LED lights have proven nothing short of revolutionary in the realm of home decor. Lighting has not changed much since the invention of the first light bulb, which is still dominant in many parts of the world. “Lighting” is so much more than just lighting up the house; it is also what gives a house its character and ambience. You do not need to be an expert to understand why LED lighting is the better solution; it is cheaper, flexible and environmentally safer.

The following are some of the lighting capabilities of LED lighting.

LED Rope Lights indoors: you can use LED Rope Lights to provide all around lighting in the house. They can be installed in the ceilings, walls or floors, and homeowners can use different patterns as well. The all around lighting gives you more flexibility when it comes to arranging furniture.

LED Strip Lights in difficult to access areas: There is always a corner of the house that is difficult to access and therefore difficult to light up. It is impossible to plan or install traditional lighting in certain areas of the home. This problem is easily addressed with LED Strip Lights. The special adhesive allows the lights to be installed on virtually any common household surface.

LED outdoor lighting:  Outdoor lighting generally requires rather specialized lighting fixtures. LED lights allow you to standardize all your lighting solutions without having to compromise on quality. Due to the weatherproof quality of most LED variants, especially Rope Lights and strip lights, you will not have to spend extra on special fixtures.  It also lets you light up areas like the garden, pool, driveway and other areas that are either relatively inaccessible or expensive to keep lit for long periods.

The following is some of the best ideas that we came across.

1. Santa and his reindeers: Yes, this may seem like a worn out theme but with LED lighting, you can inject a much needed level of freshness to this idea. Beautiful portraits of Santa and his reindeer on the roof or driveway scored the most points.
2. Christmas Wishes: A simple “Merry Christmas” can go a long way when created with LED lights. Using LED powered Christmas greetings with multiple lights and patterns scored the most points.
3. The gardens: one of the most popular lighting ideas this year involved lighting up the garden area with festive lighting. This was made possible by LED Rope Lights that are easy to install in virtually any environment. Rope Lights on the trees and flower bushes add color even amidst a blanket of snow.
4. Outlining the house: This is by far one of the most common lighting traditions. Outlining the house first gained popularity in the 1960’s but this was mostly done with fragile incandescent bulbs. Now it is possible to outline a house with brilliant weather-proof LED Rope Light.
5. Green lighting: This is also the season in which green (i.e. environmentally friendly lighting) took center stage. Solar panels proved to be the “must-have” LED lighting accessory of the season.

Remember that none of these lighting ideas would be great if not for the safety precautions people took while installing LED lights. This may be the best lighting source on the planet but it still requires careful preparation and the right tools to get the job done.

]]> http://www.ropelight.info/2012/01/16/the-round-up-of-the-best-christmas-lighting-ideas/feed/ 1 http://www.ropelight.info/2011/12/29/common-outdoor-led-lighting-mistakes/ http://www.ropelight.info/2011/12/29/common-outdoor-led-lighting-mistakes/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:26:32 +0000 hexakuemion http://www.ropelight.info/?p=579 Outdoor LED lighting techniques are more like an art than a science. If done properly, you can create a dazzling lighting effect, which will be both practical and appeasing to the eye. In general, decorators love LED lighting because unlike other lighting options, they are more durable and long lasting. Since most LED lights can last for more than 50,000+ hours and pose no risk to the environment, they can be safely used in virtually any environment. Moreover, LED lighting variants such as Rope Lights and strip lights, are perfect for outdoor use. You can even make the LED lights completely energy independent by using solar panels. However, despite the creative freedom LED brings, there are plenty of ways of ruining the overall lighting effect. The following are some helpful tips that you should consider for beautiful outdoor lighting.

Contrasting or blending: When installing LED lighting, the most important factor is the immediate environment. Before you purchase a set of LED, you need to decide if you want the lights to contrast or blend in with the surrounding environment. This really depends on the place and purpose of the lighting. For example, if you are installing the lights through the pool or garden, you might want to install lights that blend and enhance the surrounding environment. However, if you want to highlight a pathway, staircase or some other outdoor fixture, then you will need to install lights that contrast with the surrounding features.

Colours: Choosing the right sort of colours really depends on the situation. If you are installing festive lights then you should get the appropriate colours. For example, Christmas should feature more on red and green, but Halloween would require a heavier emphasis on orange. For practical lighting, make sure that the colours you choose are noticeable (refer point above) and bright enough to offer clear and effective lighting. Do not choose colours that contrast with your paint schemes because it can become an eyesore.

