When designing a home, it is always important to also consider lighting. Lights can either enhance the mood in your place or ruin the experience completely. Your light fixtures can reflect the ambience you want to convey in your abode, and this can range from relaxed to intimate.

Read on to discover how you can create a pleasant lighting experience for you and your family at all times.

Home Lighting

Lighting types

According to lighting experts from top LED lighting companies in Dubai, there are three main kinds of lighting: task, ambient and accent. Below are their distinct purposes and functions:

1. Task lighting: This allows individuals to perform tasks that require a more intense light source such as cooking or reading. It can come in the form of a small table lamp or overhead lamps.
2. Ambient lighting: This is the primary source of light in a room or area. It can be an electric overhead fixture or natural light. Its features allow people to move around and see comfortably and easily.
3. Accent lighting: This adds drama to any space. It creates focal points by using light to emphasize menu boards, pieces of artwork or anything that you want to highlight.

How lighting impacts mood

You can use various levels of lighting to set the mood in your home.

#1. Low lighting

This creates a laid-back and romantic mood since it encourages people to stay longer. Imagine a candlelit dinner; this setting would call for overhead fixtures and dimmers. Low lighting establishes intimacy as it gives couples the impression that they are sitting in a more private area, secluded from others. 

Take note that in a low lighting environment, it is also important to include enough ambient lighting. This way, you and your family can still perform their basic tasks safely and easily.

#2. Bright lighting

This provides a more stimulating mood than low lighting does. Amid such lighting, your family will be alert and awake in rooms because of the bright lights.

Bright lighting is great for high-energy areas like the kitchen or living room. You can achieve this lighting by simply adding bright overhead fixtures or even having large windows that allow natural light in the room installed.

Lighting

Lighting for different times of day

Keep in mind the type of mood you want to create when deciding how to illuminate your home. Consider the times that your family is usually active as well.

If you want a home that looks lively at various times, pay close attention to the busier areas of the house, such as the kitchen. Achieving the perfect kitchen design involves adjusting this room’s lighting scheme according to your family’s mealtimes.

• Breakfast: Natural light is the best source for this. During mornings, your family needs bright light to read the paper and enjoy their early meals and cups of coffee or hot cocoa.
• Lunch: Lunchtime should exhibit moderate lighting. This is great for busy families who do not usually sit down to eat but grab food to go instead. If you want your children to be alert and move faster, keep moderate lighting in mind.
• Dinner: Whether it is a casual or a special family event, dinner time usually has a more relaxing atmosphere. This is the most popular time to gather around together since both parents and children need to sit back enjoy a good meal after a long day at work and school. By providing a relaxing atmosphere, people are inspired to stay at the table longer and spend more quality time with the family.

How to save and be smart on lighting

On average, lighting covers about 13% of energy use at home, which is why it is important to make good use of energy savings. If you want to save money on your energy bills, start by changing your lighting fixtures. Here are some tips for doing so:

#1. Update your light bulbs

If you’re still using a standard light bulb, the simplest and fastest thing you can do to cut down costs is to modernize them. The following are energy-efficient options that you can consider.

• Leds or light emitting diodes: These are the most accessible and efficient light sources today. Most LEDs can last longer – up to 50,000 hours. This means you no longer have to waste money and time on frequently replacing light bulbs. They also come in different types and designs such as high powered LED spotlights, tubes, bulbs, high bay light, etc. An LED lighting company can help you pick out which light fixture best fits your home’s layout.
• Cfls or compact fluorescent light bulbs: These are another affordable alternative that only uses 1/3 of energy. They are easy to find and are available in various colors and temperatures. This makes it easier for you to find a color that is appropriate for your home’s aesthetic.
• Ccfls or cold cathode fluorescent lamps: They have the same energy savings as CFLs but last 40% longer and don’t die out easily.

LED lights are some of the most energy-efficient lighting technologies today. To make sure that you get the most energy-efficient ones, you can use an LED lighting chart as your guide.

Outdoor Lighting

#2. Exchange your outdoor lights

Swapping your fluorescent and incandescent outdoor lights to LED can help you save a lot. According to various studies, you can run an LED outdoor light for only $2 a year while using an incandescent one will cost you $39 annually. Each light will accomplish its role, but with LED, you won’t need maintenance since it can live up to 10 years.

