The year has flown by and the holidays are almost upon us! It’s time to get your home ready for holiday entertaining. As you consider your holiday decor, be sure to think about your lighting! The right lighting creates a warm and hospitable welcome for your guests.
Photo courtesy of Kichler Lighting
Outdoor lighting becomes even more important with the shorter days in the fall and winter. Make sure your guests have the proper lighting as they approach your home at your main entrance. The facade of your home should have general illumination to highlight your home’s exterior and light up any dark areas that guests may need to pass through. Landscape lighting in and around trees, shrubs and walkways creates a welcoming effect. If possible, add path lighting to guide your guests to your front door.
The light in your foyer is also an important one for setting a warm and inviting mood. As your guests enter from a dark exterior, it is best not to have the foyer light too bright and intense, but to use a dimmer to control the light intensity. This will reduce glare and discomfort and will help make the transition from the darkness outside to the interior light of your home.
The color temperature of your lighting is also important to creating a warm and cozy feeling in your home. The most popular is the 2700 color temperature since it is the closest to outside lighting from the sun. Choosing light bulbs can be tricky, so let our lighting experts at Legend Lighting share our knowledge with you and assist you in selecting the best light bulbs for your lighting needs.
There is still plenty of time to spiff up your lighting for the holidays! We can help you with the best lighting solutions to get your home ready for holiday guests and entertaining. Call us today at 512-251-0000 or come by our showroom at 15342 N. IH 35.
Legend Lighting is proud to celebrate our fifth year in business in 2014! Five years ago we opened the doors with a couple of employees, a few lighting lines and a limited amount of lighting on display. In 2014 we have grown to a staff of 16 valued employees, we offer over 100 lighting lines and our showroom has an abundant display of beautiful decorative lighting, ceiling fans, outdoor lighting and includes a recessed lighting lab.
We would like to sincerely thank all of the customers and friends that have been a part of our growth and success so far. The future is bright and we look forward to illuminating Austin’s homes for many years to come!
Tyson Neal is the Associate Vice President of Legend Lighting and our showroom manager. We asked Tyson to reflect back on these first five years:
Tyson, as Legend Lighting celebrates its five year anniversary, how is the business different today than it was five years ago when we opened the doors in May of 2009?
There are many differences. We started with 8 lighting lines and now offer over 100 lines. We now have a professionally merchandised showroom that has our personal touch, making sure what we offer is right for Austin. And our strong growth has allowed us to build an outstanding team of lighting experts with design backgrounds.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Employee training-Lighting experts are not a dime-a-dozen, and we’ve worked hard to put together a training curriculum that incorporates resources provided by the American Lighting Association, along with our own experience.
What has been your most celebrated success?
Surviving the Great Recession as a new business and emerging as a thriving and vibrant business is something that both our family and our employees are extremely proud to have been a part. It gives us confidence going forward that great things are still to come.
What makes Legend Lighting special and why should builders, interior designers and homeowners come here to make lighting selections?
It’s a personal experience to do business with us, from the products we hand-pick to display for our Austin clientele, to the personalized attention that each of our lighting experts gives to every project they work on. We’re dedicated to not only finding the right solutions for our clients, but opening their eyes to new products and designs that they may not have even been aware of.
What are you most excited about going foward?
The LED lighting revolution that is changing the way we illuminate homes and making new design possibilities a reality.
As LED technology continues to revolutionize the lighting industry, LED’s are finding their way into increasingly more decorative light fixtures. Designers and manufacturers are creating beautiful light fixtures using LED’s. Thus far, the most widely accepted uses of LED light sources have been recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting, accent lighting, rope and tape light and landscape lighting. Design styles offered by contemporary lighting manufacturers have easily incorporated LED technology. As homeowners continue to look for ways to reduce energy consumption in their homes they are becoming more educated about the return on investment offered by LED technology. Every year at the lighting market we see more decorative interior lighting designed with LED’s. It is an exciting time for the lighting industry since designers are able to create fixtures without the constraint of a bulb. The possibilities are unlimited and we can’t wait to see the progress!
