Knowing How Our Outdoor Lights Are Wired In Houston

Posted by Robert Huff on

Tips For Wiring Your Houston Outdoor Lights

Like other types of light, most outdoor lights need electricity to operate. That electricity is usually provided through wires. Having said that, there is no need to panic about your outdoor space getting overrun with wires. Most wiring for outdoor lighting runs underground, meaning that you won’t even see the wires after they are in place. Any above-ground wiring is usually designed to blend with the surrounding area so that it isn’t noticeable at a glance. Read on to get some helpful tips on wiring outdoor lights.

Every lighting situation requires a unique solution when it comes to wiring. For instance, the type of lighting that you choose for a pathway will usually be a lot different than what you choose for a driveway. The section below outlines some of the most popular ways to wire outdoor light fixtures.

Understanding Transformers

If you use transformers to power your outdoor lights, each light fixture is wired to the transformer. The wires themselves can either be above or below the ground. The transformer is then plugged into an outdoor outlet. Below is some more information so you can get a better idea of how these devices operate.

Transformers help your lights work in one of two ways: they either use a photocell or a timer. Transformers that operate on a timer are designed to automatically turn the lights off or on at specific times of the day. Transformers with a photocell, on the other hand, automatically detect the level of light outside, turning the lights on when it gets dark and shutting them off when it gets light. Transformers like these are popular for use in ponds.

Wiring The Lights To A Switch

Nothing is quite as satisfying as turning on a light switch and having your whole outdoor space light up. Wiring your outdoor light fixtures to a switch inside your home is a great option. There are a couple of different methods that you can use to accomplish this. The first is to wire the lights directly to the switch. The second option is to wire the lights to a transformer that is plugged into an outdoor outlet. The switch inside your home provides power to the outlet, which turns on the transformer and activates the lights. With this option, you can either turn on the lights manually or you can wait and allow them to turn on automatically when the sun goes down.

Solar Lighting

Solar lights rely on the sun upon for power. They do best in extremely sunny conditions. One of the greatest things about lights like these is that they don’t require any wiring. Typically, they have LED bulbs, which means that they use very little energy. That makes them a lot more practical than halogen bulbs for solar applications.

The Downsides To Solar Lighting

While solar lighting is easy to install, it does have some drawbacks. For one thing, the lights themselves lack the brightness of lights that are powered by electricity. This usually has to do with where they are placed. Lights that aren’t directly in the sun won’t get as bright as lights that are located in sunny areas.

No matter what type of lighting you opt for, adding outdoor lights can brighten up your home.

Lighting Up Your Exterior Space

When properly installed, outdoor lighting can enhance your home, making it much more beautiful after dark. When incorrectly designed, however, it can look a little bit garish and overdone. The key to lighting the outside of your home is to use a light touch, only placing lights in the most important areas. If you need help designing your outdoor lighting, reach out to Houston Window Coverings today.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Some Important Tips For Your Indoor & Outdoor Lighting In Houston

Posted by Robert Huff on

Some Of Robert’s Houston Outdoor Lighting Tips

Indoor

Hall & Foyer

Welcome your guests and make a grand first impression with a well-lit entry foyer or hall. Choose a correctly sized lighting fixture for the area while keeping in mind that the bottom of the fixture should be at least 7 ft. from the floor. this will also help you determine whether you want to use a chandelier, flush-mount, or pendant.

When sizing a pendant or chandelier for your foyer, be sure to ass the width and length dimensions together and convert them into inches. For example, a 10 ft. by 10 ft. area would be best illuminated by a 20-inch-diameter fixture (10 plus 10 equals 20). You can use this formula in other rooms where you plan on hanging chandeliers.

If it’s a 2-story foyer featuring a large window above the front door, then it’s best to place the chandelier at the center so that it can be seen from the outside. For foyers that are extra-large, scones are more recommended and these should be installed at about eye-level, ideally 66 inches from the floor.

Dining Room

The place where you serve dinner should be as tasteful as your meals. Create a grand atmosphere by layering the light with wall scones and a chandelier placed in a way that enhances the architectural details like a built-in archway or china cabinet.

With the formula described above, calculate the size of your chandelier or the diameter of the chandelier at three quarters the width of the dining table. Ideally, the bottom of the chandelier should be about 30 In. To 32 In. above the top of the table.

Kitchen

Create a functional and comfortable space in your kitchen by combining lighting. Consider having a flush mount ceiling fixture complemented by undercabinet pendants and/or fixtures. Keep in mind that the pendants need to be placed such that the bottom of each fixture is 28 inches to 34 inches from the work surface.

Bathroom: Single-light scones can be used in small powder rooms to illuminate the room. For larger bathrooms, you can include a number of different kinds of lighting fixtures. Consider mounting a bath fixture directly above the vanity mirror to achieve horizontal illumination. They should also be installed about 75 inches to 80 inches above the floor. For double vanity setups, each sink needs to have its own source of light.

