dimmers | Pegasus Lighting Blog

New Home Project: Dimmers

Feb 162011

electrical project New Home Project: Dimmers This is the fourth blog post of my New Home Project post series. This series of posts details the lighting projects that I have undertaken in my new home. I had high hopes for these posts. One of them was that I would write a post shortly after I actually did the project. Throw that goal out of the window. I moved into my new home in September 2009. I guess better late than never…right?

First, a recap of my other projects:

Under Cabinet Lighting (using Xenon under cabinet task lights)
Pantry and Closet Lighting (using Microfluorescent T4 fixtures)
Over Cabinet Lighting (also using Microfluorescent T4 fixures)

Now, on to my dimmer project (pics below).
Continue reading »

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The Link Between Lighting & Dieting

Thoughts on Light 1 Response »

Jan 122011

PinExt The Link Between Lighting & Dieting

lighting affects appetite The Link Between Lighting & Dieting It’s a basic biological concept: environmental cues have a significant effect on behavior.

Companies use the concept to their advantage all the time. Red, yellow and orange make us feel hungry, so fast food restaurants incorporate those colors into all their branding. Wide, open entrances make a building seem more alluring, so retailers design stores with glass frontages and seamless entries.

The thing is, you have some control over some of your environmental cues. Why not use them to your advantage to help support that New Year’s Resolution to shed a few pounds?

Take a look at the lighting in your kitchen to determine whether it’s helping or hindering your goals. Continue reading »

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Little-Known Facts about Energy Efficient Lighting

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Dec 132010

PinExt Little Known Facts about Energy Efficient Lighting

My Account A Bright Idea Little Known Facts about Energy Efficient Lighting

The Huffington Post recently published a great article about home lighting. We figured some of their ‘little-known facts’ might be no-brainers to our blog readers, so we wanted to share just the best of the information here:

For each $1 you invest in efficient lighting, you will be paid back up to $6 in energy savings.

You have all heard that CFLs beat incandescent bulbs as far as energy efficiency, but exactly how energy efficient they are might draw a blank. Think about it this way: if you use a 75-watt incandescent for six hours a day, you’d pay approximately $54 a year on energy (this includes the costs of replacement bulbs at 75 cents per bulb). A 20-watt CFL with the same light output would cost $14 a year to power. That bulb would cost $6 to purchase initially but it’d last four years for six hours a day, so the total expenditure per year would be $15.50. That’s $38.50 less per year, which is a return on investment of 642%! Continue reading »

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5 Lighting Trends That Will Never Go Out of Style

Lighting Tips 3 Responses »

Nov 242010

PinExt 5 Lighting Trends That Will Never Go Out of Style

1. Under Cabinet Lighting:

xenon thin undercabinet light 5 Lighting Trends That Will Never Go Out of Style

Often cited as a top remodeling project in terms of high return on investment, installing under cabinet lights is always a great decision. It provides task lighting to make cooking and cleaning easier and accent lighting to highlight a beautiful backsplash or countertop. At night, the glow from an under cabinet light is particularly alluring. Check out our post on How to Choose Under Cabinet Lighting.

2. Energy Efficient Lighting:

Everyone loves lowering their monthly energy bill. Whether you’re switching out those old incandescent bulbs for CFLs, trying super-efficient LED cabinet lighting, or using fluorescent light fixtures for a closet or display case, energy efficiency is the way to go. Besides, today’s incandescent bulbs will no longer be available for sale in the US by 2014 due to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Go green! Continue reading »

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How To Layout Recessed Lighting in 4 Easy Steps

Lighting Tips 54 Responses »

Sep 282010

PinExt How To Layout Recessed Lighting in 4 Easy Steps

Recessed Lighting Layout How To Layout Recessed Lighting in 4 Easy Steps We received a question on Twitter recently about how to layout recessed lighting and I realized we don’t have any blog posts on that topic!

If you’re using recessed lights (aka cans, high hats, pot lights, or downlights) to provide the general lighting in a room, follow these tips to create the ideal level of brightness:

1. Ready your sketchbook.

Use a blueprint of the room to pencil in exactly where you want the recessed lights to go. Before you start, take measurements of any furniture in the room and create paper shapes that are correctly scaled for the blueprint. This way, you’ll be able to see where the light will fall. Continue reading »

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Lighting Artwork: A How-To Guide

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Sep 072010

It’s impossible to show off the full effect of a piece of artwork without proper lighting. If a framed painting or photograph is ensconced in shadows, it will appear dull and flat. Why buy an expensive piece of artwork without displaying it in the best light?

