Legend Lighting is excited to announce the addition of Surya to our product offering. Surya is a leading manufacturer of high quality rugs and coordinating accessories. As a lighting showroom, their beautiful selection of lamps and mirrors first caught our attention, since these are product categories that we already have in place. However, after being introduced to their extensive selection of rugs, poufs, pillows, throws, accent furniture, art and decorative accents, we decided that a lighting showroom is a perfect place for all that Surya has to offer! When you learn more about Surya and their beautiful, colorful, affordable rugs and home accessories we think you will agree!
The Surya story is quite fascinating. Surya was founded in a small village in India by Surya Tiwari in 1976. The Federated Group, which is now Macy’s, visited India to acquire new products for their retail stores in the United States. They wanted local handmade products and invited interested local manufacturers to apply. The buyers agreed to take a look at Surya Tiwari’s products and he was able to convince them that his products were right for their market. A success story was born. Today Surya services over 5,000 retail, design and e-commerce accounts with over 20,000 products. They exhibit in Atlanta, Dallas, High Point, Las Vegas, New York, Tupelo and New Delhi.
Surya’s rug collection includes over 5,000 designs in a wide range of styles, sizes, textures and colors, from simple solids and bold geometrics to florals and highly detailed classic designs. Both hand crafted and machine made rugs are available, which offers a price point to meet a variety of styles and budgets. Over 75% of the rugs are available in custom sizes and the quote can be easily obtained. Samples are available for all rugs, allowing the customer to view the color, pattern and texture prior to making a purchase. The top 400 designs are guaranteed to be in stock and will ship within 48 hours. A wide selection of indoor/outdoor rugs are available, in addition to “Made in America” styles and rugs designed for kids. The beautiful images below will give you just a taste of what Surya has to offer!
Surya has partnered with leading designers such as Candace Olson, Beth Lacefield and Lotta Jansdotter, as seen in the images below.
Surya also offers MORE THAN 350 POUFS in a variety of styles, sizes and materials, including both solids and prints, all of which complement trending upholstery and paint colors, as well as the rugs, pillows and other accessories.
MORE THAN 150 LAMPS are offered by Surya in a full spectrum of rich tones and finishes, all of which coordinate with the rugs, pillows and the home accessories. Acrylic, ceramic, glass, metal, shell, wood, iron, bamboo, crystal and steel bases are complemented by shade materials of burlap, poly/cotton, silk, linen and seagrass.
Also available are more than 1,000 coordinating pillows, over 150 throws, more than 100 mirror designs, and over 900 pieces of in-stock art in addition to a collection of decorative accents. Additionally, over 100 benches, ottomans, footstools and chairs are available from Surya.
One last and very special thing to know about Surya is that they are a company that gives back. About 10% of their profits are spent on social causes, including education, nutrition and health care in both India and the United States. Surya rugs are made in rural India by voluntarily employed individuals of legal employment age who earn fair, predictable wages and work in a clean and safe environment. One of their core values is to treat all employees with equality, dignity and respect and particularly to empower women. Watch the fascinating video The Hands and Hearts of Surya to see for yourself. Surya also works hard to incorporate eco-friendly and sustainable materials such as natural and renewable products such as jute, hemp and bamboo silk. They also use upcycled materials such as plastic bottle, sari silk and newspaper in their products. To learn more, click here to watch the video Surya: Making a Difference.
We look forward to sharing all that Surya has to offer with our Legend Lighting customers! Call us at 512-251-0000 or come by our showroom at 15342 N. IH 35 to learn more!
As LED lighting technology continues to advance, we are seeing LED incorporated into more decorative light fixtures. One company leading the way in decorative, contemporary LED lighting is Elan. Elan is a Kichler Lighting company, combining the passion of art with the medium of light. Elan offers high end, energy efficient ceiling fixtures, chandeliers and bath lighting with a clean and modern style. Each piece in the Elan collection is a modern sculpture that defines a room and brings light to a space.
Legend Lighting recently received a display of beautiful lighting fixtures from Elan. If you have a passion for contemporary decor, you will want to learn more about Elan. Not only are their collections unique, as a Kichler Lighting company, they are backed by one of the strongest names in the lighting business.
All of the products shown below are LED and many of them are on display in the Legend Lighting showroom. Call us at 512-251-0000 or come by our showroom at 15342 N. IH 35, Austin, TX to see them in person. Regardless of your style, taste or budget, our lighting specialists would love to help you find the perfect light fixture for your home!
Many of today’s homes are built with tall ceilings, offering a feeling of openness and spaciousness. However, lighting for rooms with high ceilings can be a challenge. Too much lighting at eye level can result in a dark ceiling and make the ceiling seem even higher. If there are too many lights on the ceiling, your room can feel too much like a gym or commercial space. To get the lighting right in a space with tall ceilings, layering your lighting in a multi-level approach will work best.