Outdoor

Curb Appeal

This is the first impression that other people will have of your home as seen from the street. As such, you need to make the most of it, whether you’re a homeowner welcoming family and friends, or a builder looking to market a home for a sale.

The exterior light fixtures are some of the first things that other people notice at the first impression. Aptly styled and sized fixtures will add on to the curb appeal, safely guide the visitors to your door, and provide a warm welcome. The key factors to consider when choosing them to include color, size, and style.

Size

One of the biggest mistakes people make when choosing their outdoor lighting is going for fixtures that are too small. If you are replacing already existing fixtures, don’t assume that the original ones were the right size, to begin with – some builders tend to use small fixtures to save costs.

Lighting fixtures will only look about half as big on your house when they’re viewed by the street as they do in the showroom. So, when choosing between two sizes, the larger one is almost always the better choice.

The front door it a very important area. As such, it should have the biggest and the fanciest light fixture on your house. Don’t let the secondary fixtures at secondary entrances, such as the garage fixtures, upstage the fixtures around your front door.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure the fixture on the front door is 1/3 of the height of a single door, and 1/4 the height of a double door – one on each side. You can cut a piece of cardboard to shape and then hold it up to your house to help you visualize the size better.

Color

It’s important to choose a color that complements the color scheme of your outdoor décor. Bronzes are quite popular with earth tones. We do offer a number of different variations of bronzes from light to dark, including black coral, architectural bronze, bronze, black gold, marbleized mahogany, and burled walnut.

Black is apt for many situations, though bronze is usually preferred when using dark brown trims and accents. Our stone finish is featured in the black family, though it has a hint of grey rubbed on top, which makes it ideal when the bronzes are inappropriate and pure black is too strong. White can be rather striking on a dark bodied house with white accents or trims.

Style

Many contemporary homes don’t have a particular style, as they incorporate different elements of different styles. When choosing a style for your outdoor light fixtures, be sure to pay attention to the main architectural features of your home and the choose fixtures that will complement these features. Get fixtures for your front door simply because it’s the most important door in your home. You can then choose the rest of your outdoor fixtures from the same family of style to maintain consistency.

What about the light intensity? Go for 60W to 75W per fixture or about 20W for compact fluorescent (CFL), which is usually recommended for decorative post lanterns and exterior wall fixtures. Many fixtures on our portfolio are rates for more than 60W. This rating represents the maximum safe wattage allowed, and not necessarily the wattage that’s most appropriate.

Using bulbs that are brighter than necessary will detract from the fixtures as they increase the total glare. The glare will be much worse when you have fixtures featuring clear glass. Focus more on the size and style of the fixture when making your decision, and only use the wattage you need.

Mounting Height

Wall-mounted outdoor light fixtures should ideally be installed slightly above eye level, for houses roughly 66 inches above the threshold. If your house has a transom or taller than normal doors, you might need to install fixtures that are a little higher than 66 inches. You should not install fixtures such that the top extends above the top of the door.

We provide several kinds of fixtures where the body of the fixture is low in respect to the junction box in order to accommodate situations where the junction box might be too high.

Specific Situations

Front Door

The most popular way of lighting the front door is with a pair of lighting fixtures, one on either side of the door. Having a fixture on only one side of the front door can also be done if the architecture or space dictates. If you’re only using one fixture, ensure that it’s installed on the same side as the doorknob, so that your visitors’ shadows won’t be cast on it when opening the door.

If the front door is under cover such as a porch, you might want to consider hanging a lantern instead. Choose fixtures that are about 1/3 of the height of the door when you opt to use one fixture, and 1/4 the height of the door if you’re using two.

Garage Doors

Use a lantern on either side of the garage door or one lantern on top of each door based on the door style and the available space. Choose fixtures that ideally match the front door but are a bit smaller or lesser important looking. The fixtures you install on your garage shouldn’t upstage those installed on the front door.

Back Doors

Here, don’t skimp. Go for fixtures that complement the décor on the rest of the house, and are not small. Using small, cheap fixtures won’t look good anywhere, and will actually detract from your patio accessories and furniture.

Post Lanterns

Go for post lanterns when the light from the front door isn’t enough to light up the parking area. Choose post lanterns from the same family as the rest of the exterior fixtures, and be sure that they are large enough. Post lanterns will look even smaller than the wall fixtures when they’re viewed from the street.

Patio/Deck Lighting

Post lighting fixtures can be installed all around the perimeter of the patio or deck using pier mounts on the wall or railing, or even standard posts installed from the ground. Certain fixtures with low-watt bulbs (between 25W to 40W) will look great and give out a more comfortable light than a single fixture with a bright bulb.