Subtlety:  Sometimes you can get every factor right but miss one crucial element. One of the most important things about LED lighting is that it should be done in a very subtle manner. Thus, great care should be taken to ensure that the lighting (especially Rope Lights) is tucked away neatly without awkwardly standing out. It is important that the lights be installed in a non-intrusive manner.

The following are the most popular outdoor lighting ideas that have captivated people from all over the world.

Garden lighting: It may seem obvious but using LED lighting in your garden area is more like an art. One of the best variants of LED for outdoor use is the LED Rope Light. These can be installed in virtually every area because they are flexible. If you have trees, you can wrap the branches with LED Rope Lights, especially for the holidays. You can also outline parts of the garden with LED Rope Lights or have them crawl through flowerbeds. It is best to choose medium-intensity LED lights that blend in with the rest of the garden. The idea is to have the lights enhance the effect of the garden, not overwhelm it. Just be careful to install them safely in order to prevent tripping.

Pool Lighting: Most pools are kept outdoors and the best way to enhance the effect of a pool at night is with LED Rope Lights. Even if you have a fence, you can install the lights along the pool. The light will reflect with the water and create a dazzling effect. If you already have plans to use LED Rope Lights, then try to install a glass fence because this will really enhance the lighting experience. Always make sure that you have installed the Rope Lights properly and make sure that the power cords are not exposed to the water in anyway.

Pathways or Front yard: some people tend to forget that LED lights are very good practical lighting options and not just good for décor. Therefore, if you want to illuminate a pathway or the front yard without spending on expensive lampshades, LED is the perfect option. You can install the lights along the pathway and you will not have to spend extra on expensive installation because they are very durable. You can simply line it along the concrete or the soil and use pins to hold them in place.

The following are some of the most popular indoor LED lighting ideas.

Bathroom lighting: Lighting a bathroom is a relatively difficult task. There is water splashing around (especially if you have kids) and the installation options are limited due to the nature of the materials that are generally used in bathrooms (e.g.: tiles). Therefore, most lighting is in the ceiling area. LED lights are waterproof and they require very little space to be installed. Therefore, they can be installed along the walls, on the floor and even along the ceiling without any expensive installation costs.  The result will be lighting that is both practically efficient and visually pleasing. Fans of futuristic décor will be able to create the bathroom of the future, thanks to the versatile lighting that comes with LED.

Kitchen area: The kitchen area requires the best lighting in the house but unfortunately is also prone to being the warmest part of home. LED lighting solves this problem by providing efficient lighting and thus, reducing the heat generated. LED lighting in the kitchen is most often placed along the ceiling or even along the counter-area. Since they are waterproof, you will not have to worry about exposing them to the occasional cooking mishaps.

Basement/attic: In horror movies both old and new, the attic or the basement is often portrayed as creepy places. The only reason for this unfair portrayal is the bad lighting. Since things in these areas are moved around quite often, people do not usually want a lot of fixed lighting. Fortunately, LED lighting is there to solve this problem because LED lighting is very easy to install and uninstall. For instance, you can install a Rope Light or LED Strip Light and then change the location of the lighting according to changes in the layout of things in the room.

This Easter the list was long and some of the ideas seemed general but some seemed to be truly innovating. However, we must make note that different people have different perceptions of décor.

The Easter Bunny: Many users seemed to love this idea. The best option is an LED Rope Light, in a nice light color. You can outline the bunny and even a small Easter message underneath. Some people also chose to use LED Strip Lights but the Rope Lights are a clear winner.

The Easter Message: While the traditional “happy Easter” was mentioned in via a Rope Light or a bunch of strip lights, the focus was on where people installed them. The porch, the roof and even the garden seemed like ideal spots.

The Egg Hunt: One interesting idea was to light up the garden in LED for the traditional Easter egg hunt, which would be a great idea if you were having dinner and want to keep the kids busy. We saw LED lights highlight the outline of the garden and randomly cutting across in beautiful shapes, giving the kids a high-tech feel to a wonderful tradition.

While it is easy to mention some of the most common used for LED lights, it is also noteworthy to mention some of the most uncommon uses for LED lights.

