If you have a patio or deck then you need outdoor lighting to illuminate it and the area around it at night.
Even if you do not use your patio or deck at night you should have sensor lights close by for security and safety reasons. And now you can do all this cheaply with solar powered lights.
Firstly lights that come on when someone approaches are great for deterring the casual thief and secondly if you need to go on to your deck or patio at night a lamp will come on automatically to light your way and ensure you do not slip or bump into anything.
There are lots of different clever and innovative ways to illuminate different aspects of your patio or deck. Lights can be installed in almost any location on, in and around your patio or deck to give you the desired lighting effect.
When you install patio solar lights you are able to create just the right atmosphere to get the sort of style and ambience that you prefer. And of course by mixing different lighting effects you can use different combinations for different occasions making the use of solar patio lights and solar deck lights extremely versatile.
The main thing that helps you with obtaining this versatility is the fact that there are just so many types of solar lighting for patios and decks all with a different and unique applications. And best of all they are all really easy to install so that you can do it yourself cheaply and in your own time.
Lanterns
The tradition lantern is a standard for most patio deck areas and now you can get all the same traditional and more recent designs powered by solar energy. If the location for the lantern is not in sunlight all day then don't worry but just get a solar outdoor light which has a separate mini solar panel for charging the battery and locate the panel in a sun lit area.
Motion Sensor Lights
These are essential for home safety and security and once again these are all available in the traditional and modern designs you would associate with sensor lights. Only now you can get them as a solar powered option and of course these require no outlet or other electric wiring and so are easy to install and can be located wherever you like.
Step Lights
These are extremely useful for lighting your way in tricky areas to or from your patio. They actually illuminate the steps so you see exactly where you are going. This makes it easier for you and your family to get around at night and lessens the chance of that occasional slip which can sometimes be so painful.
Post Lights and Lamps
The traditional post lamp which sits on top of a post on your patio or deck is now available as a solar light and there are new close fitting solar powered post lights which also fit on top of the post which create an upward light without you even knowing that they are there. These are very effective in giving a special and unusual lighting effect.
Torches
Specially shaped solar powered lights that look like the normal flame torches (without the flame of course) are also now available in almost any style you can think of and these are great for producing a striking ambient lighting effect.
Use Your Imagination
There are still more solar lights which have been designed specifically for use on decks and patios. Just about any type of outdoor solar lighting can be use to give a different effect. Try using rope lights along or under railings or around pickets or posts.
You can also get solar lights for hanging under large sun umbrellas or for centre of table lighting. And do not forget Christmas and other festive occasions or parties when you can use special solar lights designed just for those occasions.
Only your imagination will limit what you can do for your deck or patio with outdoor solar lights. The good news is that whatever you do with solar lights it is going to be cheap and you will have lots of fun.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/ideas-for-patio-and-deck-lighting-with-outdoor-solar-lights-472931.html
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Restaurant Lighting
by.Russell Neal
Restaurant lighting by a skilled and multi-disciplinary design firm will enhance the specific interior design, ambiance, furnishings, and decorations that distinguish a fine restaurant as a unique, exclusive establishment. Because of the many points of differentiation that make an upscale restaurant truly one of a kind, each restaurant lighting system features a high level of customization and specialized lighting effects specific to the individual client. By gaining a clear picture of the many lighting layers and lighting effects, a lighting system can be custom engineered and installed that will synthesize each of these various elements into an individualized restaurant lighting theme that reflects and enhances key elements of design, ambiance, atmosphere, and patronage.
In order to achieve the appropriate lighting levels and effects necessary for custom restaurant lighting, it is necessary for lighting professionals to cross train periodically in parallel industries. When developing a restaurant lighting theme, consultants often draw from partnerships with architectural and an interior design firm whose imparted expertise enables them to catch the subtleties of building style and ornate decorum with just the right mood, level, and colors of light. Things such as ceiling height, coves, placement and position of tables, entrances and hallways, color and texture of flooring and carpet, and fine are decorations all can function as anchors around which the lighting design system is developed.
Additionally, windows are very important considerations for the restaurant lighting designer to take into account. Windows allow natural light to filter into the room, and this can potentially conflict with interior lighting arrays. A superior design firm will design a system that incorporates available natural light into the illumination of the interior.. For country club, hotel, and resort restaurants, many firms such as ILD in Houston, Texas will develop complimentary exterior, landscape, and architectural lighting themes that completely illuminate and bathe the entire property in light and set apart the building as a more refined, relaxed, and better reality than the surrounding world.
