Feb 262013
 
PinExt How To Make Your Garage Lighting More Energy Efficient

This is the fourth post in a series on saving energy with your lights. We’re tackling every space in your home and business to make sure you’re saving the most power possible. Click here to browse through all the posts. 

For many of us,  the garage is one of the most utilitarian rooms in the house, so there shouldn’t be any excuse for having lights that consume unnecessary energy. Whether you use your garage as a full-on workshop, or just as a place to stash your holiday decorations, you might be surprised at how much you can save with just a few simple lighting upgrades.

iStock 000019156158Small How To Make Your Garage Lighting More Energy Efficient

Let’s start by dividing the garage into different regions with unique functions: the storage area, the task area, and the entrances and exits.  Continue reading »

PinExt How To Make Your Garage Lighting More Energy Efficient
Feb 222013
 
PinExt How To Make Your Bedroom Lighting More Energy Efficient

In this series, we’re helping you save energy at your homes and businesses, room by room. Click here to view the entire series. 

Your bedroom can be many things. A space to kick back after a long day. A place to romance your sweetie. Maybe it doubles as an office, or maybe it’s just the only personal space you have in this whole wide world.

Whatever your bedroom, boudoir, or inner sanctum may function as, there’s one thing it should never be: a needless energy-sucker.

Lighting is an important part of any bedroom. It adds style, ambiance, and functionality, but having great lighting in the bedroom doesn’t have to use up a ton of power.

iStock 000012262295Small How To Make Your Bedroom Lighting More Energy Efficient

We’re pulling out all the stops to give you the best tips to use in the bedroom – for energy-efficient lighting, that is!

1. Take a survey of all your light fixtures – table lamps, floor lamps, track lights, and any ceiling fans, chandeliers, or pendant lights. How many of these use incandescent light bulbs? If the answer is greater than zero, we’ve identified the first way you can cut down your energy consumption in the bedroom: Swap out all your incandescent household, chandelier, and reflector light bulbs for LEDs or CFLs. Continue reading »

PinExt How To Make Your Bedroom Lighting More Energy Efficient
Jan 082013
 
PinExt ReadyBright Lights Featured On The NBC TODAY Show

Yesterday, Rosemary Ellis of Good Housekeeping was on the TODAY Show to reveal 9 of 2013′s most innovative consumer products. And guess what! One of our very own products made the cut!

Out of more than 1,500 different products, Good Housekeeping chose the Mr. Beams ReadyBright Power Outage Lighting System as one of their favorite products.

The ReadyBright System is the very first at home emergency lighting system available. It’s not unlike the emergency lighting systems in commercial buildings – when the power goes out, the lights come on. Good Housekeeping testers used these lights when they lost power back during Hurricane Sandy, and called them “tremendously helpful.”

“We think everybody should have one of these,” said Ellis.

Check out the full video here:

Continue reading »

PinExt ReadyBright Lights Featured On The NBC TODAY Show
Jan 022013
 
PinExt 5 Ways Light Can Help With Your New Years Resolutions

Fireworks 300x203 5 Ways Light Can Help With Your New Years Resolutions
Is it 2013 already? It’s hard to believe – it feels like just yesterday was January ’12 and we all were resolving to make our lives healthier, smarter, and easier. But, if last year’s resolutions didn’t work out as planned, and you’re feeling cynical about making any positive changes for 2013, maybe you just need to lighten up (literally).

Lighting is such an integral part of our everyday lives, affecting the way we see and navigate through the entire world, why couldn’t it help you achieve your New Year’s Resolution?

Below are 5 of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions, and lighting just might be the key to help you stay on track with each of them…

1. Save Money.

Dreading monthly bills, clipping coupons, and cutting back on every non-essential can get overwhelming. No wonder we feel like giving up mid-February. An easy way to passively save money each month is to switch out your old incandescent lights for energy-saving LED and fluorescent lights.

