Hexagon touch lights for bedroom

Party lighting should never be dull (in all senses of the word!).

Creativity will be king when lighting the space. Think outside the box and incorporate effects to really make your event shine.

Hexagon lights are one particular means of doing so. These lights join together to make patterns help you splash a space with novel shapes and colors. Dazzle your attendees with a dynamic lighting display that they won’t forget in a hurry.

Remember, the atmosphere is everything. The best parties use lighting to manipulate peoples’ moods. Special lighting effects make that task far easier.

RF remote programmed hexagon bedroom lights

There are over 300 color changing modes from this RF remote programmed hexagon bedroom light to amuse your families at night. Simplly use the RF remote to choose any solid color for a specil night, or to choose dynamic color changing modes to make your bedroom lighting alive. You can put the hexagon lights together to make your own designed patern to decorate your bedroom.

APP hexagon lights for bedroom lights

Ambient lighting may be provided by floor lamps, architectural lighting, or a set of hexagon lights in a unique design to match the style of the bedroom decoration. Because the bedroom is a room where a relaxing, sympathetic atmosphere is welcomed, it may be best to avoid central ceiling-mounted fixtures that might be perceived harshly when viewed from bed. Consider the paint color of bedroom walls when planning light output as dark-colored walls reflect less light. For a closet, ceiling-mounted or recessed fixtures are commonly used.

Remote hexagon lights used in bedroom

A traditional lighting plan for a bedroom might consist solely of floor and hexagon table lamps, with hexagon table lamps on nightstands and dresser. A new lighting plan might include either wall-mounted hexagon lights flanking the bed or hexagon table lamps on the nightstands, plus a pair of wall-mounted sconces near the dresser.

Something about lights to learn

Learn to Speak Lighting Lingo

Watts are so last year. The new measure is lumens. Get tips on reading a bulb label.

Forget the days of referring to light bulbs as "40 watt," "60 watt" or "100 watt." The new nomenclature will focus on light output in lumens, and new labeling will help. Starting in summer 2011, light bulb manufacturers are required by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to label light bulb packages in two new ways.

Front of light bulb package must state:

light output measured in lumens
energy used in watts
life hours
Back of light bulb package must have a "Lighting Facts Per Bulb" label similar to the "Nutrition Facts" label on food packages. The "Lighting Facts" label must include:
light output in lumens
estimated yearly energy cost
life expectancy
light appearance (warm or cool light, expressed as the Correlated Color Temperature)
energy used in watts
whether the light bulb contains mercury
According to the FTC, the light bulb's brightness in lumens, and a mercury disclosure must also be printed directly on each light bulb.

Light Output/Lumens: Technically, a lumen is a unit of luminous flux derived by measuring the time rate of flow of light. For the average consumer, the lumens associated with each light bulb will begin to become more familiar with the new light bulb packaging. As a point of reference, a traditional 40-watt incandescent light bulb produces a light output of 500 lumens.

Energy Used in Watts: Different types of light bulbs use vastly different amounts of energy to produce the same lumens, so an important bit of information is the energy used in watts, i.e. how many units of active electric power are used by a particular light bulb.

Lighting Terms
For example, a traditional 40-watt incandescent light bulb uses 40 watts of energy to produce a light output of 500 lumens, whereas an LED light bulb with a similar light output of 450 lumens uses just 8 watts of energy, and a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb with a similar light output of 450 lumens uses 9 watts of energy.

Life Hours: Feel like you're always replacing light bulbs? You'll have more information now that the life hours must be labeled on the front of every light bulb package. The life hours are the rated average life of a light bulb as determined by engineering testing and probability analysis.

For example, a traditional 40-watt incandescent, 500-lumens light bulb typically provides 1,000 life hours, whereas a 450-lumens LED typically provides 25,000 life hours, and a 450-lumens CFL typically provides 8,000 life hours.

Color Accuracy/Color Rendering Index: Known as CRI, the color rendering index is a description of the effect of a light source on the color appearance of objects being illuminated. CRI is expressed on a scale of 1-100, with a CRI of 100 being the maximum possible. On a good-better-best scale, a good CRI is 60-79, better CRI is 80-89, and best CRI is 90-100.

