Residential Outdoor Lighting Ideas For Your Houston Home

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Houston Residential Outdoor Lighting Designs

Our passion is residential outdoor lighting Houston. Here, we are always trying out new ideas that are both innovative and creative. They show off the beauty of the great outdoors. Come, explore our ideas on residential lighting to get inspiration for your next design.

Bring The Inside Outside

A lot of our contemporary lighting fixtures appear to look much like the stylish indoor lighting you’re used to. From pendant lights to modern floor lamps and even drop lights, we can help you to design and create your own ideal outdoor lights. Your outdoor area will look both chic and unique. If you have a design aesthetic that you want to show off, you may want to focus on some of this inspiration.

Consider Both Safety And Security

With our innovative designs, you don’t have to sacrifice your safety for style. There is a way to get the best of both worlds. Consider LED lights along the path. Your guests will appreciate being able to see along the way. Your architectural lighting and landscape can all double as security lighting on your property. this way, intruders will be seen and your family and friends can navigate to and from your home safely.

Set The Mood

What mood do you want your outdoor space to show? Quiet? Fun and exciting? How about relaxing? Regardless of whether you’re hosting the most fabulous pool party, or just relaxing in the great outdoors, you can still create the ideal ambiance with your outdoor lighting. There are many great adjustable solutions that will allow you to design your outdoors and set the mood. We can help you to design the ideal outdoor spaces.

Remember: Less is Always More

When it comes to residential lighting, less is always more. You don’t need the brightest or the largest, you simply need to subtly accent the best features in your outdoor areas. You can use simple lighting which is far more effective at showing off your yard. Designers can assist you in your lighting as you go.

Call or contact us today with any questions you might have. Visit our blog for more outdoor lighting tips and tricks.

Reasons To Hire A Professional Outdoor Lighting Company In Houston

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Why Hire A Professional Houston Outdoor Lighting Company

Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting is a Houston outdoor lighting company with over 20 years of experience in the exterior lighting industry. We have seen and worked with it all; from the hippest fixtures and trendy installation techniques to the latest in lighting technology. We strive to stay ahead of the rest by ensuring that we are abreast with the current trends in the industry; that’s how we manage to be and remain the best exterior lighting experts in Houston.
Lighting has become an increasingly popular décor option, something that has seen a rise in various companies such as landscapers and pool construction companies include it in their services. Working with such companies may not be such a bad option since you already have them working on something else, but they may not deliver the very best lighting installation. As such, we highly recommend working with experts in exterior lighting and here’s why:

• Design When it comes to architectural landscape lighting systems, the primary objective is the accentuation of the property. The lighting system will inject vibrant architecture with various color and texture options that ensure a well-distributed illumination with no dark spots. An inadequately done system design will result in uneven illumination that leave certain areas of the home with no light. A proficient outdoor lighting designer from Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting knows which fixtures work best where to give the perfect lighting presentation.

• Fixtures Outdoor lighting fixtures differ in their form and function. Some may offer dim lighting while others may have a high output; other may work in harsh environments with no issues, and some can even last for years. We are always keen on the products we use to ensure everything is of the highest quality, runs on low voltage and of the best lighting tech such as LED fixtures with everything done based on a design that lasts for years. We recommend LED lighting because it is made of nontoxic materials, generates an array of pleasing colors, and offers an extended bulb life.

• Service And maintenance over the 20 years of working in the exterior lighting industry, we know and appreciate the need for a proactive maintenance of outdoor lighting. It is the only way that ensures the lighting systems look and perform at their peak levels. Normal outdoor activities such as gardening and mowing the lawn will disrupt or damage the lighting system. Therefore, you should hire a Houston outdoor lighting company that understands the need for periodic maintenance as part of their services. That is what we at Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting strive to offer all our clients in Houston because we take great pride in the performance of our exterior lighting systems.

Call for more information today.

About Christmas Lighting in Houston & How To Stay Safe

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Things You Need To Know About Christmas Lights

Thanksgiving has come and gone and families all over the world are busy getting their homes decorated and putting up electric Christmas lights. Christmas lights are a standard outside and inside most American homes.

