Light IQ: We design, supply and install innovative and inspirational lighting schemes.

Friday, 29 February 2008

Spring to Life!

The days are getting longer, Spring is in the air and the daffodils, crocuses and blossom are starting to flower. Once again relaxing evenings in the garden seem to be almost upon us.

With the clearing up of dead leaves the time has come to make sure that all your garden lighting, which was shining through branches unhindered by foliage and creating stark shadows and patterns, is now in the right position once again to create a magical space for the summer.

Long term use of a lighting system requires it to adapt with the changing of the seasons.

Uplighters may need to be re-positioned to optimise the effect that will enhance your bushes, foliage and blossom in the coming months.

It will be necessary to check lamps to see if they need changing before you have to struggle with dense foliage.

Sparkling fairy lights strung along winter branches must be checked to make sure they are secure, as they will be difficult to adjust once the leaves and blossom become abundant.

Security lighting acts as a deterrent and gives the feeling of protection so make sure it is not covered with new growth or dead leaves. If set on a timer ensure it is corrected to work only in darkened hours or consider attaching a photocell to your lights so that they only operate from dusk to dawn. Another great way to save on energy!

Look forward to the summer knowing that your garden will provide the perfect backdrop to al fresco evenings and barbeques.

Have fun!

Lynda Moule

Thursday, 21 February 2008

Let's get this party started...

For most people February is not the best time of year. The weather isn't particularly good, wallets are much lighter after the big Christmas spend and summer seems a million miles away. But not for me!

It's my birthday (I'd like a holiday in Bora Bora please) and it's Abby's birthday too! (She collects spiders), and therefore the best month for us, but to brighten up everyone's day I have decided to compile a list of jazzy lighting ideas for any type of party.

For small kids, big kids, fat kids, thin kids, Light Balloons are a must! From birthday parties to cocktail parties, balloons are always a necessity. Take a simple balloon, any colour you like, a lithium coin battery, some high intensity LED's and a device to put it all together and Robert's your Dad's brother...a Light Balloon. Try clustering them together to create an illumination masterpiece, fit for any occasion. The battery lasts for over 100 hours continuously, and it can be turned on and off, so all you need to worry about is running out of booze!

Ropelight is fast becoming the lighting of choice for a wide variety of lighting applications. It is flexible, easy to maintain, comes in an assortment of weird and wonderful colours and all at an affordable price. It works really well in a shadow gap or coffer ceiling, to provide a gentle glow to any room as shown in the picture below. For a not-so permanent feature why not wrap it around a window frame or drape it over a table for an instant party look.

Neon signs and Light boxes are some of the great ways to add a touch of character and sparkle to any room. Neon signs can be tailor-made for you from size, jazzy colour, shape and anecdote. They produce a superb, general light to any space and a real talking point for you and your friends. Light boxes create an extra dimension for any artwork depicting colours and textures, which again radiates throughout a space and provides an artistic illumination that can be appreciated by all.

Put on a party!

Natasha Hamilton Dick

Wednesday, 13 February 2008

All the colours of the rainbow

Lighting is an extraordinarily expressive medium, it reveals, caresses and evokes. This dreamlike dimension is so intangible yet able to provide so much - for without it we could not live.

Coloured light is a relatively new concept particularly to the world of residential interiors and gardens. Traditionally seen as brash or gimmicky I believe there is now a real place for it in our lives.

Light as we know it, often described as white, includes the light from the sun, a pendant or lamp. However, what is most noticeable in both interior and exterior spaces is that what we illuminate is rarely white and never static. Even in a white room, the sun penetrates and creates a myriad of shadows, some of which would be deemed 'grey'. My point is that a 'white' light in a 'white' room rarely creates a 'white' space but a hundred contours and shadows all with differing intensity.

To take this one step further daylight creates ever changing conditions, this white light becomes a series of movements, dances, flickers and shadows across our world. This symphony of light plays against architecture, or skips across our landscapes - it is I believe the 'movement' of light which is primarily of interest and that which captivates us.

And so it is with the use of coloured light. We get bored very quickly so a static colour will not provide enough interest or hold our attention for long enough. But a change in colour, or a palette through the rainbow, now that really is another story.

To dance in the sunshine is to sparkle.

RW.

Thursday, 7 February 2008

Switched On London...

Ever wondered what the HMS Belfast would look like as a multi-coloured Zebra or Southwark Cathedral after a paintball fight? Not til now...

Hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen, London is about to be transformed...into a mind-boggling, razzle-dazzling, jaw-dropping, eye-opening extravaganza of light. See London as you've never seen it before!

So what am I actually talking about?

Switched On London is the capital's Festival of Light. Its aim is to highlight the importance of lighting and the benefits of good and sustainable lighting design in the night-time urban environment. A number of sites in Bankside area will be lit from February 7th-14th in an energy efficient way to show the power of light in the city.

This year's event explores the essential relationship of lighting in the built environment by illuminating some of London's most iconic landmarks, including Tower of London, Tower Bridge and London Bridge, to name a few.

Political issues aside, Switched On London helps us remember our magnificent city that can sometimes be shadowed by our day-to-day lives. Switched On London has value beyond simple decoration. It is an opportunity to educate the public about the power and beauty of sustainable lighting and opens our eyes to the urban landscape around us.

Get switched on, you won't be disappointed.

Natasha Hamilton Dick

Tuesday, 5 February 2008

Wake up it's a beautiful morning...

How did you feel this morning - tired and lethargic or happy and inspired to start a new day? Many of us, like animals, feel the need to hibernate during the winter months.

SAD, otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, is now recognised among medics. A form of winter depression related to the lack of natural daylight, SAD effects over half a million people in the UK every year.

The symptoms commonly include sleep problems, lethargy, overeating, depression, anxiety, tension, loss of libido and mood changes. Many sufferers also show signs of a weakened immune system becoming unwell or more vulnerable to other illnesses.

Luckily cures such as light therapy have proved to be effective in up to 85% of cases. Light therapy includes exposure to a very bright light, utilising specialist lamps for up to fours hours a day which help to combat feels of lethargy and depression. The average domestic light bulb produces 200-500 lux, whereas SAD treatment lamps must resemble the light levels of a sunny day (100,000 lux) and are available with an intensity from 2500 lux upwards. 'Daylight' or full spectrum lamps are also available but do not provide nearly enough intensity of light to produce a difference, therefore a specialist lamp should always be used.

A fabulous and easy solution to reducing the symptoms of SAD and increasing feelings of wellbeing is a dawn simulator. Personal experience of this product for over two years has made me realise how indispensible this is to wake up to. This bedside lamp starts (as programmed) from a warm glow up to 30 minutes prior to the desired wake-up time and gradually increases in brightness so that you wake feeling ready and alert in a room awash with brilliant 'sun' light. The increasing light level is a natural cue for your body to reduce the production of sleep hormones making you more prepared to wake without feeling groggy. Another major benefit is that your body is already awake prior to the shrill of an alarm clock, creating a much gentler start to the day.

Recognising the comfort of this type of lighting, Lumie (www.lumie.com) have also produced a lamp geared towards children. This provides a wonderful night time effect as they are placed in their beds for sleep and the light levels fade gently over the set period of time – no more being scared of the dark as they should be sound asleep by the time the light levels have dropped to nothing or been pre-set to a nightlight glow.

The dynamics of ever changing daylight conditions cannot be underestimated which is why a walk in the park or even a gaze through the windows will provide the stimulation required to keep us awake and happy through winter.

Happy Lighting!

RW.

A Designer's Deliberations