For example, incandescent light bulbs typically are 100 CRI (no matter what the light output or lumens rating), while CFL light bulbs typically are 82-88 CRI, and LED light bulbs typically are 65-85 CRI.

Lumens Per Watt/Efficacy: This measurement expresses the total light output of a light source divided by the total power input. The higher the efficacy rating of a light bulb, the less it will cost you to use it. Calculating a light bulb's efficacy is a simple mathematical process using the information now required on the front of a light bulb package-- lumens divided by energy used in watts equals lumens per watt, or efficacy.

For example, the traditional 40-watt incandescent light bulb that produces 500 lumens has an efficacy of 12.5 (500 lumens ? 40 watts = 12.5 lumens per watt). The 450-lumens LED light bulb has an efficacy of 56.25 (450 lumens ? 8 watts = 56.25 lumens per watt); and the 450-lumens CFL light bulb has an efficacy of 50 (450 lumens ? 9 watts = 50 lumens per watt.

Light Color/Correlated Color Temperature: Known as CCT, the correlated color temperature describes the light's appearance in terms of its perceived warmth or coolness. CCT is expressed as a temperature measured on the Kelvin temperature scale, where a low CCT (4,000 Kelvin and lower) indicates a warm light, while a higher CCT (4,000 Kelvin and higher) indicates a cool light. Although it seems counter-intuitive for a higher temperature to correlate with cooler light, it is more understandable when picturing a piece of iron that glows red hot at a lower temperature than when it becomes blue hot; the human eye perceives red as warm and blue as cool.

As a point of reference, according to lighting designer Markus Earley, a candle flame has a CCT of 1,800 Kelvin, and natural daylight on a sunny June day has a CCT of 20,000 Kelvin. Light bulbs labeled as "warm white" all have CCTs of approximately 2,700 Kelvin. Specifically, a 40-watt 500-lumens incandescent light bulb has a CCT of 2,700-2,900 Kelvin; an 8-watt 450-lumens LED light bulb has a CCT of 2,700 Kelvin; and a 9-watt 450-lumens CFL light bulb has a CCT of 2,700 Kelvin.

Now Viewing Light Bulb Types

Learn about the different kinds of bulbs like incandescent, halogen, fluorescent and LED

Energy EfficiencyGreen BuildingLighting
The speed with which lighting technology is changing is particularly evident in the realm of the light bulb. Although Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb had few competitors until fairly recently, the number of light bulb types grows daily, spurred by consumer demand for more energy efficient and durable lighting choices.

Another impetus: the L Prize, a U.S. Department of Energy competition, officially titled the "Bright Tomorrow Lighting Competition," which calls for energy efficient replacements to two of the most common light bulbs used in American homes today: the 60-watt incandescent and the PAR 38 halogen incandescent. The replacements must have similar color rendering and lumens characteristics but must be solid-state lighting products—light bulbs that use semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs)—instead of electrical filaments.

Next time you need to go pick up some light bulbs, allow yourself a few extra minutes (or hours) in the light bulb aisle. Here are the different types of light bulbs:

Incandescent
Technically defined as a light bulb producing visible radiant energy by electrical resistance heating of a filament, this is the quintessential light bulb—the one Thomas Edison perfected in the 1880s and which has become the most pervasive light bulb in use. Factoid: The familiar light bulb is an A19, with the A referring to the overall shape and the 19 referring to the bulb being 19/8ths of an inch, or 2 3/8th inches, at its widest point.

Incandescents are prized for their warm color or CCT (typically 2,700-2,900 Kelvin), their color rendering or CRI (typically 90-100), and their familiarity—it is estimated that 75 percent of all light fixtures in American households use incandescent A19 light bulbs. Drawbacks of the incandescent include low efficacy (they are very inefficient), high heat generation and fragility.

The U.S. has set minimum efficiency standards that will take effect between 2012 and 2014, with the result that traditional incandescent light bulbs will begin to be phased out unless energy efficient versions are produced.

Halogen
Also known as tungsten halogen, this light bulb is an incandescent light bulb that contains a tungsten filament and a small amount of a halogen gas such as iodine or bromine. The halogen gas and tungsten filament produce a chemical reaction that aids in the longevity of the light bulb.