When it comes to Christmas lights, there are probably many things you don’t know about them. With Christmas just around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to share some things about Christmas lights that are not so well known, in addition to some energy-saving tips that can help you save money during this upcoming holiday season and well into the future.

Candles were the first Christmas lights. We previously covered the history of Christmas lights, however, it is still worth going over a few interesting facts that you might not be aware of about the tradition of Christmas lights.

Candles were attached to evergreens and used in windows for Christmas celebrations for hundreds of years. It has been claimed by many that the tradition of using candles to light Christmas tree was sparked by Martin Luther during the 16th century in Germany. This was, of course, a big fire hazard. But that was all that they had to use.

In 1882 the very first electric lights appeared on a Christmas tree. Two years later, Edward H. Johnson, Edison’s partner, became the first individual who used electric string lights for illuminating a Christmas tree. Johnson’s Christmas tree was hand-wired with around 80 blue white and red electric lights, which could easily be seen by people passing by.

In 1895 President Grover Cleveland became the first president to have electric lights on the Christmas tree in the White House. In 1889 Benjamin Harrison became the first president to have a Christmas tree at the White House, but it was Cleveland who was the first president to have multi-colored electric lights used for decorating the Christmas tree. That really helped to introduce this idea to the general public. People were still concerned about electricity being dangerous and the possibility that dangerous fumes would get into the house through wires and lights.

It took some time before electric Christmas lights started to be used by average Americans. The first commercial made Christmas lights were produced as strands that had 8 lights and made by General Electric Company (GE). These lights were called “festoons” by GE. By 1900, it was very common for businesses to have lights strung up around their buildings and in their windows. However, most homeowners couldn’t afford outdoor Christmas lights.

Over the years, as Christmas lights started becoming more affordable, they began to make their ways into residential houses. However, even as late as the 1930s, candles were still commonly used on Christmas trees and in windows.

Electric Christmas lights had pretty much become the standard by 1950. After prices became more affordable, candles were replaced by electric lights by families since they were long lasting and safer.

Once electric string lights had become affordable and safe, families began to use them on pillars, doorways, railings, mantles, and along the peaks and eaves of their houses.

Today, it is estimated that around 150 million sets of lights are sold in the U.S. each year. Smithsonian reports that the lights help to illuminate more than 80 million houses and consume around 6% of the country’s electrical load each December.

Candles still cause fires and electric lights continue to be dangerous. It is estimated by the CPSC that over 15,000-holiday decorating injuries take place during the months of November and December.

It is estimated by the NFPA that an average of 200 house fires is started each year by Christmas trees. Lighting or electrical distribution equipment are involved in about 40% (two out of five) Christmas tree home fires.

Excluding Christmas trees, another 840 home structure fires take place over the holiday season. Candles cause over 1/3 of house structure fires that take place during the holiday season. The top three days when candle fires in homes take place are Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

You can help to prevent home fires from occurring by inspecting electrical products before they are used, learning basic ladder safety, unplugging Christmas lights before you leave home, and making sure your Christmas tree is kept well-watered. You can recycle your holiday light sets instead of throwing them away. An outdoor lighting Houston professional can provide you with even more lighting tips to keep you and your family safe.

Old Christmas lights can be recycled and you can also look for deals on new LED lights. See if there is a recycling program for Christmas lights at your local home improvement store. Some stores might offer discounts and/or rebates on new Christmas LED lights.

Over the long run, LED lights are cheaper and better. Although the upfront costs of LEDs are higher, they use about 70 to 90% less energy, are more durable, last a lot longer, and less prone to overloading circuits and burning out. Incandescent lights cost about $10 for lighting a Christmas tree over one holiday season. However, LEDs cost only around 25 cents to light a 6-foot Christmas tree for 40 days at 12hours per day. When these savings are multiplied by lighting up your whole house over the holiday season, it becomes a very significant cost savings.

Call or contact Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting if you have any questions regarding starting a new outdoor lighting project! Merry Christmas and happy decorating!

