The design process is complete, and the Thronedown Challenge is about to commence.  The votes will be cast and the crown awarded to the champion designer. Capitol Lighting followers can visit our company’s Facebook page to vote, while showroom customers and employees can get a live look at the renovations in order to choose their favorite design and cast their ballots.

This friendly competition between two northern New Jersey interior designers has involved weeks of hard work, resulting in a transformation of  both the men’s and ladies’ restrooms in Capitol Lighting’s Paramus store. The finalists were chosen based on their expertise; they each received a $2,000 project budget with lighting supplied by Quoizel and Feiss.

Before

After

Mannarino’s vision was to create something sophisticated, dramatic and tailored. Her step-by-step design process included:

Don’t sweat the small stuff; Change it up, lighten your load and keep cool this summer with innovative and energy-efficient light source solutions and state-of-the-art ceiling fans and free standing fans.

1.  Stop baking in your kitchen!  Get rid of old incandescent and hot halogen bulbs.  Replace with cooler CFL’s (compact fluorescents) or LED’s (light-emitting diodes) in recessed and overhead fixtures. CFLs and LEDs** consume at least 75% less energy and emit 90% less heat.  Relamping with cooler bulbs will make a major difference in work areas of the home such as kitchens where oven, cook-top and dishwasher usage emit a great deal of heat.  Laundry rooms, too, can heat up pretty quickly when machines are in use, so update your illumination with cooler lamps. Also, switching to cooler bulbs in offices and hobby/work areas will vastly improve your ability to concentrate and keep cool.

2.  Shield yourself from sun streaming in through windows. Close the shades and curtains during peak daylight hours to keep the sun from fading your fine fabrics and overheating your rooms.

3.  Conserve energy and do not leave lights on haphazardly.  Consider automated heat and motion sensors to conveniently turn lights on and off.  Dimming ambient light sources adds an extra cool down option and helps save energy.  Brilliant and stylish cool new switches, automated fan and lighting controls provide the utmost in sophistication and design to revamp your home this summer!

4.  Opt for task light, and limit usage of general and accent light sources.  Task light includes focused reading lamps, uni-directional and adjustable recessed or track lights over work areas, and security lighting for safe navigation.  Although accent lamps enhance the beauty of your environment, save them for the times when you are entertaining or showcasing your home.

5. Beautify your environment and bask in the comfort of ceiling fans, wall fans and free-standing fans. Save on air-conditioning bills and keep cool by employing energy-efficient fans in rooms that are used most frequently.

♦When the air temperature is 78 degrees, your body will feel as if it is 72 degrees if you are seated under a ceiling fan operating at a low speed. Plentiful cooling options include innovations from Casablanca, Fanimation, Hunter, Kichler and Savoy House.

♦Purchase lamps, light fixtures and fans from a reputable dealer.  Top quality LED and CFL lamps are engineered to last and provide pleasant illumination.  Cheaper LED and CFL lamps may contain substandard elements; they may burn out prematurely and  illumination effects may be less pleasing. The best ceiling fans are engineered with motors that are guaranteed to last and work flawlessly for a lifetime of comfort.

Lighten Up, Cool Down and Revel in Summer 2013!

Bring on the summer heat, and power up the latest in sophisticated design and energy-saving innovation.  Pairing ceiling fans and air conditioners set at low fan settings offers the ultimate in comfort and energy-savings.

1.  ENERGY STARtm-rated fans:

2. The greater the angle of the blade, the more air circulation. Fan blade brackets should be positioned so the blades form a 12-15 degree angle for optimal circulation.

3.  The heart of every ceiling fan is the motor. Motors equipped with heavy-duty windings and sealed bearings that are permanently lubricated should work flawlessly for long periods of time.  Check out motor warranty information when comparing ceiling fans.

4.  A typical ceiling fan weighs between 15 and 50 pounds when fully assembled.  While many junction boxes may support that weight, a fan in operation exerts additional stresses. Be sure to upgrade to a proper junction box when replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan.

5.  American Lighting Association (ALA)-member showrooms offer customizable fan products—decorator finishes, unique options such as hand-carved blades, custom light fixtures, ceiling medallions, and control systems, as well as installation tips and servicing advice.

