Starting today, we are now going to post a regular Pegasus Lighting Roundup of interesting lighting information we came across during the week. It will provide a short recap of articles to help keep you informed. Hopefully, it’ll be an easy way for you to scan through any topics you might want to learn more about. So, without further ado:
In lighting news…
The remodeling business is expected to grow this year, ending the economic slump caused by the housing downturn. Industry experts at the International Builders’ Show remarked that the increase in existing-home sales due to low prices will help the remodeling market. Other contributors to the boost: aging baby boomers are beginning to adapt homes to their needs. Also, there’s a clearly rising trend to incorporate green initiatives in homes.
OLEDs are expected to be the next big thing on the market for display lighting of any kind (computer monitors, TVs, cell phone displays, etc). Why are they so great? They’re extremely energy efficient, can be made unbelievably thin, and provide superior color quality. This article explains why they’re not on the market yet: their efficiency technology is still developing, the cost of creating them is sky-high, and their lifespan is lacking. However, five years from now, we may see OLEDs making things like glowing wallpaper possible.
In 2010, LED products are expected to explode in the residential marketplace.
Another article also states LEDs will be the dominant source for commercial and residential lighting. Ever heard of Haitz’s law? It predicts that the performance of LEDs will increase by 20-fold every ten years, while the cost will decrease by 10-fold.
An organization named Zhaga is about to transform the LED lighting industry for the better. It’s working to create standards for LED light products so that products can be interchanged between a number of diverse manufacturers.
In lighting tips…
An article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review described options for lighting tricky areas of the home like bookcases and under cabinets. For bookcases, the article recommended puck lights or xenon tubes for accenting. For under kitchen cabinets, it said mini-track lighting creates a nice effect. We love our Xenon Low Voltage Light Strip because it is dimmable, energy-efficient, and customizable to any size.
Another article discussed kitchen design essentials. The designer said it’s important to mix task lighting with general lighting for a kitchen, suggesting puck lights for under-cabinets and pendant lights over the island along with ceiling lights.
A short, five-minute video will show you how to choose your kitchen lighting. Topics include task lighting, recessed downlight, ambient lighting, accent lighting, over cabinet lighting, and dimmers.
This blog post makes a case for using wall sconces in the kitchen, and provides great photos to illustrate how well wall sconces can fit into your design.
Other cool sites:
If you’re interested in lighting in photography, this is an interesting blog post about how the photographer used many light sources to photograph his hallway.
This artist and photographer uses LED lights to create “Electric Legends”: photographs that appear to be a captivating blend of fantasy and reality.
Thanks for the link to my blog – and all the other useful links too! Can’t wait for OLEDs to be affordable reality.