How much light do I need in my home?

It depends, in you home we look at every area, for example, in your Kitchen, Bathroom, etc. we typically design a feel of brighter light for cooking, cleaning, getting ready, etc. We create multiple zones of light for the flexibility and control from Bright to Soft to even a Night Light in various ways.

When we look at your Dining, Living, Sitting Rooms, etc.  This is where our goal is a warm and inviting atmosphere. We want to highlight everything important in these rooms and not much light in the center of the space. The star is the room, we want to see the room, not a glaring light source.

For Bedrooms it is often a mix of the 2 concepts and is relative to what the Client Needs.

How can I make my living room more warm and inviting?

This is done by creating multiple layers of light so that we are not relying on just 1 source of light. A simple example would be a decorative light in the middle of the room with accent lights shining on the perimeter walls both highlighting art and reflecting light back into the space.

The key is to bring in light from the edge and corners of the room – light always finds its way to center; it has a hard time finding its way to the corners and edges.

When do I call an Electrician or the Power Company?

a. If you have lost power to multiple areas of your house and it doesn’t make sense, there is an issue with the power supply coming from the Power Company, call the Power Company.

b. If you have lost power to an isolated area or have other electrical concerns, items, upgrades, call an Electrician.

I lost power to my outlets or lights – what to do before calling an electrician?

a. Check the GFI’s throughout the house and reset them .

b. Check the House Panel and Meter Panel for tripped breakers (breaker halfway between on and off).

How do I reset a Breaker?

You need to turn the breaker fully off to get it out of the “tripped” setting. Once you have turned the breaker “off” then turn it in the “on” position.

If the breaker trips again repeat steps and report the issue to an electrician. If breaker doesn’t reset after 3rd time call an electrician.

How do I reset a GFI?

a. The GFI outlet has 2 buttons in the middle, “test” and “reset”. Depress the “test” button and then depress the “reset” button to turn back on.

b. Most GFI outlets have an indicator light. Not all GFI outlet’s have the same indicator light meaning. Depending on brand the indicator light on could mean the GFI is tripped, or it could mean that it is on, pay attention to what version you have to verify you have properly reset the GFI.

Signs of a Circuit Overload

a. Flickering, blinking, or dimming lights.

b. Frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses.

c. Warm or discolored wall plates.

d. Cracking, sizzling, or buzzing from receptacles.

e. Burning odor (plastic or resign) coming from receptacles or wall switches.

f. Mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles, or switches (This could also be a sign of improper grounding).

Common Causes of Electrical Fires

a. Outdated Wiring – especially knob and tube wiring.

b. Faulty Outlets / Appliance

c. Light fixtures with the improper light bulb installed (LED lights are a great solution to brighter light and less heat).

d. Extension Cords / More things Plugged into the Outlet than its rated for.

e. Space Heaters placed to close to ignitable materials (curtains, chairs, beds, etc) – also they can overload the circuit and cause a hazard that way.

Can my lights automatically adjust with the light of day?

Yes, when we introduce lighting controls, we can make this happen and a whole lot more - Including:

• Atmosphere control accessible with a press of a button, touch on your phone, or voice command

• Security features from when your exterior lights turn on and off - to also control what happens if there is a break in

• Vacation Mode – lights turn on randomly acting in a pattern as if you were living in your home

• Built in integration with blinds, temperature control, and your security system.

• Energy Efficient – with the ease of dimming control - the lights will draw less energy and last longer

• Flexibility for your own personal preferences

• Automatic adjustability and time-clock events

Why is my dimmer switch is warm or hot?

a. The dimmer switch will produce a little bit of heat making the switch warm to the touch. Sometimes when the dimmer switch is dimming a large load the metal cover screw will get hot. If this happens you need a higher rated dimmer switch or lower wattage bulbs.

b. If the dimmer switch is hot, not warm, turn the switch off and call an electrician. This could be a sign of a fire hazard.

What is the best way to approach lighting an Office or Restaurant?

We want an even amount of light for the office area. If work areas are firmly established, then we will focus a little more on the actual work area if the space allows it. Indirect lighting is the best source of light and easiest on the eyes, but not always the cheapest. It cuts down any glare or reflection from computer screens, desks, etc.

In Restaurants and Bars we are very specific to the design as it’s important to understand the concept that is being created. We will implement lighting that is anywhere from Bright and Clean to Dark and Romantic.