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:

The chandelier used to mark your arrival. Clad in crystal, it met you in the foyer of a well-appointed home, then dazzled you from a power position over the dining room table.

Rarely did you find a chandelier in a starter home. To see them illuminating any room other than one used for entry or dining, more unusual still.

My, how times have changed!

Today chandeliers rate as a brilliant idea just about anywhere — from modest homes to magnificent mansions, contemporary digs to traditional houses. They dangle decorously in almost every room of the house.

Credit our bigger-is-better building boom. Taller ceilings and increased volume in today’s homes means chandeliers are less likely to crowd a room.

“Nine-and-10-foot ceilings almost demand something hanging to fill the space,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, educational consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA) and assistant professor of interior design at the University of Kentucky. The ALA is a non-profit organization of leading manufacturers, retail lighting showrooms and sales representatives in the U.S. and Canada dedicated to expanding public knowledge about lighting.

Colorful chandeliers create drama in the kitchen. Mini ones provide elegance to powder rooms. Even walk-in closets go upscale when lit with a small chandelier.

“Beyond laundry rooms and garages, any room is an open target for hanging a chandelier,” adds Rey-Barreau. “More commonly, kitchens and bathrooms have become the popular locations for chandeliers.”

Chandeliers add twinkle to a boudier. “People are treating their bedroom suites as more luxurious personal spaces with elaborate bathroom areas, so it is not unreasonable to consider chandeliers there, either,” says Dan Blitzer, Director of Education for the ALA..

It’s beginning to get dark earlier and earlier; depending on the month, after the autumnal equinox (September 22nd), we’re losing between 1-2.5 minutes of daylight each day leading to the winter solstice just before Christmas. This means that letting the dog out each night is going to require more and more squinting, taking out the trash becomes perilous, and dealing with evening snows becomes even more annoying. We at Electrical Gurus recommend you consider investing in exterior house wiring and backyard illumination now, while the temperature is still relatively warm and it isn’t yet dark before dinnertime.

By investing in backyard lighting, you stand to gain a large measure of safety for your family and guests alike. Motion-sensing backyard lighting can save you a sprained ankle, a fall on the ice, or even just a stubbed toe as you navigate your backyard space throughout the winter months. Year round, however, motion sensing light increases the safety of your home as a whole, as it can help to ward off intruders and invasive critters, such as raccoons, from nearing your home. While you will likely get the most use out of your exterior lights during the winter months, they are a great thing to have year round.

Its nice to watch the snow falling just outside the windows, as your family enjoys hot chocolate inside. By having lights for your outdoor space, you make the spectacle even better. It doesn’t always snow in Des Moines, surprisingly, and warmer winter days aren’t uncommon; these warm winter days should be taken advantage of, which is hard to do if it is dark at 5pm. With easily accessible outdoor lighting, your family can enjoy outdoor living areas, you can dust off the grill for a winter burger, and open up possibilities for a nice fire on a brisk night.

Investing in pleasant-looking lighting is a great way to add value to your home, especially in winter months. Nothing takes a home from looking plain to extraordinary in the evening hours quicker than some well-placed lighting. Whether you utilize uplighting to illuminate trees or your home’s exterior or landscaping lights to illuminate the lawn, these lights provide utility and bring value to your home. Exterior lighting can take your home to the next level of visual appeal, but does require help from a skilled electrician to do well. Get in touch with us today to learn what it will take to get your home’s exterior looking great at all hours.

Regardless of what you’re looking to gain by lighting up your home’s exterior, be sure to call Electrical Gurus for help with your electrical installation. Our highly-qualified electricians are happy to offer their experience in helping Des Moines homeowners with with internal and exterior electrical services. If you partner with our expert electricians, adding some lighting to your home’s exterior can increase its safety, usability, and give you a large boost to curb appeal.

Get in touch with our Des Moines electricians today!