Lighting is important, especially when it comes to interior design. If you have poor lighting then you have a poorly designed room, everything else is secondary. The difference between good lighting and bad lighting is substantial. Comfort, happiness and productivity are all characteristics that improve with good lighting. Stores even see an increase in sales if they invest in better lighting. Lighting can also be expensive, almost half of all the electricity consumed in the United States goes towards lighting. Thankfully, there are many lighting options out there that can help you save some money and have the added benefit of being better for the environment.

The most energy efficient choice someone can make is to not use any energy to begin with.  Consider using the greatest light source in the world (The Sun) to help light your home. Things like windows and skylights are great ways to utilize natural light for your indoor spaces.

Switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent bulbs (CFLs) is another great way to consume less energy. CFLs use about a quarter of the energy and last ten times longer than incandescent bulbs do. CFLs also produce less heat, which makes them safer to handle.

LEDs or light emitting diodes are the future of lighting. When compared to a CFL an LED uses 85% less energy and lasts over 100,000 hours. The issue with LEDs at the moment is the cost.  But that is always the issue with new technologies, once upon a time a VCR cost $500. As the LED industry expands, the price will drop accordingly.

It may not be as practical as some of the other choices, but fiber optic wallpaper is an ingenious way to add a hint of energy efficient accent lighting to your home. Fiber optic wallpaper is the invention of Swedish interior designer Camilla Diedrich.

Regardless of the type of light fixtures you may have, the most eco-friendly thing you can do is turn off a light that you are not using.  No need to be wasteful, its a simple step that everyone can do and it doesn’t hurt that doing so will result in the saving of money and the environment. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

They may not have fiber optic wall paper, but Arcadian Lighting does have plenty of energy efficient light fixtures to choose from. Go see for yourself.

Lighting and new light fixtures are one of the quickest and easiest ways to update a home, almost instantly. In fact, if you haven’t recently updated your light fixtures or updated your lighting scheme, you might want to consider it. Sure, purchasing a few new fixtures can be a bit on the costly side, but it doesn’t have to be. Furthermore, if you opt for trendier looks, such as more sculptural pieces, you’ll not only have better lighting, but you’ll enjoy them for years to come.

All About Sculptural Light Fixtures

So, what exactly defines a light fixture as being ‘sculptural?’ Well, the answer can vary from person to person as everyone has different views on design and appearance. With that in mind, consider this: a sculptural light fixture is unlike the other light fixtures you may have seen before. For example, if you’re looking at chandeliers and you come across one that is unique, not quite like the rest in its overall shape or style, then you may consider it a more sculptural piece.

Of course, it also goes without saying that there are thousands upon thousands of different styles for each and every individual type of light fixture. This includes different styles for wall sconces, chandeliers, table lamps, floor lamps, pendant lights, various types of ceiling fixtures, outdoor lighting fixtures and so forth.

Sculptural light fixtures tend to be more visually appealing than the same light fixture in a more standard shape or style.  For example, a wall sconce may feature a woven texture rather than the standard blown glass style that many people are so familiar with today. This same concept applies not just to pendant lights, but to all different types of light fixtures, so keep this in mind as well.

Some of the more commonly referred to sculptural light fixtures may feature fluid lines and elegant styling that is unique but unusual. For example, a pendant light that features a flexible shade (or perhaps a glass shade) molded in multiple directions or into a unique shape can quite easily be considered a sculptural lamp.

Shape or style is not just the only way to define a sculptural light fixture. Other examples could include a laser cut chandelier made from plexiglass with crystal or faux crystal accents. While it is true that these mimic the traditional chandelier shape more closely, it is also true that their laser cut styling makes them more sculptural in appearance. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that certain traditional shapes or styles can be recreated in a more sculptural style.

Sculptural light fixtures are not unlikely to go away any time soon. These stylish light fixtures are ideal because they compliment a variety of looks and styles, which makes them perfect for the modern homes of today. So, if you’re considering updating your interior space, you may find that a sculptural light fixture is exactly what you need to update your space. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Like what you see? Don’t forget to check out our home accessories and decor section for more inspiration and ideas!

Designing a lighting scheme for any room in the home can be a difficult task. This is especially true when designing a lighting scheme for a kitchen space. Picking out the right light fixtures is one thing, but placing them is just as important. In fact, the right light fixtures and placement can make all the difference in any kitchen, no matter what the situation. Here are a few basic tips and tricks on where to focus light in the kitchen.

