Buyer's Guides

The kitchen is the heart of the modern home. The kitchen can be the most complex lighting situation in your home, and most have major lighting mistakes. We can help you avoid these lighting errors and help you light your kitchen like a pro. We compiled our best kitchen lighting tips and we asked America’s top interior decorators for more ideas so you can create a perfect plan for your kitchen. 

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting is designed for use outside on the exterior of a building or in an outdoor space. Outdoor lights are designed to be safe and resistant to weather.

In this lighting guide you'll learn the different types of outdoor light fixtures, where to place them in your backyard or garden, and the kind of benefits each outdoor light provides.

First we'll take a tour through the types of outdoor lighting, then we'll look at where to position your exterior lights for best effect. We'll also cover flood lights and outdoor motion-sensor lights and give you outdoor lighting ideas to improve the security of your home or business with adequate exterior light fixtures.

Light fixtures bring beautiful lighting to every room of your home

In this light fixtures infographic guide we help you to understand lighting fixtures and how to choose lighting for your home or business. This visual lighting guide will take you on a tour of the light fixtures available, which ones to select for each room and how to combine them together.

You'll learn also how to layer your lighting, use of electrical circuits and switches, how to improve your room's visibility without introducing eyestrain or glare, and interior design ideas for creating a room theme with your lighting.

A helpful discussion of each topic will follow after the infographic. Read on to learn about light fixtures!

Buying a chandelier for your home is more often than not neglected by most homeowners.

Most often, people think that it’s about whether it looks visually appealing to them.

 They buy the chandelier and for many reasons, it doesn’t work for the home. 

Many tend to overlook the fact that a chandelier should be carefully chosen to create a visually stunning impact.

Restoration Style was derived from Charles II after he was restored to the throne of England in 1660. During this period a big richness was noted in English design, architecture and art. Upon his return from the Netherlands and France he and his followers brought with them the latest European styles. 

Take a trip back to 1920's Venice with delicate milk glass sconces in your powder room, or the regal elegance of an embellished Victorian crystal chandelier in your staircase or foyer. Bring a taste of medieval Europe to your dining room with a dramatic round iron chandelier. Most Vintage style collections span throughout time including ceiling lights, pendants, sconces, chandeliers and bathroom fixtures, as well as floor lamps and table lamps.

Book lights are important if you want to keep your vision healthy over the years. Position your lamps and other lighting sources in such a way that it reflects directly onto the page without creating shadows. Many lighting fixtures like desk lamps and bedside table lamps are good examples of book lights, while other direct sources of lighting (like pendant lighting) can also work.

Are you having trouble sewing, reading, or typing because of inadequate and incorrect lighting? A task lamp should allow you to do these intricate and detailed work with the least amount of eye strain and fatigue. Task lamps have been specially designed so that you get proper illumination to efficiently perform task or hobbies that require plenty of high contrasting lighting.

If you have Mission style house, you certainly want to honor the tradition of your heritage and choose mission style replacement lighting. Begin your search in the Mission category, and look for pieces similar to the originals with an updated twist. Renovating a Prairie or Mission Style home requires the right lighting including pendants, chandeliers and outdoor lighting that blends with the design of your home. But today, mission has gone main-stream and designers are using mission and arts and crafts lighting in most homes. In fact, many lights categorized as “Casual”, “Contemporary”, “Traditional” or even “Restoration” have their roots in the mission movement. So don't be afraid to work in some elegant simplicity into your home. Its elegant simplicity celebrates humanity, has its roots in rebellion and blends will with today's casual lifestyle.

Crystal light fixtures brings light to life and bring sparkle and elegance to your room. For centuries crystal lighting has been a symbol of class and status. Named for the Greek word for ice, "krystallos," crystal lighting possesses an ethereal beauty that has enchanted mankind throughout the ages.

One of the big benefits to crystal is that it tends to compliment the modern styles of today, especially if your home is decorated in a contemporary style. Crystal is clear and it pairs well with silver finishes, gold finishes, brass finishes and everything in between, making it an extremely versatile material.