I ♥ Shopping - Lights Part 1

 Welcome to Week #3 of ...

This past week, I began looking for a few new lights and ceiling fans for my house.  The outside of my house is Grey and since I live in a Manufactured Home, it has white skirting.  There are white shutters, white trim and white doors [doors may be painted a new color when the weather warms up].   The outside lights needed to be white, to match the other exterior colors.  And I want a light that didn't have a high top to it, so that it would be easier to change lightbulbs.  This is similar to what I already have and it is hung where the top is quite a bit above my door frame.

This is what I selected...see how most of the light hangs down below where it's mounted as opposed to above where it's mounted.  I figured this would give me more light, too.  Besides that this new light takes 100 watt light bulbs, where the old one took 60 watt light bulbs.  I'm getting these as my first NEW lights, since one is not working currently...and another has a broken glass insert.

It doesn't matter what your lighting style is, or what color it is, what the size of it is or even where it goes...we all need lights in our house...don't we?  There are different types of lighting for different tasks and moods we want to create...there is different "watt" lighting..and then there are the different bulbs you select for lighting.

Me?  I like to stick with rather traditional lighting...it fits my style!  I love Bronze, because to me it feels warm...and has a glow to it.  My home is nearly TOTAL open concept where when I'm in 1 room, I can see at least 5 other rooms in my house. There are 9 rooms total in my house which total about 1650 square feet.  So when I start looking I pick a main focal point light and select that first.  For me that's the Chandelier over my Kitchen center Island.  It serves alot of functions, including bright work light that floods my kitchen, task lighting, when I'm preparing something on the island and also mood lighting, for which I have a dimmer switch.  I like this chandelier, it's the right size for the room and the right color.  It takes 5-100 watt lights, which is adequate for lighting for every task...and when dimmed with be beautiful for any mood.  The shades are a Tea dye color.  I wanted down lighting this time...and I think this will be perfect.

 I already have a few ceiling lights, just like this one, so I will be getting several additional ones to replace some lights that hadn't been changed or needed updating.  It's a cut and frosted glass and takes 2-60 watt light bulbs.  Again, it's bronze with some silvery accents and is traditional in style.  [I have door hardware that is silver in color...so this light blends the two colors.

 I am tired of Vanity Lights that have the lights tilted, so they shine on your face, rather than down over the mirror.  The light bulbs in my old tilted Vanity lights created glare and lines, shadows and wrinkles I don't need.  So this downlight Bronze Vanity Light will be beautiful.  It's also larger side to side than my old ones...so it will more adequately distribute the light.  The Master Bath has 2 Lights and the Guest Bath has just one.  They take 3-60 watt light bulbs.  To make it less jarring light-wise for those night time trips to the bathroom, I have a dimmer installed on them.

 Now, for ceiling fans.  I love them and wouldn't be without any of my 4 ceiling fans.  One of my old ceiling fans, the one in the center of my house in the Great Room just stopping working a few weeks ago, so I thought it was time to replace it.  Now, I do prefer Hunter fans...I just like them.  Of course they have to be big enough to move enough air in each room...and all my rooms either definitely need a 52" fan or can handle one.  Then they have to be bronze, with dark blades that are reversible [to be of help in summer and in winter, easing air conditioning and heating bills] and this time, like the Vanity Lights with the tilted lights, I didn't want them on my fans either.  So I needed a "dish" light.  This one takes 3-60 watt candleabra base bulbs.  That's adequate when I need to vacuum on a cloudy day or to see what I'm doing dusting at night.  I seldom use the lights any other time...but I wanted them.  This particular Hunter fan didn't come with a remote, but it's adaptable to their remotes, so I can get remotes if I so desire.   

  The last thing you need to consider when replacing light fixtures and ceiling fans is Who will be installing them?  I considered the store where I purchased them, but ended up with a local Master Electrician who I found on HomeAdvisor.com  I've used Home Advisor and Thumbtack.com a number of times, for many different reasons over the past 2 years...for everything from Lawn Care, Tile Setter, & Painter to Master Electrician.  I've had a great experience in each case. 

What types of lighting do you like?  Do you like ceiling fans?  What style?