Deck the halls...

Deck the halls, light up the tree, and illuminate the neighborhood all in the good spirit of the holiday season!  The holidays are a special time that we seem to be addicted to lighting, but does it really matter if we use LED, CFL, halogen, or incandescent bulbs to make the season merry and bright?  The answer is yes it does, and knowing what options are out there can help you determine which bulb will best fit your holiday decorating and lifestyle needs.  However, since we are on the topic of lighting, there is one thing I would like to mention regarding important changes you should be aware of, the phasing out of incandescent bulbs.  Although initially you may not notice a significant impact from this federally backed phase out, ultimately this decision will affect the way you light your world.

The federal phase out of incandescent light bulbs is set to commence throughout the 2012 fiscal year.  Consumers need to be aware that the first casualty of this order is the 100-watt incandescent bulb, and you can expect limited availability of the 100-watt bulb real soon.  In place of relying on 100-watt incandescent bulbs, consider energy-conserving options such as LEDs, CFLs or halogen alternatives.  By switching to the latest lighting technology you will save money and conserve energy too! 

Here is some basic information for you when determining which energy conserving option to choose.  It’s important to consider the pros and cons of each lamp/bulb type including; bulb brightness, longevity, and initial cost, all of which will help guide your decision.

Incandescent lamps (some familiar bulb (lamp) styles; A10 traditional household bulb, and C7, C9 holiday lights) tend to emit a warm light and are relatively inexpensive to purchase.  They are the most common source of household lighting and are available in an array of styles and colors including the option of frost or clear glass.  Incandescent bulbs require a lot of electricity to operate, generate heat, and are short lived compared to other available lamps.

 

Halogen lamps, closely related to the incandescent bulb, produce a focused bright white light, have a better illumination quality using the same amount of electricity as an incandescent bulb, and last longer...typically halogens use 50 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.  Halogen bulbs are perfect for accent lighting and have no mercury waste, but are about three times more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but still cost less then CFLs.  Please be aware that halogen bulbs burn much hotter than incandescent and other bulbs, making them more of a significant fire hazard and burn risk.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps, aka CFLs most commonly recognized as a spiral style bulb, emit a cool light and initially cost slightly more than incandescent bulbs.  CFLs are considered energy-efficient since they use up to 80 percent less energy and can last up to 18 times longer than incandescent lamps.  They are available in a variety of watts, shapes and colors, but a downside to using CFLs is that not all are dimmable and they need time to “warm up” to fully illuminate a space.  Also, consumers need to be aware that CFLs contain levels of mercury, a substance that is toxic to people, animals and the environment.  Special handling should be exercised and proper recycling measures need to be followed when disposing of these lamps. http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

Light Emitting Diode aka LEDs, are one of today’s most popular choices in lighting options and holiday decorating.  LEDs are very efficient, emit a cool bright light, have a long lamp life, low heat output, and use very little electricity compared to incandescent.  LEDs typically last for about 50,000 hours, or seven years and have extraordinary design flexibility in color changing, dimming, and are available in many shapes, colors, and sizes.  When deciding if you should switch over to LEDs, one should consider the fact that the initial cost is very high...more so than CFLs and incandescent bulbs, and replacement LED bulbs may not be available.
 

Just remember come January 2012, there will be changes to lighting options you will have access to…However, whatever alternative lighting options you choose, understanding the differences between LEDs, CFLs, incandescent and halogen bulbs, will help you make the most appropriate choices to save you money and conserve energy when lighting your world!

For more information about lighting options for your world, contact me today at www.corinnegailinteriordesign.com.

Happy Holidays!

Corinne Gail

National Energy Awareness Month

Saturday, October 1st – Monday, October 31^st, 2011

The month of October has been designated as the time to make smart energy choices that will help support our economy, protect our environment, and help move us towards energy independence.  Simple everyday usage changes at home can make a huge impact on your energy consumption and utility costs.