Bright bulbs placed at the eye-level will by unnecessarily glary, and will generally be offensive to you and your guests around the patio.

Other Considerations

Energy Savings

With most of our fixtures, you can use energy saving bulbs.

Dark Sky

Many states and cities are increasingly passing the “dark sky” ordinances in order to control the amount of light pollution. We provide a large selection of fixtures that direct almost all of their light downwards to adhere to these ordinances and address these needs.

Construction Material

Most of our fixtures are made from cast aluminum, which is quite a durable material for most parts of Northern America. If you’re seeking greater durability and prevention of corrosion and rusting, there are other available alternatives.

For engineering and design reasons, some incidental parts have to be made from certain materials. And since our products are often exposed to harsh weather conditions, we aim to only use materials that provide good value and durability.

Maintenance

Exposure to UV rays from sunshine will wear the exterior lighting fixtures quite fast. Other major culprits include airborne pollution and bird droppings that settles as grime and dust. For best results:

  • Wipe down bird droppings and other spills off the fixtures immediately you spot them using plain water on a clean, soft, wet cloth.
  • Wipe the fixtures once or twice a year.
  • Polish your fixtures using silicone car wax after every cleaning.

All Robert Huff Illuminations outdoor lighting fixtures are either ETL or UL listed for wet and damp locations. A fixture with a wet location listing is required when water and/or other liquids splash, drips, or flow on or against the fixtures. You can always use a wet or damp listing outside.

Call or contact us today if you require any information. Please feel free to visit our blog for more related articles.

How Many Lumens Is Too Many Lumens?

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Outdoor Lighting: How Many Lumens Do I Need?

Lumens are a measure of the intensity of light. As such, the higher a lamp’s lumen rating, the brighter it will appear. The number of lumens you require for outdoor lighting will, therefore, depend on the kind of light you want.

Now that we’ve learned what lumens are, here is our professional lumens recommendation for a variety of outdoor lights.

  • Path lighting – 100 to 200 lumens
  • Step lights – 12 to 100 lumens
  • Floodlights – 700 to 1300 lumens
  • Pond and pool lights – 200 to 400 lumens
  • Motion sensor lights – 300 to 700 lumens
  • Landscape lights – 50 to 300 lumens (50 lumens is excellent for small shrubbery or gardens)
  • Hardscape lighting (on walls) – 50 to 185 lumens

When thinking about outdoor lighting, seriously consider going for LED.

Homeowners typically have two types of outdoor lightbulbs when purchasing outdoor lighting. These are CFLs and LEDs.

As outdoor lighting experts, we recommend that you go with LED lights. In this article, we will explain the difference between CFLs and LEDs and why you should consider working with LED lighting.

Outdoor lighting: CFLs or LEDs

How Each Works:

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) use electrical currents to heat filaments inside the bulb. When fully heated up, the filaments become white-hot, producing heat and light. Because these filaments are very sensitive, the lifespan of CFL bulbs is relatively short, especially when left in extremely cold or hot ambient temperatures, such Texas’s summer temperatures. Furthermore, CFLs take quite a while to light up fully.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), on the other hand, do not rely on fragile filaments to light up an area. Nevertheless, they use electrical currents to illuminate tiny diodes found inside the bulbs. Light emitting diodes do not put much heat; which means that they stay cool to the touch. These lights fare quite well in all outdoor temperatures and fully light up as soon as they are activated.

Operational Costs:

Light emitting diodes cost lesser to operate compared to CFL. They use 50 percent less energy to produce the same amount of light CFLs produce. That means that LEDs, of all light bulb options, produce higher amounts of lumens per wattage consumed.

Lifespan:

Light emitting diodes last up to five times longer than compact fluorescent lights.

Price:

At the moment, CFLs cost much cheaper than LEDs. Fortunately, though, LED bulb prices have been dropping in the last couple of years, making some LED options much more affordable than their CFL counterparts.

Other things to Consider

1. Lux

Lux measures a lights luminous flux per unit area. In essence, it gives users an idea of how far or field size a bulb/light can illuminate. Lux plays a crucial role in telling you how many lights you will need to cover an area or space.

To help you understand it better, please note that one lux is equal to the amount of illumination a single candle can provide from approx. 3 feet away.

2. Wattage

Wattage is used to quantify a bulb’s energy transfer rate – in essence; it is the measure of how much electricity a bulb consumes. For instance, a 75-watt light bulb consumes 75 watts of power each second it’s on. The higher a light’s wattage, the more electricity it consumes and the higher the electric bill will be.

If your outdoor lighting project requires the installation of lots of outdoor lights, your wattage demand will be higher, and you might need to have a professional electrician install a new circuit for you.