Here are the types of lighting that you should consider for rooms with tall ceilings-
Chandeliers
Chandeliers offer ambient lighting for the entire room and can use the ceiling as a reflective light source. Some chandeliers have lights that shine both upward and downward, casting light towards the ceiling and down into the room. Globe lights, candlestick lights and crystal prisms, in addition to polished metal finishes offer some reflective light. To get the correct size chandelier for your room, take the total of the length and width of the room in inches and that will determine the diameter. For example, for a 15 x 20 foot room, the minimum diameter for the chandelier would be 35 inches. Often, homeowners choose fixtures that are too small for their rooms. In a room with a high ceiling the depth must also be taken into consideration, so going even a little larger than this formula will give you the best results.
Hanging Ceiling Lights
An alternative to a single fixture would be one or more clusters of pendant lights in the room. This idea works especially well in great rooms and large living areas that include both a conversation area and a dining area. The placement of the lighting often is guided by the rule of thirds: the bottom third for furniture, the middle third for art and accents and the top third for lighting. The recommended height for a hanging light fixture is 70 inches above the floor. In a room with a 10 foot ceiling, for example, a chandelier or pendant would best be hung 6 2/3 feet from the floor, about 3 1/3 feet from the ceiling.
Track/Strip/Rope/Tape Lighting
Track, strip, rope and tape lighting can be used based upon the details of the ceiling. Beams, rafters, angles and corners can be illuminated by track or strip lighting and LED rope or tape light can also be used to diffuse light over the ceiling while being concealed behind soffits or on the top of beams. Light reflected down from the ceiling reduces the height of the room and adds to the ambient light.
Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting is great for general lighting, but remember that all the light is directed downward. Spacing is important to prevent shadows and uneven lighting.
Wall Lighting
Wall scones fill in the gap between the ceiling lighting and portables. They should be positioned at eye level or higher on the middle third of the wall. Vertical, columnar sconces can accentuate ceiling height and round shapes can bring attention to furniture and art. A dimmer switch is a nice addition to sconce lighting, allowing you to vary the amount of ambient light based on the available light, activities and mood.
Lamps and Accent Lighting
Add table and floor lamps in addition to accent fixtures to vary the contours of a room with pools of directed light. Shades from lamps send small beams upward, creating shadows. Use drum shaped, translucent shades to create upward and downward streams of light and add interest with small accent lights.
Click here to read an excellent article about lighting a room with tall ceilings written by Randall Whitehead, acclaimed author, designer, innovator and lecturer and America’s top expert in residential lighting.
Another great resource is Houzz. Click here to see photos of high ceiling lighting ideas from Houzz.
If you have questions about lighting a room with tall ceilings, our lighting specialists would love to help! Please contact our showroom at 512-251-0000 or come by to see us at 15342 N. IH 35, Austin, TX.
Kichler Lehr Ceiling Fan-photo from Kichler Lighting
When homeowners come into our showroom to shop for a ceiling fan, one of the first things they ask is how much air the fan will move. Airflow is the most important factor to consider when buying a new ceiling fan. In Texas, we use our fans year round, so consumers want a fan that will help them cool off , in addition to a fan that will use the least amount of energy.
All fan manufacturers are required to test ceiling fans in exactly the same way. Ceiling fan air flow is measured in Cubic Feet per Minute, (CFM) and this information is printed on every ceiling fan carton and in every catalog.
Here are five factors that influence ceiling fan air flow-
Blade Pitch
Blade pitch is the angle of the blades installed on the fan. Blades with a flatter pitch don’t require a large motor to reach a high speed. With steeper blades, a more powerful motor will be needed to reach a high speed. The pitch of the blades and the motor size work together to move the air.
Blade Size and Shape
For maximum air flow, you will not want blades that are too long or too wide OR too small or too narrow. Quality ceiling fan manufacturers test their ceiling fans to ensure that the motor and the blades complement each other and recommendations on blade and motor sizes are included in the catalogs.
RPM
How fast the blades spin at a specific speed is measured in RPM. With the correct blade pitch, the faster the blades spin, the more air is moved.
Height from the Ceiling
Another factor influencing air flow is how high your ceiling fan is from the ceiling. Ideally, the blades should be 10-12 inches from the ceiling to produce the best airflow. Hugger fans are designed to work efficiently closer to the ceiling. For vaulted ceilings, you will need a longer down rod to get your blades 8-9 feet from the floor.
Motor
The motor is the most important consideration. Ceiling fans with more powerful motors are more expensive but offer the best return on investment and will last longer.
Below are some ceiling fans with particularly good air flow.
The Legend Lighting showroom has over 100 ceiling fans on display. Our lighting specialists are always ready to help you choose the right ceiling fan for your needs. Come see us today at 15342 N. IH 35 or call us at 512-251-0000.
