We take light for granted: we assume it will be bright enough to see whenever we want it so, even in the middle of the night. We assume entrances will be lit, lobbies will be illuminated, restaurants will glow. Sometimes, despite being taken for granted, we notice something that catches our eye. I call this... Continue Reading →
Lightovation 2020
January is a good time to fly south and check out Lightovation at the Dallas Market Center. The annual event for buyers is focused primarily on showrooms and distributors but integrators are beginning to show up- especially those that also do decorative lighting. I was at Lightovation to share my passion for linear lighting with... Continue Reading →
Red Light, Green Light
A few years ago I heard a simple phrase from a leading lighting researcher: "Light is a drug." Like most drugs, light causes chemical reactions in our brain and body. Moods change, biorhythms change, migraines disappear. Wait, migraines? Dr. Mohab Ibrahim, director of the chronic pain clinic at a hospital in Tucson, Arizona, has an... Continue Reading →
The Politics of Light 2
I [dis]agree with President Trump. This is a lighting blog, not a political blog, correct? Yes. Unfortunately, light- like so many aspects of our lives- is being politicized for electoral advantage. Recently President Trump's administration repealed rules that would continue to require energy-efficient replacements for yesterday's incandescent lamps. In live speeches, Trump spoke strongly against... Continue Reading →
Review: American
American Lighting offers a wide variety of products from recessed downlights to holiday string lights, but we're focused on their linear LED systems, commonly known as tape light. Check out our short review of their product on Youtube, and also check out the kitchen project we did with their product. A big thank you goes... Continue Reading →
Review: Colorbeam
https://youtu.be/6zBioGw9Kmk A big thanks to the team at Colorbeam for sending us a demo kit so we could dive in deeper to this intriguing forward-thinking product. The hands-on experience allayed our fears, increased our comfort level, and was just plain fun.
Six Lighting Revolutions & Revelations
There are more lighting products than ever on the shelves, but that can make it tough for a homeowner to make smart choices. Why is lighting getting harder? How can we wade through the hype and get better lighting in our homes? The last fifteen years have seen the biggest disruption in lighting since Thomas... Continue Reading →
CEDIA Lighting Recap
If you want to geek out on lighting technology, check out my video review from CEDIA 2019.
Mix & Match Lighting
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... Continue Reading →
Lighting isn’t brain surgery…?
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.... Continue Reading →