Essential Layers for Bathroom Lighting

Lighting in any room is essential, but the need for bathroom lighting is sometimes greater than in any other part of the house, because not only do we need good lighting for doing things like taking out contacts, applying make up, and such, but we also want to have lighting that is flattering and lends a nice atmosphere and ambience to the bathroom – especially for those that have special features like garden bath areas, jacuzzis, saunas, exercise areas, or dressing rooms.

One way to accomplish several lighting tasks at once with bathroom lighting is to rely upon dimmer switches that allow you to adjust the light from dim to strong with the turn of a dial or the movement of a switch. This way, you can illuminate the room when necessary, for example when using it as a dressing room or when cleaning it, and can switch the mood to low light, for times when you are taking a quiet soak in the bath, using the jacuzzi tub, or when you want to open it up to guests during a party in your home.

No matter what kind of lighting you have in other rooms, and what kind of fixtures you choose for your bathroom lighting, it is most likely that the lighting in your bathroom will be best accomplished by using more than one kind of lighting. For instance, you may have a strong overhead light, but you may want to augment it with a table lamp or floor lamp, for other times when the overhead lighting is too much. Or you may have one light for generally illumination of the room, and may want to have a special make up lighting mirror at the vanity area.

There are many different kinds of bathroom lighting and it is a convenient and a good idea when planning to purchase fixtures for your bath to first look at Lighting4sale.com online, to give yourself access to the many different styles and design ideas that are now available to you. And keep in mind that the designs and styles are constantly being changed and updated with new ideas and new technology, so it is a good idea to refresh your mental inventory of lighting options, from time to time.

Mini Pendant Lighting

One of the best instant upgrades to the hub of your home, the kitchen, is to replace your antiquated island, breakfast nook or counter lights with sparkling new mini-pendants.


Pendant lights gently hang from the ceiling getting their name from the jewelry accessory of the same name. Mini-pendant lighting has a distinctive appeal and is considered perfect for places like kitchen islands, desks, breakfast nooks and the like.

I advise mounting mini-pendant lighting fixtures at 18" to 24" above the surface area to be lighted. Today’s mini-pendants are hung with coax cable, solid rods (6 and 12 inch) or decorative metal designs with stylish chains. This allows you to achieve the perfect height for your application no matter how high or low your ceiling may be.

The light source of preference is halogen. Many of our customers enjoy the option of using a color corrected MR16 for focused lighting or a simple halogen bi-pin lamp that brilliantly illuminates the shade. Most of our mini-pendants allow the user to swap out these two halogen lamp sources for effective lighting.

Whether your tastes are fine European hand blown glass, dazzling arts and crafts, ultra modern lines or timeless Americana, mini pendants will brighten your kitchen and bring to your home the WOW factor.

Ceiling Fans and Light Kits

Ceiling fans with lights are a good way to add light to your home while saving money on your energy bills. Most individuals are aware that ceiling fans can help them save money in the summer (up to 40 percent off cooling costs), but many are unaware of the savings ceiling fans can offer during the winter (up to 10 percent off heating costs). Perhaps most surprisingly, ceiling fans typically use as little energy as a 100-watt light bulb. Convenience is also a benefit, as today's ceiling fans often have remotes that provide speed and dimming options.

Ceiling fans are appropriate for use in many rooms of your home, including the kitchen, dining room, patio, and bathroom. They come in a wide selection of styles and can be coordinated to complement any type of home decor. Common styles include polished brass, antique brass, iron, nickel, chrome, black, and real wood veneers. There is much variation in color as well, with ceiling fans available in colors ranging from earth tones to vibrant solids. Ceiling fan lights offer a wide range of choices also, from classic and contemporary to futuristic and retro, with marble, crystal, or opal often added to the fixture shade as decorative enhancements.

By far, the most important part of a ceiling fan is its motor. The motor works to both drive the movement of the blades as well as to provide for quiet operation. Lower-quality home center ceiling fans with less-powerful motors may be less expensive, but have the disadvantages of noisier operation, higher operating temperatures, and dramatically lower air circulation. Additionally, they tend to warp, lose balance, and even break down over time. For optimal performance, efficiency, and longevity, a motor with heavy-duty windings and perpetually lubricated sealed bearings is of maximum importance.

Fan blades have a great effect on air circulation. For ideal circulation, it is important that fan blade brackets be fixed to keep the blade at a 12-15 degree angle. For durability, select a fan with a high-quality blade finish to protect against tarnishing, fading, and blistering. Since ceiling fans and light fixtures become a part of your home, adding both beauty and value, it is wise to purchase the best fixtures available. For high-quality lighting in all the latest styles, visit Lighting4sale, an ALA-member lighting showroom.

Highlight Your Home

When you decide to sell your home, there's usually a lot of "sprucing up" to be done. Lighting in every room of the home - and on the exterior can help buyers see the property in the best light, or not. Here's a quick checklist to make sure you're giving lighting its proper due:

1 At minimum, check to make sure all light bulbs work - and are clean. Replace blown out bulbs. Any switch that is turned "on" should generate light.

2 To show your home at its best, turn on floor lamps or accent lamps throughout -rather than flooding rooms with overhead lighting.

3 If you have a favorite chandelier or other light fixture, replace it with one you wouldn't mind giving up - since you will sell your home with fixtures in place.

4 Check your exterior lighting. Again, all lamps should - at least - work. You can sometimes "dress up" an exterior by replacing run-of-the-mill light bulbs with decorative ones.

5 Break out the watts. Maximize the wattage in your light fixtures. Brightness sells.

6 Consider upgrading your light fixtures, inside and out. One night before putting your home on the market, drive past your home and see how well your existing lighting conveys warmth. You're aim should be a warm glow, much like that popularized by the American artist Thomas Kinkade.

Remember: your home's appeal will be elevated if it's well illuminated.