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

Learning How Landscape Lighting Can Prove Helpful To Your Business

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Part 2 Of Commercial Lightscaping and How It Can Help Your Business

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Create a Custom Pool

Pools are great additions to any property and are the perfect way to stay cool on hot summer days. They are also ideal for entertaining children, relaxing, and exercising. Furthermore, they effortlessly become the most striking feature of any outdoor space. A customized pool will allow you to come up with a pool that is designed to fit your entertainment and design needs. If you love tanning, it is easy to create shallow ledges that are perfect for laying out in during sweltering hot summer days.

Shallow ledges are also perfect for small children and dogs to enjoy the water. Furthermore, you could have a rock-face waterfall installed to transform your space. And with the help of several spotlights, it shouldn’t be that hard to create the perfect ambiance as they illuminate the waterfall and the pool.

Gardens and Foliage

Gardens can effortlessly transform outdoor spaces! Consider planting some flower beds or shrubs in your front yard to improve curb appeal, or add foliage in the backyard to create beautiful aesthetics. Different plant types can completely change how your outdoor space looks. If you are looking for a tropical touch, try planting some hibiscus flowers and palm trees around your swimming pool. Some plants will even attract pretty visitors.

Flowers like marigold, goldenrod, or daylily can help attract butterflies; while plants like bee balms, petunias, and daylilies will attract hummingbirds – or consider having a hummingbird feeder installed. You could also utilize some plant types such as citronella or lavender to repel pesky bugs such as mosquitoes.

Bonus: Not only will lavender repel mosquitoes; it’ll also help attract some butterflies.

If you do not want lavender, consider adding some citronella torches – they’ll help the mosquitos while creating beautiful aesthetics. You can use spotlights and path lights to highlight specific flowers and plants at night. Alternatively, you could try downlighting from the trees to create a mesmerizing moonlight effect. Landscape lighting will allow you to enjoy your garden both during the day and at night.

Have Professional Commercial Lightscaping Installed

Making the most out of your outdoor space means being able to use and enjoy it at any hour of the day. It is always a pleasant experience sitting outside and enjoying some sunshine, but what about during the night? There is no reason why you should not get to enjoy your garden even at night when the sun has set, and it’s grown dark.

Professional landscape lighting can make it possible for you to enjoy your outdoor space during the night, even while indoors! Consider installing several spotlights to highlight specific features of your house, or add some deck lighting to elicit a romantic ambiance for date nights at home. A couple of downlights to illuminate your patio or deck while creating moonlight effects when cast on tree foliage can work wonders too.

Both step and path lights help increase safety around your home by illuminating paths and can be used to guide guests to specific areas of your house or yard. These lights also liven up your garden at night as they cast pools of light that highlight your favorite plants. When it comes to lighting up your landscape, don’t be limited to the backyard space alone; your front yard could use some lighting too to increase curb appeal and to create a warm and welcoming ambiance for your guests!

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information! Click here to go directly to the first article.

Learning How Landscape Lighting Can Prove Helpful To Your Business

Posted by Robert Huff on

Part 1 Of Learning How Commercial Landscape Lighting Can Prove Helpful To Your Business 

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It’s nice to have an outdoor living area, but this only proves true if you actually know how to maximize the potential of the outdoor space that you have. You probably want to create a gorgeous space that you, your friends, and your family can enjoy any month of the year. Try thinking about how you’d like to use your space.

Do you want to create a backyard that is kid-friendly? Are you going to host any seniors that have mobility issues? Do you have any dogs or pets that you need to worry about? Or are you just looking for a place to relax and escape when a long day ends? It’s totally up to you to choose how you use your space, but it’s crucial that your intentions remain your focus when you start crafting the ideal outdoor area. The following are a handful of tips you can use to make the most of the potential of your outdoor living space.

Maximize Every Inch

It’s essential to be mindful of the space that is available when you try to create an ideal outdoor living area, particularly if you are hampered by limited square footage. When you buy furniture for an outdoor space, consider just how much room you actually have. In a smaller space, it might be a good idea to pick sectionals that you can place tightly in a corner, so there is more room left for a table or even space people can use to move around.

It’s also crucial to include lots of storage options, particularly for a smaller space. The market has numerous options in terms of storage spaces. If you really want to maximize a small space, then consider furniture pieces which double up as storage containers. Even when you work with a bigger space, it can still be important to maximize your space. A lot of homeowners tend to think more in terms of feet instead of inches, but if you think small, you can wind up freeing up a lot of space. If you’re able to, push furniture and any other items you can closer to fences or walls. This minor change and prove to make quite a big difference.

Be Mindful Of Pathways

Be mindful of pathways prior to establishing your outdoor living space. The best thing to do is to keep paths around 4 feet in width. Keep in mind what you hope the space to be used for, and then make your paths accordingly. It might be a good idea to skip winding paths if you are going to entertain seniors and small kids.

