If you are planning on renovating or sprucing-up your kitchen, it’s probably a good idea to map out a detailed lighting plan as well. Most people find this a little strange as they feel that lighting in a kitchen isn’t something that needs too much of consideration or planning. It’s just a place where you cook and probably where you have an informal meal after all.

However, the fact is that it’s important to plan kitchen illumination well if you want to make optimal use of your kitchen spaces. Here, we would like to share some basic lighting ideas to create the right balance of functionality and aesthetics.

If you want to get a better idea about what type of lighting would work best for your kitchen, it’s vital to understand how your kitchen spaces relate to the different type of lighting. Let’s start off with understanding what type of bulbs you can use for the best effects:

These bulbs emit a yellowish light and you will now find many artistic versions of these on the market today.

These bulbs throw off a flat, cold light that has a bluish tinge, which lends a very harsh effect to the room.

These have a warm light that makes the place look very inviting and comfortable

These are the latest in light bulb technology and are available in a range of effects including white, cool daylight, warm light, yellow and a range of other colours and hues. Aside from this, LED bulbs are also 80% more energy-efficient than standard bulbs; and most property owners are now opting for these fixtures.

In addition to the types of bulbs used, the style of lighting or the lighting effects are what impact the ambience and appearance of a room. With this in view, here we discuss the different lighting effects that can be used in your kitchen:

This is one of the simplest ways to create the right lighting effect in your kitchen. This type of lighting is designed to help you move comfortably around the room. In most instances this type of lighting comes from grid-style can lighting, widely-spaced, wall and ceiling lamps, semi-translucent skylights or even the natural light that streams in through glass windows and doors. This is the base layer of any lighting plan.

In your kitchen, task lighting would be required to illuminate kitchen counters and food preparation spaces. Since you will be cooking in your kitchen every day, it’s important that the task lighting be planned and installed well. If you have only recessed lighting fixtures in your kitchen, you will feel the lack of focused light when you are cleaning, cooking or prepping in that space.

If you install one-dimensional lighting in the kitchen, it creates unsightly shadows in different areas of the room, while ceiling lighting is ineffective in illuminating spaces like sinks, under counter or cabinet areas etc. On the other hand, if you add special pendant lamps over the counters or even your kitchen island it can prove to be a more practical solution. Under-cabinet lighting can also help in illuminating the cabinets that are positioned there.

This effect doesn’t seem as necessary as ambient or task lighting does in a kitchen space, as the illumination it provides isn’t as functional as the first two. However, it can have a significant impact on the way your kitchen spaces look. If you want to enhance the appeal of your kitchen (regardless of whether you are getting it entirely renovated or are opting for a lighting upgrade), it’s important that you plan your accent lighting well.

Are you looking for ways to cut down on energy usage? Wanting to reduce power consumption is a very common thing, whether it’s to save money, or in an attempt to reduce your carbon footprint. The most common ways people save electricity are by toughing out the heat or cold by not using their AC or heater and by turning off the lights whenever they can. There is a much simpler, convenient way to save energy however.

According to many studies lighting tends to be a fairly large chunk of the average family’s utility bills. Even when lights are turned as often as possible, they can still take up around 12% of the bill. Replacing standard bulbs with fluorescents can save a lot of money over the course of a year on electric bills. In fact, studies show that replacing even just five light fixtures can save the average family over $50 a year. If you need more information about fluorescent lighting or need assistance installing it in your home, contact your local electrician. Pasadena residents can rely on The Electric Connection to answer questions about lighting options.

Fluorescent bulbs tend to be more expensive to buy, but don’t let their price tag scare you away. They are much more energy efficient than regular bulbs, and also last 5-6 times longer than them as well. This means that in the long run they will actually be much cheaper than a standard light fixture.

Although they are more expensive than a regular bulb on the store shelves, it is well worth the investment. The Electric Connection will have a trained and certified electrician in Pasadena ready to help you with any questions you might have about fluorescent lighting. They can also help anybody in need of more energy savings by creating an energy savings plan, which could include fluorescent lighting or other power saving techniques and equipment.

