Besides just having light, light layering (having multiple light sources for different purposes) is the most important, all-encompassing rule in home lighting design.

I recently ran across a post on Image via Freshome.com

That’s not just one, not two, but five different light sources, not counting the ample ambient light coming in from the windows. You have under cabinet lights on the left, recessed accent lights on the back wall, a pendant light, a table lamp, and linear accent lights atop the window.

On the other side of the room, there are just as many layers:

So there you have it. The most universal rule in residential lighting design, and a few ways to make it your own. What’s your favorite light layer in this space?

May is National Electrical Safety Month, which is appropriate given the fact that this time of year is when many Virginians began taking out electric lawn equipment, setting up their swimming pools and undergoing major home renovations that necessitate the use of electrical devices. As a result, Virginia residents are more likely to encounter electrical hazards or fall victim to an electrical mishap in the spring than probably any other time of year.

According to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are roughly 400 electrocutions in the United States annually. Of those 400, almost half are related to consumer products that are mishandled, installed poorly or have faulty wiring. The largest portion of these fatalities involve large household appliances that are used by millions of Americans every day.

While 20 percent of the total mishaps were caused by faulty wiring, another big percentage of electrocutions are actually related to the power lines. Nearly 5 percent of all deaths from these electrocutions were caused when a ladder contacted one of these high-voltage wires during routine home maintenance.

If you are looking to undergo a home renovation that requires use of a ladder, be careful to avoid placing it anywhere near your home's main connection to the power grid. You don't even have to come into direct contact with these lines to become electrocuted, as a good portion of these incidents are caused by electrical arcing between the wire and a ladder. Because of this danger, remain at least 10 feet beneath any power line when you set your ladder up.

Fixtures with less blue light emission have less of an effect on circadian rhythm and contribute less to glare, light trespass, and light pollution in the night sky. These warm white LED street lights emit from 17,000 to 23,700 lumens depending on the fixture, and they consume less than half the energy that an HID fixture would use. The durable LED lights have weatherproof die cast aluminum housings that are powder coated for rust resistance. Each fixture also comes with a removable cover for easy access to the driver. These street lights come with either an adjustable bracket or a mounting arm that’s designed to slip-fit onto round poles. All of the fixtures can be mounted onto the side of square and round poles with our Round-Mount and Square-Mount Fixed Arm Kits (sold separately). An attachment is also available for wall mounting.

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CCT indicates the hue and tone of white light emitted from a specific bulb or fixture. It’s measured in Kelvins (K), which is similar to degrees in Celsius. Different temperatures on the Kelvin scale represent different colors. For example, light at 2000K-3500K looks more orange/yellow and is called ultra warm or warm white, and as temperature increases in Kelvins, color changes to more of a “paper white” known as natural or neutral white (between 3500K and 5100K) and finally into a bluish-white known as cool white (5100K+).

As a light source’s color temperature increases, brightness often increases. While shopping for LED lights, pay close attention to the color temperatures that are available for any one bulb or fixture. Choosing a warm white bulb with a color temperature around 3000K might mean sacrificing some brightness. Whereas, if you choose the natural white version, it’s likely that it will have a higher output.

Any room can benefit from light strip, globe bulb,

In order to understand nanometers, you must first understand the electromagnetic spectrum and wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum is the entire range of invisible and visible light, and a wavelength is the distance between peaks of light waves. Wavelengths are measured in nanometers, which are simply units of length that indicate colors of light within the spectrum. Nanometers will tell you how red, green, yellow, purple, etc. a light source really is. These measurements start lower at ultraviolet and increase from green to blue, yellow, orange, and then red. The wavelength of a colored light can be found in the light’s specifications table.

MR16 beam angle in degrees (left to right): 36, 24, 15

Fixtures or bulbs that emit wide beams, such as BR LED bulbs for can lights are great for areas that require a lot of light, such as basements, kitchens, or living rooms. Narrow beam angles like those from can lights with MR LED bulbs are best for highlighting decor or small areas. Globe bulbs, such as G30 LED vanity bulbs, have 360-degree beam angles, which means that they throw light in all directions. Globe bulbs are the perfect choice for centralized light fixtures.

2. In order to open the headlight housing, it must be heated to soften the glue that seals it. Preheat the oven to 270 degrees Fahrenheit, and place the housing in the oven (top rack). Heat the housing for approximately seven minutes. Note that this time will vary by vehicle manufacturer and that you should be careful not to overheat your assembly. Also note that the headlight will be hot when removing it from the oven, so take care not to burn yourself.

*Please note that this can damage your headlight assembly and that you do so at your own risk.

4. LED angel eye installation will vary by headlight. In this instance, we mounted an

5. Place the second layer back in the housing to ensure that everything is aligned the way you would like. This is also a great time to clean the inside housing, as you will not be able to do so once you reseal it. The cleaner you get it the better; smudges and dirt will be more visible when the lights are on.

8. Now it’s time to reseal the headlight housing. Preheat the oven to 270 degrees again, place the layers together, and put the headlight in the oven (with halo rings installed) for seven minutes. Remove the headlight from the oven, and press the layers together firmly as you work around the lens to ensure all of the edges are sealed (this might require gloves, as the headlight will be somewhat hot). Be careful to only press on the edges so as not to warp the lens.

*Please note that this can damage your headlight assembly and that you do so at your own risk.

10. With the headlight housing installed, complete your wiring, and test connections to ensure proper installation. Be sure to tape/heat-shrink any wiring connections that were added, and clean up any loose wiring.