Tagged: lighting tip

October 1, 2014

Inspiration: Using Bold Colors

Today we are sharing some inspiration with you all for incorporating bold colored fixtures into your homes and designs! One important thing to keep in mind when using bold colors is to make sure you’re not going overboard with them. Too many contrasting colors can be overwhelming, as well as too much of the same color. Generally bold colors work best when they are used more as a focal point or accent amongst muted colors such as white, grey, or tan. Take a look at a few designs where bold colored fixtures are used well:

August 20, 2014

Finding Your Perfect Fixture With Switch

Picking out the perfect fixture for you can be a daunting task. Today we are here to break down a few steps you can take to make the whole process a lot easier, and will guarantee you getting exactly what you need!

Step one: Finding your style
The first step to picking out a fixture may seem a bit obvious, but it is definitely one of the most important! To find something you like, you must first know WHAT you like. Do you tend to be drawn to more contemporary designs, or traditional? Simple and architectural, or something that will really stand out? What sort of finishes and colors do you like? While some of us already know the answer to all of these questions, the rest may have some difficulty. If that is your case, it helps to gain some inspiration! Go online and check out a few design sites. Save what you love and take note of what you don’t like. Get a few design magazines and do the same. Sometimes it helps to make something called a ‘mood board’. A mood board is basically a collection of things you like all gathered together! It’s a lot like making a scrapbook page.

Step two: Determine what you need
This is another question that some of you may already know the answer to, but knowing exactly what it is that you need will definitely speed up the fixture selecting process. First thing to consider is what type of fixture do you need? A suspension or ceiling mount? A sconce? Table lamp? Floor lamp? Outdoor? The answer to this can be found by determining what exactly the fixture will be used for and what it needs to accomplish. Do you need general lighting or task lighting? Is the fixture a decorative element or not?

Step three: Determine your budget
This step doesn’t need much explaining. Determine how much you are willing to spend on a fixture. Make sure to consider installation costs as well!

Step four: Come and see us!
Finally, come in to see us! Bring in some of your inspiration to inspire us as well. Once you have a good idea of what you like, need, and can afford, it will be a breeze finding the perfect fixture for you!

August 19, 2014

Inspiration: Pathway Lighting

We’re here today to share some inspiration for outdoor pathway lights with you all! Pathway lights play an important role in providing safe passage along your walk ways and outdoor spaces. They don’t have to be boring!

August 12, 2014

Inspiration: Bathroom Sconces

We’ve been working on a few bathrooms lately, and it has inspired to share a few bathroom sconce ideas with you! Take a look!

July 24, 2014

Tip: Under Cabinet Lighting

Today we are here to talk to you about under cabinet lighting! Although under cabinet lighting is a subtle visual addition to your kitchen, it really does make a huge difference when it comes to productivity. Being able to clearly see what you’re cutting, mashing, mixing, measuring, ect. while you’re cooking at all hours of the day and night certainly has its benefits, and general over head lighting tends to leave shadows on our counters cast by the upper cabinets.

There are a variety of options for under cabinet lighting. We’ll go over the most popular.

Pucks

Pucks are easy to install and can be wired together to all operate on one switch. Typically they come as LEDs, so they will never need to be changed. You can also get battery operated versions that simply stick onto your cabinets. These can be a good option for renters who can’t install hard wired fixtures. The downside to puck lights is that they create a sort of spotlight effect. You can definitely notice where each light is located from a distance.

Linear Strips

These tend to be the most expensive option. They come in many different variations and with various lamping options. We like to recommend LED for their longevity. These provide a much more even spread of light, and often offer dimming options. Most need to be hardwired and require a transformer. In new construction, this can be included in the electrical plan, but for existing kitchens, we often tuck it away into a cabinet.

LED Tape Light

LED tape light is one of the most popular options. It offers a low profile, so it can rarely be seen and is very discrete when applied under cabinets. It comes in any variety of lengths and color temperatures, as well as RGB, and it has a nice, even distribution of light. Tape light is simple to install and can be very versatile. Here at Switch, we use it in any number of scenarios. It’s one disadvantage is that it tends to have a lower light output than the other two options.

We hope this helps many of you when selecting under cabinet lighting for your kitchens! If you happen to have any questions or would like to discuss options with us please contact us!

July 15, 2014

Inspiration: Using Dramatic Scale

Sometimes it’s fun to play around with using scale, especially if you have a large space to work with! Check out some inspiration using some of our favorite large-scale fixtures!

July 2, 2014

Tip: Choosing Color Temperature

Choosing a color temperature for your home is important. It can, however, be a confusing task. We’re here today to give you a few pointers and information that will make the decision an easy one!

2700K (soft white) vs 5000K (daylight)

As you can see from the photo, the color temperature you choose can have a tremendous effect on your space! We rate the color temperature with the term “Kelvins”. Kelvins refers to how warm (yellow/ orangish) or cool (blue/ greenish) a light is. The higher the kelvins, the cooler the light.

For a long time, people pretty much always used a warm color temperature for their homes. Everyone liked how warm and cozy it made their spaces feel. This is perfectly fine for living spaces such as dens, dinning rooms, and living rooms, but for spaces you work and preform tasks in, a cooler temperature is more ideal. Let’s go through ideal temperatures for typical rooms in a home.

2700K– At 2700K, we get a “soft white”, which is slightly yellow. This makes a space feel warm and cozy, making it ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, and dinning rooms.
4001K– At 4001K, we get a “cool white”, which is a pretty true white. This makes it do well for spaces like kitchens, baths, and offices.
5000-6500K– Any color temperature between 5000K and 6500K is considered equivalent to daylight, spefically around noon on a cloudless day. It has a slightly blueish hue. Since this is the “truest” light, it is ideal for any space in which reading or complex activities (cooking, applying makeup, ect.) are preformed. This is because it offers the greatest color contrast.

We hope that this post was helpful to everyone, and that it will now be a simple task to choose a color temperature!

June 26, 2014

Tip: Pendant Hanging Height

When it comes to deciding what height to hang a pendant or suspension fixture, there are a few guidelines you can go by to make sure your new light is at the appropriate height. We’re going to go over a few different scenarios you may come across.

Over the Table

When hanging a fixture over a dining room table, you want the fixture to be low enough to provide enough light, but high enough to be out of your way and line of sight while you are at the table. Generally we suggest hanging it around 30″ from the surface of your table to the bottom of the light.

Over the Counter

For fixtures over a counter, we suggest hanging them a bit higher than over a table. This is because we typically do a wider variety of things at a counter. You could either be standing or sitting. You want to make sure if someone is sitting at the counter, or standing to cook or clean, the fixtures are not obstructing their view. Hang pendants 30″-40″ from the surface of the counter to the bottom of the light. Your ceiling height can factor into where in that range you choose. With a higher ceiling, you should hang the pendants a little higher.

Not Over Anything (Foyer, Living Room, Ect.)

As a general rule, we wouldn’t suggest using a suspended fixture that isn’t over anything at all if your ceilings are not more than 8′, but all fixtures should be at least 60″ AFF (Above the Finished Floor). If your ceilings are higher than 11′, then we suggest adding an additional 3″ for every foot about 11.

June 24, 2014

Inspiration: Using Pendants Instead of Sconces

Time to get inspired! Have you ever considered using pendants in places you would typically expect to see a wall sconce? It’s an interesting way to change things up and create a more unique space. Check out some of these examples!