We all know that turning back the thermostat, replacing old drafty windows, and using fluorescent bulbs can help keep energy costs down, but some of those changes can be spendy to say the least.  A less expensive route as simple as replacing faucets with water saving aerators, water conserving showerheads, and switching out that water guzzling toilet tank to a high efficiency toilet (HET), can save the average homeowner approximately 39,000 gpy (gallons of water a year) and that means saving $$ too.

Choosing the right product is key and it is important to know how to choose.  When talking water consumption, you should know that (gpm) stands for gallons per minute.  Fixtures are classified by how many gpm they allow through.  For example, an average faucet 20+ years ago was rated at 3.0 gpm as compared to today’s aerating faucets that are rated at 1.5 gpm.  To put that in perspective, changing from a 3.0 gpm to 1.5 gpm can save approximately 17,700 gpy (gallons per year).  Also, that same era showerhead consumed 5.0 gpm compared to today’s 1.5 gpm - that’s over 25,000 gpy saved!

Probably one of the most advances in water conservation has been in toilet design.  Toilets are rated by gpf (gallons per flush).  A 20+ year-old tank was rated at 5.0 gpf…yikes!  That is a lot of water for one flush!  But that was then this is now…today we have different flushing options to choose from.  The most common toilet on the market today is a 1.6 gpf (comparing the 1.6 gpf to our antique guzzle commode, there is a savings of over 25,000 gpy). The newest designs on the market consist of toilets with 1.28 gpf and 1.0 gpf.  Although water conserving designs, a few of these lower gpf models may be less effective when it comes to flushing…if you get my drift!  My best advice is to ask me first of course, but if I’m not available, you should always look for the WaterSense label on the packaging.

Just remember that there are many, many, quality manufacturers out there to choose from when it’s time to switch to aerating faucets, water conserving showerheads, and High Efficient Toilets.  And with a little knowledge you will be able to make smart energy choices that will help support our economy, protect our environment, and help move us towards energy independence. 

Together we can make a difference!

Reduce, Repurpose and Recycle…

I suppose it’s the creative side in me that says don’t throw that out, paint it and use it over there!  But there is also a side of me that says, that is a perfectly good piece of furniture I can’t just toss into the dump or give it away.  So, what do you do with a furniture item that you have looked at for 20 years, and quite honestly if you have to look at it for one more minute, you just might change your mind and toss it to the curb?  My suggestion is to Repurpose those unused or outdated furniture items.   Doing so is a great way to breathe new life into your space for a fraction of the cost of replacing, and also helps to Reduce the stress on our landfills.

One of my favorite furniture Repurpose projects was this dated solid oak dresser. . .  

 

Before



Technique: The entire oak surface was sanded down in prep for stain.  Door front inserts were removed and recycled iron scrolls from an unused CD tower were attached to create new doors open to the wine storage.  An accent color was added and this not so exciting dresser was beautifully transformed and Repurposed for it’s new location in the Wine Lounge, formerly an unused living room.



After





And, are you one of the millions of homeowners not liking your builder grade bathroom vanity…try this!



Before





Technique:  Leaving the laminate counter attached, the entire vanity surfaces were quickly sanded and paint applied to the wood.  Door fronts were covered with leather.  Tiles were then applied to the counter top and edges.  Paint, leather and the installation of new plumbing fixtures, updated this builder grade cabinet into a beautifully Renewed addition for any bath.



After



  



However, if you must give up your unused furniture items, bath vanities, kitchen cabinets, building materials, etc., consider contacting your nearest salvage company.  Many building material salvage companies will come to your home and remove cabinets and counters, sinks, faucets, hardware, used bricks, etc., etc., at no cost to you.  Items are then hauled to their storefront and made available to the public for sale.  Those items that are no longer any use to you, can be another shopper’s buy of the century.  My clients love this arrangement…totally a win, win situation for everyone and the environment.  As great ideas go, this ranks top on my list!

For more information on my complete design services, please visit my website http://www.corinnegailinteriordesign.com/