Whether you’re a designer, contractor, or homeowner, adding picture lights to emphasize the details and color in wall art will enhance the ambiance of any room.
Continue reading »

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The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 5 to July 16

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Jul 162010

PinExt The Pegasus Lighting Roundup for July 5 to July 16

In lighting news…

Toshiba has signed a contract to provide LED lighting for the Louvre (free of charge). The Pyramids, the Napoléon Court, and the Cour carrée will all be outfitted with LED lights by 2012.

Three women in southwestern Kenya have engineered solar lighting for two remote villages in rural Kenya. The story is really incredible.

The Green Savings Network blog wrote about a current trend in the green construction industry: certified general electricians are transitioning into energy contractors because of the booming market for retrofitting.

Houston’s Toyta Center, home of the Houston Rockets (NBA), has just been awarded with LEED EB Certification. Joining the ranks of Portland’s Rose Garden, Miami’s American Airlines Arena, Atlanta’s Philip’s Arena, and Minnesota’s Target Field, the news points to a surge in popularity of major sports arenas seeking LEED certification. Continue reading »

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How to Choose Under Cabinet Lighting

Buyer's Guides 2 Responses »

Jul 152010

PinExt How to Choose Under Cabinet Lighting

If you’re only going to choose just one lighting feature to add your kitchen, make it under cabinet lighting. It provides task lighting for your countertops to make them ideal for food preparation and cooking, it illuminates the backsplash on your wall to create beautiful accent lighting, and it can also be used as night lighting for your kitchen. Once you install under cabinet lighting, you’ll never want to go back.

Many lighting designers talk about creating “layers of light” for your kitchen. Under cabinet lighting serves as a crucial “layer” for great design.

That being said, there are a ton of options to choose from. How do you know what style of under cabinet lighting is right for your kitchen? Hopefully, this guide will make it a little easier to make your selection.

It’s a good idea to choose your light source first.

1. Fluorescent, Xenon, or LED?

Microfluorescent T4 Under Cabinet Lights How to Choose Under Cabinet Lighting

Fluorescent Under Cabinet Lights

Fluorescent under cabinet lights are the most energy efficient in providing a given amount of light. Moreover, fluorescent light sources give off very little heat. This is a great feature depending on what is stored in the cabinet immediately above the under cabinet fixture or, perhaps, what is lying 12 to 18 inches below the light. While most fluorescent fixtures cannot be dimmed, they can be a wonderful, inexpensive option. In addition, our Microfluorescent Fixtures or Fluorescent Swivel Sticks are probably the easiest products to install – a definite plus. Continue reading »

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A Dimmer Shade of Green

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Jun 022010

Check out the Dimmer Energy Savings Calculator on Lutron’s new website.

It’s an interactive tool to show how much money and energy you can save by using Lutron dimmers. The calculator allows you to select a specific product, the room you’re planning on using it in, hours per day of use, dimmer level, etc. It’s pretty cool!

If you’re looking to go green, installing a dimmer is one of the easiest ways to do it. Dim an incandescent or halogen bulb by 25 percent and you’ll save 20 percent on the cost of electricity, extend the life of the bulb, reduce landfill waste, and cut back on CO2 emissions from power plants. And the aesthetic effects of dimmers pay off as well – you’ll be creating beautiful mood lighting for any room.

Think about this: if every household in the United States installed one Lutron dimmer this year, we would reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to that of 370,000 cars – and we’d save $230 million collectively in electricity. Incredible.

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Beautiful Kitchen Remodel

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May 192010

Check out those fabulous under cabinet lights! One of our customers recently remodeled his kitchen – copper & walnut countertops, cream cabinets, a new refrigerator, oven, sink, etc. and our xenon under cabinet lights. He posted pictures on the Garden Web forum of the results, but we wanted to share them on the blog as well! The xenon lights seem to bring out the warmth of the countertops, and the effect is truly fantastic.

Xenon is always a great option for under cabinet lighting because it’s dimmable and doesn’t give off as much heat as halogen. The particular model in these pictures is the Xenon Line Voltage Thin Under Cabinet Light – it’s extremely low-profile and gives off a bright white light.

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