Dining Room Lighting should be both beautiful and functional. This requires a mix of general, task, and accent lighting that can set the mood for a number of functions, including a formal dinner, a family get-together, and other activities such as homework, hobbies, or family bookkeeping. Dimming controls will enable you to vary the light for each occasion.
Chandeliers can add sparkle and style to your dining room while giving you the general lighting you need for dining and entertaining. Chandeliers can have either direct or indirect light. From traditional to contemporary, the choices of finish, light source and style make it easy to find the perfect fixture for your decor. The addition of a dimmer control lets you alter the intensity of light to suit the mood and activity.
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Recessed Lighting
Recessed Lighting is lighting that is installed inside the ceiling and has an opening to let the light into the space. It typically has 3 parts - the housing, the reflector (or sometimes called "trim"), and the light bulb. Recessed lighting can be used to light many different applications.
In a kitchen, use recessed lights along your cabinets to show off your cabinets and also give great work light for your countertops at the same time.
In a family room, space them out evenly to give a good general light to the entire area.
In a living room use directional recessed lights to light up a painting or sculpture.
A recessed light can vary in price from as low as $20 complete to as much as $200 or more, depending on the type, color, and style you want or need. Most good quality recessed lights will cost between $30 and $60 per light. A good place to start is to speak to a qualified lighting salesperson to help you with your project.
Track Lighting
Track lighting is a great solution for areas where directional lighting is needed and where it is difficult to run wires. From one power feed location you can install a track that can hold several lights. Track lighting is best used around the perimeter of a room - you can light up artwork on the walls of a living room, for example, and the light reflected from the walls will give light into the room. You can also use track lighting for general light in a room if the ceilings are high enough. For example, you can mount the track on a beam and have the lights shine into the room for direct lighting.
Monorail
Monorail is one type low voltage lighting system used for many different applications. A transformer is used to run a 12 or 24 volt current along the rail. The monorail can hold many different kinds of pendants or directional heads. The rail can also be bent into many shapes. You can make your installation as simple or as outstanding as you want - all you need to do is use your imagination. The products in the pictures above are from Tech Lighting . Tech Lighting also offer other types of low voltage lighting systems, such as Kable Lite, Twin Rail, and a 120 volt lighting system called Tech Trak - great for longer runs of track in residential or commercial applications.
Paddle Fans
Paddle fans are great to use in the summer and the winter. In the summer, blow the air down to create a breeze to cool you down. In the winter, blow the air up to circulate hot air trapped at the ceiling. Paddle fans come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. You can get a simple white fan that will blend in with your ceiling, or you can get a very decorative fan that will be the centerpiece of your room, and there are plenty of choices in between.
Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans are an important part of your home. Homes today are better insulated and have better windows and doors making them more energy efficient and reducing heating and air conditioning costs. At the same time, though, the home becomes more airtight which can trap moisture and humidity. This can create an environment ideal for mold, mildew, and bacteria which can cause problems for people with asthma or allergies. Continuous trapped moisture can also potentially cause structural damage to your home. Proper ventilation can help to eliminate this while at the same time retain the energy efficiency of your home. Exhaust fans come in many sizes and styles and some are so quiet you can hardly notice if they are on. There are even fans that run continuously at a low level that can be boosted to a higher level when the bathroom is in use.