Friday's Favorite: Decor Light Bulbs

Bulbrite Bulbs   

New to the scene are these GOLD TOP LIGHT BULBS! The chrome top bulbs have been around for a long time, I am a fan of the chrome top. Believe it or not, I hate looking directly into the filament of any light bulb. The chrome top and now the gold top is a great bulb to use when there is not a shade to help shield your eyes from a bare bulb. These other bulbs, commonly known as vintage, Edison, exposed filament, nostalgic, or just plain decorative bulbs are hot items right now. they are going like hotcakes around here, and now there are a few more shapes to choose from.

One Solaris So Many Ways

Crystorama Solaris Chandelier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Images from Houzz

 

Crystorama's Solaris chandelier has been a big hit this year, I have sold this over and over again. As you can see illustrated here it works in so many spaces. I think this is one of the most transitional pieces we offer, it can be dressed up or down, it can be used in classic, traditional and contemporary spaces a like. I like how something as simple as changing the light bulbs from the traditional flame tip to a round bulb can make the chandelier feel so modern. If you are on the hunt for the perfect chandelier, this may be just what you need.  

Lamps I am Loving

Holtkotter Floor Lamp

Artcraft Mercer Street By: Steve & Chris Floor Lamp

Artcraft Sloan Floor Lamp

George Kovacs Table Lamp

Hudson Valley Deyo Table Lamp

Murray Feiss Urban Renewal Floor Lamp

Uttermost Tomi Table Lamp

Uttermost Fabbrico Table Lamp

Uttermost Mondori Table Lamp

Placed in no particular order, I present my top picks in portable lamps. I choose these mostly for the incredible design but also for function and the material used in making the lamps. I am still loving brass accents, lamps are a great way to try out new finishes to make sure you are willing to fully commit. Even if you don't share my love for brass, many do not, there are other finishes to choose from and many gorgeous lamps here to see! Hope you enjoy!

What is CRI?

I had a customer ask me yesterday what CRI is and why it is important.

CRI is Color Rendering or the Color Rendering Index. Just today I received an email about CRI from one of my vendors, with the subject fresh on my mind from a conversation yesterday I found this information very useful. 

 

The following information was sent in an email from Nicor written by, Trevor Shaw. with added illustrations from Google Images.

 

The human eye was created to perceive colors in direct sunlight, thus all color perception under artificial light must be judged against this standard.

Various lighting technologies have differing abilities to show or render color accurately. This ability is measured by a scale called the Color Rendering Index (CRI). Created by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), the Test-Color Method, and mainly the Color Rendering Index, has been accepted by the industry as the standard method for measuring color rendition.

A test light is used to illuminate a panel of 8 "standard" colors. For each sample, the light source is evaluated for its ability to render (Ra) the colors compared to a reference source (usually an incandescent source) and rated on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 would be comparable to sunlight. A score of less than 100 indicates some colors may appear unnatural.

Photo from Google Images

 

The CRI of various light sources available on the market is as follows:

 

CRI	Type	Rating
22	Low Pressure Sodium	Poor
50-60	Standard Warm/Cool White Fluorescent
60-70	Premium High Pressure Sodium Conventional Metal Halide	Fair
70-80	Thin Coat Tri-Phosphor Fluorescent
80-90	Standard CRI LED White High Pressure Sodium, Warm Metal Halide   Thick Coat Tri-Phosphor Fluorescent	Good
90-100	High CRI LED,   High CRI Fluorescent   Incandescent / Tungsten-Halogen/Sunlight	Excellent

 

 

Which Source to Choose?

 

High CRI sources are the clear choice for proper color rendering and a more pleasing space, and are becoming a requirement in some areas , so how does one go about choosing the proper lighting technology?

For a standard working space that requires 90+CRI, LED and Fluorescent are the main technologies used. Halogen lighting also has excellent CRI but is inefficient and operates at very high temperatures. While these technologies will list >90 CRI on data sheets, the lighting they provide is not identical. Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) shows the energy of the light source at differing wavelengths of energy. In other words, it shows which colors will show best under the light source.

The SPD curves of the technologies (See Figures 2 and 3) show that the LED source provides a more even spread across the full color range versus the peaks of the Fluorescent, therefore providing more accurate color rendering across a full range of color. High CRI LED = more color, more accurately.

 

Photographs often do not demonstrate color rendering well due to differences in printing or video display. However, given the opportunity to compare colorful objects under fluorescent and High CRI LED first hand, the difference is striking. LED is the clear winner.