Check out the latest energy-efficient products to keep you cool for the dog days of August….

–Energy-efficient and “cool” new bulbs from Bulbrite Industries* include the LED G5 dimmable Omni-Directional Series with GU 24 base options and 5-Watt chandelier bulbs.

*Bulbrite offers top quality lamps from novelty colors, fluorescent, halogen, and krypton/xenon to outstanding award winning LEDs and CFLs.  Enjoy all the benefits of LED, CFL and energy-efficient incandescent light sources from Bulbrite.

From Lite Source:  LS-21680 “Rubik” Energy Smart LED lamp

Multimax ™ by Fanimation, Energy-Star rated and available in 2, 3 or 4 blade options.

— The Sleep Fan Standing Floor Fan by Savoy House, available in Cherrywood, English Bronze, Satin Nickel and Wrought Iron Black; UL-listed for damp locations, comes with a independent volume control to adjust sound according to sleep preference—the lowered frequency red noise has proven to promote better sleep*.

Over 50 million people sleep with some kind of fan device for the soothing tone and the air circulation they provide. –David Furnace of Savoy House

Utilizing “red noise” * and a revolutionary volume control, the Sleep Fan delivers a soothing tone to lull you to sleep, while the gentle cooling system keeps you comfortable throughout the night.

*Studies show that “red” noise delivers low tones with the absence of high frequencies to induce a more soothing, deeper sleep than white noise.

This year at the mall in Glendale, I swear I saw holiday lights go up right after Labor Day. And, how much do you want to bet that Black Friday starts by the first of November next year? Stores all over are initiating it way before I have digested my Thanksgiving dinner which is usually served by 2PM. I thought the point of that famous shopping day was that it kicked off the holiday shopping season, now I am expected to get up from Thanksgiving dinner and head straight to the mall. Actually, if someone else would clean up the mess, that might not be a bad idea.

Okay, accuse me of sounding like Ebenezer Scrooge. It won’t be the first time, since I have told many that I think this well-loved holiday season should only be celebrated every other year. We would still honor any religious purposes annually, but we could skip the hustle and bustle of all the decorating and gift buying. Time goes by so fast anyway, most of us would not even notice. We would all save money, which would help alleviate stress, and Santa would have a well-deserved hiatus. And think of all the electricity costs we would lower if we only put up the lights every two years.

Speaking of electricity, I did soften a little bit about this whole holiday thing. For the first time in 5 years, I decided to put one row of outdoor lighting across my front window. When I added the tree inside with its colorful light bulbs, all went dark quickly. No matter what I did, it soon became clear that I needed to find a Glendale electrician. Bah Humbug evolved into more like Electrician, Glendale, and I was feeling grumpy.

Not knowing any electrician in Glendale, or any where else for that matter, I called a company I found online called The Electric Connection. Bright and early the following morning, a pleasant and knowledgeable young man arrived at my door. I kept reminding myself, all this was because of the holiday season that happens way too often.

Did you know that those colorful strings of holiday lights put a burden on really old electrical circuits? I would definitely be more of a complainer if all this holiday stuff had not been the real indicator of major electrical issues happening at my house. Events happen like they are supposed to, and sometimes we might miss why if we don’t pay attention. My new Glendale electrician enjoyed his time working at my place as I listened to his stories about working as a volunteer with needy kids during the holiday season. He enlightened me to the fact that this season brought out the spirit of giving that was so important, he wished it would happen two times a year. I didn’t dare tell him about my wishes to have it occur every two years. However, I could tell he saw me melt as I asked how I could get involved with his volunteer efforts.

As a result of my holiday season fiasco, I now have a new friend, a great Glendale electrician to use and refer, new electrical circuits, and my “electrician, Glendale, California” has turned into “Happy Holidays” to everyone this year and next.

Click here to visit our website.

Taking on a Thanksgiving get-together is no easy task, and if you’re going to do it, you might as well make it something guests will remember. Fortunately, making it memorable doesn’t have to be complicated. We have some simple LED lighting ideas that will help you dress up your home for the holidays.