Eco-Friendly Light Sources

August 28, 2022 by Suzanne Lasky

Tips on Choosing Eco-Friendly Lighting

Eco-Friendly lighting in both residential and commercial buildings remains an important part of living green. The mode of lighting has an effect on our mood and health, in addition to the environment at large. Different elements, such as the type of bulb used, lighting source, fixture, material, and daily routines, determine the environmental friendliness of a room.

Lighting is a very essential quality indoors, and our days will be dull and unproductive without it, because as soon as it gets dark outside, work will be reduced. Therefore, green lighting is of high importance and it will have a positive impact on your health and the environment. Green power saves more energy and is several times more efficient than conventional power sources. Energy-saving bulbs last longer and consume less power than incandescent bulbs. The goal is to help your health and the environment and spend less while doing this. Below are some tips on choosing eco-friendly lighting.

Use CFL and LED Lights

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) save a lot of energy and are more efficient than conventional bulbs. CFLs are available in different shapes, colors, and sizes, and this allows them to fit into different parts of the house for decorative or pure lightning purposes. They are a bit more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but they last way longer (about 10,000 hours) and use only around a quarter as much energy. CFLs emit less heat and are beneficial during the summer. You do not have to worry about changing your bulbs frequently with them, and they help you save money in the long run.

S Interior Design is does not recommend CFLs for residential applications

Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) use less energy and are beneficial to our health. Their longevity and energy efficiency are second to none. They cost more than CFLs by just a bit, but they last longer. It is estimated that an LED bulb can last for 100,000 hours. This is ten times the amount of time that CFLs use. Also, they convert about 95% of their energy into light, and just 5% is emitted as heat. LED lights are the best way to go green.

S Interior Design recommends different temperature levels for LED lights depending on where they will be used.

Purchasing from quality brands such as Louis Poulsen lighting, and other reputable LED lighting manufacturers can make a huge difference for the environment and on the overall electricity bill.

Recycle and Reuse Materials

Lights don’t just stand on their own. They are accompanied by fixtures or lamps to help hold them down and beautify them. You should make use of recycled materials when making or purchasing your lights. This is essential for healthy green living because you will spend less and get more.

Lights made from natural materials such as cloth and wood, as well as those made from recycled materials like glass and plastic, are great options. When you use recycled lights, you help the environment and also save money on the side.

Adopt the use of a Natural Light Source ( Sunlight)

A day is never bright without sunlight. The sun is natural, and this makes it the most eco-friendly light source. A lot of people under utilize sunlight in their homes. You should make the most of it by opening up your windows and drapes during the daytime to allow natural light into every inch of the house. You can achieve your desired intensity and light angle by making use of tinted windows or patterned curtains.

Many houses now have skylights to serve as an extra source of direct sunlight into the home. These fixtures are present in living rooms, dining rooms, and some closets. You can style your house the way you want it to allow sunlight in.

A great way to add natural light to a space is by using Solar Tubes when conventional sky lights are not an option.

Switching off lights when not in use

What’s a more effective way to use lights than to turn them off when you’re not using them? You need to cultivate the habit of switching off lights in rooms no one is occupying. Whether you’re going to another room in the house or out, you shouldn’t leave the lights on.

You should help your loved ones learn the efficient use of light till it becomes a habit. Turning off lights when they are not in use has no disadvantages but helps save energy and reduce heat in the house.

Motion Sensors and Dimmers

Motion sensors are really great for eco-friendly lighting. They turn on the lights in your room when you are present and turn them off when there’s no one in the room. This is a great way to save energy and money on electricity bills. With these sensors, you can avoid unnecessary expenses on lights and bills.

Dimmers are amazing choices for green love. With them, you can set the light in your room to the brightness you need. They are great for conserving energy because when you reduce the light being emitted, less voltage is used and more energy is stored. This will help you save on electricity costs and also help the bulbs last longer in the long run.

Invest in Green Power

“Green power” is electricity produced from natural sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro. You can reduce or totally avoid a carbon footprint by using green energy because it comes from natural sources and is completely renewable.

Solar energy is the most eco-friendly energy source, and when you implement it in your home, you will be enjoying more light while saving a lot on electricity bills. You can also sign up for green power with your electric utility.

Invest in Creating a Smart Home

Eco-friendly lighting is essential for smart homes. Who wouldn’t want to have a house that can control the lights and temperature according to how they like them? If you can afford it, then it’s a great choice to go for. Smart homes record information in the house about rooms you use and those you don’t, in addition to your preferred temperature according to the general weather.

You can have everything in your house on autopilot, from the bulbs to plugs, thermostats and more. They will detect when they’re not being used and switch off themselves. When you are ready and available to use them, they will turn back on automatically. This is really great for green living as you will only use the energy you need every time. Most excesses are cut off with smart homes.

