david k warfel
24 months ago I did not know the meaning of "listicle," but now I write them. A list + article becomes a listicle, or short story with distinct bullet points. I added the requisite beautiful photos and reshaped this post to become the latest Houzz story. Enjoy!
Fifteen years ago I did a budget-friendly lighting design for my mother's total kitchen remodel as shown in the photograph above. I delivered 50 foot-candles to the horizontal task plane, as I'd been taught to do. I had multiple downlights over the sink and placed the downlights directly over the counter. I didn't like the... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Today I delivered a presentation on layered lighting to the Toronto section of the Illuminating Engineering Society. At my request, one of my hosts scribbled "Great Presentation" on a napkin, so now I can officially add "internationally acclaimed" speaker to my self-congratulating biography. Sounds pretty cool, eh? Just another reason not to believe everything you... Continue Reading →
The most common lighting malady I diagnose is CFLS, or Ceiling Fan Light Syndrome. Statistically speaking (and I am completely making this up), CFLS affects three of every four Americans at some point in their lives. If you or someone you know is suffering from CFLS, please contact your designer immediately. One common side effect... Continue Reading →
The Right Light for Kitchen Counters (Click here to read the companion story on Houzz.com) After the paint is dry and the counters are set in place, the kitchen becomes the most difficult place in the house to change. Getting lighting on the countertops has to be done right the first time, and here are... Continue Reading →
Another one just came across my desk: a kitchen where the plans call for lighting placed precisely in the wrong place. Chopping with large knives and dealing with hot pans is no place for poor lighting and obscuring shadows, and this is just one reason kitchens have the most at stake when it comes to... Continue Reading →
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.
the language of light 