Any pathways that you do create needs to stay clear all of the time. This will make sure that you and your guests stay safe. Another important thing to consider is illuminating your paths when it is night, and that’s as true for your front yard as it is in the back. Path lighting doesn’t just provide warm welcomes to any guests who can follow the guidance to your door, but it can also keep everyone safe from tripping over anything in the dark.

Outdoor Kitchen

If you have the available space, then you might want to consider an upgrade from your humble grill up to a gorgeous outdoor kitchen that has not only a grill but also prep space and even a fridge. The right outdoor kitchen might help you have better food quality if you grill as the sun goes down or after. A few hardscape lights can help you easily see just when your food has gotten grilled to perfection. Stainless steel appliances are great for standing up to changing seasons, which means you’ll invest in something that you’ll enjoy for quite a few years. If you really want to add some wow factor to your outdoor kitchen, think about installing an outdoor television that both guests and the chef can watch. This can make for a great big game party.

Put In A Fire Pit

A fire pit is hands-down the very best way you can enjoy your outdoors all year long. An installed fire pit somewhere in your outdoor area gives you an enjoyable transition into cold winter nights. For that matter, fire pits are also a romantic option for sharing with someone you love or just a warm space to enjoy with friends. It’s also a great place to eat any food you make in your outdoor kitchen. Kids also really love fire pits since they mean they can make s’mores.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information! Click here to go directly to the next article.

Who Gets The Most From Landscape Lighting?

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Who Can Benefit From Landscape Lighting?

Landscape lighting can not only be used to draw attention to unique features or architectural details but it also can improve safety, making it ideal for both homes and businesses alike. Beautifully designed lighting can infuse a little bit of magic into an ordinary outdoor space, transforming even the most boring landscape into a show-stopping space.

Homeowners

Most homeowners put a lot of time, money, and effort into making their home’s exterior as beautiful as possible. Unfortunately, all of that hard work disappears into the darkness when the sun goes down. Installing landscape lighting is an excellent way to highlight a property’s unique features after dark. With the right lighting, homeowners can showcase everything from their landscaping to the architecture of their home, helping their property stand out from all of the other houses in the neighborhood.

Homes that are located in poorly lit neighborhoods can also benefit from landscape lighting. Installing lighting around the exterior of the home makes the property safer. If you light up your outdoor space, you may even inspire other people in your neighborhood to do the same.

When multiple homes in a neighborhood have landscape lighting in place, it helps make the entire area safer, creating a family-friendly place to live. Installing outdoor lighting around the exterior of your home could wind up completely changing your neighborhood for the better.

People Who Own Swimming Pools

Homeowners in Texas often install swimming pools in their backyards as a way of escaping from the summer heat. Installing outdoor lighting around the pool can make the space usable after dark, making it a lot safer to continue swimming after the sun goes down.

Along with lighting inside the pool itself, extra lights can be installed around the pool deck. Not only does this make the pool area beautiful after dark but it also dramatically improves safety. Adequate lighting is essential anytime children or adults are using a swimming pool after it gets dark outside. Having enough lighting in the area makes it easier to monitor what is happening around the pool from inside the house.

Installing underwater lighting in the pool itself makes it easy to see whether or not there are any obstacles in the water. Outdoor pools often accumulate debris like leaves and grass as well as insects. Lighting up both the pool and the surrounding area makes it a lot easier to see the condition of the water before jumping in.

Landlords

Installing landscape lighting around a rental property that you own is an excellent way to improve safety. Not only does having a well-lit space make renters feel safer but it also makes the property more attractive after dark. You may be able to rent out space more quickly or charge more for the property if you use landscape lighting to create a warm, welcoming space.

Outdoor lighting can also benefit commercial rental spaces like warehouses and storage units. Security cameras do a much better job of capturing footage when there is plenty of light available. Customers are more likely to rent spaces that are safe and secure. Installing outdoor lighting in conjunction with security cameras is a great way to alleviate any worries that potential renters may have about the property.

Businesses

Landscape lighting is essential for commercial properties – especially if your business is open after dark. Lighting up your outdoor space makes it easier for customers to see that you are open. It also makes your business more visible from the street when people are passing by after dark. When a property is well lit, it looks a lot safer, meaning that customers are more likely to visit at night.

Spotlights and other types of accent lighting can be used to draw attention to key features of the business. For instance, lighting can be installed under the outdoor sign or near promotional items to make these features easier to see.

Dining Establishments

Restaurants that offer outdoor dining can use landscape lighting to create a magical experience for their guests. Lighting up a patio space with attractive lights can completely transform the dining experience, turning an ordinary meal into an adventure that guests will remember for a long time to come.