Ensure That Your Houston Indoor & Outdoor Lighting Are Up To Safety Standards

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Christmas And Holiday Fire And Electrical Safety Tips

To help ensure that you and your family have a very safe as well as Merry Christmas, we want to share some very important safety tips that you need to be aware of for the holidays.

Holiday Fire Statistics

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that:

  • 38% of house fire deaths and 30% of all house fires occur during December, January, and February.
  • Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are the leading three days for candle fires in the home.
  • Lighting equipment or electrical distribution was involved 40% (two out five) Christmas tree home fires.

In 26% of all Christmas trees as well as 80% deaths, there was some sort of heat source, like electrical equipment or a candle, that was too near to the Christmas tree. Every year from 2011-2015 fire departments responded to around 840 home structure fires that started with holiday decorations, excluding Christmas trees. Whether caused by electrical equipment, an open flame, heating or cooking, during this time of the year fires are more severe and more frequent. In particular, Christmas tree fires are very damaging, causing serious injuries and fatalities per fire increasing fivefold.

In addition to fires occurring in the home, decorating injuries and falls also occur frequently during the holiday season. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) reports:

  • An estimated 5,800 people are treated every year in hospital emergency rooms to treat injuries that they sustained from falls that involved holiday decorations.
  • Another 4,000 individuals are taken to emergency rooms to be treated for injuries that involve extension cords.

That is why we recommend that you hire a Houston outdoor lighting professional for outdoor light and Christmas displays, along with learning extension cord, ladder, and lighting safety.

Christmas Electrical And Fire Safety Tips

Before hanging your mistle and check the final names off of your Christmas list, make sure you go over the following electrical safety and holiday fire checklist so that all of your family members, guests, and home are kept safe:

  • Check your extension cords, electrical decorations, lights, switches and outlets for directions on how to use them properly. Never use any frayed or damaged electrical devices or ones showing exposed wiring. Get rid of any damaged or worn electrical equipment. Look for an electrical device recycling program at your local home improvement stores.
  • Whenever you are buying electrical devices, make sure to check to see if the device has been tested by an independent testing laboratory, like Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Intertek (ETL), or Underwriters Laboratory (UL).
  • If you notice any outlets or switches smelling strange or that feel warm when you touch them, call an electrician immediately and don’t use them. Shut the power off at the breaker box to that circuit until an experienced electrician has inspected it.
  • With incandescent lights, don’t every connect over 3 strings together. Make sure to follow the instructions from the manufacturer at all times, and don’t ever connect more strings of lights together than are stated on the package.
  • Don’t attach several extension cords together.

Keep in mind that extension cords are just temporary solutions. So call a licensed electrician if you need to have more outlets.

  • Before you go to sleep or leave home, turn your Christmas tree lights as well as other electrical decorations and blow out all of your candles.
  • Every 30 days, test your ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs). All outdoor outlets need to be equipped with GFCI protection.
  • Make sure you are very careful whenever you are around power lines and learn basic ladder safety. Before climbing, always look up first, and stay 10 feet away at least from power lines. If you have trees around power lines that need to be trimmed, contact your local utility company (upon rest they should be able to come out and trim your tree).
  • Avoid overloading your circuits. Make sure your Christmas lights are not tripping the breaker. Make sure you know how to replace blown fuses and reset your breaker safely. If the fuse keeps blowing or the breaker keeps tripping, call a licensed electrician immediately.
  • Keep all decorations and items that could potentially burn 3 feet away at least from all heating sources and open flames, like cooking equipment, fireplaces, and space heaters.
  • If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure to check the level of water every day and water the tree as needed.
  • Never use electricity close to water.
  • Don’t sleep with electronic equipment such as cell phones underneath your pillow. Don’t ever leave space heaters, candles or fireplaces on when one is there.
  • Never run wires or cords underneath furniture, rugs, carpets, or through doors and windows. Don’t nail or staple cords, lights or any other types of electrical equipment.
  • Every 30 days, test your carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke detectors. Install CO and smoke detectors on each level of your house and outside of every sleeping area. Replace the batteries if your alarm starts to make chirping sounds.