Today we want to highlight some of the decorative LED products from Hinkley Lighting. Hinkley is dedicated to staying at the forefront of technology by utilizing the latest in engineering expertise and cutting edge components.
Hinkley offers a great selection of ceiling mounts with integrated LED’s. These stylish semi-flush and flush mounts are an easy way to incorporate LED technology into your home. All of them offer the following features-
Energy Efficient-consume 85% less energy than incandescent
Fully Dimmable-with any standard dimmer
Long Life-rated at 100,000 hours of usage
Field Serviceable
3000 Kelvin
80+ Color Rendering Index
Outstanding Light Distribution
Eco-Friendly-free of toxic materials
5 Year Warranty
Is there a place in your home where you could use these energy efficient AND stylish LED ceiling lights?
For more information on these or any lighting products, contact the Legend Lighting showroom at 512-251-0000 or come by to visit us at 15342 N. IH 35.
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.
Today we would like to add to our list of new lighting introductions from the International Lighting Market at the Dallas Market Center last month. When shopping for lighting, if you really want something special, be sure you take a look at both Hubbardton Forge and Varaluz. Both of these lines offer designs that are stylish and unique.
Our lighting designers can help you incorporate the newest lighting styles and trends into your home decor! Come see us today! And be sure to follow us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest and Instagram!
Last month we headed up to Dallas for our semi-annual trip to the International Lighting Market at the Dallas Market Center. It is always a very busy, but fun time, visiting showrooms and meeting with manufacturers. We always come back to Austin with renewed excitement and lots of new ideas to share! The majority of new products are introduced in January, but we did want to share some of the new designs that were introduced mid-year.
Hinkley Lighting won awards for Best Outdoor Lighting, Best Landscape Lighting and Best Bath/Spa Lighting, in the first ever Market Choice Awards, co-sponsored by enLIGHTenment Magazineand the Dallas Market Center. The International Lighting Market, which takes place in January and in June, typically offers more new product introductions in January. The awards were created to highlight the new product offerings that manufacturers bring out in June and promote the products that are on display during the summer market. Over 30 manufacturers participated and buyers were given the chance to vote on their favorites by category via text messages.
Best Outdoor Lighting-Sutcliffe
The Sutcliffe collection conveys chic elements of early Americana styling. The candelabra lamping, clear glass and copper reflector infuse this sleek pocket lantern design constructed of solid aluminum with a perfect blend of old and new.
Best Landscape Lighting-Luna Step Lights
Hinkley’s Luna LED Step Light offers an idea solution for any 120V outlet or switch location. Rated for indoor or outdoor use, this decorator style sized step light includes a contemporary styled radius front die cast face plate. It consumes only 4W per unit with 180 lumens and is dimmable to 25%.
Best Bath/Spa Lighting-Chloe
Chloe is a dramatic modern design with stunning Piastra glass as its focal point. A slender Brushed Nickel frame securely captures the glass allowing this versatile collection to be mounted horizontally or vertically.
To learn more about Hinkley Lighting, visit their website here. OR better yet, come on into the Legend Lighting showroom to see LOTS of Hinkley Lighting on display!
FREE copies of Lighting magazine from Legend Lighting
Lighting magazine is the only national consumer magazine on lighting and is produced once a year by the American Lighting Association and Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications. It is an excellent resource, full of informative articles and information about the latest trends and technology in the lighting industry. The 120 page magazine features current information on light bulbs and the latest designs, ideas and inspiration to light every room in your home.
ALSO, did you know that Legend Lighting is on Houzz, Pinterset and Instagram too?
We have over 150 pictures of beautiful lighting jobs by Legend Lighting designers on Houzz to inspire you!
And check out our 68 boards and over 1300 pins on Pinterest!
And we will be at the Dallas Market Center this week for the Lighting Market. Click here to follow us on Instagram for a first-hand look at our market finds!
