This time of year is so festive because we decorate our homes with twinkling lights.  Inside and out, this warm glow lifts spirits and makes everything look special.  Have you noticed how empty a room feels once the holiday lights come down in January?   That’s because the extra lighting has disappeared, which highlights how important the proper lighting is for our spirits.

Every room needs multiple sources of light for the proper balance of productivity and mood.  A single, overhead light in a room is only the starting point for the layers of light needed to boost our productivity and mood.  An effective lighting master plan often includes the following types of lighting:

• Task Lighting Task lighting illuminates a specific task or work space for function and safety.  Applying makeup in the bathroom, cutting vegetables in the kitchen and woodworking in the garage require proper amounts of light aimed exactly where you need it most.  Recessed, lamp and pendant lighting are examples of efficient task lighting.

• Accent Lighting Illumination can be used to draw attention and set something apart from its surroundings is the intent of accent lighting.  It brightens perimeters, fills in backgrounds, and highlights special objects (such as art work or architectural details).  Other benefits of accent lighting is that it contributes to the overall illumination of a space, sets a mood or feel with the light, and can increase home security both indoors and outdoors.

• Convenience Lighting Safety and function are enhanced by convenience lighting when entering spaces, so we need to see clearly and immediately as we enter a space by flipping a switch.   Convenience lighting may be a ceiling-mounted light fixture, or lamps connected to a wall switch, even the light that automatically comes on when opening a garage or closet door.

• Energy Efficiency Lighting costs account for about 30% of our energy use and is a smart place to increase energy savings.  Dimmer switches and whole-house lighting control systems allow for more precise usage, energy conservation, extended lamp life and a welcoming feel.  Low-voltage bulbs such as compact fluorescents (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) provide high quality, warm light and last many times longer than incandescent bulbs for a fraction of conventional energy costs.

• Security Lighting Properly seeing our surroundings creates a sense of safety and security.  Outdoors at night we need sidewalks and entrances to be properly lit at all times for our safety.  Motion detectors can greet us and welcomes us home while also deterring vandals and burglars.  Indoors, lights on timers can create the illusion of someone being home at all times.  Adequate lighting throughout the home improves safety by illuminating hazards and prevents tripping and falling.

Good & Bad Lighting Design

All the effort we put into creating perfect spaces with carefully chosen paint colors, furniture and flooring can be instantly undermined by bad lighting, and brought alive with good lighting.  A room with harsh lighting or that’s too bright may be just as disconcerting as a room that’s too dark.  A  personalized and thorough lighting plan significantly contributes to a safe, comfortable, familiar and inviting space, and is a key component of a successful remodel.

Lighting design can become overwhelming for even a do-it-yourself veteran because of all the layers of light that need to be considered.  We recommend working with the design professionals at Mosby Building Arts, who are experienced in the science and intuition of well-placed lighting.  Together, we will map out a master plan that addresses all the exterior and interior lighting needs of your home, and assure that it reflects your taste and style.

To explore the possibilities of lighting design, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

You’re content with the size and existing layout of your kitchen, but you’re not happy with how out-dated and worn this hub of your home looks and feels. You may not need a complete kitchen remodel to give it a modern and inviting appearance. With just a few cosmetic enhancements to your kitchen, a transformation can be made without the duration and expense associated with a complete kitchen remodel.

We provide many ideas and suggestions to spruce up the look of a kitchen rather than a full remodel. These are the a few improvements we recommend that will substantially update and rejuvenate your kitchen:

1. Revitalize Cabinets

New doors on existing cabinets achieve an instant update. Re-staining, painting, or adding trim to flat panel doors are other options to revive the appearance of timeworn cabinets. New hardware will immediately enhance and distinctively update the look.

Reader Question: Can Formica cabinets be painted?

2. Replace Countertops

After cabinets, countertops are the most prominent focal point of the kitchen. Significant advances have been made in countertop materials. Choices are vast, including engineered and recycled alternatives to traditional granite, tile, and laminate.

Reader Question: Can we paint our white countertop to freshen it up?

3. Install New Faucets

New sink hardware instantly enriches the most functional and essential element of your kitchen. Faucet component style, operation, and task options are limitless.

4. Add Trim & Molding

One of the most effective methods of enhancing the quality of a kitchen is with the addition of trim and molding. Adorning the ceiling with crown molding, wainscoting crested with a chair rail, or the augmentation of existing trim around doors and windows are some of the artful options that add style, elegance and polish to a kitchen.

Reader Question: How do you install base trim over a stucco wall?

5. Refresh the Paint

The most fundamental and cost-effective facelift you can give your kitchen is a new paint color. Paint is the foremost procedure to freshen a kitchen’s appearance. Palette, style and personality options are limitless. Professional design and expertise culminated with skilled prep work and precision application will enhance and rejuvenate a kitchen.

6. Flooring

The floor is usually the largest surface in your kitchen, so changing this surface will make a big impact. Options include refinishing an existing wood floor and applying a new stain color, laying down new ceramic or stone tiles, or simply updating vinyl or laminate flooring by choosing from thousands of new designs available.

7. Lighting

Lighting is an important element of your kitchen that deserves special attention. Consider task lighting for your work areas, overhead light for illuminating the room and ambient lighting to create mood and atmosphere. Lighting also gives you the chance to express your style (some fixtures look like works of art) or harmonize the design elements of your kitchen.

We enjoy working with homeowners on transforming the look of their kitchen, because it’s a fun adventure with relatively quick results. Mosby designers shop with you and help coordinate your new palette of colors, textures and surfaces. Installation tends to be smooth because Mosby carpenters are replacing pieces rather than building new from scratch.

Here is an example of a kitchen update we did within the existing floor plan.

For ideas and help with your kitchen facelift, call Mosby Building Arts at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.