Some carbon monoxide is produced by all fuel-burning processes. In large amounts, it can even be fatal. Never grill indoors! It is estimated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that around emergency room-treated injuries due and 20 deaths due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning result from using a charcoal grill.

Don’t ever attempt to do electrical work yourself. An experienced and licensed electrician should always be hired to do electrical work.

For more information, contact us or call Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting today!

Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting Addressing Home Electrical Safety

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Electrical Safety Tips to Consider for Your Home

When you are looking to change up the electrical systems in your home, you may think that you can and should just dive right in and work on it yourself. While you may be fully capable of doing most construction work yourself, elec trical systems can be complicated and dangerous if you are not an expert.

Before you jump right in and start changing out indoor or outdoor lighting in Houston or trying to rewire your entire project yourself, you should get to know a few basic electrical safety tips to help you out in the process. Then you can be sure that you are as safe as possible whether you decide to do the work yourself or hire someone to do it for you.

Understand Different Types of Outlets

Whether you are looking to install a new outlet, replace current ones, or you just happened to notice that you have a lot of things plugged into a single outlet, it can be helpful to understand the different types of outlets that you may find in your home.

If you have an older home, you may have noticed that many of your electrical outlets, for example, only have two slots for prongs rather than three. These are known as ungrounded electrical outlets and can be quite dangerous.

Grounding an electrical outlet means to give it a safe way to return to the ground in the event of an overloaded circuit or power surge. Essentially, it is a protective barrier that can prevent fires, shock, and damage to the appliances or other items plugged into your outlet.

These older two-prong outlets lack that grounding. It is not enough to just plug in an adapter to these outlets. You need to replace them with grounded three-prong outlets, which requires rewiring in your home as the grounding element must be wired as well.

Label All of Your Circuit Breakers

On a dear day, when there will be little chance of a lightning strike or other power surge, you may want to take the time to get to know your home’s circuit breaker. The circuit breaker is a box of switches usually found in the basement or utility room of your home.

It is the central hub inside of your home for your electrical system, and each switch is for specific appliances or areas of your home. If your circuit breaker is not already labeled or the labeling is unclear, it is time to add labels to your circuit breaker box. Turn on the lights and, if possible, appliances in your home.

You can have a family member help you find which area of the house turns off as you flip each breaker (or you can go around the house and look for yourself). Then, label each one with the appropriate label (i.e., living room, master bedroom, etc.).

Knowing which area of the house is attached to each circuit breaker can help you when you do electrical work throughout your home. To rewire a lighting fixture or change outlets, you will need to shut off the electrical current that goes to that area of your home to avoid shock, fire, and injuries.

Having those circuits labeled will make it easier to remain safe no matter what electrical projects you work on throughout your entire home.

Now that you know a few key safety tips to utilize when you are doing electrical work throughout your house, you can be sure that you are doing everything in your power to remain as safe and injury-free as possible. Even if you have a professional come to help you with your electrical work or outdoor lighting, these tips can help keep them safe as well.

Call or contact us today to start your project! Visit our blog for more lighting tips!

The History On Christmas Lights By Robert Huff Illumination

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An Introduction to the History of Christmas Tree Lights

Have you ever wondered about the history of Christmas lights? You probably understand that electricity was not around at the birth of Jesus; so, when did the populace begin associating electrical lights with the birth of the Savior?

Christmas Lights Began with Fire

Christmas lights, also known as fairy lights, are used around the world in Christmas displays and decoration during the holiday season. The tradition started when Christmas trees were lit using candles. The light from these candles was to symbolize Christ as the “light of the world.”

Early Germans (1500 to 1800) were the first people to bring Christmas trees indoor and decorate them with candles. However, because the candles used to light the Christmas trees posed a fire hazard, Christmas trees were not brought into the home until a couple of days before Christmas and immediately disposed of following the holidays. The Germans attached the candles to the Christmas tree using either melted wax or pins.

The danger associated with using candles was so great that Christians would keep constant watch and have buckets of water or sand on hand to douse the tree should a fire occur. Additionally, the candles were only allowed to burn 15 to 30 minutes before they were extinguished.

