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Plants, Hard Scape and LIGHTING!

September 5, 2020 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest posting on you guessed it….OUTDOOR LIGHTING. Just like the interior of your home, a well thought out lighting plan for the exterior of your home is very important to successful design. I like to take cues for fun outside lighting ideas from restaurant patios and hotel/resort outside spaces. S Interior Design will often work with their clients to design the patio areas of their homes which essentially are extended living and entertaining spaces. Colors and even material selections are chosen to create visual flow from inside to outside. Here in Scottsdale, Arizona we want to use our outdoor ‘rooms’ year round.

All layers of lighting should be considered.

Functional – light the walk ways to the front door, light the address at the front of your home, the garage entry.

Accent lights- up lighting on trees and planting areas, lighting to define a specific area of the yard, wall sconces on back patio areas.

Fun design lighting elements such as the string lights shown below.

Outdoor table and floor lamps powered by solar and batteries also can be used when designing an outdoor living space.

Cool Outdoor DIY Lighting Tips and Ideas

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Ever cruised or walked through a well-lit neighborhood at night and saw how outdoor lighting adds beauty to homes? 

With outdoor lighting, you can create and enjoy a relaxed, well-lit space, which is especially handy when summer rolls in. Think barbecues with friends, star-gazing with your kids or significant other, backyard events. Night-time outdoor events create fond and lasting memories, especially when your outdoors is well illuminated.

DIY lighting tips

While it appears to be a daunting task, outdoor lighting can be done without any specialized knowledge or experience. You only need some ideas and creativity. So, here are some tips, advice, and ideas to get you going..

1. Use solar lights

Unless you don’t mind spending a significant amount of your monthly income on electricity bills, consider installing solar powered lights. Besides, they are easier to install and are good for the planet.

Solar lighting systems convert sunlight into energy that is stored in batteries for use at night. However, you need to consider your geographic location before installing outdoor solar lights – without enough sunlight, there won’t be energy to light up the bulbs at night.

2. Balance security and aesthetics

Whatever your reasons for outdoor lighting, they all revolve around security and aesthetics.

It is possible to achieve a balance between the two; lights that look good and provide enough illumination.

For starters, take a flashlight and take a walk around your home at night. Identify the dark areas that need to be illuminated for security reasons. Think about the type of lighting you need. Consider the types of light and the specific areas to place the light, such as pathways, patios, garage doors, among others.

3. Consider your neighbors

Like any good neighbor, there are two things you need to consider when placing outdoor lighting at your home.

First, the position of the lighting is essential. Please do not put the lights facing directly into your neighbor’s windows as this may create too much light at night, making it difficult to sleep.

Secondly, the brightness of the light should be taken into account. No one wants blazing spotlights facing their home. Fear not, there are some solutions. For example, installing  epoxy flooring on your deck removes the need for high wattage lights as it is shiny and thus reflects light.

Remember, very bright lights consume a lot of energy, which only adds to your electricity bills.

4. Consider longevity

It will be costly to replace your outdoor lights every now and then. Don’t just go to the market and pick any bulb, no. Check the quality. Even if it costs more, you will save in the long run.

Go for outdoor lighting systems that require little or no maintenance – solar lights score high on this.

Outdoor lighting is exposed to harsh climatic conditions like rain, snow and harsh sunlight. So, look for solutions that are weather resistant. Alternatively, you can shield your lights using various materials.

What’s more, the bulbs can be stolen or destroyed by someone at night while you are asleep. Ensure that the lights are secured and protected against such conditions.

5. Color, style, and size

The color, size, and style of your lights come into play, especially if you are looking to decorate your home with outdoor lighting.

You can choose a single color or mix the colors to make your home more attractive. If you plan on using only a few bulbs, go for the larger ones. And again, the size will depend on the use of the light.

You can create different patterns or styles in different parts of your home. You can use outdoor lighting to direct your visitors/guests within your compound.

Best outdoor lighting ideas

Spotlights

These are lights that only point in one direction. If you want to illuminate your plants, patios, driveway, and statues, this is the best outdoor lighting solution for you. They come with an iris and a manual device, enabling you to change the intensity of the light and also adjust the angle of the beam.

Floodlights

Floodlights are very bright and can be used to illuminate a larger area. They are mostly placed above facing downwards to light up your patios, driveway, among other essential places in your home. These are great when you have a larger event happening in your backyard to lit up all corners.

Step lights

Tired of guessing which step to make on your deck? Step lights are usually placed on the sides of each step to help you traverse safely.

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String lights

String lights are pretty, especially when you are hosting a party or wedding at night. They are easy to install and are placed on poles or trees to create a picturesque scene. Most of them are weather-proof and can serve you for quite some time.

Bottomline

The above tips and ideas will help you light up your outdoors based on your needs. Whether you want to enhance the security of your home or to add some decor to your home, outdoor lighting makes it possible. And with the many variations of lighting solutions, there is no excuse to stay in the dark.

