This issue of the Dimension Design-Build-Remodel e-newsletter includes information on…

• Room lighting ideas
• Basement remodeling tips
• following us on Facebook
• Client feedback
• August Fun Facts

We look forward to working with you on your next home building or renovation project.

The light fixtures you choose and how you position them have a large effect on how the rooms in your home feel and function. Dimension Design-Build-Remodel’s room lighting ideas will help you determine the best ways to illuminate rooms based on their different purposes.

Tastes and trends change, as does the technology for the fixtures and bulbs. Interior and exterior lighting is one of the many things home automation can control. And manufacturers frequently come out with new, energy-saving, longer-lasting bulbs.

What doesn’t change is the value of layering different sources of light in a room. By stepping beyond one basic light, layering makes a room much more aesthetically pleasing and better serves the room’s purposes.

Main Types of Lighting

• This is the foundation layer that turns on with the flip of a switch to illuminate enough of the room for basic use. This includes recessed lighting, fixtures that are flush to the ceiling, and ceiling fans with lights.
• This work-oriented second layer fulfills a different role in every room. In kitchens, it’s the undercabinet LED light. It’s the bathroom vanity light, the bedroom reading lamp, and the office desk lamp. This layer fills in dark corners and shadows while brightening work areas. The preferred brightness and color tone depend on the room and task.
• Accent. This last layer provides more feel than function, adding the glimmer and style that changes the room’s atmosphere. Chandeliers are beautiful in their own right. Wall sconces and tall torchieres direct light toward the ceiling to give the room a subtle glow. Accent lighting is also used to illuminate wall décor and architectural details; in this instance, it needs to be brighter than the surrounding ambient lighting.

Warm vs. Cool Lighting

Color temperature is measured in kelvins (K), which is the relative “blueness” of light. Bulbs range from warm yellow (4600K) to cool blue (6500K). The sun’s color temperature is 5600K, which is what you’ll find in “daylight bulbs.”

In bedrooms, living rooms, and rec rooms, it’s best to avoid cool white and blue light, which can give you energy and disrupt sleep patterns. Choose soft white bulbs with fewer lumens and a warm yellow glow for these rooms.

In kitchens and bathrooms, bright bulbs are needed in cool white for an energetic feel and the necessary light for tasks. This is true for other spaces that require attention to detail, such as task lighting in an office or crafting room.

Over the dining room table, a dimmable chandelier with warmer lighting is preferable. For countertop and bar seating areas, a row of hanging pendant lights serves as task lighting if cool and bright, or accent lighting if soft and warm.

Main Types of Bulbs for Home Lighting

• Compact Fluorescent (CFL). These versatile, energy-saving bulbs have a spiral shape and are commonly used for general, ambient lighting.
• They’re more than holiday lights! LED continues to gain popularity. These bulbs may cost more up front but have longer lifespans and consume less power. LED is most commonly used for task lighting, from traditional bulbs to under-cabinet lighting strips.
• These bulbs are not preferred because they waste energy and emit carbon dioxide. If you have incandescent bulbs to use up, they’re best for low traffic areas. Similarly, halogen lighting has also lost favor.

The Impact of Natural Light

Daylight is our favorite source for the first layer of ambient light in a room. When building a home or addition, window placement is crucial to how the room will feel and function. Using sunlight means using less energy and offers the personal benefits of boosting vitamin D and improving vision, mood, productivity, and even sleep quality.

We can introduce more natural light into your home by remodeling with bigger windows, changing the direction your windows face, or replacing the front door with one that features windows. However, even a home with small windows can maximize sunlight.

Choosing high-gloss, light paint colors and decorating with mirrors, glass, and other reflective surfaces can take advantage of the sunlight you have. Keep the windows clean and the window treatments minimal.

To pull in the most consistent natural light, consider skylights or solar tubes.

In the end, it is the combination of natural light, overhead ambient light, and task and accent lighting that will create the beauty, mood, and performance you desire for your rooms.

Are you ready to illuminate your home? For room lighting ideas customized to your home and budget, set up an appointment with Dimension Design-Build-Remodel.

When it comes to unused lower levels, the possibilities are endless. Almost anything you can do on your main level can be done in the basement—even natural light can be piped in through solar tubes. To help you decide the best way to use the space, consider our basement remodel ideas, broken into two categories: using the space for entertaining, and using the space for living.

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My wife and I met Dimension Design, Build, Remodel Inc. owner David Kallie while visiting some kitchen remodeling open houses in our local community of Brookfield. We were very impressed with Mr. Kallie's workmanship and his professionalism.

We decided we wanted to remodel our condo kitchen and contacted David shortly thereafter and began working with him on our kitchen remodeling project. The project was a complete remodel of our kitchen including replacement of a peninsula with an island, most cabinets, appliances, and lighting fixtures, all counter tops, and relocating the sink and electric range and ovens.

David was very creative and responsive in developing a plan, which we wanted executed while we were in Arizona for the winter. He would be working with our decorator friend as facilitator in our absence throughout the project. The project was completed on schedule and at our budgeted amount.

Working with David and his crew was an extremely enjoyable experience. I would highly recommend him and his company to anyone looking for a major remodeling project.

Jerry and Caroline, Brookfield

If you are looking for a partner who will walk you through the complete build process while allowing customization, Dave is your builder. With an eye focused on details, he understands the client's concerns and goals and designs the home based on the vision the client has. Quality materials, excellent construction - this is your company!

John G.

• August 1, 1981: MTV network debuted on cable television. The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first video shown.
• August 3, 1900: The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was founded.
• August 5, 1957: American Bandstand with host Dick Clark debuted on the ABC television network.
• August 6, 1787: 60 copies of the United States Constitution were delivered to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• August 9, 1892: Thomas Edison received a patent for a two-way telegraph.
• August 10, 1984: Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen, became the first-ever PG-13 movie to be released in theaters.
• August 15, 1914: The Panama Canal opened with the transit of the cargo ship SS Ancon.
• August 16, 1954: The first issue of Sports Illustrated was published with Milwaukee Braves third baseman Eddie Mathews on the cover.
• August 17, 2008: American swimmer Michael Phelps became the first person to win eight gold medals in one Olympic Games.
• August 22, 1989: Nolan Ryan struck out Rickey Henderson to become the first Major League Baseball pitcher to record 5,000 strikeouts.
• August 24, 1932: Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the United States non-stop, from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey.
• August 28, 1898: Caleb Bradham invented the carbonated soft drink that would later be called "Pepsi-Cola."
• August 29, 1966: The Beatles performed their last concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
• August 30, 1993: David Letterman premiered his late-night talk show on CBS.