Today, there are three things that are impacting outdoor lighting trends, taller elevations, the shift from brown-based to grey-based exterior materials and the continued desire for Outdoor Living elements and accessories. Together or separate, these changes are having an impact on outdoor lighting.

Taller

For almost ten years now, the height of interior ceilings has been shifting from a longstanding norm of eight-foot to a minimum of nine-foot tall. Many homes and many geographic areas are seeing minimums of ten and even twelve-foot. Homeowners love the expanse this provides. The unintended result of this growth is taller exterior elevations. Because of these increases in the exterior elevation and the commensurate growth of exterior door size and height, the standard, wall-mounted lighting fixtures that flank the doors and garage of a home had grown. Gone are the 8” porch lights of the past. Consumers must seek out taller exterior lighting to compliment the extended expanses outside.

Occurring almost concurrent with the interior ceiling height increases has been a growth in urban infill architecture. Central city lots are not the same as suburban plots. They often were extremely narrow, but also quite deep. The resultant architecture is significantly narrower and usually over two-stories tall. A three-story or four story façade again warrants a taller lighting fixture, but these must also be substantially narrower. For this type installation, seek out narrow and tall lighting.

From Brown to Gray

The dominant color of residential exterior has been beige/brown/tan for an extremely long period of time. Over the last five years, a larger and larger percentage of new homes have been using grey, slate, black and even white. Stones, siding, roofing, trim and windows are all experiencing this shift. Exterior lighting has primarily been some form of bronze. That is shifting now to colors and finishes that work better with the new material palette. Look for more black, variants of grey and even aluminum, stainless and nickel finishes. Each of these will more effectively compliment the new colors.

Keep in mind that there is a fair amount of regionalism in this particular trend. Housing colors in “dessert” areas (Phoenix, Southern California, Nevada, Florida and parts of Texas) where stucco homes are de rigueur will not see this shift. The stucco is naturally beige and roofing must be terra cotta to withstand the elevated temperatures. It is highly unlikely to see the demand for bronze-based finished altering here. Expect continued demand in these specific locations.

Outdoor Living Continues

The trend toward more and more outdoor use of a home shows no signs of stopping. Homeowners want to maximize their living space and extending to the home’s exterior is a natural reaction. There are typically thousands of square feet of living space outside. Why not use it? That space has been filled with kitchen equipment that rivals the inside and seating and tables that delivers the same type of comfort as interior furnishings. Look for lighting to follow this path. Exterior chandeliers continue to grow in popularity. Pendants and linear lighting have recently appeared. Landscape Lighting provided by LED remains a viable way to add interest to these outdoor spaces. Relatively recent additions are battery-operated LED Portable Lamps than can be positioned around the area to add light where people tend to congregate. All of these forms of light are designed to enhance the already inviting outdoor spaces.

It is interesting to note, this is not a regional trend. People in the north are as likely as southerners to equip their homes with these accessories. It is often said that northerners must pack 12 months of outdoor living into four or five months and they do that with gusto! Every outdoor is primed and ready for these products.

Outdoor Trends

A tertiary trend that is slowing gaining foothold is a more contemporary overall design. Initially this started with architect-driven homes and urban infill architecture, but more contemporary or contemporary-leaning residences are appearing. For that reason, an uptick in the demand for modern designs is becoming evident. While small today, it cannot be ignored. More will inevitably be employed in the future.

Outdoor trends in residential exteriors tend to be slow in coming and they typically hold for a longer period of time than interior trends. These shifts have been accelerating for a while now. When they peak, they will hold for a longer period of time. Our love for the outdoor seems inexhaustible.

Having your home’s entire electrical system rewiring is a large task, albeit sometimes a necessary one in order to improve your daily electrical use and increase home safety. A job of this caliber requires a team of professional electricians and should never be attempted by an enthusiastic “do-it-yourselfer” without training or experience. That’s what we’re here for.

If you are concerned that your home does in fact need rewiring, call for one of our professional electricians right away. We take pride the skills and training we have to ensure that a whole-house rewiring job is done correctly. Keep reading to learn more about this service and why you may need it.

The amount of electricity that you use in your home on a daily basis may surprise you—but with the addition of appliances and devices such as computers and smart phones, our electrical use has increased significantly since the 1980s. Think about how many devices you need to have hooked up every day just for recharging, and you’ll understand a bit more how big our electrical demands are today.

All this increased demand for power can easily overwhelm older, outdated wiring systems—even as young as two or three decades. If you think that whole-home rewiring is only necessary in homes that are 50 years old or older, you may be surprised to find out that your newer home needs it.

No matter the age of your home, there are a few signs in particular for you to be aware of which indicate you may need whole home rewiring:

Early in the month, American Airlines Flight 1420 crashed near Little Rock, AK. This crash, along with a few others that took place soon before and after, inspired research into the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation on pilot safety.