 

Filed Under: Design Elements, home design, Home Remodelling, House Entry Areas, Interior Design, LED Lighting, Lighitng, Lighting Design, outdoor funiture, Outdoor rooms, patio, Patio design, Residential design, S Interior Design Tagged With: landscape lighting, led lighting, outdoor lighting, outdoor rooms, sinterior design, solar lights

Green Remodeling Trends for 2016

July 8, 2016 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post on the subject of how to incorporate environmentally friendly features and materials into your home.  One they left out that S Interior Design recommends is to switch all light bulbs to LED type.

Green Remodeling Trends for 2016

By Mary Sauer

Each year, the green building industry makes major advances, increasing the availability of green home products while decreasing the associated cost. And that’s why there’s no better time than now to switch to more environmentally responsible products for your home. This is especially true if you’re already planning to make small updates or do a major home remodel. Here are this year’s most popular green remodeling trends to help you plan for a home that’s as stylish as it is green.

Home Automation

Smart home products have been around for some time, but only recently have they become an accessible and affordable option for homeowners of all budgets and lifestyles. With the help of a smart thermostat, you can easily regulate your heating and cooling system from any internet enabled device, including your smartphone. Not only is it incredibly convenient to be able to control the temperature of your house from anywhere, it allows you to make changes that will reduce your use of your HVAC unit. Even the smallest changes, like bumping your temperature by a few degrees while you are away, can greatly reduce your overall consumption of electricity and cut your monthly utility costs.

thermostat

Additionally, through the use of automated lighting you can control when your lights are on or off with the click of the button. Simply by scheduling the lights in your home, you can avoid the energy waste that so often occurs when we leave home in a rush and forget to power off the lighting throughout our homes.

 Solar Appliances

For many, making the switch to solar power feels unattainable due to the overall cost of making the switch. Because of this, more homeowner are making smaller switches to solar, choosing solar appliances as a more realistic option for their budgets. One of the most popular solar appliances is the solar water heater, which has an average cost between $1,500 and $4,500. Some heaters can be purchased for as little as $500, especially if you plan to install one yourself. Homeowners who make this investment not only reduce the carbon footprint of their home, but also see an estimated 50 percent drop in their water heating costs. Other popular solar appliances include solar powered refrigerators and solar powered chargers for electronics like smartphones and laptop computers.

 solar charger

Environmentally Friendly Flooring

Reducing the energy consumption in your home is great first step, but it isn’t the only factor to consider when remodeling. Another element to consider is how the manufacturing of your home and building products impacts the wellbeing of the earth—something that we at Modernize are passionate about. Conventional carpet has been found to release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the air, which reduces overall air quality and negatively impacts our health. And traditionally harvested hardwood flooring can have a devastating effect on our world’s forests. That’s why we encourage you to look into more environmentally friendly flooring options such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, or cork flooring, and low VOC carpeting as a healthier and greener option for your home.

eviro flooring

If you are new to the world of environmentally responsible living, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of change that’s needed to improve the future of our planet. But every improvement you make matters, and you can begin reducing your carbon footprint by making even the smallest of environmentally-friendly home improvements for a greener future.

Filed Under: Design Elements, Design Trends, Eco-Friendly Design, Home Building, home design, Home Remodelling, LED Lighting, Redesign, Remodelling Plans, remodels, Renovation, Residential design, Susatinable Design Tagged With: Eco-Friendly Materials, Environmnetally Friendly, S Interior Desgin Scottsdale, S Interior Design

5 Ideas for “Modern Kitchens”

December 18, 2015 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post on the subject of design ideas for a modern kitchen. In this case the word modern is perhaps a misnomer.  I would characterize the ideas as creative.  In today’s world we are spending more time in the kitchen area of our homes with family and friends so it is definitely a room in which you want to maximize function, and optimize the look and feel.
S Interior Design has added comments to the post below (shown in italic font).

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Filed Under: Design Elements, home design, Home Remodelling, kitchen design, kitchen design elements, kitchen lighting, kitchen remodel, LED Lighting, Lighitng, Minimalist Design, Modern Design, Organization, Paint Color, Redesign, remodels, Renovation, Residential design, S Interior Design Scottsdale Tagged With: creative kitchen design, Kitchen Design, kitchen design ideas, modern kitchen design, S Interior Desgin Scottsdale

LED Lighting: Pros and Kind of a Con

January 13, 2015 by Suzanne Lasky

led light

Below is a guest post on the subject of using LED lighting options for the interior and exterior of your home (or office for that matter!). S Interior Design specifies LED light options for all of our client projects.    Even if it is simply replacing existing recessed can light bulbs with an LED option, the new light output can make a big difference in how the space looks. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Ceilings, Eco-Friendly Design, Interior Design, Interior Designer, LED Lighting, Lighting Design Tagged With: Eco-Friendly Materials, Landscape Design, lighting, lighting design, Remodeling, S Interior Design

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