Kitchen lighting
Kitchen lighting is a form of home lighting specifically for the functional purpose of a kitchen. In the kitchen several requirements need to be met and these must be aided by precise lighting. Thus kitchen lighting is mostly task lighting and ambient lighting and less of decorative lighting. Good kitchen lighting, from an aesthetic and functional standpoint, incorporates both ambient and task lighting.
From the perspective of a professional lighting designer, the kitchen is one of the more interesting and versatile projects one can tackle. Filled with numerous nooks and crannies, cabinets and appliances, shelves and other specialized areas such as islands, kitchens can present more lighting challenges than any other room in your home.
Start with the task areas. These are best lit with bright, shadowless light. Fluorescent tubes are particularly well suited for this. You want to get the fixture close to the task area so as to get maximum light concentrated on the area you wish to work. In kitchens this would be counters, sinks, and tables. Spot lights and directional lights also provide task lighting in kitchens. For pantries or other closets, small Under Cabinet Lights provide good illumination. They can be mounted inside the closet above the door header to provide glare free lighting on the closet contents.
Ambient light is the general, overall light that fills in shadows, reduces contrast, and lights vertical surfaces to give the space a brighter feel. Fluorescent tubes are well suited to the job of providing ambient light. They provide broad, even illumination and their efficiency makes it possible to fill the space with light without turning it into an oven. Incandescent down lights are more dramatic and give a brilliant white light but require several fixtures to avoid shadows in a kitchen.
Direct lighting is achieved by using conventional recessed lights, surface lights or light fixtures that are on a pendant or chain. These types of lights work well to provide bright lighting for work surfaces and general purpose lighting in the kitchen area. Rope lighting and small recessed lights are budget friendly.
Add a layer of accent lighting. You may be lighting artwork, architectural details, collectibles, or a food presentation area.
Kitchen occupancy sensors can be used in place of expensive complicated 3-way switches in kitchens with multiple entrances. If the sensors can "see" all the entrances from their mounting location, they will turn on the lights automatically whenever anyone enters the room from any direction.
The importance of kitchen lighting is often overlooked. The traditional kitchen has been replaced by a modern one where people interact in quietude over the counter. Thus kitchen lighting is evolving with the needs of modern households.
Cabinet lighting: make your cabinet attractive as never before:
When it comes to interior, cabinet décor is a matter of high attention as beautiful cabinets make the place more attractive specially kitchen. Normal type of lighting has a problem of shadows and reflections and it hampers the quality of light. There are under cabinet and cabinet lightings having different types of uses and specialties. Cabinet lighting has a variety of old and new-fashioned lights with a great variety. Polished with brass and silver the lights look more attractive and they make the cabinets look brighter. These days there are a lot of lights having a great finishing touch with a variety of colors. There is a great lighting including ambience lights and halogen lights that are used for enhancing the quality of cabinet brightness.
Types of cabinet lighting:
The types of lights depend upon brightness, consumption of voltage, color and temperature. There are some adjustable lights that can be moved in a full circular motion. Some people have a problem of heat from the lighting so for them lights with an effect of florescence can be of a great use. Like the halogens radiate heat and create a problem for the people who cannot sustain heat these are a convenient option. There are some lights that have a brightness adjustment effect and they are very useful in each time of the day. Another good point is efficiency of energy and flickering free technology that can cut down maintenance cost. The life of lamps is more due to usage of xenon and hence they are worth of their price.
Usage of cabinet lighting:
Most of the cabinet lighting is used fro display of things or to provide a sufficient amount of light for normal working. Most of them are used in the office for desktops, at hospitals, studying rooms or library, bathroom closets, bedroom shelves, nooks and corners along hallways and stairways, living rooms, family rooms and anywhere else where a little brightness is required. For the kitchen installation one thing should be kept in mind that it should be in front or near the cabinet. It will be beneficial for providing the exact amount of required light with an added elegance of brightness to the kitchen cabinet. Hence by the usage of these tips you can enhance your cabinets.
Jamie is author of other Lighting Tips located at Home Improvement Tips and Lighting Information Please stop by and sign up for our free home improvement tip news letter.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Ho_Snodgrass
Lighting For Your Kitchen And Cabinets
What to Look for When Buying a Closet Organizer
Whether it’s a New Year’s Resolution or spring cleaning, no cleaning spree would be complete without cleaning the closets. This time, don’t just rearrange the junk-find a permanent solution. Closet organizers provide a way to organize your possessions. When every item has a "home," it is much easier to keep the closet clean.
You have a few choices when it is time to buy closet organizers. First, determine your budget and go from there.