3) A Whole, Whole Lot of Drug Money

In June 1999, George Bush announced his candidacy for the office of President of the United States of America. So much was about to change in our culture during the next 8 years.

5) Lord Stanley’s Cup

via www.moviesonline.ca6

In June 1999, Stephen King got hit by a car and was flung 14 feet while walking on the shoulder of a road in Maine. What’s the name of that Stephen King book about the car? Oh yeah, Christine. Any connection? You never know. But I’m sure King was thankful Kathy Bates didn’t find him after the accident.

7) The Weird Looking Predecessor of the MacBook Is Born

That mildly annoying yet overall charming goofball Austin Powers (Mike Myers’s colorful character) graced the cover of Rolling Stone in June 1999, exuberantly celebrating the sequel to the original Austin Powers blockbuster smash hit. Smashing, baby!

9) Adam Sandler Tones It Down a Little

The universe’s hippest couple, who, of course played in a rock band together, hit the popular scene with their debut album in June 1999. Then, they became insanely famous. And then, thirteen thousand two-piece rock bands, featuring only guitar and drums, were born. I think now, 15 years later, we are finally beginning to see the decline in that questionable trend. Bass matters, people.

11) That Kid from Walking Dead Was Born

Venus and Serena Williams, two twin females from a socioeconomically disadvantaged place, won the Grand Slam female doubles event for the first time. They were the second sister team to win a Grand Slam event since 1890. This is the kind of thing that just makes you smile. These are some of the best ever to play the sport.

13) MORE TENNIS!

Some electrical repairs just can't wait. If you discover loose wiring, a faulty circuit or other problem in your home electrical system, it is essential to call an electrician immediately. At best, electrical problems can be annoying. At worst, they can damage your appliances or even start a fire in your home. That's why it's so important to have savings on hand so you don't feel compelled to delay emergency electrical repairs. Unfortunately, far too many families are not prepared financially to cover this type of emergency.

Emergency Savings Not Cutting the Mustard

The savings profile of the average American family leaves a lot to be desired. A recent report pointed out that 25 percent of homeowners in the United States don't have any money at all saved to protect themselves in case they need an emergency electrical repair or other home service. What's more, about half of the families that do have savings have less than $1,000, which might not be enough to cover a major bill.

And you never know when you might need help. In fact, nine percent of households said they had a problem with a circuit, switch or outlet in the past year, according to the report. Unless you are already an accomplished electrician, these are not problems you can address by yourself – you need to hire a professional in order to protect the safety of your home and your family. If you don't have any savings, that means borrowing money or putting off a repair – a dangerous prospect.

Make Sure You Have Money When You Need it

Follow these tips to increase the odds that you have cash on hand when you need it:

Expert Electricians Keep You in Safe Hands

Maintenance and repairs on your wiring and circuits are tasks you simply cannot put off. Whether the electrical work you need is routine or a true emergency, call upon a professional electrician to get the job done safely and promptly.

Electric cars like the Tesla are rapidly growing in popularity—more so than any type of car in the industry. At some point, it’s safe to assume that vehicle powered primarily by electricity will be the standard for the automotive industry, so it’s important for the infrastructure in the U.S. to change in order support electric vehicles. Electric cars save energy, promote health, and are environmentally friendly, so they can offer a number of great benefits, and if you’re considering purchasing an electric vehicle, it’s important that you prepare your home for the change.

When it comes to residential Tesla and other electric vehicle chargers, it’s generally recommended that you install a Level 2 charger. Here some basic information about Level 2 charging devices:

Level 1 and Level 2 chargers are what most homeowners have access to. Level 1 electric vehicle chargers use standard household outlets, and it’s common for electric cars to come with Level 1 charging cords that cna be directly plugged into your home’s outlets. The downside of Level 1 chargers is that they’re limited to about 120 volts, which means that they can take up to 22 hours to charge your car.

Level 1 chargers are probably not a feasible option unless your car is a plug-in hybrid.

Our professional Princeton electricians recommend Level 2 chargers for residential electric vehicle charging. Level 2 chargers supply 240 volts of electricity to your car, so they can significantly reduce charging times. You’ll be able to fully charge your car in as few as three to four hours.

Installing Level 2 chargers will probably require some adjustments to your home’s electrical wiring, but our Princeton electricians will be able to handle the job.

The primary benefit of a Level 2 charger is the significant reduction in charging time. You’ll be able to charge your car much more quickly, which gives you more flexibility when it comes to using your automobile. Your car can easily be fully charged over night, or while you enjoy a meal and complete some household duties.

Level 2 chargers can also help you save money on your electrical expenses. They’ll allow you to charge your vehicle at strategic times when electrical demand is lower. You can take advantage of lower electrical costs during the night, which help maximize energy savings on an already efficient vehicle.