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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-10-15, Page 11Tips to brighten you winter THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15,1997. PAGE 11. Does winter get you down? Do you feel as though the only time its light outside is when you're at work? Al Challis, lighting expert at Home Depot Canada, has some easy and cost-effective do-it- yourself lighting suggestions to brighten up your home inside and out. Good home lighting plays an important role in every room and its one of the easiest ways to change its look. It can enhance interior architecture, make colours appear more brilliant and influence your emotions. Before you choose your fixtures, examine the room to determine its primary use. This will help you choose the most appropriate type of lighting, advises Challis. There are three basic types of lighting: • General or ambient lighting. These usually include fixtures that hang from the ceilings, such as chandeliers, providing a general light over an area. • Task lighting. These lights provide direct light to areas where specific jobs are performed, such as at a desk, work bench or reading area. Task lights often include desk lamps and under-cabinet lights. • Mood or accent lighting. These are secondary lights adding accent Beat the blahs Continued from page 9 time spent indoors more satisfying. Some could even lead to the beginning of a new hobby! Beat The Winter Blahs Top 10: • Add border to a room, accentuating existing wallpaper or paint. • Improve existing closet space with closet organizers - designed the way you want. • Install a ceiling fan, helping to circulate warm indoor air, and reducing energy costs in both the winter and summer. • Add indoor plants. They not only provide a sense of warmth the whole household can enjoy, but they clean the air by eating up toxins. • Replace existing knobs on doors and cupboards with new shiny ones. • Explore your creative abilities — try wood carving a sign with a detail carver. For an easy head start, use a router template for letters. • Refinish an old piece of furniture, bringing out its natural brilliance by staining or painting it. • Replace your old shower curtain with something new and bright. • Start your spring cleaning early. Plan your Springtime garden and other outdoor maintenance projects by making a list so you're ready for when the warm weather arrives. ‘ We Do Not Telephone Solicit USE THIS COUPON FOR... to a specific area. Here are some bright ideas for the different rooms in your house: Living Areas and the Den Consider a room's general lighting first. The following guidelines can help when installing ceiling fixtures: • In a small room (less than 75 square feet), plan for at least 150 watts of incandescent general ligh (incandescent being the most common residential lighting source, making skin tones look natural). • For mid-size rooms (75 to 120 square feet, such as the kitchen or family room), you 11 need 150 200 watts of light. • For larger rooms, allow two to three watts of light per square foot. Use mood or accent lights to show off something you're proud of, whether it be a picture, other collectibles or your plants. Think before you place. Not only can accent lights draw attention to areas in your home, but you can also use them to divert attention away from less-than-perfect areas of your home. Enhance the effect of centrally- located ceiling fixtures with additional fixtures spaced evenly around the perimeter of the room. Freestanding lamps with adjust­ able arms are ideal for desk-tops and reading. To eliminate eye-strain, low- level lighting is necessary when Services Include Lawn Cutting & Fertilizer Power Sweeping Driveways Tree Trimming & Planting Perennials Windbreak Trees Top Soil Crushed Stone Sheep Manure Beautify your lawn with flowering shrubs, standards, ornamental trees or large caliper trees. There's still time to plant this fall - well even do it for you! »'s Call GAVIN’S CARPET CARE today to book one of Huron County’s most recommended Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning firms. Example: 12 x 24 = 288 sq. ft. x 27’ = ‘77.67 less 15% = »66 10 + G.S.T. = ‘70.73 Coupon must be presented at time of cleaning. Coupon may not be used in conjunction with any other discounts. GAVIN’S =-■ 524-2440 or 1-800-450-4333 ^ORichStreetjGoderich working on a computer. This can be achieved by installing miniature track lights under shelves, above the computer desk. Dining Rooms When considering a new chandelier for the dining room, remember to choose one that's at least six inches narrower than your table, to avoid bumping heads with it when you stand up. Centre it approximately 30 inches above the table. Install a dimmer switch in the dining room. Not only will it offer mood lighting during romantic meals, but it will reduce your energy bill. Bedrooms Using dimmer switches in other rooms, such as bedrooms, can turn a bright, functional area into a relaxing soft area. For reading in bed, 75-watt bed­ side lights will shed enough light on the subject. Light from several sources reduces glare, shadows and eyestrain. Buy blinds and curtains that can open completely to maximize natural light. As natural light is uplifting, this can offer an important boost during the winter. Kitchens Proper lighting in the kitchen is a necessity - for efficiency and safety. 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