Outdoor lighting has a lot to offer homeowners and business owners alike. It can be used to accent just about any outdoor space, improving safety while at the same time creating a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere that draws people in and makes them want to stay a while.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

two story house with moonlighting

The Right Color Temperature For Your Next Houston Lightscape Design

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How To Choose The Right Color Temperature For LED Landscaping Lights

Are you stuck trying to find the best color temperature to illuminate your landscape? If so, then the information contained in the following guide may help you reach a decision. At the very least, it will help you understand the thought process that the professionals use when choosing different LED colors and temperatures.

Before you can choose the right temperature you need to understand what it is and how it is measured. When a designer talks about a particular color temperature they are referencing a characteristic of a light that affects how that light feels. The measurement is always expressed as a temperature using the Kelvin unit. A temperature that is expressed as degrees Kelvin will have the capital letter “K” following the temperature. An example would be 2,400K, which is the color temperature of standard incandescent lamps.

But what exactly does it mean when a package states that a light has a color temperature of 3,000K? The temperature lets you know how warm or cool the light’s expression is. What confuses many people is that higher temperatures are actually considered cooler colors. Remember, a standard incandescent lamp has a color temperature of 2,400K. A candle generally has a color temperature around 1,700K. This means the candle is a warmer color.

Light manufacturers will often label color temperature on their packaging. They may sometimes use labels instead of numbers. For example, the light might be defined as daylight or soft white. These are terms that refer to the color temperature. It’s much easier to learn what the different temperatures are and then find lights that have the actual color temperature listed on the package.

Interested in learning some of the basic color temperatures? Here are a few numbers that you should remember.

1700K – This is the color temperature of a lit candle.

2200K – This is the lowest point on the white light scale. Below this temperature is known as yellow light.

3500K – From this point forward, the color temperatures are considered “cool”.

4000K – This is a very cool natural light.

5000K – Around this point is considered daylight. Temperatures around 5000K are natural and very cool.

6500K – Starting at this temperature you begin moving into the blue light spectrum.

How To Choose The Best Color Temperature For Outdoor Light

It’s impossible to label any single color temperature as best for all occasions. There are a number of factors that will influence your decision. Primarily, it comes down to preference. You may even need to try several different temperatures to find the one that you like the most. However, there are two important considerations that you should keep in mind when choosing outdoor lighting.

The first consideration to remember is that less lighting is required outdoors than indoors. After all, there are already multiple sources of natural light outdoors as well as possible light pollution from neighbors, street lamps, or nearby buildings. What this means is that you can take a more subtle approach to ambient lighting.

The second consideration is that if you have an environment with low ambient lighting, then it’s generally better to stick with warmer colors. Warmer colors produce a more comfortable experience when there is very little ambient light. This is partially because warmer colors cause less strain on the eye.

If you combine these two facts, then you can draw the conclusion that creating settings with low-ambient lighting and warm colors is ideal. Think about the pleasant attraction of a campfire or the relaxing nature of candles. This is what many people try to reproduce with their landscape lighting.

The Ideal Range

It’s hard to go wrong if you stick with color temperatures between the range of 2700K and 300K. These lights are somewhat natural, calming, and warm. 2700K resembles the light produced by halogen, which is something that most of us are familiar with seeing.

You can increase the temperature to 3000K for a slightly cooler approach to lighting. 3000K is a very popular choice in situations where 2700K is just too warm of a color. Consider trying both options to see which best suits your property.

Working With Cool Colors

Warm colors aren’t necessarily mandatory. For example, there are some plants or materials that would look much better under a cooler light. A blue spruce would come to life and “pop” when situated beneath a 5000K lamp. A cactus plant would do the same if a green or silver filter was placed on the light.

Working with cool colors is a fun way to experiment and express your personal style. Remember that there is no single “best” color temperature. It’s all situational and depends on the environment. But by remember the pointers mentioned above you can understand why professionals tend to work with specific color temperatures.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

residential and commercial led low voltage landscape lighting

Common Questions About Outdoor Lighting Design In Houston

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Three Common Questions About Outdoor Lighting Design

1. What are the most important things to consider when coming up with a landscape lighting design?

The biggest consideration that you need to take into account when planning your outdoor lighting is how you use your space.

The lighting that you put in front of your home is designed to enhance the curb appeal of your property and to improve safety. In the backyard, however, the lighting is there to make the space more enjoyable. That is why it is so important to put a lot of thought into how you plan on using the space.

Do you like the idea of holding parties or get-togethers outdoors? If entertaining is at the top of your priority list, adding outdoor lighting that creates a fun and festive setting could be the ideal solution.

Are you looking for an outdoor retreat where you can get away from the stress of everyday life? If so, choosing a more serene lighting design is probably the best option since it will help create a space that is more conducive to relaxation.

Would you like to spend time dining outdoors? Are you planning on putting in an outdoor kitchen? In either case, you should focus on functionality. Your lighting design should not only include ambient light but also task lighting that makes it easier to see what you are doing.