Additionally, Christians placed candles in their windows to let passersby know that a Christian resided in the home. These candles were an invitation for other Christians to enter the home and worship with them. Finally, Yule Logs were used in Germany as early as 1184.

Early Christmas celebration often used Yule Logs, Christmas trees lit with candles and candle in the windows; however, light has played an important role in Winter festivals even before the birth of Jesus.

During the winter solstice, fire and light were used. Lighting fires and candles during the darkest day of the year not only provided warmth but was also thought to encourage warmth and light to return from the Sun.

The Invention of Modern Christmas Lights

Thomas Edison was an inventor, showman, and businessman. He would entertain investors and businessmen on the first floor of the Menlo Park Laboratory with his phonograph concerts. Additionally, Thomas Edison was the first person to ever use electric Christmas lights during the holidays.

Edison kept an incandescent light bulb burning for thirteen and a half hours in 1879. Later the same year, he was able to invent bulbs that continued to burn brightly for more than forty hours.

By the Christmas holiday of 1880, Edison hung the first electric Christmas lights in his home and around the Menlo Park Laboratory. According to an article in the New York Times on December 21, 1880, Edison hosted a private exhibition for approximately forty gentlemen, including those in the New York City government, to explain the principles behind his electric lights and showcase his display.

While the purpose of the private exhibition was about business and replacing the city’s current gas lights with new electric one, many reported that they were impressed that the glass globes were shiny and clean. The 800 lights used was a sight to behold, according to attendees.

Many have debated whether Edison’s original intent was to associate his electric lights with Christmas; however, the timing of the introduction of these strings of electric lights made people associate them with Christmastime.

At the end of his demonstration, he held a private phonograph concert and a meal featuring roasted turkey, duck, ham and chicken salad.

It wasn’t long until Edward H. Johnson, Edison’s partner, used these electrical lights to eliminate his own Christmas tree. Eighty red, white and blue lights were hand-wired and strung on to his Christmas tree. Mr. Johnson’s illuminated Christmas tree was visible through the windows in his home and crowds would gather outside to witness this electrical engineering feat.

Nowadays, Christmas tree lights are used to illuminate homes, windows, villages and Christmas trees around the world. In Texas, Houston Christmas lighting is one of the most important things. Those bright, twinkling lights are found throughout the city both inside the homes and outdoors, signaling the beginning of the holiday season.

For more lighting tips, tricks, and trends call or contact Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting today!

The Proper Lights To Use This Christmas In Houston

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Choosing The Right Outdoor Lights For Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching. Most people start celebrating the holiday season shortly after Thanksgiving, meaning that now is the perfect time to start hanging decorations. One of the best parts of celebrating Christmas is coming up with a fabulous display of lights on the outside of your house.

If you are looking for the highest quality Christmas lights currently available, consider reaching out to Robert Huff Illumination. Because we only employ the most skilled lighting experts, we are able to create some truly dazzling light displays for the holidays. We have spent a lot of time figuring out which lighting choices are the best for Christmas and are more than happy to share that information with you. New technology is constantly being introduced to the field of lighting. Because of that, we are going to focus primarily on the basic types of lighting rather than on any specific brands.

The Ideal Outdoor Lights For Christmas Outdoor Lighting Houston

LED Lighting Is A Great Choice

When it comes to just about any type of lighting, LED is the way to go. Not only are LED bulbs extremely energy-efficient but they also last for a long time. You can string together multiple strings of light without having to worry about overloading the circuit breaker. They also come in just about every color of the rainbow, meaning that you can create whatever type of lighting display you prefer. If you want, you can even add flashing lights to really draw attention to your home.

The only drawback to LED lights is that they are a little bit more expensive than standard incandescent lights. However, when you consider how much longer they last and how much energy they can save, they are actually a really good investment even with the higher price tag.

In terms of efficiency, there is no comparison with other types of Christmas lights. They also last far longer than other lights, meaning that you can get a lot more use out of them for your investment. Although we have a lot of different types of LED lights available, some of the most popular that we carry are the wide-angle conical lights. These LED Christmas lights are truly beautiful to look at thanks to their ability to refract the light.

