Celebrate the New Year with LED Upgrades
Modern homes are getting major upgrades compared to their predecessors and 2019 is going to be huge when it comes to smart homes and businesses. The first step is changing out your bulbs. Long gone are the days of incandescents and generic house lighting. LED Lighting can even increase the resale value of your home. There are colors, motion switches, and dimmers to customize any look you want.
Designers will be adding LED accent lighting to cabinets, kitchens, bathrooms, and closets. Even those with a limited budget are making the upgrade to LED lighting. Some homes and businesses are even eligible for Free LED Lighting and upgrades. With a new year right around the corner, there’s no better time to upgrade.
Bulbs
One of the easiest and most affordable changes you can make in the coming year is to make sure every bulb in your house or business is LED. The first bulbs you should change are heavily trafficked areas or hard to reach lights.
The LED bulb uses a tenth of the electricity that an incandescent does. They are affordable and the cost for them is dropping every year (good timing!). They will save you money on your electricity and they may even live longer than you do. LED bulbs are gauged by lumens instead of watts like the incandescent. 800 lumens is equivalent to about 60 watts. Don’t be afraid to go bright. They also will never burn out like traditional bulbs, they only dim over time, a very long time.
Cove Lighting
This is accent lighting that can dramatically change the look of your home and business. Cove lighting is a form of indirect lighting that is built into ledges, recesses, or valences in a ceiling or high on the walls of a room. Homes or businesses that have a cove ceiling or cove moldings would benefit from a strip of narrow LED lighting mounted onto it. Check out this fixture, it’s an Angled LED Light that is simply attached with double-sided tape.
Christmas or String Lights
Just in case you are reading this and it’s not quite 2019, and you are still using the traditional holiday lights, you should switch! The old incandescent bulbs we all grew up with are outdated. LED Christmas lights are safer, way more energy efficient and they won’t ever blow. No more time wasted trying to figure out which bulb is the troublemaker. LED Christmas lights will dim over time, like any LED light, but we’re talking years and years and years. If it’s too late now, try and take advantage of after season sales!
Stair Lighting
Stair lighting might not be the easiest change depending on your home and where the electrical outlets are, but if you’re prepared for some renovations or are still in the architectural design process, then the only limit with this is your imagination and quite possibly your budget. Modern and thriving residential and commercial lighting designers almost always incorporate stair lighting into their project. When you see before’s and after’s it’s no wonder why. A well-lit staircase increases not only safety but attractiveness. Ideas include recessed LED lights in the walls down near the steps, recessed LED lights near the ceiling shining down on the stairs or our favorite, strip lighting along the handrails or risers.
LED Picture Frames
We found this great DIY project on LED-lit picture frames and had to include it. It’s a clever way to enhance interior decor, create mood and draw attention to specific spaces. Restaurants, offices, and bars could benefit from the upgrade to aesthetics.
Shelf Lighting
Shelving isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when people think about lighting upgrades. In fact, it’s a relatively new idea. This makes it incredibly underrated but so visually pleasing as it’s not something that’s common. A simple strip of LED light shining down on each shelf surface will instantly modernize and accent the look and feel of your space. Your collections of books, music, and collectibles will be displayed beautifully. Colors can even be added to futurize the look!
Glass Shelf Lighting
This one is an upgrade in an upgrade. Shelf lighting in itself will enhance the look of a room, but glass shelf lighting brings a touch of class and sophistication that can’t be rivaled. This high-end look is excellent for bars, restaurants, and clubs or even for the modern home it provides a touch of flair. We offer the Futura and Linea Classic Glass Shelf.
Closet Lights
There are a lot of easy ways to add lighting to closets that is super affordable and will make a huge difference in your daily routine. Tired of having to shine an extra light on your clothes to make sure that suit is black and not the navy one? There are automated lights that turn on with motion, providing you with light as soon as you open the doors. There are even a ton of options out there for battery operated lights that are bright, and that will last for ages. Check out this LED lit closet rod. The beam shines from the bottom of the rod at a 10-degree angle, away from your eyes and onto your clothes.