Halogen light bulbs are more energy efficient than traditional incandescents, have similar color rendering or CRI (typically 90-100), and a warm color or CCT (typically 3,000-3,200 Kelvin). A PAR 38 halogen is commonly used in recessed fixtures. PAR stands for parabolic aluminized reflector, meaning the light bulb has a hard glass bulb, an interior reflecting surface, a precisely placed filament, and a lens to control beam spread. 38 means the light bulb is 38/8ths of an inch, or 4 3/4th inches, in diameter at its widest point.

Small pin-pronged halogen bulbs used for reading lamps or undercabinet lighting are also familiar to consumers, but are less popular as they require delicate handling; the oil on human hands can shorten the light bulb's lifespan.

Fluorescent
Manufactured in both linear (tubes) or compact (A19, spiral or bent) shapes, a fluorescent light bulb contains mercury that is ionized by an electric arc, producing ultraviolet energy that causes phosphors coating the inside of the lamp to fluoresce or illuminate. Fluorescent light bulbs are prized for their energy efficiency, but are sometimes criticized for their poor color rendering or CRI (typically 60-80) and cool light color or CCT (typically 3,500-6,000 Kelvin).

However, new fluorescents are being produced with CRIs of 88, approaching incandescent, and warmer CCTs of 2,700 Kelvin. New electronic ballasts (versus older magnetic ballasts) have eliminated the flickering and buzzing that often occurred with linear fluorescent light bulbs; the ballast regulates current through the light bulb. Also, the size of the tubes has decreased, with slim T5 tubes, which measure 5/8ths of an inch, becoming a favorite for undercabinet lighting.

LED
An acronym for light-emitting diode, an LED light bulb has a semiconductor diode that radiates in the visible region of the spectrum. Many people associate LED lighting with the bright red or white display panels of digital clocks or appliances, but advancements in LED technology point to it becoming the light bulb of choice in the home. It is extremely energy efficient, and models may soon appear with color characteristics similar to incandescent; currently available LED light bulbs have color rendering or CRI ratings of 65-80 and warm CCT ratings of 2,700 Kelvin.

Xenon
Often used for undercabinet lighting, xenon light bulbs contain ionized xenon gas to produce light. Prized for their energy efficiency, xenon light bulbs may be used in place of small halogen light bulbs in undercabinet lighting and may be touched by hand without shortening its lifespan.

Changes to Efficiency Requirements
The U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act's (EISA) energy efficiency standards for incandescent light bulbs are slated to go into effect Jan. 1, 2012 (they are already in effect in California). Under these standards, traditional 100-watt incandescent light bulbs, which produce lumens in the 1,490-2,600 range, must use fewer than 72 watts to produce the same lumens. In 2013, the traditional 75-watt light bulb, with lumen range of 1,050-1,489, must use fewer than 53 watts. In 2014, the traditional 60-watt and 40-watt incandescent light bulbs, which produce 750-1,049 lumens and 310-749 lumens respectively, will be required to use fewer than 43 watts and 29 watts, respectively.

Now ViewingLighting Controls

Get expert tips for choosing switches, dimmers and key pad systems

Home TechnologyHome TechnologyLighting
Just as new technology is creating many options for light bulb types, it is also transforming the world of lighting control. From the familiar toggle to the newest dimmers and keypads, there's more than one way to turn the lights on and off.

Switches
After decades as the ubiquitous light switch, the toggle (invented in 1916) is being eclipsed by several higher-tech choices. The rocker operates essentially in the same manner as the toggle, but offers a broader surface for pushing on and off; both toggles and rockers are examples of snap-action control, with springs and levers activated to complete or interrupt the flow of electricity to the lighting fixture.

Occupancy sensors and timers may also be installed for residential use, although to date they have been more common in public facilities. In most homes, one switch is installed for every built-in lighting fixture; electrical outlets may also be wired to a switch. The drawback of switches is what some architects refer to as "wall acne," which occurs when six or eight switches in a row are lined up along a wall, in a great room situation, for example.