In the past, one of the biggest complaints that people had about LED lights was that the color of the light was too cool. Today, however, LED light manufacturers have found a way to create lights that have the same warmth and richness as traditional Christmas lights. You can choose just about any color temperature that you want when you use LED lights.

Consider purchasing Energy Star rated lights that also carry Underwriters Laboratory (UL) labels. Underwriters laboratory independently tests products that use electricity to make sure that they are safe to use. It is extremely important to only buy electrical products that have been tested by this agency or one like it.

The Top Reasons To Choose LED Christmas Lights in Houston

  • Durable and capable of standing up to the weather.
  • Long-lasting.
  • Compared to incandescent bulbs, LED lights are as much as 90% more efficient.

Rectified LED Lights

When choosing LED lights, you may want to consider buying rectified lights. Also known as full-wave lights, these high-quality lights won’t flicker like some cheaper sets do. They flicker at a rate of 120 Hz per second, which is faster than the human brain can register. Lower quality lights, on the other hand, flicker at a rate of about 60 Hz per second, which can sometimes be visible to the human eye. Choosing higher-quality rectified LED lights can eliminate any problems with flickering. Both types of lighting are extremely energy-efficient. The primary difference is that rectified LED lights don’t appear to flicker, making them a good choice for your holiday lighting needs.

Incandescent Lights For Christmas

Although incandescent Christmas lights were popular in the past, more and more people are moving over to LED bulbs, simply because incandescent bulbs aren’t as efficient and don’t last as long. Instead of wasting energy using traditional incandescent bulbs, you may want to consider using highly-efficient LED bulbs. This can cut your energy usage, saving you money on your power bills. It can also allow you to add multiple strings of lights to a single outlet without having to worry about tripping the breaker.

If you decide to have incandescent Christmas lights installed on your property, make sure that you ask the company that installs them about the steps that they take to maintain them. These bulbs are more likely to burn out during the holiday season, meaning that they may require ongoing upkeep and maintenance.

Call today or contact Robert Huff Illumination for more information on our outdoor lighting solutions.

Prepare Your Outdoor Patio With Professional Houston Outdoor Lighting

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5 Tips To Help Get Your Patio Ready For Parties Including The Outdoor Lighting

Everybody these days is more focused on staying indoors due to all of the many comforts that are provided, from flat-screen TVs to video games, high-tech computers and much more. We spend so much of our attention on creating the perfect environment inside of our home, that we have a tendency to spend less time outdoors, especially kids. However, with some creative lighting design, a comfortable seating area, and a few decorations, an outdoor lighting Houston TX specialist can help make your outdoor living area be as comfortable and as inviting as the interior of your home.

Landscape Lighting in Houston

Your patio is an excellent place to start when it comes to transforming the outdoor living area. Having a well-lit and well-designed patio can help to inspire your entire family to want to spend more time in nature to breathe in all of that fresh air, benefit from the sun, and enjoy better health and beautiful trees swaying in the wind. Also, having a party-ready patio helps to encourage more social interactions and entertaining with neighbors, family, and friends. Just think of all of the fun activities you will be able to enjoy when you have the right patio ambiance: camping in the backyard, enjoying a nice glass of wine while reading, playing board games, evening barbecues.

Our professional lights installers are aware of the power provided by outdoor lighting along with all of the different options that are available. For example, battery-operated patio lights are perfect for areas that don’t have power sources. They are energy-efficient, easy to install, and may be placed in different areas throughout your patio area to provide more illumination. When you hang patio string lights overhead, it creates a cozy and charming environment, by wrapping them around trees and deck rails. Energy-efficient LED lights are best used for stairs and pathways, to increase visibility and safety at night.

Create Or Buy An Outdoor Bar

Having an outdoor bar on your patio is practical and also decorative. You can easily host intimate gatherings or dinner parties without needing to back inside each time someone’s drink needs to be refilled, which allows you to participate fully in your party without needing to sacrifice any of your great hosting skills. There are different bars to choose from including a wicker cart-like bar, contemporary polyethylene bar or port one that can be moved from one area to another. There are some patio bars that have drawers included for storing extras such as accessories and napkins or even serving dishes.

