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Archive for June 2nd, 2009

What Every Homeowner Should Know About Minimum Lighting Requirements

A 1620 Plymouth Pilgrim transported in time to the future in 2009 would be pleasantly surprised to find – not the all-purpose Betty lamps lighting up homes, but lights that not only seem to issue from nowhere, and which become brighter or darker as if by magic, but lights of many kinds illuminating rooms in a variety of tones and intensities. Indeed, there’s so much available in the market today that the Pilgrims of five centuries ago might be, in a sense, lucky. Having only the Betty lamp, they have a much easier task lighting their homes than any modern man.

In spite of that, it remains doubtful whether anyone would exchange places with the Pilgrims and their Betty lamps. In the area of home lighting, as in probably all other areas of endeavor, modern man never had it so good. Here are a few more things you, the modern home decorator, needs to know about lighting:

Entrance
Wall-mounted bracket lights should be enough to illuminate the area outside the door to enable those inside to see the person outside. Back entrances should be similarly lighted.

Entry Halls
A 15-watt floodlamp recessed into the ceiling should be enough to light up a 75-square foot space.

Hallways
The average hall can be lighted using 40- to 80-watt incandescents recessed into the ceiling every 10 feet.

Living Rooms
The average-sized living room must have at least four table or floor lamps of between 100- and 150-watts for table lamps, and between 150- and 500-watts for the floor lamps. To give enough background light and to eliminate shadows when using task lighting, each wall must have around 200 watts. Lamps tasked with lighting up an entire corner should deliver at least 200 watts.

Dining Rooms
Incredibly, chandeliers are best placed in dining rooms. The chandelier and the dining table are a veritable visual feast and are the piece de resistance in some homes. Of course, the chief piece of furniture, the table, has to be lighted. Do this by having low-wattage recessed downlights on either side of the chandelier or pendant. Round everything off to perfection using candles on the table, placed high enough so that the diners don’t have to look through the flame. Often, the dining table doubles as a study table or a work surface, so illumination from either the center fixture or other lamps must be increased. Pendants must be 30 to 36 inches from the table top, and must have at least 150-watts.

Bedrooms
A relatively low-watt, glare-free ceiling fixture is recommended for the bedroom which is used not only for sleeping, but also for reading, writing, and sewing. Small bedrooms should make do with 40-watts, while bigger ones need 100-watts. Mirrors and dressing tables might have bracket lights. A wall candle holder on each side of your mirror or dressing table would also be perfect. It’d also be good to have retractable 100-watt reading lights on a three-way switch. This reading lamp should be installed 12 inches from the bed , level with the reader’s shoulder. Use a 100-watt recessed in closets.

Kitchen
Have a central light of at least 150-watts for general illumination. To avoid the potentially dangerous shadows a single central light brings, the stove, sink, and counter tops have to be illuminated separately with at least 40-watts each.

Laundry, Workshop, Garage
In the laundry or home workshop, either fluorescent or incandescent light may be used over the work area or workbench; same with the garage.

Bathrooms
The mirror is an important lighting center in the bathroom, and is illuminated using either bracket lights or encircling light of 60-watt incandescent. Often this should be enough in a small bathroom, although recessed ceiling lights of 100-watts should be had as well. If yours is a big bathroom, consider a pair of wall candle holders bracketing your bathroom mirror.

Study Rooms or Dens
These receive the same lighting provisions as the living room if as big.

Find dozens more articles like this at Wall D5cor and Home Accents, where you can also find also wall art sculptures and carved wood wall art.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/what-every-homeowner-should-know-about-minimum-lighting-requirements-949619.html

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Buying Tips for your Next Bed

Shopping for a bed can certainly be a challenge. Any bed outlet will spoil you for choice with an array of mattresses, types of bed and price ranges. By thinking in advance, talking it through with a partner if appropriate will ensure you have a better idea of your requirements making it easier to find the bed that will suit your circumstances.

There are many bed types to choose from, you could have a metal, wooden or divan style bed. When you are thinking about what might be best for you start with your current bed. What do you like about your existing bed is it nice and firm or is it too soft? Do you like the style or does it possible take up to much room. If you share with a partner is your bed big enough for the two of you, if not consider a larger bed and type of mattress, a traditional style spring mattress can disturb another partner where as there is less movement with a foam mattress.

Like me you may have though the single, double and king sized beds were all the same size however they aren’t standardised even though they use the size of name to describe the product. This is especially important if you are buying the bed and mattress from separate suppliers. The height of a bed is important as well, do measure the <a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.bedswarehouse.co.uk/beds-next-day/”>beds</a> you go to see, a bed that is too high may look out of place with your existing furniture and you may feel strange lying in bed higher than other furniture.

If you have narrowed your choices down to a couple of equally good products think about the after sales service. When can they delivery and if they assemble, as well as the guarantees or warrantees that are provided.

Understandably price factors into your buying decisions however it is best to look at the value rather than price. The cheapest may save you some money initially however is less likely to last as long and offer the comfort and support you want. We spend around 3,000 hours in bed each year so it is worth saving to spend a little more for a great night sleep and be refreshed for the day ahead.

Olivia has 2 years experience writing articles about beds. She also enjoys writing articles on various other subjects.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/buying-tips-for-your-next-bed-949713.html

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