And according to another report, in the year 2020, LED will penetrate the market at about 61%. This means more and more homeowners will be taking advantage of this energy-efficient technology. Since there is no frequent need for light bulb replacement, there will be reduced labor costs. As such, you will be able to save more energy and keep more cash in your pocket.

#3. Add light controls

Another method to save power is to regulate them with lighting controls. Place a dimmer to control the time of day and ambience of your house lights. Dimming a light bulb enables you to use less energy and extend its life. If you are using LEDs or CFLs, make sure you pick a dimmer that is suitable.

Rather than focusing only on the overall aesthetic appeal of your home, you should also consider lighting as an important part of the design. Whether you are setting the right mood or aiming to save on operation costs, lighting makes a huge difference.

About the author: Ajay Awtaney is co-founder of Nakashi General Trading LLC, an electrical lighting company in Dubai catering to the needs of clients and projects requiring quality lighting products and solutions. Nakashi General Trading LLC today is an approved vendor of reputable organisations (Jumeirah, Engineering Office, Meraas, Musanadah and Thumbay, to name a few) for supplying lighting products.

Bathroom renovation helps you match your personal preference and achieve an aesthetic feel. However, major decisions have to be made when it comes to choosing the right plumbing valves, suitable toilet styles, filing for inspection code permits, upgrading plumbing fixtures and hiring a professional plumber for the job.

Investing in renovation will save you a ton of time and money in the long term. If your bathroom's pipeline is correctly set up, you won't ever have much damage done on your plumbing. You won't have to spend hours on a Saturday working with drain cleaners to remove nasty clogs, which can be hazardous for your home, as well as for the environment.

Bathroom Renovation

Types of valves

1. ball valve: The most important component of this type of valve is the rotating sphere with a hole in it. When the valve is open, the hole is in line with the water pipe, and if closed the position of the hole is perpendicular to the pipe. The lever handle is used for operating the valve. Also, the lever hand indicates whether the valve is open or closed; when its position is parallel to the water pipe the valve is open and vice versa. Although these valves don’t allow for precise flow control, they provide a perfect seal in closed position.
2. Gate valve: The valve controls the flow of water by raising and lowering the piece of metal that acts as a gate. The wheel at the top of the gate controls the height of the gate, and thus controlling the flow of water. Unfortunately, the wheel or knob doesn’t indicate whether the valve is open and closed, or even to what extent. These valves are suitable for just opening and closing and not for controlling the flow of water. Moreover, these valves are susceptible to corrosion; that can cause the valve to get stuck in either closed or open position with ease.
3. Butterfly valve: The right valve should have a disc that has a size equal to the inside diameter of the water pipe for effective performance. The disc is attached to a lever handle, which in turn is used to control it and ultimately control the flow of water. There will always be a pressure drop of water when using this valve because the disc is always within the flow of water even when it is closed. They can become a maintenance issue in your bathroom because they rely on a gasket to provide a full seal.
4. Diaphragm valve: The valve has an element similar to what is found in a gate valve for limiting the flow of water. However, the element that is moved by the wheel or knob, in this case, is a diaphragm that stops the flow of water when it settles down on a saddle. You can choose a weir-type diaphragm or a straight-type diaphragm valve for your bathroom renovation.
5. Pressure balanced valve:  If you want to maintain a constant temperature of water in your showers and bathtubs, you can consider using balanced pressure valves. The valve has a diaphragm that is used for controlling the mixing of hot and cold water. Many jurisdictions allow these valves in domestic bathrooms to prevent accidental scalding.

Toilet styles/Toilet locations

The toilet type is defined by how the unit is installed and the number of pieces that make up the toilet. A majority of toilet types or styles across the country are two-piece and are installed on the floor. However, people who are interested in bidet functionality and other advanced features such as personalized cleansing need to install an electrical outlet close to the toilet.

