Maximize Your Lighting

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Maximize Your Lighting

Fulton Homes

Posted: 8/30/2022

How to Maximize the
Lighting In Your Home

Natural light + the right lighting fixtures = A terrific way to light up your life!

Whether it's through harnessing natural light or via the strategic use of lighting fixtures, the right lighting can boost your mood, make everyday tasks easier and help make your new house feel like home.

First, let's talk fixtures.

When picking out fixtures, it's important to consider the functionality of the room and the needs of those who will inhabit it. In a young child's playroom, glass-bowled overhead lighting — sometimes installed as part of a ceiling fan set-up — is probably preferable to floor lamps with cords that can create a safety hazard for little ones. Have a teen game room designed for the digital natives in the family? A good bet might be smart lighting controlled by voice or apps. However, for a study/homework corral, it's helpful to have small moveable fixtures that use a fingertip push-button to dim or perk-up the wattage.

In your new home's shared spaces, smart lighting fixtures with dimmer switches that can easily be turned on and off are a welcome addition to family gathering spaces. Quiet movie-night for the happy couple? Lower the lights a bit to set the mood. An all-bets-are-off Monopoly® tournament for the whole family? Keep the banker on their toes and turn those lights up. You get the drift.

Variety is indeed the spice of (lighting) life. And it's important to remember that the right lighting fixtures can meet the needs of both form AND function in your home. That standard, run-of-the-mill light over your formal dining table might get the job done, but what about that modern and elegant chandelier you've had your eye on for months? It might just be the dramatic focal point that makes the statement you've been looking for!

ENERGY STAR® is the best way to go.

One important facet of all types of lighting fixtures is this: Homeowners should be sure that all light fixtures in their new home have earned ENERGY STAR® certification. This small but mighty designation says that you'll save money on your energy bill each month.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ENERGY STAR-certified light fixtures "deliver quality, cutting-edge design and the latest in energy-efficient technology." The EPA website also indicates that ENERGY STAR-certified light fixtures use 90 percent less energy than traditional models using incandescent light bulbs; distribute light more efficiently and effectively; come in hundreds of decorative styles; and often deliver features such as automatic shut-off and/or motion sensors.

And here's some great news: At Fulton Homes, all of the lighting fixtures offered through our Design Center are ENERGY STAR-certified.

For more details on ENERGY STAR-certified light fixtures, including a product finder and comparison matrix, visit https://www.energystar.gov/products/light_fixtures.

Here's a proverbial "eureka!" moment about light bulbs.

Today's LED light bulbs are designed to mimic different types of naturally occurring light and are categorized according to temperature of light emitted by the bulb.

1900 kelvins: Candlelight; warm and orange-reddish in color
2500 kelvins: Tungsten light; warm with orange-yellow colors
3000 kelvins: Early sunrise; warm yellow color
4500 kelvins: Electronic flash; transitioning from warm to cool tones
5000 kelvins to 5500 kelvins: Noon sunlight; bright with mild cool hues
6000 kelvins: Overcast daylight; very bright and cool
10,000 kelvins: Blue sky; extremely bright and cool

The EPA has a lot to say about ENERGY STAR-certified light bulbs versus standard bulbs, but here's their expert scoop in a lightly edited nutshell. ENERGY STAR-certified bulbs:

Use up to 90 percent less energy
Last at least 15 times longer and save electricity costs
Produce approximately 70 percent to 90 percent less heat which can cut your air conditioning energy costs, especially here in Arizona

Windows — and we don't mean the kind from Microsoft.

Every Fulton Home is filled with just the right amount of natural light thanks to state-of-the-art windows that are right-sized and perfectly placed for privacy, light optimization and heat minimization. All those handsome high-tech windows in your new Fulton Home also offer energy-efficiency in terms of glazing, sealing and more, to ensure you get the most natural light with the least energy cost. Natural light is well-known to be a mood-enhancer, plus it's a nice waker-upper, so go ahead and enjoy your Fulton Homes' natural light — it's good for you!

Coordinate Your Lighting with Your Paint Color to Maximize Mood

In addition to selecting the right light fixtures from a functionality and personality perspective – you may want to consider coordinating your light fixtures with your paint colors, as well. Everything from a fixture's design, materials and color temperature of the light bulb can affect the mood of a room – and potentially change the appearance of your paint color.

Ever wondered why that black t-shirt hanging in your closet is actually navy blue in true, natural light? That's because light sources actually carry different wavelengths and produce different perceptions of color. It's the same for the paint colors in your home. A muted, soft black might actually appear gray in a sun-filled room – while it may appear overly saturated and much too dark in a room that relies mostly on artificial light.

Always take the time to swatch test your paint colors with the lighting in your home and observe how it looks at various times throughout the day. Try swapping out light bulbs with varying color temperatures like those noted above, as this can vastly affect your room's paint color and mood.

Whether choosing fixtures for your new home or breathing new life into your existing space, keep these tips in mind to make the most of your lighting projects.

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