In most of our kitchens, we prioritize our dogs or the dust bunnies that inevitably collect on top of cabinets, range hoods, and refrigerators. At least when planning light. We might put more money into our countertops, cabinets, backsplashes, sinks, and appliances than our floor, but we are systematically using the best light in the […]
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Coffee, when poured into a mug and consumed, delivers a strongly desired boost of energy through caffeine. The same coffee, when poured onto the laptop, can be ruinous. The question of usefulness or harmfulness, applied to coffee, is answered by the use. The same can be true for light, especially outside. But indulge me a […]
It is time for our lighting systems to move out of the analog Stone Age and into the Digital Era. I’m working on a new CEU focused entirely on the topic and actively exploring the case for change, the systems, and the benefits. I got a jump start writing for Residential Systems in January’s issue […]
Fine Homebuilding Magazine is a well-crafted publication focused on the craft of building better and I was honored to be included for my fourth article with them. This time, I focused on products more than applications, a bit of a departure for me and a fun exercise. The result is an 8-page guide to recessed […]
Are you trespassing on your neighbors every night? I love my neighbors, mostly, except when they stand in their yard and go about watering their plants but send half of the water over the fence and on to my hamburger. Just to be clear, that never happens. Because I have good neighbors. And usually eat veggie burgers, […]
For many years, nicer homes would have had a patio or deck behind the house to enjoy during the “season,” which might be summer in Wisconsin or winter in Florida. The patio or deck usually contained some outdoor furniture in wood or painted steel to resist the elements, and perhaps a table with an umbrella […]
July seems like the perfect month to write a blog post about landscape lighting in a back yard. Our days are long and our evenings warm in Wisconsin right now, and we enjoy relaxing outdoors as long as the mosquitoes will let us. A little well-planned light will extend our evenings a bit longer as […]
A few years ago I wrote a post on the do’s and don’ts of front porch lighting. So why do it again? Because I never stop learning about light, and that means every few years I might make different recommendations. That is certainly true outdoors as I learn more about the negative effects of light at night (LAN). This […]
Today is a notable day in my own fictitious universe, for I am awarding myself the fake Nobel Prize for Illumination Yakking. I toot my own proverbial horn because of my “discovery” of another “disease” rampant in residential lighting and – quite by accident – the theorizing of an ancillary condition. Yes, once again I […]
I once read that the easiest ways to increase the sale price of your home were to paint the front door for a good first impression and add a deck to the back yard. I suppose adding a deck makes the back yard more enticing, perhaps even subconsciously saying to the buyer “purchase this home […]
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