Establishing ambience with low-level accent lighting just inside the front entrance is also a very high priority. This creates a refined, romantic mood that distinguishes the world within the restaurant as a place of enjoyment, comfort, and retreat. Depending on the material build and interior architecture of the entrance, any number of ambient and diffused lighting themes may be created that are characterized by subtle shifts in luminosity and color that calm emotions. This often involves combining accent lighting with indirect lighting that descends gently in a "wash" of light from suspended luminaries or cove lights in the restaurant vestibule ceiling.
Such themes can then be extended into the interior, moving around corners and around the walls with decorative lighting fixtures and special effects lighting used by colored lamp housings and proprietary lighting projectors.
Overhead recessed lights installed on dimmer switches allow for controlled levels of task lighting and seating areas. This creates visibility without overpowering the eyes. Chandeliers are excellent fixtures to use in this aspect of restaurant lighting design because they create just the right level of lighting in most dining areas and provide ornate, visual pieces suspended above the room.
A good restaurant lighting design reflects the best elements of dining, decorum, and escape. Make certain that all of these elements are appropriately addressed before signing off on a final proposal from a lighting design firm. Custom designers such as Illuminations Lighting will often offer restaurant owners to co-develop the general aspects of what they want to create for their particular establishment and develop a lighting system that expresses client expectation.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/restaurant-lighting-305771.html
Restaurant lighting by a skilled and multi-disciplinary design firm will enhance the specific interior design, ambiance, furnishings, and decorations that distinguish a fine restaurant as a unique, exclusive establishment. Because of the many points of differentiation that make an upscale restaurant truly one of a kind, each restaurant lighting system features a high level of customization and specialized lighting effects specific to the individual client. By gaining a clear picture of the many lighting layers and lighting effects, a lighting system can be custom engineered and installed that will synthesize each of these various elements into an individualized restaurant lighting theme that reflects and enhances key elements of design, ambiance, atmosphere, and patronage.
In order to achieve the appropriate lighting levels and effects necessary for custom restaurant lighting, it is necessary for lighting professionals to cross train periodically in parallel industries. When developing a restaurant lighting theme, consultants often draw from partnerships with architectural and an interior design firm whose imparted expertise enables them to catch the subtleties of building style and ornate decorum with just the right mood, level, and colors of light. Things such as ceiling height, coves, placement and position of tables, entrances and hallways, color and texture of flooring and carpet, and fine are decorations all can function as anchors around which the lighting design system is developed.
Additionally, windows are very important considerations for the restaurant lighting designer to take into account. Windows allow natural light to filter into the room, and this can potentially conflict with interior lighting arrays. A superior design firm will design a system that incorporates available natural light into the illumination of the interior.. For country club, hotel, and resort restaurants, many firms such as ILD in Houston, Texas will develop complimentary exterior, landscape, and architectural lighting themes that completely illuminate and bathe the entire property in light and set apart the building as a more refined, relaxed, and better reality than the surrounding world.
Establishing ambience with low-level accent lighting just inside the front entrance is also a very high priority. This creates a refined, romantic mood that distinguishes the world within the restaurant as a place of enjoyment, comfort, and retreat. Depending on the material build and interior architecture of the entrance, any number of ambient and diffused lighting themes may be created that are characterized by subtle shifts in luminosity and color that calm emotions. This often involves combining accent lighting with indirect lighting that descends gently in a "wash" of light from suspended luminaries or cove lights in the restaurant vestibule ceiling.
Such themes can then be extended into the interior, moving around corners and around the walls with decorative lighting fixtures and special effects lighting used by colored lamp housings and proprietary lighting projectors.
Overhead recessed lights installed on dimmer switches allow for controlled levels of task lighting and seating areas. This creates visibility without overpowering the eyes. Chandeliers are excellent fixtures to use in this aspect of restaurant lighting design because they create just the right level of lighting in most dining areas and provide ornate, visual pieces suspended above the room.
A good restaurant lighting design reflects the best elements of dining, decorum, and escape. Make certain that all of these elements are appropriately addressed before signing off on a final proposal from a lighting design firm. Custom designers such as Illuminations Lighting will often offer restaurant owners to co-develop the general aspects of what they want to create for their particular establishment and develop a lighting system that expresses client expectation.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/restaurant-lighting-305771.html
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Solar Patio Lights – Secure and Accentuate Your Homes
If you have nice patio in your home property, you can make it better, much warmer and more conducive to evening activities such as parties and intimate get together by installing and maintaining solar patio lights. The great features of your patio can be further enhanced and beatified with the use of such solar outdoor lights.
