A major trend in the last decade is the use of a home office from which to conduct your business. Some of these offices represent part time work used to supplement the primary income earned at a job outside of the home. However, more and more individuals are earning their primary income (and spending the entire workday) in a home office. My wife, for example, works for a company doing outside sales. The company accepted her request to transfer her base of operations to a home office. While there was an initial outlay of capital expenditures on furniture, a fax and a copy machine, the company provided the computer system and pays for the internet connection. Everyone wins. My wife’s commute to work is 35’ and she is available for over time, which the company frequently needs.

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In part two of this two part series, we look at practical advice for choosing lighting according to both your decorating and usage needs…

A Lighting Checklist

In order to analyze the lighting requirements for a particular room, first draw up a checklist.

Does the room have several functions? Many rooms have to be multi-functional; clever lighting can make one room seem like several, illuminating dining, working, reading, and sitting areas in different ways, and allowing one area to be lit separately from the rest.

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There are very few purchases one can make that truly make a difference in the environment. Hybrid vehicles immediately come to mind, as well as anything made from recycled products - paper and plastic goods especially. Well, there are also major appliances and even lighting fixtures that can make a positive impact on our planet; all you have to do is look for the little blue and white sticker that says “Energy Star.”

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In part two of this two part series, we look at practical advice for choosing lighting according to both your decorating and usage needs…

A Lighting Checklist

In order to analyze the lighting requirements for a particular room, first draw up a checklist.

Does the room have several functions? Many rooms have to be multi-functional; clever lighting can make one room seem like several, illuminating dining, working, reading, and sitting areas in different ways, and allowing one area to be lit separately from the rest.

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Let’s face it; most of the time we spend at home in the United States (and certainly elsewhere) is spent in the kitchen or in the dining area, as some prefer to call it. In earlier times, homes often lacked a living room and the kitchen area served the multipurpose use of a place to take meals and a place to socialize and just plain relax.

In many places, things haven’t changed that much over the years because family traditions are typically hard to change.

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While having dinner at a friend’s home the other night something hit me. The evening was great; good food, fabulous hosts, and an overall perfect time. But what finally struck me was the ambient lighting in the dining room. Sure, I had seen dimmed lighting before, but at this moment I came to appreciate what a subtle change in lighting can do for the mood of an evening. So what if you too would like to install a dimmer switch in your home? This article will help you select what style and features to look for in a dimmer. Our previous article addresses dimmer installation, and the next installment sums it all up with easy installation for the right application.

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The actual design of an outdoor lighting system is determined by the site characteristics, the landscape effect desired its function, and the homeowner’s personal tastes.

Most hardware stores and home improvement centers sell low voltage kits with a built-in transformer and a timer which lets you determine when the lighting is activated or deactivated.

The transformers use 120-volt current, which is standard in nearly all households. The transformer then converts the current to 12 volts resulting in a safe and economical power source.

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The popularity of the kitchen island has been a good indication of how modern and up-to-date a home is. Realtors will tell you that a well-done kitchen island rivals curb appeal as a major factor that influences buying decisions for those shopping for a new home. The person primarily responsible for preparing the meals, finds a separate area with adequate counter space that is designed exclusively for creating meals, an attractive feature when considering the kitchen and dining area layout.

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The popularity of the kitchen island has been a good indication of how modern and up-to-date a home is. Realtors will tell you that a well-done kitchen island rivals curb appeal as a major factor that influences buying decisions for those shopping for a new home. The person primarily responsible for preparing the meals, finds a separate area with adequate counter space that is designed exclusively for creating meals, an attractive feature when considering the kitchen and dining area layout.

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Have you seen outdoor lights that only come on when they detect movement? These special fixtures are called motion sensor lights and they offer many advantages to a homeowner.

Outdoor sensor lighting is a natural intruder deterrent. This is one of the biggest reasons that people decide to install motion sensor lights. Burglars do not like to come to a home that is well lit, or one that becomes lit when they approach it. Motion detector lights are one of the best ways to provide safety and security to your family without investing in an alarm system.

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