• Two-piece toilets: The toilet style offers great value and is often recommended for residential applications. A separate tank and bowl are assembled to make the full two-piece toilet.
• One-piece toilet: This style is crafted from one piece of ceramic; the tank and bowl are integrated. It’s easier to keep this type of toilet clean because its design eliminates the seam between the tank and bowl, which is a bit hard to clean.
• Intelligent toilets: It’s an innovative, stunning style that doesn’t have a tank. They have heated seats, warm-water cleansing and a system that enables automated flushing. You can use an intuitive touch-screen remote to control temperature and cleansing settings.
• Wall-hung toilets: These are sleek and easy-to-clean toilet styles that are suitable for bathrooms with a limited footprint. They have a hidden in-wall tank, and thus it’s only the bowl, and the flush plate is exposed on the wall. They save up a lot of space compared to floor mount toilet styles.

Bathroom Remodeling

Effects of relocating your toilet and other fixtures

Remember, relocating plumbing fixtures such as toilets requires you to obtain the necessary permits from your local building inspector. So, apart from the cost of the renovation project, if you know that your remodeling will go beyond painting and papering, deal with filing for the necessary permits first. Secondly, you need to determine whether the relocation is worth it because even relocating a large 3- or 4-inch drain lines just for a few feet can be very costly.

Therefore, before relocating explore other possible scenarios like designing your new bathroom near your toilet’s present location. In fact, this is a good option because then you will have enough money to spend on your bathroom’s finish work or fixtures, where it counts. Moreover, when dealing with the main toilet line or/and vent stack, you will need a professional, licensed plumber who has years of experience in such complex plumbing projects. The proper drain pitch and drilling around wood supports and reassembling everything properly are serious processes that have to be done according to local codes. Furthermore, you have to evaluate the age of the house and the location of the toilet before you consider the toilet relocation.

Passing inspections (codes)

It’s important to know the required permits and file for the necessary documents before you start your bathroom remodeling projects. The permit will ensure that your project meets certain safety concerns and criteria in relation to:

• Zoning requirements
• Environmental concerns such as waste and water systems
• Electrical codes

Keeping a record about the renovation or addition of a building project so that you can show to banks and insurance companies or future owners of your property that the project is deemed safe because it was conducted according to current codes:

• Building codes
• Mechanical codes

Also, although most of these codes for different geographic locations almost look the same, you need to read the details of your location’s codes carefully, especially in regards to your job scope. You can learn more details about the codes if you search for your county, city or state development guides online. The fees are based on the scope of your bathroom remodeling project and its square footage. You can check out the fees listings online or call your local permit office for clear details. Be sure to read the details of your locale’s development guide carefully.

Decide whether or not to hide plumbing lines

Plumbing lines can be seen as decorative elements or eye sores depending on an individual’s taste.  You can decide to either hide plumbing lines or camouflage them. Here are a few tricks that you should try.

1. Paint it: You will be surprised at how water or drain pipes will disappear when you paint them and the walls with the same color. Pipes along walls and against ceilings can be painted with a bright white shade to camouflage their revolting appearances. You can also use an accent color to make them stand out aesthetically.
2. Transform it: You can creatively transform the exposed pipes into décor features. You can use ordinary rope, fabric, and carpet in transforming these pipes. By wrapping and gluing the ropes or fabrics artistically on the pipes, you will transform your interior design immeasurably.
3. Hide It: If you are dealing with a bigger plumbing fixture such as exposed utility sink, consider a three-panel screen to hide the fixture. Alternatively, you can use a large bookshelf or portable cabinet in concealing the plumbing fixture. You can turn your unused basement into a comfortable space where you and your family can relax occasionally by hiding these plumbing fixtures.

Plumbing Fixture

Upgrade plumbing fixtures

Here are reasons why you need to upgrade your plumbing fixtures:

Galvanized steel plumbing: Outdated galvanized steel piping can reduce the pressure of water due to years of rust and corrosion in the pipes. When these pipes corrode, they affect the smooth flow of water.

Cast iron pipes: These pipes were used for water and gas transmission in the 20th century. Today they have become extinct, and any home that has them needs an upgrade. Moreover, of cast iron’s joints were connected using lead, which is poisonous and shouldn’t be found in any modern home.

Clay sewer lines: Very old houses that are over 100 years old have these clay drain lines that were commonly used in the 20th century. Broken clay pipes can cause a lot of flooding in homes and need to be replaced with modern piping materials such as PVC or flexible PEX pipes.

Here are signs that your current fixtures need upgrading:

• Cracked porcelain
• Leaky faucets
• Toilet Upgrade
• Flushing mechanism failure
• Broken shower hoses

Professionals Plumber

Hire professionals (electricians, plumbers, etc.)