Clothes: popularized in a movies and nightclubs, it seems that LEDs have made way into t-shirts and even bikinis. While this is a usual way of using LED lights apart from décor or practical use, it is certainly an interesting concept with a lot of promise in the future. For now, it is a cool new addition to the local night scene.

Pens: LED are literally appearing everywhere including in pens. With some pens featuring, bring LED lights and doubling as a mini-torch or even providing soft all-round glow.

Basketballs: We even have pictures of an entire basketball covered in LED lights. If this goes mainstream, we could even see completely new version of the game very soon.

Headphones & electronic accessories: LED lights attached to headphones and other electrical appliances is certainly a funky way to show-off those cool new headphones, especially at night.

Hence, before you return to college its best that you pack up some essential LED gadgets to get started on giving your dorm room a good make over. LED lights consume less energy (good news for all those tree-hugging college students out there) and last much longer than traditional lighting sources (great news for students on a tight budget). The following are some LED lighting ideas for your college dorm room.

LED Strip Lights: LED Strip Lights provide brilliant lighting in difficult to reach corners. They can be installed anywhere thanks to the special adhesive. Moreover, they can also be operated through pure battery power, which means you do not have to spend extra on special wiring or extension cords. Use strip lights over your bed, study table, closet or other areas that require quick and clean lighting.

LED light bars: get rid of your standard light bars and opt for an LED light bar because it gives out less heat and provides better lighting. This now only keeps your electronics safe (you do not want to take a break only to come back to a melting laptop) but also means your room will not be transformed into a boiling room.

LED Rope Lights: Many often wonder how LED Rope Lights can be used in college rooms. The best use for LED Rope Lights is to provide bright overhead lighting. It can also be arranged along the floor. This lets you host study secessions for large groups without having to take turns passing the lamp.

However, the fact remains the LED lights are still chosen mostly out of the “convenience” factor. There are various situations that require a special sort of lighting that only LED can provide. The following are some of the most popular LED lighting scenarios.

Environments that are heavily exposed to the elements: snow, water, rain, dust, etc. All these elements can cause havoc to traditional lighting. If you are going to install a traditional bulb, you will have to build a shelter for it as well. However, this is not a problem with LED lighting because they are built to be water-poof and far more durable. Moreover, some variants like LED Rope Lights are specifically made for rough outdoor use.

Environments with scarce energy resources: While most of think energy is unlimited, it is far from the reality. Every day the demand for energy is increasing and supply is being outstripped. The solution for major corporations and households that are facing high utility bills is LED lighting. Since most LED variants can be seamlessly installed into existing lighting outlets, there is little or no extra installation costs.

Places that are located far away from a power outlet: Even inside a house, you may find spots that require extra lighting but are far away from any power outlet. The solution for this would something LED Strip Lights that can be operated with batteries. For outdoor use, LED lights can be hooked up to a solar panel, which will definitely make it easier to install and operate far away from a traditional power outlet.

If you are looking forward to throwing a bright Christmas party for your friends and family, then Rope Lights are the ideal answer for you. With an average of up to 100,000 lighting hours, Rope Lights are by far the most efficient source of lighting available, . Furthermore, Rope Lights come in a thick, clear plastic tube that is both durable and flexible. This way, you can reduce the chance of your kids getting hurt. Compared to ordinary light bulbs, you will not have to worry about broken bulbs or exposed electricity cords, which will certainly make your Christmas a lot less stressful.

Furthermore, if you are the environmentally conscious type, you could also opt for a solar panel that will help you celebrate a green Christmas. If you are living in an area that is susceptible to a lot of snow-fall or rain, you need not worry since most variants of Rope Lights are water-resistant and therefore you could easily install them along the outside of your house, or garage without having to worry about maintenance. The best thing about Rope Lights is that they can be re-used for virtually every kind of situation.  Rope Lights are certainly a mainstream lighting source and  Rope Lights are actively used in a variety of settings both indoors and outdoors.

Once you are done with your Christmas décor , you can either store them away for another celebration or put them to use in any part of your house. Rope Lights can be adjusted to any length with a few simple tools, and they can be easily installed in virtually any environment, even with the most basic tools. However, one important factor any would-be Rope Light installer must keep in mind is safety. Always adhere to basic safety protocols. If you are not in a position to install Rope Lights in a safe manner, then hire a professional to do the job for you.