Do you have sidewalks, pathways, or stairs that you need to navigate after dark? In this case, extra lighting for safety is definitely warranted.

The features that you have in your outdoor space also come into play when determining what type of lighting is appropriate. Good lighting design can help you make the most of everything from a pergola to an outdoor swimming pool.

2. How can you add character to your outdoor space through lighting design?

While functionality is an important part of outdoor lighting design, it is also about creating a certain atmosphere. Instead of focusing on the design of the light fixtures themselves, landscape lighting designers usually focus on the specific lighting effects that they are trying to achieve. They then choose fixtures that make these effects possible.

When you start shopping for light fixtures, you no doubt will run across a lot of fixtures with unique or interesting designs. Even though these designs may appeal to you today, you may find that they look outdated in a few short years. When you work with a lighting designer, they can provide you with professional guidance so that you can choose fixtures with classic designs that will never go out of style. Best of all, the fixtures that they help you choose will allow you to achieve beautiful lighting effects in your outdoor space.

Some of the different styles of fixtures that may work for your yard or garden include the following:

  • Pendant Lights. These lights not only add a beautiful accent to your outdoor space but they also are more interesting to look at than many other types of lights. From a functionality standpoint, they usually fall a little bit short. However, they can be a great way to add character and charm to your outdoor space.
  • Path lighting is important from a safety standpoint. There are countless styles of path lights currently available, making it easy to find lighting that is the ideal fit for your space.

Something To Keep In Mind About Path Lights

Path lights are exposed to a lot of wear and tear. They need to be durable and rugged so that they can handle whatever abuse comes their way. Unfortunately, many of the most decorative path lights that are currently available are not strong enough to withstand regular use. If you purchase ornate fixtures, you may wind up disappointed when they don’t last as long as you would like them to. Your lighting designer can help you find lights that are both attractive and durable, helping to ensure that you make a smart investment that will last for a long time to come.

3. What is the best path light spacing for garden paths, stairs, and sidewalks?

When it comes to landscape lighting, few types of lighting are used incorrectly as often as path lights. When you drive through a neighborhood, you probably can spot path lights stuck in flower beds, tied to fences, or placed in other unusual areas. In actuality, however, these lights are designed for one specific purpose to light stairs and walkways.

To create a well-balanced lighting design, path lights should be evenly spaced.

The proper spacing for these lights varies depending on the size of the walkway that they are being used for. Path lights should be large enough to adequately light the entire path.

When it comes to placing the lights on either side of the path, there are a couple of different options. For a casual look, try alternating lights, spacing them so that they are not directly across from each other. For a more formal look, on the other hand, placing the lights in line with each other so they line up across the path can provide a beautiful effect.

In some cases, you may not even need to use path lights if you opt for different lighting solutions. The best way to figure out how to effectively light your walkways and stairs is by meeting with a qualified lighting designer.

 If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

The Best In Houston Outdoor Lighting Weighs In – Are All LED’s Created Equal?

Posted by Robert Huff on

Are LED Lights All The Same? How To Choose A High-Quality LED Lamp For Your Houston Outdoor Lighting

AS LED is becoming the most popular option when it comes to selecting a lamp, there is a wide range of types and brands that are available now. But is every LED lamp identical? No! Like almost everything else in life, there are large variances between poorly made LED lamps and quality LED lamps.

When searching for a well-made lamp, one of the very first things that you should look for is the warranty. It is very important that you read the fine print and check it to find out how long the lamp is guaranteed to work and in which environments. There are some lamps that are designed for damp locations, some for dry locations, and others that are designed so that they can be submerged in water for brief periods of time. Landscaping lighting lamps all should be either wet location or damp location lamps. Some LED lamps are also are designed with slits or vent holes to let heat escape. That appears to make sense until it is introduced into a damp environment or it is an environment that has bugs. I cannot even tell you the number of times that I have pulled the lamps out from eBay or Amazon out of the fixtures that have tons of bugs in them that have corroded the sockets and fixtures that are beyond being able to e saved.

A big part of determining what the quality of an LED is how a bulb manages heat. Compared to a typical light, less heat is given off by LEDs, but all of them create heat in the same way. To live up to their full potential, they have to pull heat away effectively from the LED. Metal heat sinks that have fins are used by quality LED lights to pull away and also store the heat while plastic heat sinks or fans are used by cheaply made LEDs to attempt to do the same thing but will most likely fail, which reduces the life expectancy of your light. Also, the very best dim the output automatically when they reach their heat capacity’s upper limits. That rarely happens, but during those 90-degree nights in Central and South Texas, it definitely may occur.