Electrical work is complicated and dangerous. If not handled carefully with the right equipment and gear it can lead to life-threatening situations. On the other hand, handling plumbing systems unprofessionally can lead to breaking hidden pipes and cause further damage such as water damage or mold damage, which will be costly to mitigate.

Moreover, your home has load-bearing walls and other critical concerns that can only be evaluated by a licensed contractor. Trained professionals should only handle hazardous situations that may involve handling mold, lead, old wiring systems, asbestos and polybutylene piping. The professional contractor is licensed, insured and bonded to provide plumbing or electric services in your locale.

You have to know the pros and cons of different types of plumbing valves before you choose the most suitable type for your application. Many of your house’s expensive appliances are connected to electricity and the plumbing systems. Whenever there is an electric or plumbing problem, it’s advisable to contact a qualified professional plumber or a professional electrician to avoid further damage by trying to solve the issue by yourself.

About the author: Amanda Hill is the Marketing Manager at PVC Fittings Online, a leading supplier of pipes, valves, fittings, plumbing supply, and more. Amanda is often called the “Queen of PVC” as she has years of experience completing DIY PVC projects and has a ton of knowledge pertaining to PVC pipe, valves, and fittings. Amanda loves giving advice related to PVC topics and helping fellow DIYers.

PVC Fittings Online offers products used for home improvement, DIY projects, general construction, etc. The products are high quality and can be purchased at reasonable prices. If you’re looking for stainless steel valves or any other home improvement products, you cannot go wrong with choosing PVC Fittings Online. Visit our website or give us a call at (866) 777-7990 for more information.

The modern trend of housing is changing. With its changing trend, the space allocation and design of the garage are also changing. Nowadays the garages are more spacious and organized. With proper planning and design, more car and equipment can be accommodated on the car garage. To meet up the storage needs and placing more than one car, one should make the smart plan for the garage.

Image Source : Organizedliving.com

Usually, a garage doesn’t cut off much cost to build in and decorate. But if you want to get a functional garage, you should have a basic planning. You should also set a fixed expenditure to build a car garage. A well-decorated garage can enhance the visual appeal of your home. Moreover, if you have more than one car and you want to show off your collection, you must have a well-decorated car garage. In this article, you will get to know how to organize your car garage.

You need to have a precise planning for designing a garage. Without a proper planning, it is impossible to organize and shape your garage. Your garage plan should include flooring, walls, windows, doors, and so on.

Floor planning of garage

While planning your garage, you have to focus on flooring separately. The floor of the garage tends to get dirty soon, if you don’t clean and wash it regularly. Oil and mobile from the car tank can be spilled when you keep your car in the garage. Dirt and mud stains are also very common on the floor of the garage. So, while planning for garage organizing and decorating, you need to make a precise plan for garage cleaning. You have to keep a drainage connecting to the garage. It will help you to clean the garage without any hassle.

Wall, window, and door planning of a garage

After planning for flooring you need to look on the wall, windows and door design of the garage. A garage should have the proper ventilation system. It should not be too cold or too hot. It should not be too dark and narrow either. Natural light and air should be passed through the windows of the garage. There has to be a ceiling over the garage which will protect your car and other belongings in the garage. The auto cover can work as a shield for the car. But this is not enough to provide proper security for your car. So, roofing is an important consideration while planning your garage.

The door setting of the garage will be depended on the type of your garage. You may have an attached or detached garage to your home. For the attached garage, you need to have a common door which will help you to enter your home. The doors of the garage should be wide enough so that a car can enter.

Image Source : Offthethrottle.com

Hire a professional if required

After making a proper plan for the garage, you need to give it a proper shape. You can do it by yourself. But for that you will need to have different types of equipment and skill. But if you want to get a professional touch in your garage, you should hire a technician or builder to build your garage. The garage design is more complex and complicated than you think. It is also a challenging work for any normal people who don’t have any experience on this. Yet, if you have experience and necessary expertise of it, you can do it yourself with a skilled assistant.

So, building or organizing car garage is quite easy if you have proper planning and budget for that. Everyone should give equal importance on organizing and designing the garage like they do on organizing their home.