Determine Your Zones

The best way to ensure you have proper lighting? Take note of where you spend your time when you’re working in the kitchen. If possible, take a week or two and take notes of which areas you use most often. Then, use that information to determine what types of light fixtures you need for the space.

For example, if you spend a good deal of your time at the counters, you may want to incorporate under cabinet lights into your kitchen. These fixtures can help add significant light to the area, allowing you to have better lighting when working on your tasks, such as prep work.

Remember, prepping for a meal isn’t the only work that you do in the kitchen. Be sure to take note of other zones including storage for your food and dishes, cleaning your dishes and so forth; as these need adequate lighting as well.

Pick out Fixtures

Knowing what you need will make it that much easier to find the right light fixtures for your kitchen. Remember, you should never purchase the light fixtures first. Always work to determine what areas need lighting first, that way you know what types of light fixtures you need to buy.

There are a number of fixtures that work great in a kitchen space. For example, hanging pendant lights are perfect for kitchen islands or peninsulas. Under cabinet lights can add both ambient lighting to the kitchen and task lighting for doing prep work at the counters.

Layer Your Clothes, Layer Your Lighting

Finally, remember that a lighting scheme should include layering. In a kitchen especially, as one single light fixture will not provide adequate light for even the tiniest of kitchens. You’ll want to layer your lighting: task lighting, ambient lighting, decorative lighting and accent lighting.

Task lighting is an absolute must. This type of lighting helps you to focus on different kitchen-related tasks: cutting vegetables, cleaning dishes and so forth. Meanwhile, ambient lighting or general lighting, such as an overhead ceiling light, is important for exactly that: having a general source of light for the space when you’re not doing anything in particular.

Decorative lighting could include under cabinet lights, which can double as task lighting when you need it. Meanwhile, accent lighting is added as a way to accentuate the space, such as lights inside cabinetry with glass doors.

Having the right light is extremely important in every room of the home, especially in the kitchen. A few minor adjustments, such as determining zones before purchasing light fixtures and layering lighting, can make all the difference when trying to determine where to focus light in the kitchen. Images 1| 2| 3| 4| 5

Find a huge selection of kitchen lights for all purposes at Arcadian Lighting!

A poorly lit kitchen can look dark, damp and dirty. To create a warm, inviting kitchen you typically need to incorporate a number of different light fixtures: pendant lights, overhead ceiling lights and so forth. One emerging trend in kitchen lighting is the use of LED light fixtures, especially those that are used to light the interior of a cabinet or to light the countertops below the cabinets. Many people are also unaware that unlike fluorescent lighting, which is typically cooler, LED lights can produce both cool and warm tones in light; making LED lighting perfect for the kitchen.

For many families, the kitchen is one of the most well-used rooms in the entire home so the lights might be on quite a bit. As such, it’s important to find ways to reduce your electricity consumption but still maintain a workable amount of useable light in the room. LED lights use less electricity and produce more light, making them ideal for the kitchen.

LED under cabinet lighting is typically readily available in most major home improvement retailers. Plus, these types of lights tend to be inexpensive to install, inexpensive to run and best of all: inexpensive to purchase. It is also one of the easiest ways to begin incorporating LED lighting into your kitchen lighting scheme.

Today’s LED lights aren’t just limited to light fixtures, either. You can also find lighted sinks that use LED technology as well as lighted faucets that utilize LED technology. LED faucets allow you to light the water as it flows. The LED lights even come in several different colors including red, green and blue. These can be beneficial if you have kids, as many of them are programed to turn blue when the water is cold and turn red when the water is hot.

You may have a hard time finding larger scale LED light fixtures for the simple reason that LED lights can be expensive to manufacture. Though they use electricity to produce the same amount of light, you typically need several small LED bulbs clustered together to create enough useable light for oh say, a pendant light. Since each bulb is costly, this raises the overall cost of your pendant lights.

So for now, it’s best to stick with smaller upgrades, such as LED lit water faucets and sinks, LED interior cabinet lighting or LED under cabinet lights. As manufacturing and technology grows, the cost of LED light fixtures for the kitchen will slowly decrease and become more affordable for the average family. Images ( 1 / 2 / 3 )

For more on LED lighting check out Arcadian Lighting, where you can be enlightened on great lighting fixtures and more!