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 […]
Category: Lighting Technology
The Best & Worst Light Bulb
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 […]
Smart Lighting on Houzz.com
Read the companion post on Houzz.com! Is Smart Lighting a Smart Choice for You? […]
Is Smart Lighting a Dumb Idea?
No. Er, Yes. Wait a minute, is this a trick question? Retailers and websites are hawking new smart gadgets for our homes incessantly, essentially trying to do what Apple did for smart phones: make them cost a whole lot more. There are smart coffee makers, smart pet feeders, smart doorbells, smart thermostats, smart irrigation systems, […]
Don’t Mock Me
Light is a tricky substance. You cannot hear it, taste it, feel it, or smell it. You can only see light when it comes directly into your eyes or bounces off of something. It is predictable, so long as you can memorize the trillions of possibilities and recall the correct answer. I can’t. Lighting design […]
Houzz, Bulbs, & Photos
My latest story from Houzz.com shares the same information from my light bulb buying guide but in National Geographic Style (lots of pretty pictures). I think that helps the medicine go down a bit better! Read my version of the story. A Lighting Pro’s 5 Tips for Buying LED Bulbs […]
2019 5-Step Lightbulb Buying Guide
Yes, it is another post on lightbulbs. If you want someone else to make the decision for you, go out any buy Philips Soft White Dimmable LED with warm glow effect. If you want to brave the lightbulb aisle on your own, read on. I am going to conveniently avoid the obvious question a post like this […]
Choosing Downlights with 5 Questions
Need to choose downlights for your home? I took a stab at simplifying the process (there are literally thousands of possibilities) in my latest Houzz.com article. Check it out by clicking the link below. Choose Downlight Fixtures by Answering These 5 Easy Questions […]
Of Recessed Cans and Folding Chairs
The Electrical Walk Through I’m grumpy this morning, and a little sad. I just saw another beautiful home under construction, and it was too late to save it from bad lighting. So be warned: while I try to keep most of my posts focused on the positive Gift of Light and the five promises that […]
Buying Guides: Under Cabinet LEDs
Straight from the depths of the mind of a lighting designer, here comes another fascinating, edge-of-your-seat, page-turning buying guide for the most exciting of all light fixtures: under-cabinet LED tape light. Oh yeah! Buying LED tape light (those tiny flexible LED strips with adhesive backing) would be easier if it weren’t for the seemingly endless […]