Did you know, roughly 20% of the world’s electricity consumption goes to lighting? If you swap all the light bulbs in your home for more efficient varieties, you’ll save an average of $400 a year! You can save even more money by installing motion sensors, timers, photocell, and other controls on your indoor and outdoor lights, to only use them when you need them. The best part: once installed, you hardly have to think about them at all.  Continue reading »

PinExt 5 Ways Light Can Help With Your New Years Resolutions
Dec 282012
 
PinExt A Year In Review: Your 10 Favorite Posts From 2012

Thumbs Up 224x300 A Year In Review: Your 10 Favorite Posts From 2012
On this, the last full week of 2012, I’ve been taking stock of the happenings here on Light Reading. We’ve had many wonderful posts this year on the newsworthy, practical, whimsical, technical, and technological qualities of light. We’ve learned about energy-efficiency, home decor, nature, science, and even fashion design.

Now, let’s take a look back at our 10 most popular blog posts from 2012.

10. Use Bookshelf Lights To Help Tell Your Story: We use bookshelves to store and showcase some of our most special possessions. But, when improperly lit, bookshelves can drown these things in shadow. Learn the options to light your bookcases, depending on the kind of shelf, and how it’s decorated. Read More >>

9. How To Choose A Low Voltage Transformer In 4 Easy Steps: While this topic might be one of the driest we’ve written on all year, it’s a crucial one for anybody diving into a new remodel. Learn about the different varieties of low voltage transformers, and how to pick the one that’s right for you. Read More >>

8. Real DIY Lighting Projects: Adding A Basement Kitchen: Chad, a serious DIY-er and Pegasus Customer sent us photos of the kitchen he added in his basement. He made the whole thing from scratch with his wife, and only a bit of professional help on the countertops and drywall work. Chad used our Xenon Line Voltage Under Cabinet Task Lights to illuminate his countertops. Read More >>

7. Winning The Battle On Christmas Lights: Artificial Trees: Holiday expert Linda Knighton weighs in with some simple tips on how to wrangle those holiday lights and make your tree look beautiful. And let’s face it, we could all use a little more peace on earth during the holidays. Read More >> Continue reading »

PinExt A Year In Review: Your 10 Favorite Posts From 2012
Nov 212012
 
PinExt The #1 Rule In Residential Lighting

Besides just having light, light layering (having multiple light sources for different purposes) is the most important, all-encompassing rule in home lighting design.

I recently ran across a post on Freshome featuring a loft installation designed by Luiz Fernando Grabowsky. It demonstrates this essential rule with finesse, using multiple lighting fixtures to bring out every aspect of the room. I was especially impressed because it does so in such a small space, and manages to make the place look so unique.

Let me break down how and why this loft rocks my world with its light layers. But first, here’s a photo:

Casa Cor Kitchen The #1 Rule In Residential Lighting

Image via Freshome.com

Ah, the lovely, lovely light. This space is such a great example of light layering. A single light source never does any space justice. You need different light sources for different purposes, for aesthetics and functionality. Continue reading »

PinExt The #1 Rule In Residential Lighting
Nov 152012
 
PinExt What Lights and Bulldozers Have in Common

Kozzi view of city at night 441x294 300x199 What Lights and Bulldozers Have in Common
When we think of habitat destruction, the first things that come to mind are probably bulldozers in the rain forest and oil spills over tropical reefs. However, studies show light pollution may be destroying the habitats of animals in our own backyards.

Humans, animals, and plants all rely on the 24-hour cycle of light and dark, day and night, to regulate sleep, predation, migration, and mating behavior. When electric lights boggle those patterns, the whole ecosystem can get messed up.

