate materials, and organize all details.

One thing that many people forget to consider when hiring an interior decorator is budget. Besides the fees charged by the professional, you also need to budget for materials and work. The fees charged by an interior decorator vary greatly, from 2250 Rs. to over 17992 Rs. an hour. Some interior decorators charge a flat fee per room. No matter what your budget or style, it is possible to find an interior decorator to help transform any room into a showcase of style and convenience.

John Billington our expert of the day, writes:

Homeowners and design savvy builders have come to appreciate the artistic value bestowed by the abundance of lighting fixture styles that can be incorporated to create uniform design schemes throughout homes and businesses. Recessed lighting has been around since the 1950s, but has recently been gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional light fixtures due its versatility. Recessed lighting is a significant component of the lighting design in many residential and commercial buildings, offering a visually pleasing while functional source of light that can be used in a variety of applications.

What is recessed lighting? Recessed light fixtures illuminate from just above the ceiling surface, rather than protruding down in full view. This flexible style of home lighting gives designers the opportunity to incorporate specific levels of lighting to achieve the desired ambiance while directing focus to the intended highlights of a room. Recessed lighting can be implemented as the sole light source for rooms and hallways, or can produce a broad spectrum ambience throughout an area that serves as a “backdrop” to other, more targeted sources of light.

Many decorative lighting arrangements, such as wall sconces and chandeliers, are artistically striking but often do not produce practical, functional lighting to meet the needs of a household or business. Recessed lighting can be used in combination with such lighting fixtures to provide a sheath of light throughout the room while highlighting intricate details of a decorative chandelier or sconce. Recessed lighting can also be used to illuminate an eye-catching design element of a room, such as wall art, an accent wall, a china cabinet or other piece of furniture.

Using the appropriate bulbs in a recessed lighting fixture is as important as the fixture itself. The size and voltage of a bulb will affect the amount and intensity of light that it produces. Recessed fixtures in a fairly small bathroom would not need to be the same diameter as fixtures designed to illuminate a larger room. On the other hand, a bathroom would likely necessitate a brighter (higher voltage) bulb to produce the desired level of visibility than a hallway whose primary purpose is to provide ambient, dim lighting to impart a softer effect.

Whether recessed lighting will be used in a bedroom for reading or in a kitchen to supply optimal illumination for cooking, the intended purpose of a room is a significant consideration in determining the type of lighting that should be implemented.