This month, more of us are trading out old light fixtures for (surprise) LEDs. Others are re-purposing old lights in illuminating ways…
In Lighting News…
Cree’s New 10-year Warranty on LEDs. Just this week Cree (a notable LED manufacturer) introduced a 10 year warranty on nearly all new commercial light fixtures. For many of us still skeptical about the quality of LEDs on the market today, Cree’s commitment to long-term performance and reliability is a relief.
Notable LED Makeovers at Home and Abroad. Everywhere more and more iconic structures and events are adopting LED lights. A few recent additions include:
- The Miami Tower: This beautiful upgrade allows for custom light shows and will reduce the 47-story building’s related lighting energy usage by over 92%.
- LSU’s Tiger Stadium: The 90-year-old, 92,000–seat stadium stepped up its game with a multicolor, LED lighting system. It enhances the structure’s architecture, and fans love it!
- Oktoberfest: One of Frankfurt’s most popular tents, the Hippodrome, just replaced its 25-watt incandescent light bulbs with 550 5-watt LEDs. The warmly lit atmosphere won’t change, but they’ll save about 1.2 tons in CO2 emissions.
LEDs Increase Plant Growth. Researchers at Penn State conducted a recent experiment, testing the benefits of using LED grow lights against more traditional fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. The results were astounding. Not only did LEDs cost less to operate and maintain, but they also caused a noticeable increase in plant growth.
In Lighting Tips…
Surviving a Kitchen Remodel: The Complete Guide. Kitchens.com just published a new guide on how to stay sane (and alive) during a kitchen remodel. It covers everything from how to pack, keep clean, set up a temporary kitchen, and even manage stress. If you’re planning a kitchen remodel (or in the middle of one right now) it’s worth a look.
Lighting Designer Randall Whitehead’s Tutorial on Kitchen Lighting. Here’s another fabulous resource if you’re in the kitchen upgrade state of mind. In this video, Randall walks us through the essential lights that every kitchen needs, and what kinds of light fixtures and light sources will do the trick. (Spoiler Alert: If you’re skeptical about fluorescent lighting in the kitchen, you may be shocked!)
Other Remarkable Things…
10 DIY Pendant Lights from Apartment Therapy. Cool fall weather making you want to stay indoors? These DIY pendants make fun crafts for cozy afternoons, and they’ll brighten up your interior year round!
The Incandescent Cloud. Talk about an innovative way to use incandescent light bulbs! This cloud, created by Caitlind r.c. Brown for Calgary’s Nuit Blanche features 1,000 functional and 5,000 burnt-out incandescent light bulbs. The pull strings hanging down from the cloud resemble streams of raindrops, and allow the viewers to control the cloud’s luminosity.