So much of our modern lives is digital that we scarcely stumble across the archaic digital versus analog debate. No one uses an abacus in high school math class. Finding a land line to make a phone call is increasingly difficult. Clacking typewriters have given way to silent computers. Some of us wear watches that […]
Here’s the scenario: you finally decide to trade in your car for new one, and make the decision to go electric. You’re thinking you’ll get a Tesla: high tech, fast, beautiful and long range. But without knowing it, you bought a golf cart. It’s electric, like a Tesla. What’s the difference? “We’re getting LEDs.” When […]
The locally quarried stone and stained concrete shapes that make up Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Fallingwater are key ingredients of its success, but the maintenance is expensive. Natural stone needs care and mortar; concrete cracks and spalls. So last year the Foundation that oversees Fallingwater made the sensible choice to reduce maintenance costs. They covered the house in […]
It’s undeniable: we’re working at home more than ever. The US Census tells us over 8 million work entirely from home and a Gallup survey reveals that at least 43% of employed Americans said they spend at least some time working remotely. Add in those who pay their bills at home, use a computer to […]
COMMON MISTAKES THAT STEAL YOUR COMFORT AND JOY They are all around us, lurking in our homes and threatening to harm us every day and every night! Be very afraid! Stay tuned for updates! Oh no! I like to think of myself as the Evangelist of Light, spreading the good news that light- the first […]
Sadly, my latest article on Houzz.com received about 10,000 views in the first week. Why is this sad? Because way more people need to prepare for their electrical walk-through, when most residential lighting “design” is done with a Sharpie and the “you need about four cans here” approach. Make it 10,001 by reading the article […]
I finally found it: a light bulb that performs just like the beloved 60-watt incandescent. And I am very, very unhappy. Angry. Because this pack of bulbs costs me $4 to buy but will lock me in to spending an extra $300 over the next decade. And that’s not the only downside. Let me explain. I […]
I live by the rules. But am I wrong? One of those rules is to never mix warm white bulbs (yellowish) with cool white bulbs (bluish). I learned this rule back in the fluorescent day by looking at ceilings where some bulbs were pink and some were blue and the end result is that the […]
I frequently hear myself saying that lighting is not brain surgery, that getting it right just requires the attention of a dedicated experienced professional. I might be wrong. (Not literally. I could never do brain surgery because I would pass out as soon as the knife dug in. I’m getting faint just thinking about it. […]
I am as guilty as the next lighting designer. See my design above for proof. Once upon a time, light indoors depended on light through windows or flames from candles, lamps and fires. The windows were automatically scheduled to turn on slowly in the morning and turn off slowly in the evening. They changed intensity […]
Read the companion post on Houzz.com! Is Smart Lighting a Smart Choice for You? […]