Species Hurt By Unnatural Light Patterns

  • iStock 000013464095XSmall 194x300 What Lights and Bulldozers Have in CommonFireflies, which use distinctive flashing patterns to attract mates, have a more difficult time doing so around streetlights. Researchers have seen their populations decrease around areas with generous outdoor lighting.
  • Mayflies, which only have hours (maybe days) to reproduce, get distracted by electric lights and die before mating. This has reduced their population, along with those of their predators dramatically.
  • Migratory birds often fly at night to avoid predators and forage in the daylight. However, when they encounter a city’s skyglow, they can no longer use celestial cues to navigate, and may end up stuck and disoriented, circling the artificial light until they’re exhausted.
  • Nocturnal predators like owls, bats, raccoons, and coyotes lose the ability to hunt in the cover of night, and their prey cannot hide as easily.
  • Baby sea turtles, of course, are practically the spokesanimal for light pollution. Many of those little guys don’t make it into the ocean because they’re distracted by the lights on land. Continue reading »
PinExt What Lights and Bulldozers Have in Common
Oct 312012
 
PinExt Lights For A Holiday Ready Home

holidaylighting2 300x217 Lights For A Holiday Ready Home
Holiday lights can have a bad reputation, but it’s my goal to help put some sparkle back in your season; to “lighten” your load a bit. Below you’ll find all the lights you need to prep your home for a headache-free holiday, from practical essentials to the best decorative fixtures and everything in between.

1. LED String Lights

Warm Holiday Lights 300x214 Lights For A Holiday Ready HomeHoliday string lights have always been one of the season’s classic hallmarks, and also one of its biggest jokes. With their festive beauty often comes hours upon hours of trial and error, trying to find that single burnt-out light bulb ruining the bunch.

White Holiday Lights 300x183 Lights For A Holiday Ready HomeBut, you shouldn’t have to worry about burnt-out lights if you use LED Holiday Lights for your home this year. They have a 60,000 hour rated-life, so they’ll stay lit for a long, long time.

Pure White Holiday Lights 300x185 Lights For A Holiday Ready HomeOn top of the impressive lifetime, LED lights generate much less heat, so you won’t have to worry about holiday fire hazards. Plus, they use about 90% less energy than incandescent string lights, saving you money to use on more important things this season.

They come in a few cozy color temperatures, alluding to winter wonders like ice and candlelight. Continue reading »

PinExt Lights For A Holiday Ready Home
Jul 032012
 
PinExt Averting Disaster With Portable Lights

Flashlight In Woods 300x199 Averting Disaster With Portable Lights
Summer is the season of fun in the sun, for relaxation and adventure. But whether you’re camping, road tripping, enjoying calm nights at home, or off in the far corners of the earth, accidents can happen.

While it’s impossible to prevent some misfortunes, you’d be amazed at how much a small light can help you avert disaster. Here are a few instances when a portable lamp would come very much in handy, so you can be prepared for whatever you do:

Power Outages

If you live in any area with intense weather, you know you may be at risk for a power failure. Instead of scrambling to find candles or flashlights when a storm hits, check out these power outage lights. They ensure you’ll never be caught in the dark. The lights automatically detect when there’s a power outage via radio signal, and immediately turn on to keep you comfortable and safe. Continue reading »

PinExt Averting Disaster With Portable Lights
Apr 232012
 
PinExt Lighting Tips for the Elderly

senior citizens 300x199 Lighting Tips for the ElderlyWe are pleased to present this guest post from Daniel Frank, a blogger for Stannah Stairlifts, about the unique lighting needs for everyone as we age.

Lighting is vital for our health and well-being, and it becomes particularly important the older we get. As we age, two things happen to our eyes. The ability of our pupils to dilate decreases, which effectively makes them smaller, and our lenses become thicker. This means our retinas receive less light, and more of the light that gets through our pupils is absorbed or refracted before it gets to the retina, making an image softer.

This poses some serious safety risks as tripping hazards and other obstacles may not be as obvious as they would be to a younger person. The effects of glare on bright surfaces are also worsened as we get older, making detailed tasks such as drawing or sewing harder. However, there are some fairly simple lighting solutions to this “age old” problem. Continue reading »

PinExt Lighting Tips for the Elderly