Summary

Eco-friendly lighting is energy-efficient and very sustainable. The low impact it has on the environment is very important for the planet and one’s health. With the low power consumption and low cost of acquiring some eco-friendly lights and fixtures, you can save a lot on electricity costs and bills.

Follow the above tips to make an excellent choice when choosing eco-friendly lighting.

How To Turn Your Space Into An Industrial Masterpiece

June 29, 2018 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post from a provider of epoxy flooring (full disclosure….). S Interior Design agreed to share the post because it contains good ideas on how to introduce the style of industrial design into your home.

The Industrial Revolution is the age of steam engines, smoke-belching machines, and large factories. When companies started moving their operations elsewhere, these large factories were left to rot. To make use of these wide spaces, some people chose to convert the warehouses and offices into homes. This was the birth of industrial interior design.

The industrial interior design focuses on taking notable shapes and features used during the Industrial Revolution and turning them into something modern. This does not mean that that your entire place should look like a warehouse, instead, interior designers will strive to add a modern twist to the industrial feel of a room.

If you’re wondering how you can do this without the help of an interior designer, then follow these tips.

Find your inspiration

The Industrial Revolution brought a lot of mechanical pieces to the world and you can add them to your home. But before doing this, it’s best to know the inspiration behind a room. What do you plan to do with the room? What is it supposed to be? How is it supposed to function?

Once you figure that out, you can search for inspiration online or from magazines about the industrial interior design. You don’t have to copy them piece by piece, but you will at least have an idea of what kind of industrial feel you want to portray in your room.

Design your floor

One of the most notable parts of your room is your floor. If you want an obvious industrial look, then you might want to change the type of floor you have. Usually, an industrial look has a cement floor with an epoxy coating to make it shiny and flawless. An epoxy coating adds extra protection as well.

You don’t also have to stick to the color of cement. You can paint your floor the shade of gray you want to resemble a metallic look or you can go for monochromatic colors of black and white. Tip: if you don’t want to change your floor, you can paint the walls instead. You can either have a bricked brown wall, or a silver-painted one.

Mix and match metal and wood

When it comes to mixing modern and industrial styles, you don’t have to be cautious about having metal and wood in the same room. Some people think that these two do not go together as metal items give a sleeker look to things. However, with the right match, you can still make use of that old wooden table you may have.

Keep it minimalistic

Despite having accessories on your wall or mechanical clocks and lights, an industrial interior design is still supposed to be minimalistic. This means that you have to shy away from over-decorating your space or adding too much fluff to it. As a guide, always ask if it’s bulky or the color scheme is too loud.

Put these tips together and you can already design your own industrial-inspired room. If you are having a hard time, you can get cut-outs of the things you want to put and try putting them together to know if they will look good in the space you have.

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.

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.

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.

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.

LED Lighting: Pros and Kind of a Con

January 13, 2015 by Suzanne Lasky

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…]

It’s Good to be GREEN

March 25, 2013 by Suzanne Lasky

No, I am not talking about green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, or green eggs and ham, but green in terms of selection of eco-friendly materials to complete your home remodel. Below is a guest post that describes some good ideas about how you can ‘think green’.

Making your home remodel as green as possible

When remodelling a home you have to make environmental concerns a priority now, not just because of government regulations and stipulations, but also because we have a duty to build buildings and homes that use as few resources as possible, will operate without depleting natural resources on an ongoing basis, and will stand the test of time and be durable and liveable for many years to come. This might sound like a challenge if you’re remodelling a home, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. It doesn’t mean your remodelled home has to be a complete off-the-grid tepee without electricity or running water, it just means that you should use approved green products and appliances when doing your constructions. Information about green solutions is readily available; just browse design and construction firms like Unique Design. Green design doesn’t have to affect the appearance of your remodel either, just the mechanics of it. Here are some pictures of green remodelled homes:

It is now very easy to power your kitchen or bathroom by using solar energy, so if you are doing works on your plumbing or light fittings you should think about this. Solar energy will also attract generous rebates from the government, meaning that your energy bill will dramatically decrease.

Plumbing fixtures are good place to focus your attention as well, as faulty or inadequate fixtures are responsible for huge amounts of leaking and water wastage. A good thing to do when in the midst of a remodel is to get an energy audit, which will show you exactly how and where your energy consumption is going. It might be a revelation to find out exactly how energy is used in your home, and then you’ll know what the big consumers are and how you can save on energy expenses. Most people find that energy is used for a few hours in the evening, across two rooms, the kitchen and the bathroom. As a general rule, good quality products are better for the environment because they use energy more efficiently and last longer, meaning that they stay out of our landfill for longer.