Such dependable decorative lighting gadgets are these solar patio lights. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. What is more enticing to use these outdoor solar lighting is that there is no expense that you need to pay when it comes to running them. This is because being solar gadgets they get the energy and power needed for them to light up from the rays of the sun. This means no utility or electric bills that one needs to worry about, even if the solar patio lights continue to work and provide useful illumination.
These outdoor solar lights are very versatile because as soon as you install them, it starts to run. There is not need for special installation implements and no electrical cords to worry about. Of course you have to make sure that they are fully exposed to the rays of the sun in order to gather the maximum amount of solar energy. Indeed, you do not have to deal with long cords when assembling these lighting gadgets. Installation can be accomplished within minutes.
Solar patio lights actually are capable of providing soft or strong lights, thereby creating beauty according to the home owner’s preference. Such patio lights are special if only because the bulb that is used is known more popularly as the Light Emitting Diode or LED. These bulbs can give of really soft hue. And also, they can provide brighter illumination.
Indeed, many home owners are now using solar patio lights or any other gadgets for that matter. The sheer ease and convenience of maintaining such sun-powered gadgets makes them very attractive for home owners to purchase. These outdoor solar lights are great in lending added beauty to the patios that your, your friends and perhaps relatives can take advantage of.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/solar-patio-lights-secure-and-accentuate-your-homes-621949.html
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Solar Lights - 10 Things to Consider When Selecting Solar Lighting
by Jerome Sturgeleski
Solar lights have been around for a long time and have greatly improved though the last few years. They come in various sizes, colors, materials and lighting types. Picking the right ones requires a little advanced planning. They can easily be installed anywhere and require no wiring. They only require direct sunlight and they will give you many hours of lighting pleasure.
Some ways to use Solar lightsare:
1. Solar pathway lights. You may want to light up a pathway to your outdoor hot tub, flower garden, and gazebo or even use they as driveway markers.
2. Solar landscape lights. You may want to enhance facets of your landscape. You can do this with sets of landscape lights that can be place anywhere to accentuate whatever you want to bring out.
3. Solar spotlights. You may want to light up a special tree, shrub or flower garden or just light up your house numbers. Many types of solar lights are available to do just that.
4. Solar stepping-stones. You can add a solar stepping-stone as a part of your pathway. These solar stepping-stones come in 12-14 inch square or round shapes have a small light that lights up at night. What a marvelous way to accentuate your pathways.
5. Solar rock lights . Solar rocks are lights in the shape of rocks and are usually spotlights. Their natural looking and add a subtle and practical touch to your yard. They can be intermingled within your rock garden to light up your ponds or pathways or whatever you’d like to light up.
6. Solar security lights. These come in a variety of styles ranging from all night-lights to motion detector lights. These are especially ideal for areas where running wires to them would be impractical. There are models that do can be hard-wired but only use electricity when not enough power has been stored in the rechargeable battery.
7. Solar frog lights. There are solar lights in the shapes of frogs and can be either a spot light or ones that glow in the dark. Image what your guest will say when they see something like this!
8. Solar dog lights. Just like solar frog lights, there are lights that come with dog figures holding a solar lantern. These types of lights can be put almost anywhere. What a great conversation piece these would be. A true addition for the dog aficionado
9. Solar Gnome lights. Gnome figures have become increasingly popular. These come in spotlights and with the gnome holding a lantern. Line your garden path with these whimsical solar gnomes lights.
10. Specialty solar lights. There are many of types of solar lighting solar lights in the form of owls, squirrels, angels, fairies, turtles and many other shapes.
As you can see, there are solar lights for practically any application. All you need is a sunny area to place them in. They do run on rechargeable batteries and they need to recharge during the light of day. Solar lights are relatively in expensive to they afford you the opportunity to experiment.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/solar-lights-10-things-to-consider-when-selecting-solar-lighting-348540.html
Solar lights have been around for a long time and have greatly improved though the last few years. They come in various sizes, colors, materials and lighting types. Picking the right ones requires a little advanced planning. They can easily be installed anywhere and require no wiring. They only require direct sunlight and they will give you many hours of lighting pleasure.