Fire Pit For Providing A Warm Glow

One very cozy addition that you can add to your patio area is a fire pit. Just think of your skin being caressed by the warmth of a fire on a crisp, cool evening.Just the flickering sound can help you relax at night with a companion. It isn’t very complicated or time-consuming to build a fire pit. You can use brick, concrete blocks or stones. A fence post sized hole of around 3 feet deep will need to be dug and then filled in with gravel. To ward off fumes, dry-stack the stones rather than using adhesives.

Use More Greenery

You might be surrounded by greenery, after all, we are discussing the outdoor. But you still might want to think about adding foliage to your actual patios such as colorful vines, flowers, and potted plants. There can even be wall plots adorning the walls of your home that surrounding the patio or aromatic greenery can be hung to provide the entire area with more depth. When greenery is added to your patio is provides more privacy, to leverage small trees or shrubs to block the view of your neighbor’s house. Just adding a few plants really can go a very long way towards creating the ideal retreat for your entire family.

Revive Your Outdoor Furniture

We recommend that you give your old furniture new life. It tends to take a real beating from the sun and rain. From rust and discoloration to nicks and scratches, there is plenty to get cleaned up. Lounge chairs might have ripped mesh or loose screws that need to be repaired.

Call us now or contact us today for more information regarding starting or finishing a new or existing outdoor lighting project of yours!

Robert Huff Illumination Suggests These Houston Outdoor Lighting Techniques For Your Business

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Commercial Outdoor Lighting Techniques

If you are looking for an outdoor light installer that is going to bring about a unique design to every commercial project, it is time to get in touch with Robert Huff Illumination experts. Regardless of whether you are looking to change the appearance of a restaurant or a nursing home, each is going to have specific needs that need to be addressed. An example of this would be a nonprofit hospital located in Fort Worth, Texas that used a wall wash technique to highlight the multiple facades of the many buildings.

Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting | Commercial Lighting Services HoustonSo what exactly is a wall washing lighting technique? Basically, this technique is going to create a warm and soothing look over the wall of a particular building. It is designed to look as though the light is bouncing off of the wall, this type of lighting will bring much more attention to any form of a building. This lighting technique will also minimize the texture of the building as it distributes the light evenly. Our Houston commercial lighting experts use this technique to liven the building up and offer the building a chance to shine in the evening.

The opposite of this technique is known as the moonlighting lighting technique. In this situation, the fixtures are placed above as opposed to down. So here the light will be shining down on the building. This helps to create some incredible shadows on the ground.

Another option that our experts can use is up-lighting which makes a remarkable contrasting effect. When a wall washing technique is used, the lights are placed about 12 inches from the wall plane which creates that flat appearance, with up-lighting the spotlights are placed close to the facade for an incredible effect. When this form of lighting is viewed from afar, it creates a dramatic view. Our Houston light installers will use this same technique for trees and other elements of the landscape.

Down-lighting technique is a form that is similar to moonlight with the exception that it is quite a bit bolder. Here the light fixtures are placed high to create a full circle of light over an area.

For an illuminating backdrop, our installers can use the process of silhouetting. This spectacular light show is created with a spread light that is placed between plants, trees, or another structure. This is another form of lighting that can be used for a dramatic effect due to the sharp contrast between the background and lighted area. The Houston commercial outdoor lighting installers know that silhouetting works incredibly well with dark green vegetation.

If you are looking for a way to add safety to the property, you may want to consider path lighting which is actually one of the most important aspects of a commercial property. In this case, small lighting fixtures are placed along walkways, driveways, and to direct people.

The Robert Huff Illumination experts want individuals to know how important this form of lighting is. Once these lights have been installed they will be used to direct pedestrians and keep the property safe.

Path lighting is an aspect of lighting that no commercial property in Texas should underestimate. If you are looking for an incredible way to bring more pedestrian traffic to your business or just want to ensure the safety of your customers this is one of the best ways to do it. In addition, the right type of path lighting can be sued to create incredibly striking pathways through gardens and otherwise dark areas of a commercial property. Contact out Houston commercial outdoor lighting experts to create an incredible design that will work for your business and customers.