Keypad systems (see below) have become a solution to that problem. Even a bank of just three or four switches can cause confusion to the homeowner who may inadvertently switch the wrong light on or off.

Dimmers
Lighting experts are unanimous in their praise of dimmers. "Dimming is the best way to get the most bang for your buck," says lighting designer Lana Nathe. "If you dim your lights 10 percent, you double the life of an incandescent bulb, and save energy too." Once reserved for dining room chandeliers, dimmers are increasingly common for every layer of lighting—ambient, task, and accent—in every room of the house.

Replacing a standard toggle or rocker switch with a dimmer switch is a fairly simple project, within the ability of an electricity-savvy homeowner. With a small time investment, plus the $30 for the dimmer switch, a homeowner can quickly start saving in electricity cost and light bulb replacement, and create various moods by taking the brightness up or down.

Most of the dimmers in households today were designed to work with incandescent light bulbs; when used with dimmable CFL or LED light bulbs, they often cause the light to flicker instead of dim gradually or stop dimming completely at the halfway point. Replace your existing switches and dimmers with products that work with newer light bulb technology. Lutron's "C.L Dimmers" series (C for compact fluorescent, L for LED), for example, is one such product.

Keypad Systems
Any room that has three or four wall switches in a row is a candidate for a keypad system. "You definitely don't want a bank of eight or twelve switches, and I even suggest a keypad when you have more than four switches," says lighting designer Jody Pritchard. A keypad system operates on wireless technology, with various lighting permutations programmed into the system by a lighting designer or qualified installer.

For example, a keypad at every entry point to a great room-kitchen-TV area might include these keypad buttons:

Cooking: Pushing this button illuminates the task lighting above the prep and oven areas
Reading: Pushing this button illuminates the task lamp next to the homeowner's favorite reading chair
Movie: Pushing this button illuminates a dim kitchen light, and nothing else
All Off: Pushing this button ensures all the lights are off, helpful before you leave the house or head to bed
In addition to convenience, keypad systems offer the possibility of remote operation of the lighting as the wireless technology can be adapted for smartphone, laptop or tablet control. Many keypad systems are scalable, meaning other aspects of home automation (window shades, thermostat, appliances) can be programmed into the system as well. One such system is Lutron's RadioRa2, which starts at about $5,500 for an entire house; the company's website provides contact information for local lighting designers or qualified installers.
 

Budgeting a Home Lighting Project

Manage costs, whether you're upgrading bulbs or designing an entire lighting system

BudgetingLightingEnergy EfficiencyGreen Building
The costs associated with upgrading home lighting can be as minimal as a $30 dimmer bought at a home improvement center and installed by the homeowner, or as comprehensive as the estimated 1 percent of construction costs that lighting is said to represent during a major renovation.

In terms of minor upgrades to lighting, much of the cost may be simply the cost to replace a fixture or even a light bulb, particularly if homeowners do the work themselves. A homeowner may spend $500 for a decorative table lamp or splurge on a vintage chandelier for several thousand.

LED Lightbulb
A 40-watt-equivalent LED light bulb costs about $30 but it is designed to last 25 years and will save you on energy cost.
Also worth noting is the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs beginning Jan. 1, which will require many homeowners to adjust what they expect to spend on light bulbs. For example, a 40-watt-equivalent LED light bulb costs about $30 versus the $1.50 we're accustomed to spending on a package of four 40-watt incandescent bulbs. Rather than focus on what you pay at the register, consider other factors that save you money, like longevity (that LED is designed to last 25 years) and energy cost (the LED only requires 8 watts to generate the same lumens as the incandescent).

When lighting is replaced during a major renovation, it is particularly hard to isolate the costs because tradesmen are working on many factors, not just the lighting, when they remove and rebuild walls, ceilings and floors. Furthermore, an electrical contractor will be doing many tasks in addition to running wiring for lighting. Work with your architect or contractor to design the right lighting plan for your renovation.

You can also consult a professional lighting designer to plan a lighting upgrade to a room or to the whole house. Costs can vary greatly. Some lighting designers will work through your architect, so the lighting design fee will be part of the overall design fee; in other cases, a lighting designer may be amenable to charging an hourly consultation fee, which may run from $150 to $300.