Some ways to use Solar lightsare:
1. Solar pathway lights. You may want to light up a pathway to your outdoor hot tub, flower garden, and gazebo or even use they as driveway markers.
2. Solar landscape lights. You may want to enhance facets of your landscape. You can do this with sets of landscape lights that can be place anywhere to accentuate whatever you want to bring out.
3. Solar spotlights. You may want to light up a special tree, shrub or flower garden or just light up your house numbers. Many types of solar lights are available to do just that.
4. Solar stepping-stones. You can add a solar stepping-stone as a part of your pathway. These solar stepping-stones come in 12-14 inch square or round shapes have a small light that lights up at night. What a marvelous way to accentuate your pathways.
5. Solar rock lights . Solar rocks are lights in the shape of rocks and are usually spotlights. Their natural looking and add a subtle and practical touch to your yard. They can be intermingled within your rock garden to light up your ponds or pathways or whatever you’d like to light up.
6. Solar security lights. These come in a variety of styles ranging from all night-lights to motion detector lights. These are especially ideal for areas where running wires to them would be impractical. There are models that do can be hard-wired but only use electricity when not enough power has been stored in the rechargeable battery.
7. Solar frog lights. There are solar lights in the shapes of frogs and can be either a spot light or ones that glow in the dark. Image what your guest will say when they see something like this!
8. Solar dog lights. Just like solar frog lights, there are lights that come with dog figures holding a solar lantern. These types of lights can be put almost anywhere. What a great conversation piece these would be. A true addition for the dog aficionado
9. Solar Gnome lights. Gnome figures have become increasingly popular. These come in spotlights and with the gnome holding a lantern. Line your garden path with these whimsical solar gnomes lights.
10. Specialty solar lights. There are many of types of solar lighting solar lights in the form of owls, squirrels, angels, fairies, turtles and many other shapes.
As you can see, there are solar lights for practically any application. All you need is a sunny area to place them in. They do run on rechargeable batteries and they need to recharge during the light of day. Solar lights are relatively in expensive to they afford you the opportunity to experiment.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/solar-lights-10-things-to-consider-when-selecting-solar-lighting-348540.html
Friday, February 20, 2009
Light Up Your Garden or Patio With Solar Lights
Solar patio lights can turn your patio into a summer living room Iif you spend a lot of evening time outside. They can light up a lot of your patio with a warm glow that will make you want to stay out well into the evening. They will all you to sit quietly or socialize with friends and family over midnight snacks. They will allow you to enjoy your landscaping that you worked so hard to attain.
Solar patio lights come in a variety of different shapes and styles; from pole lights to novelty figures. They come in plain functional designs to very elegant designs. Globes or shades made of plastic, copper or stainless steel are available in a selection of colors and a wide price range. Solar patio lights come in tabletop designs to freestanding lights in traditional, elegant European street lamp styles. Some will have a base that will also serve as a planter box.
You can obtain very subtle lighting by adding solar patio lights installed into the ground around the perimeter of your patio, garden or deck. They are available in a variety of different colors. They can be adjusted to enhance your flowers in your garden or to just light up areas that you want to accent.
The only thing you have to be concerned with solar patio lights is that you need to place them in a well sun lite area. The lights are powered by re-chargeable batteries charged during the day with small solar panels installed on each light. Fully charged, you can expect 6-8 hrs of lighting.
These types of light will make a great enhancement to any area.
Solar patio lights come in a variety of different shapes and styles; from pole lights to novelty figures. They come in plain functional designs to very elegant designs. Globes or shades made of plastic, copper or stainless steel are available in a selection of colors and a wide price range. Solar patio lights come in tabletop designs to freestanding lights in traditional, elegant European street lamp styles. Some will have a base that will also serve as a planter box.
You can obtain very subtle lighting by adding solar patio lights installed into the ground around the perimeter of your patio, garden or deck. They are available in a variety of different colors. They can be adjusted to enhance your flowers in your garden or to just light up areas that you want to accent.
The only thing you have to be concerned with solar patio lights is that you need to place them in a well sun lite area. The lights are powered by re-chargeable batteries charged during the day with small solar panels installed on each light. Fully charged, you can expect 6-8 hrs of lighting.
These types of light will make a great enhancement to any area.
Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/light-up-your-garden-or-patio-with-solar-lights-364412.html
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