Refrigerator Lights
We know, this one seems totally random but hear us out. Most traditional refrigerators have only one bulb, at the top. When they are empty, and on display, they are bright and well lit. Fill it up with groceries for a family of four, and suddenly it’s dark and hard to find specific items if they aren’t on the top shelf or side door. Higher end models usually come with multiple bulbs to keep everything bright but if you can’t afford that, here’s a way to DIY!
Under Cabinet Lighting
This is a lighting option that not only gives your home an instant upgrade in aesthetics, but it’s also totally functional. LED lighting under cabinets can brighten your kitchen or workspace and make a dramatic difference in your everyday living and routines. We stock over a dozen different under cabinet lighting options and are happy to assist in custom creations.
When it comes to design, under cabinet lighting has several advantages. Instead of needing to install an entire lamp fixture or ceiling fixture, under cabinet lights can be installed directly into a cabinet that is already fixed into place. This can save you or your clients a significant amount in the cost of materials.
Under cabinet lighting shines precisely where it needs to, without spilling light where it isn’t wanted or is wasted. Traditional table or ceiling light fixtures spread light everywhere, and often not enough where it can truly be efficient. It’s pleasing to the eye. The brightness will improve visibility, and the fixture is almost always hidden from the sight as it is generally mounted on the underside of cabinets. They also increase the resale value of your home.
Light Up Drawers
This is similar to the under cabinet lighting, but just in case you didn’t think about it, we had to mention it. How nice would it be to open up a drawer in the middle of the night and find exactly what you’re looking for without needing a flashlight or to turn on all the lights in the room? It’s entirely possible with an LED light strip.
Decks and Outdoor Patio Lighting
Lighting can become a problem once the sun sets. Outdoor porch lights only do so much without having walls to bounce light off of. Yard lights work but can sometimes be hazards if they malfunction and someone trips over them. One way to seriously make your neighbors jealous and ensure your home is the spot to host at is to install LED light strips along borders and walkways of your deck. This is something that is going to take a flexible budget and some time but trust us. It’s worth it. Use colored LED strips to really make your backyard spectacular.
LED Pool Lighting
This is a modern upgrade that can take someone’s breath away if done right. Also, talk about increasing resale value! Waterproof LED lights are suited just for this type of thing, but we suggest you contact a professional before you try anything as water and electricity can be deadly. Color options are endless and are fantastic for hosting backyard parties.
Home Theater Lighting
This is an upgrade for the movie or home theater enthusiast. LED lights that can be dimmed and controlled from a remote, that won’t give off glare, are essential to a complete and enjoyable home theater experience.
Mirror / Vanity Lighting
This one is much simpler and much more affordable than home theater lighting or upgrades for your pool. Strips of LED lighting mounted around a bathroom mirror or vanity is aesthetically pleasing but also functional. This can illuminate a space without creating the harsh shadows that we’ve grown accustomed to with traditional lights.
Skylight Lighting
A skylight can be a great feature to enhance a home’s appeal. That natural light coming in really helps to create a mood. At night though a lot of skylights are just dark recesses in the ceiling. Brighten these by installing LED strip lights along the inside edges. Different colors can create different feelings. Try blue or purple for a cozy twilight feel.
Home Security Lighting
LED Lighting is bright and energy efficient, and it is easy to install motion detecting LED sensors outdoors to protect your property without much thought or maintenance. With the long life that LED lights have, you can just set this and forget this and know that your home is that much more secure.
There are so many ways that your home can be upgraded with LED lighting. The options are limitless. Wessel Lighting has been producing high-quality lighting since 1972. We provide contemporary lighting for kitchens, baths, living spaces, and retail store displays. We take pride in the level of individualized attention each one of our clients receives. We will work hand-in-hand with you to achieve any desired lighting effect for your application or project. Call us today at (682) 990-4200 or click here to get a quote.