With its many other advantages (efficiency, robustness, lifetime) added to a CRI advantage, LEDs are the clear choice for creating an ideally lit space with excellent color rendering.

 

 

 

Friday's Favorite: The Paris Fan

Paris Fan from Period Arts

Does a fan get better than this? I am in love, and of course it's called the PARIS fan. It's almost as good as a trip to the city of Love.  

Fall is Here

The leaves are starting to fall, the air is getting crisp, it gets dark earlier this means fall is finally here. It's time to start thinking about all the things we need to do inside and out to prepare for the cold months that lay ahead. What does that mean for you with lighting?

Photo from Google Images

 

1. This is a great time to make sure everything is working, you know all the table and floor lamps you haven't needed because you have been outside enjoying summer these past months. Check that you have good light bulbs, preferably some great energy efficient ones, and if you need something repaired bring it into our shop so we can fix it.

Artemis Fan

 

2. Turn your ceiling fans in reverse- heat rises and the fan in reverse mode will help keep that warm air circulating into the room! 

Hinkley Outdoor Light

CFL Bulb

 

 

3. Did you know that the normal compact florescent (CFL) bulb does not work in cold temperatures? If the temps reach below 20 degrees the CFL will not turn on. If you are using CFL's in your outdoor lights, especially post lights that are away from the house, change them to the CFL's rated for freezing temperatures. We sale one that will work in -20 degree temps! These are not very common, so make sure you read the box and you are getting the one rated for negative temperatures.      

 

 



National Ceiling Fan Day

Slipstream from Minka

Braddock from Emerson

Airlift by Monte Carlo

Industry from Period Arts
 

Aurora Hugger by Modern Fan Co.

Stella Fan from Modern Fan Co.

 

Did you know that tomorrow, September 18th is National Ceiling Fan Day?? I just learned about this myself. One of the leading fan manufactures is calling for a movement on this day from all of America to turn off their AC and use ceiling fans instead. The U.S. Department of Energy is trying to propose a new energy efficiency standard for calling fans like they have done with light bulbs. This new energy standard may help us use less energy and spend less money on our utility bills. This is only a proposition at this point nothing has gone into effect just yet. But between now and then, there are so many great reasons to use ceiling fans. I have 6 reasons right here; look how pretty a fan can be! The first fan from Minka, the Slipstream is an Energy Star fan, this eight-blade industrial fan is suited for indoors and out, it is very efficient and lovely to look at!

I know some of us live in climates where the temperatures are so high that turning of the AC is not an option, but those of us who live in climate that only reach the 100's occasionally, maybe giving the AC a rest for a day is a great idea. Ceiling fans have a lot of potential to save you money when used in place of central air or even better when used with AC to more efficiently move the air throughout your home or office. The summer is not over yet, we still have many hot days until winter hits, it's definitely not too late to add a beautiful fan to your living space. Don't forget a lot of fans have a reverse option for winter that helps move the warm air back down into your room!

 

Friday's Favorite: Harper Pendant

Harper Pendant from Crystorama

 

I am drooling over the Harper Pendant from Crystorama- It is so elegant and beautiful! This is hand blown glass pendant that is now available in 3 colors, the ice blue, cognac and now a clear.

Friday's Favorite: Saving Energy with Lutron's Dimmers

Diva in RED

 Lutron makes dimmers in almost every shade imaginable, I would bet you have seen their advertisements somewhere, they are in almost every home décor magazine around. But did you know that their dimmers can help you save energy? One thing I love about their website is the Energy Saving Calculator this is a great tool to help anyone understand how dimming can help you save money.

Maestro Occupancy Sensor

A newer product that will also help you with your energy bill is a sensors, sensor's are great for rooms where lights are often accidentally left on, such as a child’s room, or rooms where you often enter with your hands full, such as a laundry room. This is a great way to help you save energy without a lot of effort or thought on your part; everyday the sensor does the work for you. We use senor's in the restrooms here at the store. I love having sensors in some parts of the showroom where it is not necessary to keep the light on all day, every little bit helps.

Plug-in Credenza Dimmer

Last I want to share our best selling dimmer- This is the most convenient little device. you can plug any lamp into this and have a dimmable fixture. We sale tons of these little guys! I have one attached to the lamp on my night stand, I really like having the dimmer right next to my bed.

 

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New in Store: ELK

Here are just a few of the new ELK Lighting pieces we have on display in the store. Come and check them out these picture do not do the pieces justice they are simply stunning!!