LEDs are able to produce colors on all parts of the spectrum. Although the light color is mainly based on your personal preference, it is very important that your LED lights are all consistent in color. High quality LED lights that are the same color temperature that all look like the color is consistent when it is installed. LED lights that are lower quality will have inconsistent colors, even when marketed as being the same color temperature. The less expensive a lamp is the more variation there will be. That is particularly important when using feature lighting on sculpture and art or when lighting your home’s facade.

The LED lights construction is important as well. When choosing your LEDs, you should check the weight, feel, look and design.

Would you like more information on how to identify quality LED lamps?

There is a wide variety of integrated products, lamps, and color temperatures that are available as options. If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!

A home in Houston, TX, with landscape lighting

Houston Area Outdoor Lighting Experts Tell Us The Essentials In Outdoor Lighting

Posted by Robert Huff on

The Most Important Elements Associated With Houston Outdoor Lighting

There are numerous elements linked to outdoor-lighting, yet it always comes down to the trio of components, installation and element designs that are all interconnected.

The Design

The design has to do with the way in which we achieve desired results along with making it look gorgeous. Great lighting designs use the foundational principles, but they do not lock into the cookie-cutter approach where pre-arrange kits are used and every home is treated the same. Design is what allows a designer to tap into their creative juices for each project. The expert lighting designers use only the best products to create effects that you should expect from your lighting which includes highlighting, safety, drama, warmth and more. We look forward to opportunities to create designs that will excite you.

The Components

Components linked to outdoor lighting, have to the do with the fixtures themselves. Yet components will also include the wiring, bulbs, connectors along with any other materials that are used in these systems. Importance of high-quality components should never be overlooked. The fixtures of quality with bulbs or lamps that are suitable and rated for outdoor use are essential for the system to offer you long-term use. Cheap aluminum and plastic fixtures are unable to stand up to outdoor elements or be able to perform like the copper or solid brass types will. The heat-shrink wire connections also work on protecting the connections, which allows the lights to operate for a lot longer in comparison to pierce types. An outstanding lighting design is not able to compensate for materials of poor quality. If your lighting is placed perfectly, but they are not able to work, the overall design will mean nothing. We suggest and incorporate high-quality brass and copper products for all the landscape lighting-projects that offer a far longer-lasting performance. An installation that is inadequate even when the product and design are of exceptional quality and perfectly positioned, will always end in disaster. The incorrect installation can result in frustration, failure along with unnecessary costs. A shoddy connection will usually fail prematurely, while wired that have not been buried correctly are prone to corrosion or the risk of being cut. Tree lights which have been installed incorrectly may cause harm or even the death of a tree while lights that have been placed incorrectly are prone to breaks. Cutting corners can lead to frustrating outages and many unhappy customers which is why never cut corners. Main elements involved in the best lighting designs, installation and components are interdependent and interconnected. Making a shortcut on 1 and others are unable to compensate, which is always why we strive for professional services when it comes to our techniques and materials. We have a goal of offering top-rated services when it comes to our lighting systems, making sure you are completely satisfied with the end product that you are able to rely on for years into the future.

About Our Houston Outdoor Home Lighting

Outdoor lighting for residential properties may in some cases appear to be similar to utilitarian home projects, and many companies make the mistake of approaching these projects as technological tasks. Our latest LED landscape outdoor lighting combines functions and form to offer landscape-lighting solutions which do a lot more than only provide lighting to your garden or yard. To create the best types of LED landscaping lighting has to do with work provided by the Robert Huff design team that brings together collective architectural-designs that employ the very latest when it comes to outdoor solutions for LED landscape lighting. Our team often works alongside pool designers, architects and landscapers to arrive at the renowned Robert Huff lighting effects when it comes to all types of outdoor spaces for either your business or home. Robert Huff Landscape Illuminations is proud to be in the business of designing home-lighting outdoors with Security, Elegance, and Beauty for more than three decades. We also have a specialty in installation and designs of the commercial based LED landscaping lighting. Our clients have come to trust in Robert Huff as we are always delivering outstanding designs in residential and commercial outdoor lighting all over Houston, TX.

Here at Robert Huff, we strongly believe it only takes one innovative idea in order to transform your own outdoor spaces. While the other companies might offer different outdoor-lighting solutions, our Robert Huff designs always extend above-and-beyond. When choosing Robert Huff for outdoor LED landscape-lighting, you are offered with fully-inclusive support and designs that are built upon excellence, creativity, and experience.

More Than 30 Years In Houston Outdoor Home Lighting Designs

Robert Huff Lighting has gone onto spend over 30 years as the pioneer when it comes to outdoor lighting. This is why we are a premier choice when it comes to outdoor-lighting solutions all over Austin, Houston, and the surrounding areas. With our extensive experience, we already have lists of satisfied customers for commercial and residential projects. We are also insured, licensed and each team member equipped and trained when it comes to assisting you with your outdoor lighting requirements.

 

If you would like to discover more tips and tricks, visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!