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 […]
Sometimes I get questions that seem simple but are complex to answer. A recent Houzz reader asked me “what spacing should I use for my recessed downlights?” Yep, this post is definitely on the practical side. Hmm. A lot of “designers” have rules of thumb for spacing downlights- perhaps you need one for every so […]
Adapting to changing lighting conditions is so critical to the human visual experience that we have a body part designed just for this task- the iris. Each eye has a constantly changing aperture- opening- that allows us to see easily at sunset and at mid-day. The iris allows us to appreciate a candle-lit dinner and […]
If you or someone you know suffers from Social Jet Lag, Ambient Light may help. Talk to your doctor before using Ambient Light. Possible side effects include… I can hear the television commercial extolling the virtues of the latest miracle drug, Ambient Light. It energizes you in the morning! It is clinically proven to reduce the […]
If you have a ceiling, you may want to consider lighting it. Especially if you can incorporate some variation to the ceiling, and one of the techniques discussed on my Houzz article. How to Light Your Ceiling Right […]
“Do we really need all those lights?” If you ask me to help lay out lighting for your living room (or kitchen, or bedroom, or bathroom…), the probability of me increasing the quantity of light fixtures is about a million to one. Increasing the quantity of lights does not mean there will be more light, […]
Please note that I am not a doctor, nor a lighting researcher. I am a designer trying to understand how the gift of light works on our mind and bodies. Light will help you heal faster! Light will improve your test scores! Light will reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Dementia! Light will help you relax […]
When my wife was expecting our second son, I turned my remodeling do-it-yourself muscle towards an unused room occupying our former attached garage. Hastily turned into an extra room by previous owners, the space was all but unusable and served as a storage room while we remodeled the rest of the house. Now, with our […]
Science is catching up to what professional lighting designers have known for years- great lighting can help us feel better. The right kind of light can help us relax or be more alert, and nowhere is this more important than in our homes. It is light for feeling that can fill us with delight when […]
Most dining areas, whether small traditional rooms or large contemporary spaces, have one thing in common: a table. It is easy, therefore, to begin lighting the dining room with light above the table that provides light for doing,but stopping there would leave the room unfinished. If we do not address light for knowing, the dining room will […]
I enjoy crafting articles on Houzz.com for a number of reasons, including having access to millions of photographs of beautiful projects. When writing the most recent article (link below), I found dozens of examples of lighting stone and brick to include. But my favorite aspects of the process are figuring out how to simplify my […]