Under $100: If you are working on a small budget, it would probably be best to buy closet organizers at the local home improvement store or department store. These closet organizer kits contain all shelving, components, and hardware needed for your closet. You will need to measure your closet to determine the right sized kit. Some assembly is generally required, but it is usually simple. In addition to the basic closet, you can buy any accessories you need: shoe racks or cubbies, shelves, drawers, tie racks, etc.
Low $100s - $1000s: If you are working on a mid-level budget, you might want to consider closet organizer systems. These modular units are pre-assembled and simply need to be installed. Some can be placed on the closet floor; some need to be wall-mounted. You also have many choices of accessories with this option.
Unlimited: If price is no object for you, custom closet organizers are also available. These can be ordered online, using a "design wizard," or a local company can send a consultant to your home. While this option is the most expensive, it also offers the greatest level of creativity.
There are many brands available. One of the best known, Rubbermaid, offers a unique "custom-closet-in-a-box" system. This is a combination closet organizer kit/custom closet organizer. This Configurations kit contains shelving, hand rails, brackets, hanging rods, and all necessary hardware. There is no cutting involved as all rods and shelves are adjustable. The hanging rods range from 2 ft. to 8 ft., depending on how they are assembled. Accessories and extensions are also available to further customize the closet. Customers report that this product is easy to install. It can even be easily reconfigured if you change your mind. Customers were also impressed that there is no cutting involved. Configurations by Rubbermaid are available at some Wal-Mart and Home Depot stores and at the Rubbermaid website.
Another popular brand for closet organizers is Stanley. Though these closet organizers are a bit hard to locate, they are very popular with consumers. Many customers have said the Stanley organizers are better quality than what is available at local home improvement stores.
Within each type and brand of closet organizers, you will have choices in color, material, and style. You can design your closet to match your home, your taste, and your lifestyle. With a little bit of time and money, your closets can be permanently organized.
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_498702_27.html
Rubbermaid Closet Organizer – Is it Your Best Choice?
Rubbermaid closet organizer – is it your best choice to get your home organized?
While Rubbermaid is a company well-known for its food storage products, you will be equally impressed by their closet organizers too!
One of their most flexible and impressive closet organizer range is the Configurations range. As the name suggests, it allows you to mix and match different parts of the organizers so that you can easily store your shoes, clothing and other what-have-you’s!
It fits closets from 4 to 8 feet, and installation is easy as breeze! There is no cutting, no trimming, and you don’t even have to measure anything. By the way, you don’t need a hacksaw or a sledge-hammer, for heaven’s sake. These inconveniences are overcome by the systems’ rails, shelves and rods which are designed for a dummy proof installation. Should you need any tools, they are the ones which you very likely have in your shed.
The Rubbermaid closet organizer also has many accessories to go with it. This allows for easy expansion so that as you buy more things, you have more places to store them. Add-ons include things like a shoe storage rack, telescoping rods, extra closet shelving, wire baskets, and tie and belt organizers. You don’t have to buy all of them, but just the ones you need as and when you need them. Talk about flexibility and convenience!
You can easily find the Rubbermaid closet organizer in Home Depot and other home improvement stores.
If you are worried about maintenance or cleaning, don’t worry. You can easily use a damp cloth to wipe off any dust or dirt. If you don’t dirty the closet organizer, you probably don’t even have to clean it!
Is the Rubbermaid closet organizer your best choice for getting your home organized? If you were like me, the answer is “Yes!”
Get your home organized almost on auto-pilot! Discover the wonders of a Rubbermaid Closet Organizer. Having shoes organization problems? Try the Closet Shoes Organizer! For more information on getting your home organized, be sure to visit The Closet Organizer Pro.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddy_Lam
Budget Bedroom Decorating With A Closet Door Mirror
If you are tired of the look of your bedroom I've got great news! You really can change the look without spending a fortune. And your budget decorating should include a closet door mirror.
It's time to get creative and get started redecorating that room! Start with a few accessories.
1. Pillows
Some pillows in a beautiful color and a variety of textures. How about chenille? Or maybe silk? You can create a sophisticated look, romantic look, or even a monochromatic look. For a romantic look add lots of different size pillows and layer them.
2. Paint
There's nothing as refreshing as a coat of paint and it's so cheap. Create a dramatic impact or a soft romantic atmosphere. You can change the entire look of a room with paint.
3. The Bed
What type of bed do you have? Canopy? Poster? Queen? Exciting? Romantic? Boring. Anyone can have a canopy style bed with just a little creativity. Simply drape soft sheer fabrics and attach from the ceiling. You might also consider replacing your bedding. Perhaps it's time for a color change? A new pattern, color, or style can completely change the mood.
4. Candles
Candles are decorative, sophisticated, sexy, and they create focal points. They look great along a dresser, on the headrest or placed throughout the room. Mix up the size, colors, and styles to create atmosphere.
