Author Archives: Decorating Elves

20 Mar

Why You Should Have Outdoor Lighting This Spring

Have you considered adding outdoor lighting to your home? Spring is a great time to have outdoor lighting installed. Not only will you enjoy the outdoor lighting in the spring, but you will be prepared for a summertime of entertaining. Here are some reasons to have outdoor lighting this spring.

Dispel Wintertime Blues

Springtime is beautiful, with new life showing all around outdoors. After a long gray winter, it is really refreshing to be able to go outside and smell all of those spring smells and see all of those spring colors. Spending time outdoors in the springtime is the best way to combat wintertime blues or seasonal mood swings. When you spend more time outdoors, studies show that you will be literally and measurably happier. Outdoor lighting helps you spend more time outside during these months. Read More →

10 Mar

Lighting for Your Dock

Do you have your own dock on a beachside property? It can be very advantageous to have your own dock rather than docking your boat in a marina. However, when you forgo the marina, you forgo many amenities. One of the features that marinas have is that they are very well lit. Now you can get lighting for your dock that is just as functional and convenient, but on your own terms.

Lighting for your dock is very important for a number of reasons. If you don’t have good lighting for your dock, you may have difficulties docking the boat at dusk or at night. Most people do not take boats out in the dark; but if you want to visit your boat for any reason, it will be helpful to have good lighting.  Read More →

20 Feb

Four Considerations When Planning Your Holiday Lighting

There are a lot of things that you need to keep in mind as you plan your holiday lighting, particularly if you will be installing permanent holiday lighting. You need this lighting plan to be adequate for not just this coming holiday season, but for several years to come. Here are a few things that you should consider while planning your holiday lighting.

Homeowners’ Association

If you have a homeowners’ association, it is a good idea to present your holiday lighting plan to a member of the committee so that you can gauge whether or not it would be objectionable. Keep in mind that the homeowners’ association rules, leadership, or both could change before you are ready to change or remove your holiday lights. Read More →

10 Feb

Planning Ahead: Designing Your Holiday Lighting Scheme

It may seem as though the holidays are just barely behind us, but now is the perfect time to start thinking about next year’s holiday lighting. After all, now is the time that you are going through the hassle of taking down this last holiday’s lighting, finding storage for the lights and fixtures, and looking forward to doing it all again next year.

You may have considered hiring a contractor to install and remove your holiday lights in the past, but decided for whatever reason that you would simply handle the matter yourself. You may be saving money, but at what other cost? Read More →

15 Jan

What are IP Ratings for Light Fixtures, and What Is Their Importance?

Every light fixture, whether in your home or in your outdoor lighting, has an IP rating. The IP rating is difficult to determine if you are not familiar with the numbers or rating system. The IP rating is especially important for outdoor lighting. Learn more about what this rating system is and why it is important.

What Is the IP Rating System?

The IP rating system is a way to determine how resilient your lighting fixture is. This is a two-digit number that is actually made up of two single rating numbers. The first number of the IP rating is how resistant the light fixture is to allow solids to enter the fixture. The second number is how resistant the light fixture is to liquids. Both ratings tell you how well your outdoor lighting will hold up to the weather and outdoor influences. Read More →

15 Dec

Year-Round Lighting Holiday Style Becoming More Popular

You may have noticed that there are a lot more holiday lights around your local neighborhoods this year, and it may seem as though the lights came on overnight. This happens because more and more people are turning toward year-round holiday lighting. There are a lot of advantages to having permanent holiday lights.

Popularity Increasing

More people are getting permanent holiday lighting because it takes away some of the stress of the holiday season. Instead of worrying about putting up and taking down all of your holiday lights, you can simply have them installed and leave them up all year. Permanent holiday lighting options may differ from your traditional holiday lights, so even if you have already put up lights for this season, you might need permanent lighting installed for next season. Read More →

15 Nov

Three Reasons to Hire a Contractor for Your Holiday Lighting

The holidays are fast approaching, and it’s past time to think about your holiday lighting. Many homeowners choose to put up their holiday lights on their own, but there are several good reasons why you should hire a contractor instead.

Safety First

While it is sometimes tough to admit, some people really shouldn’t be on ladders or roofs. If you have bad knees, arthritis, or other health conditions, you probably shouldn’t be putting up holiday lights. Even if you are very healthy, you put your safety at risk when you install holiday lighting, especially if you do it with the wrong equipment. Hiring a contractor will keep you safely on the ground, while the contractor will use the appropriate tools, equipment, and safety measures. Read More →

15 Oct

Benefits of RGB Color Control in Holiday Lighting

There is a new trend in holiday lighting, using RGB LED color lights. RGB LED lights have many benefits beyond being able to control the color scheme of your lighting. Here are some of the great benefits of this holiday lighting trend.

Color Control

With RGB LED holiday lights, you have complete control over the colors that you display. You can get wireless capable holiday lights that can be controlled from your smartphone, so that you can even change up your holiday lighting while you are away from home or on the go. You can control the colors of the LED lights, as well as control when they shine. Read More →

15 Sep

Three of the Latest Halloween Lighting and Decorating Trends

Halloween is just around the corner, and it is never too early to start planning. If you really want to go all out for Halloween, it is a good idea to hire a professional lighting decorator and installer to assist you. These professionals know all the latest trends and have the time and means to give your home the look you desire. Here are three of the latest Halloween lighting and decorating trends that we can assist you with.

Spooky Lights

Just as you can get colored or clear Christmas lighting, your professional installer can also install spooky lighting. Spooky lights could be shaped like skulls, jack o’ lanterns, ghosts, witches, or another spooky character, and they can be nearly any color you want. You can also get spooky lights in trees and other landscaping elements that are different colors. Read More →

15 Aug

Why Preventative Maintenance of Your Lighting is Important

When it comes to preventative maintenance of your home, often you think of things like the lawn and garden, the furnace inspection before winter, or changing out blown breakers. One of the things that often gets overlooked is preventative maintenance of your outdoor lighting. While most systems installed today need little maintenance, there are some things that you will need to consider. If you do not carefully maintain your outdoor lighting, it will not last as long as you wish.

Trees and Plants

When outdoor lighting is first installed, it is placed away from trees and plants in the area in an attempt to avoid damage from the roots or limbs. However, overtime trees do grow, and gardens can quickly expand. If you do not use preventative maintenance to make sure that your lighting remains clear of these hazards, you could wind up with lighting fixtures grown into plants—a situation that could lead to losing both the plant and the fixture. Read More →