Components for Custom Residential Lighting

Task Lighting

• Focus task lighting on common work areas where a good view is necessary to perform ordinary household activities. Use task lighting in the kitchen to illuminate food preparation areas and ensure proper cleaning of surfaces and appliances. Track lighting is perfect for the kitchen, since you can adjust individual lights to focus on the busiest areas. Install individual lights above the sink and stove, and mount lights underneath cabinets to provide stylish illumination of common kitchen work areas.

General Lighting

• General lighting throughout the house can be used to enhance ambiance, add artistic elements and create color in addition to providing overall illumination. Install interesting, custom light fixtures like chandeliers or pendant lights with ambient bulbs in mellow colors like peach or rose, and use dimmer switches to control light levels. Place overhead lighting in the center of rooms to provide general illumination, then add table or floor lamps in areas where additional light may be needed, such as reading areas or game tables.

Bed and Bath Lighting

• Bedroom lighting should be mellow and soothing. Install an overhead light with attached fan to provide extra comfort. Place small, artistic table lamps on bedside tables to aid in late-night reading or writing and create interest in bedroom decor. Arrange candles throughout the bedroom for added romantic ambiance.

  Bathroom lighting should be bright to provide a clear view when performing morning and evening preparations. Install a strip of vanity lights above the sink to make cosmetic application and shaving easier and more thorough. Can lights above the bathtub and shower will provide better lighting while bathing. Put the main, overhead light on a dimmer switch to lower lighting for a relaxing bubble bath, and arrange candles on bathroom counters for a home spa feeling.

Landscape Lighting

• Landscape lighting adds interest to outdoor features and allows enjoyment of your garden or patio even at night. Use inexpensive solar lights to save power and keep the landscape natural. Place lights in gardens, around decks, along pathways and near water features. Use spotlights to focus on exceptionally attractive elements such as water falls or sculpture. Install lights near doorways and on outbuildings like sheds and garages. String mini lights throughout foliage on trees and bushes and on porticos, gazebos and archways.