5. Wall Hangings
Prints or inexpensive art work can add the finishing touches. And don't forget about decorative mirrors which can play an important role in creating the atmosphere.
6. Wall Shelves
Are a great way to add extra space to display your collections and remove clutter from dressers. Choose shelves that compliment the room. Neutral colors are usually best.
7. Flooring
Throw rugs are a great way to change the look of your flooring. Whether you have carpeting, tile, or hardwood you can use area rugs to help complete your d�cor.
8. Closet Door Mirror
This is a great way to make your room look a lot bigger and of course it's very useful too! Of course you are limited to location depending on where you closet is but you certainly aren't limited on style.
There are many different styles and designs. You can choose from oak trim or some other wood type, vinyl board, and even metal. Place a door mirror on one or two closet doors. Besides the sliding doors, there are also bi fold and bi pass styles available. There are shelf sizes but if your closets a little off not to worry as you can order custom sizes.
Mirrors not only look good they are very functional. They are perfect for tying that tie or making sure you look great from the back. They are definitely useful for putting on your makeup or making sure your hair is just right. But they also expand your space. They may the room look much larger and they can also make a dark room appear lighter and brighter.
The cost will depend on the size and on the options you choose. Shop around online to get the best prices! So when you decide to redo your bedroom don't forget to budget for a closet door mirror.
About The Author:
Janett has worked as a home interior decorator for more than 10 years, so she knows the importance of a well placed mirror in your bedroom or your bathroom. Janett will give you a list of answers to questions on http://www.mirrorguide.com , in order for you to find the best contemporary mirrors that is best suited for your room.
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_79872_27.html
Ready! Set! Goals!
Copyright 2006 So-lu'shunz Management Services
If you have a great list of Goals to support your exciting Vision, but you're just not sure what to do next, join us for a lesson in goal architecture. Follow the system and your goals will be on-target every time!
PURPOSE is what you're created for;
MISSION is what you're meant to do about it;
VISIONS are the evidence.
GOALS are the means of achievement.
You're probably well on your way to tapping into the artist in you and you're creating amazing dream canvases and recording them. You're making sure to nurture your vision and keep your passion alive. And you're excited and anxious to get on with it.
In a garden, where you might have a pond or a rose arbor in a corner you would probably have a carefully laid stepping stone path to guide you there. Goals are the carefully laid stepping stones on which you will walk right into the reality of your Vision. They are the difference between attaining a brilliant vision and disappointment.
Our culture is extremely goal-oriented, particularly at the beginning of each New Year (i.e. resolutions). Most of these goals go unrealized, unachieved, for the simple reason that frequently they just don't lead anywhere.
Though many are worthwhile, these goals amount to the same thing as planning a lovely flagstone path, lined with flowers � - guiding you nowhere. Goals must be part of an overall plan, one piece in a process that begins with understanding your Purpose, discerning your Mission and taking the time to create vibrant Visions. Without these, your goals, regardless of how carefully you lay them out, have no purpose, no direction.
If you've been following along with us in the process of bringing your dreams into reality, you've arrived at the crossroad separating the dreamer from the true visionary (see Become A Visionary � Tapping Into the Artist in You, an earlier article in this series). You have reached the point of designing On-Target Goals and you may even have begun, finding it labor-intensive, to say the least!
Be encouraged. As with all processes, if you stay with the plan, remaining focused and taking it one step at a time, it's completely manageable. How do you eat an elephant? Goals are accomplished the same way � one bite at a time.
If you're a true visionary, and you've taken sufficient time to paint a truly vibrant and brilliant Vision inside you, and you continue to nurture the Vision (See Nurturing the Vision from the last issue of The Commonsense Communique), you will have stoked the fires of your passion and the confidence it generates. The pressing need to see the dream realized will keep you focused. During the process of designing and implementing your goals, do not hesitate to take time to step back into your Vision now and again and walk around in it for awhile.
If you haven't yet identified the 7 steps, the tools to insure that each dream manifests in a better reality, now is the time. Goal design is the work of an architect and it's time to sit down at the drawing board. It is bringing those Visions which above and beyond the norm into the realm of reality, utilizing the tools of the real world, and changing the real world in the process.
Begin by listing the goals you believe will draw the vision closer to reality. Depending on its scope, each Vision will probably have no less than 6 goals, in order to see it realized. Think in small, manageable increments.
You're far more likely to realize your plan with many bite-sized goals than you will with fewer all-inclusive goals. For example, if your goal is a completely reorganized closet, which plan are you more likely to accomplish � without stalling?