When you need electrical work done in your home or business, there are some key qualities to look for before making any hiring decisions. It is never a good idea to open a phone book and randomly pick a company or choose the first name that pops up on an internet search. You need to do a little research before you hire a Beverly Hills electrician to come into your home or business. At The Electric Connection, we work hard to live up to each of the following standards so our customers can feel confident giving us a call.

Licensed and Bonded

This is probably one of the most important elements. It is absolutely crucial you only hire an electrician who has been licensed through the state to do any electrical work. Failing to do so could end up costing you quite a bit of money down the road. If by some tragic chain of events the electrical work is faulty and causes a home fire, you could be risking your homeowner’s insurance coverage. Bonded electricians also protect you from incurring any additional costs that may arise from poor work that needs to be fixed.

Professional

When somebody comes into your home or business, you expect them to act and look like the professional you are paying for. Clean uniforms add to that professional look. Courteous and polite are other traits you will want to have in an electrician. Beverly Hills home and business owners will want to be able to converse with somebody who is respectful and will respect somebody else’s property.

Prompt

You need an electrician who will show up on time and get the job done in a timely fashion. You don’t have time to waste waiting around for an electrician to show up. Nor do you want to wait weeks to get a job completed.

Give The Electric Connection a call today and you can rest assured you will be getting an electrician who meets all these needs.

It is the time of year parent’s relish—back to school. Summer has come to an end and it is time to gear up for fall sports and cooler temperatures. It is time to open the windows and enjoy the cool breezes that freshen the home and break up that stale humid air that has been trapped inside all summer long. Along with the cool fall temperatures comes the pesky flies. There is a way to keep your house cool, even on those warm days, while creating enough of a breeze flies won’t want to hang out for long. A ceiling fan will help stir the air in your house, giving you that fresh feeling you have longed for all summer and help deter flies. It is time to get a ceiling fan installed by an electrician in Los Angeles like those at The Electric Connection.

A ceiling fan is a fixture that not only serves multiple purposes, but it also looks great in any room. Your fan will help keep you cool in the summer, warm in the winter and give the entire room a nice, fresh feeling. You are probably wondering how a fan is going to keep you warm. Well, when your furnace is on or you have your woodstove going, the heat is floating up to the ceiling. That doesn’t do you any good explains an electrician. Los Angeles homeowners do not want to waste electricity or wood by heating the ceiling.

A ceiling fan helps to push the hot air down into the room, making the room and you warmer. In the summer, the breeze feels nice and the spinning blades pull the hot air up to the ceiling where you won’t feel it. A Los Angeles electrician can explain more about how this works. Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your ceiling fan installation.

Fixing the wiring in your home is not something that you want to trust to just anyone. The possibility of shocks and electrocution as well as the danger of electrical fire presented by a poor wiring job are too serious to risk doing your own electrical work, and an inexperienced electrician can provide shoddy work that impacts your safety and your wallet.

For all things electrical, from installing a new outlet to rewiring a new addition, you need the skills, training, and experience of a licensed electrician. There are many good reasons for narrowing your search to only include local electricians.

An electrician who works and lives in the area is most familiar with local building codes, material vendors, and the procedures necessary to get the required licenses. What’s more, electricians are licensed by individual states (and the District of Columbia) and are only permitted to work in those state(s) where they have passed the licensing exam and where they meet the continuing education requirements.

Another good reason for working with a local electrical contractor is that when you work with a local small business, the dollars you spend stay in the community rather than going to the corporate offices of a large company or big box retailer. Local electricians are your neighbors and will spend the dollars you give them at local restaurants, retailers, and community service programs.

Lastly, though possibly most importantly, local electricians rely on their reputation for their livelihood. They’d be out of business quickly if satisfied customers didn’t recommend them to their neighbors, co-workers, church members, and friends. For that reason, a local electrician has an extra incentive to do quality work on your project.

At Kolb Electric, we’ve been helping Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC homeowners with their electrical needs for more than 90 years. We live right here in the communities near you, shop in the same stores, and support the same businesses. We’re familiar with the houses in this area as well as the local building codes and licensing requirements. We also know where to get the best prices for you on quality electrical supplies.

To learn more about how Kolb Electric can help you with your next electrical project, large or small, call us at 877 287-1179 or contact us online today.