Kenneth Crawford is a South Florida based interior designer and owner of Kenneth Crawford Interiors.  As the August Designer of the Month, he offers some professional lighting and decorative ideas.

Each element in a well-decorated room from paint color to the detail of each doorknob is important, and the right lighting is key to unlocking the true potential in your design. The space must be orchestrated perfectly, creating a cohesive flow through out.

I have over 20 years of experience with commercial and residential design, and whether you are building a new restaurant or renovating a 500 sq. foot dining room, the lighting fixtures themselves and the angle of illumination make a world of difference. That’s why I shop Capitol Lighting’s extensive database to find everything I need from unique ceiling pendants and elegant crystal chandeliers to simple bath vanity fixtures and top quality light bulbs.

The examples featured below show how the right lighting will create a custom finish and bring out the best in your decorative scheme:

Dining Room

When designing an interior space, you must look at the room as a whole. Light fixtures should blend harmoniously with the decor, adding color, texture and style to complete the design. The Philippe Stark fixture, purchased from Capitol Lighting, is more like a sculpture, making a stunning design statement and blending with the architecture without obstructing the view or overpowering the space.

Guest Bedroom

These nightstand lamps purchased from Capitol Lighting add the perfect finishing touch to this room. I wanted a metallic element to pull the silver embedded in the artwork and create a sparkling effect reminiscent of the Intercoastal on a clear day. 

Powder Bathroom

The Italian glass sconces were selected for their linear design, which adds to the architectural composition of the room.

Bedroom

Cleaning a crystal chandelier isn’t as daunting as it may appear. These precious fixtures require a little more love and care than a desk lamp, but you can restore and maintain your crystal’s shine with common household products and a little know-how.

Everyday Care

If your chandelier is still sparkling clean, simply dust the fixture with a lambswool or feather duster every few weeks. Keep your strokes light, since leaded crystal is softer than glass—even dust can scratch it. Be sure to walk around the fixture as you dust, rather than spinning it towards you. Twisting the fixture can strain the wiring or loosen its support.

Spring Cleaning

Eventually, the fixture will need a more thorough cleaning, especially if it’s in a high-traffic area or kitchen. Mid-size chandeliers are still manageable at this stage, provided you have some clean, lint-free rags, isopropyl alcohol, and a little elbow grease.

Before touching the chandelier, follow rule number one: turn off the power to the room when dealing with a ceiling fixture. At least flip the light switch off and tape it so no one will accidentally turn the light on while you’re working. Set up an alternative light source to aid the cleaning. Once the chandelier bulbs have cooled, cover them with plastic snack bags and secure with a rubber band.

Fill a spray bottle with one part isopropyl alcohol and three parts distilled water. Spray on one section of the chandelier at a time, then wipe off with a white cotton glove or lint-free cloth, making sure you dry the frame as well as the crystal. This solution will clarify the crystal and help remove the haze, but is gentler than ammonia on crystal with a design or edge finish. Even so, gently wipe away after spraying and don’t allow the fixture to drip dry. This will help preserve the frame.

Try cleaning your chandelier every two to six months with the alcohol solution, depending on whether the fixture is in a high-traffic area or not.

Heavy Restoration

If your fixture hasn’t been cleaned in a long time (or just needs extra attention), you can go an extra step before calling a professional. This is where a digital camera comes in handy, as you’ll need to remove individual pendants for a more thorough washing. Take pictures of the connections for reference later, then carefully remove the pendants. You may need a pair of needle-nose pliers to help disengage the pendants from the fixture.

Fill a sink with warm water and some gentle dish soap. Carefully wash each crystal piece and rinse in warm water to avoid any drastic temperature shifts. Set the pendants on a clean cloth to dry. Then simply rehang the pendants and enjoy your sparkling fixture!

Snap! Crackle! Pop! These are great sounds if you’re crunching cereal or curling up in front of a roaring fireplace on a cool winter evening. However, they are definitely unwelcome if you have just flipped on an electric light switch in your Los Angeles home. While most people can do simple home repairs, electrical problems are much more difficult — and potentially dangerous. At times like this, you’ll need to call on a Los Angeles electrician.

Since 1979 the Electric Connection has been providing electrical service and electrical repairs locally as an electrician in Los Angeles and the surrounding communities. But they offer an additional, very unique electrical service; they are willing to answer your electrical questions and give free electrical advice to homeowners who have questions about their home lighting, electrical rewiring, electrical safety assessments, electrical upgrades, or any other electrical concern. In a way it’s like having your own personal electrician in Los Angeles who will share bits of wisdom and electrical trade advice without charging for an unnecessary electrical service call.

Here’s an example of the kind of electrical help that’s available on The Electric Connection’s website. Suppose a short circuit causes your circuit breaker to flip off. Do you have an electrical wiring issue? Is the circuit breaker overloaded? Is the breaker broken? This Los Angeles electrician’s site walks you through some steps you can take to isolate the problem at no fee. They suggest you think back to what happened immediately before the electrical power went out. For example, if you just plugged in an iron or other appliance immediately prior to the circuit breaker jumping off, unplug the appliance and reset the circuit breaker. If it stays on without any additional electrical power interruptions, the problem is most likely a faulty appliance and not an electrical issue at all.

On the other hand, if the circuit breaker does not work normally, or if you can’t find any specific cause for the break in your electrical power, then it may be time to call a licensed electrician in Los Angeles CA. Everything wears out over time, even circuit breakers, and you may simply need to have yours replaced. Another possibility is that the electrical wiring in your house is not sufficient for the amount of electrical appliances you now have. This situation frequently occurs in older homes which were built before the age of multiple televisions, home computers, entertainment centers, trash compactors and more. In this situation a Los Angeles electrician can add additional electrical wiring to your home or upgrade your electrical panel, bringing it up to speed with today’s highly powered lifestyle.

The Electric Connection’s website is full of other little hints that can help the do-it-yourself homeowner. For example, do you want to change out that old dining room light fixture with a more romantic chandelier that is hooked up to a nice dimmer switch? If so, read the advice on the Electric Connection site to make certain you purchase the correct electrical switch. Do you have flickering lights or electrical outlets that fail to work? The Electric Connection, your Los Angeles electrician, will tell you all of the possible reasons for your problem.

They are also willing to explain things such as the recent electrical upgrades to the National Electric Code that requires special outlets called ground fault circuit interrupters (GFIs) to be installed in electrical outlets which are near water sources, like the bath, kitchen, garage, pool or hot tub. These inexpensive electrical upgrades can be a lifesaver – literally!

Things wear out, including electrical wiring, and codes continually change as improved materials and safety features become available. Do you know the state of our home’s electrical health? If not, you may want to contact a licensed electrician in Los Angeles CA to conduct a free, no-obligation safety check. Your home is not only one of your largest financial investments, but it’s the place of safety you provide your family. Take a little time to give your home a checkup.

When you’re looking on line for electrician Los Angeles, you’ll you can always call The Electric Connection to discuss your electrical projects, to ask any electrical related questions, or to inquire about an electrical estimate.