If you have any questions about commercial lighting in the Houston area, you need to get in touch with Robert Huff Illumination for the best advice and installation. Our crew has years of experience and a stellar reputation to bring you the absolute best in commercial lighting. Our experts will work any commercial project whether big or small with the same type of enthusiasm and standards. Contact us today to see how commercial lighting can offer your business more safety and profits.

Call now!

A Houston TX Outdoor Lighting Company Can Boost Your Profits By Boosting Your Visibility

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Commercial Outdoor Lighting And Its Benefits On Your Houston Business

Robert Huff Outdoor Lighting | Commercial Outdoor Lighting in HoustonIf you wanted to play it safe, you never would have gone into business for yourself. The responsibilities, risks, financial uncertainty, and seemingly endless work are not for the timid. Regardless of whether your business is an electronics store or a coffee house, it’s critical that you make your name known since advertising and visibility are necessary to grow your consumer base and your profits from one year to the next.

All sort of advertising can prove an expensive endeavor. You might spend thousands just to get a digital banner on the Internet, and a magazine and might run you just as much. Even promoting something on social media might break your budget. However, your budget should not limit your dreams. Fortunately, there are ways that you can get plenty of consumers talking about what your business does and who it is without spending a ton. Keep reading to learn a handful of these awesome tips:

You might want to consult a Houston TX outdoor lighting company if your business has a physical, brick and mortar location. If your area is rather dark or ‘quiet’ so to speak, then you might want a commercial lighting installation to draw attention to people driving by. A long pathway can make an obvious entrance to your location or just light up your spot inside a strip mall more than others. Even when you’re closed, people can remember your location and maybe see your hours.

Talk to your Houston TX outdoor lighting company about the right mood to set. Your coffee house might use wall sconces, spotlights, and accent lights to create a rather romantic ambiance. Once the day workers are gone, your location might become part of date nights. If you’re looking to cater more to families and children, then use a variety of lights for a rainbow look.

Your Houston TX outdoor lighting company should have options that keep your budget in mind. Installing lights is an unavoidable cost, but using LED landscape lights can provide energy savings that let you keep your utility bills down after everything is put in place and lit up. The right LEd landscape lighting should be able to withstand the climate and elements, so weather isn’t going to speed up your need for replacements. Anytime you can install lighting and save money, your business truly has a brighter future.

Social media is a great way to get advertising done even on a shoestring budget, given the fact that you can create and grow a community of like-minded individuals without paying to promote your posts. Attract and gather those that like your products or services, or just those with similar tastes. Engage them in conversation and learn about their interests. If you run a coffee shop, learn what flavors, beans, and blends people like. Post content about the history of coffee and its health benefits.

Most every modern business has a website or at the least some landing page, where they promote their services or products. An email subscription prompt is a great thing to add to any website you have since you can then collect the email addresses of your site visitors. As your list grows over time, you can sell exclusively to those that once showed interest in your business more than other visitors. That’s a great way to boost your sales.

Another tip for the digital world is adding a search button to your website. It lets your visitors find what interests them most, which means you are catering to your audience. For instance, if you sell DVDs online, you might find out what titles or movie stars people are looking for. If it turns out your visitors have a penchant for science fiction over romantic comedies, you can skew your selections in that direction. You can also find out if there are things that people are looking for that you don’t yet carry so you can add it to your inventory.

Advertise Your Business With Commercial Outdoor Lighting In Houston

There are more ways to improve your business sales and opportunities other than just traditional advertising, and they’re not as expensive either. Whether it’s learning online or doing outdoor lighting, you can find tips, tricks, and tools you can use to make more money and enhance the visibility of your business. Running your own business can mean putting in long hours and facing tough decisions, many of which aren’t going to be in your comfort zone, but if you believe in it and want it, then do what it takes. If you want to shed light on your business for the world to see, then we just might be the Houston TX outdoor lighting company for you. Call us or contact Robert Huff Illumination & Outdoor Lighting today for more information on the commercial lighting services we provide.