Plan A
1. Remove and sort current closet contents, arranging for disposal & pickup
2. Research and purchase closet organizer system
3. Choose paint color, purchase and paint closet
4. Replace closet contents
Plan B
1. Determine the purpose of your reorganized closet
2. Make several drawings of your desired end result and choose one
3. Develop a budget
4. Remove closet contents
5. Sort contents into 3 groups, TOSS, SAVE & GIVEAWAY
6. Package and arrange for pickup of giveaway items
7. Make a list of organizer resources using Yellow Pages and Internet
8. Request catalogs and begin to visit stores to price desired units
9. Etc.
As you work through the design process, be open to reprioritizing at every step. How might you rearrange Plan B to better suit your own way of operating? Stay with the process and employ an accountability partner to help keep you motivated, especially if the scope of your Vision is somewhat daunting with numerous goals that require entering new territory.
Bon voyage � the journey has begun!
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Karin Syren, CTACC, is a Life and Leadership Coach specializing in the EffectivenessCoachingTM process. She helps leaders at all levels to increase their personal and professional effectiveness by guiding them through the process of learning to live more powerful and significant lives. If you want to discover what makes you unique and how to form your future around it, join Karin for Discovering Your Purpose Program. Register at http://www.solushunz.com
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_23801_24.html
Planning For Your Garage Storage Cabinet
If you have decided that a garage storage cabinet is the answer to clearing your work area and of unnecessary clutter, there are a few steps you should take before either building of buying one.
Deciding What Goes In A Garage Storage cabinet
First, before you can decide on the size of you garage storage cabinet, you need to settle on what tools or machinery will go into which shelf or drawer of the cabinet. You know better than anyone which tools you use most often and will want to keep within easy reach of your work area.
Your smaller hand and power tools will probably be most convenient if you put them in the part of the garage storage cabinet closest to your work area; the power tools should be kept on an enclosed shelf to keep them away from dust.
The small removable bits, drills, and blades which you use with you power tools can be placed in a drawer close to the shelves holding the tools with which they work; and you can also have separate drawers for hardware like nails, nuts and bolts, washers, and screws.
Specialty hardware like drawer pulls, or hinges can be stored in another area, especially if you do not do custom woodwork very often. You can buy dividers to keep each kind of hardware separated.
A garage storage cabinet with a section to hold wooden dowels of with taller sections to hold brooms, rakes, and other long-handled garden tools will also come in handy. If you use larger power tools like a mitre saw, one of your garage storage cabinet's deeper compartments should the set aside for them.
Types Of Garage Storage Cabinet
You can choose a free standing or mountable garage storage cabinet; having one of each will double your storage space without doubling the amount of garage floor space occupied with storage; and it by having a garage storage cabinet with sliding doors, you'll again clear more of your floor space. But sliding doors will only allow you to access half of your garage storage cabinet's contents at once, so decide whether easy access or floor space is your priority.
You can find garage storage cabinet in wood, metal, or even plastic. Clear plastic garage storage cabinets are great for letting you identify their contents without even having to open them, and many people use them for keeping things which they use regularly.
You need not limit the use of you garage storage cabinets to tools and outdoor equipment; they make great additional storage for clothing, home supplies you buy in bulk like paper products or laundry supplies. Anything which could be kept in an interior cabinet or closet can be put in a garage storage cabinet.
You can also find more info on Garage Storage and Garage Workbench. Garageplanshelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Garage solution.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Faulkner
Small Closet Organizers - Organizing Closet Space in a Small Place
Do you have a small closet that you just can’t seem to fit everything in? Here are some tips for living with a small closet.
Choose small closet organizers wisely. If you have a small closet, you have to be very careful about the type of closet organization system that you select for your closet if you even select one at all. Some closet organization systems can be bulky and end up taking up more space rather than giving you more space.
Find alternate storage places. With a small closet, you just can’t put everything in it that you want. So it’s best to keep the important things there and find somewhere else for the other things. Consider using a chest of drawers, dresser, or armoire for storing other clothes and accessories that your closet will not hold.
Get rid of clutter. Do not waste your precious small closet space on clutter. Get rid of any clothing or accessories that you no longer want or need, those that are worn or broken, and the ones that you no longer wear. If there are things you have that you want to keep for sentimental reasons, you should find another place in your home to store them.
Make the most of the space you have. You can’t do anything about the size of your closet, so use the space you have wisely. Be sure to maximize the space with the correct small closet organizers for your possessions. You can find a lot more information on small closet organizers and how to choose the ones that will work for you at this website: http://www.need-info.com/closets/small_closet_organizers.html.
Click on the link to learn more about small closet organizers. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They can be made to fit in just about any closet space and can be purchased online. Click on the link to get all the facts and info about closet organization at http://www.need-info.com/closets
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Taylor
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