Bath Lighting Guidelines

Writen by Ashton Harr

A few simple guidelines for bath lighting:

Place bath strip lights 76"-80" above the floor (and at least 6" from the ceiling). If electrical boxes are pre-cut in the mirror, strips can be mounted on top of the mirror. Select the strip light closest in scale to your mirror. They generally come in 24", 36" and 48" sizes. A 30" vanity can take a 24" wide strip. Two and three light sconces are an attractive alternative above the mirror in a bathroom.

Wall sconces flanking the mirror over the sink provide shadow-free lighting. For bathrooms with ornate sink and mirror designs, wall sconces are a natural choice. Since bathrooms require two watts of light per square foot, you will need at least two sconces for the room. Position these wall lights at your eye level. Use lampshades to prevent glare. For double sinks, try 3 sconces flanking 2 mirrors. Then add a small chandelier or lantern for general lighting.

Lack of space or existing wiring often dictates the use of recessed lights, which can cast significant shadows. Sometimes small pendants will work as alternatives to recessed lights. And don't forget to wire for a lighted make-up mirror (or use a plug-in model).

©Shades of Light 2006

Ashton Harrison has a bachelor of science degree from UVA and a masters in business administration from the University of Richmond. Ashton was the V.P. of Operations for This End Up Furniture before opening the first Shades of Light retail store in 1986. She started Shades of Light national catalog operation in 1995 and launched the Shades of Light web site in 1997. Shades of Light specializes in the highest quality bath lighting, lamp shades, chandeliers, rugs, and curtains for every lifestyle. For more information please visit the Shades of Light web site and sign up for a free lighting catalog.

Tuscan Or Mediterranean Wall

Writen by Delmar Germyn

Del:

My question is: What would be the best way to create facing stones that resemble old Greek or Italian limestone exterior walls.

I am trying to create an effect in our kitchen that resembles an old Tuscan or Mediterranean wall face where the original stone wall was later covered by concrete plaster and chipped away exposing random patterns of the underlying brick or stone.

My concern is this: I do not want the stones to be thicker than 1/4 to 3/8" thick to alleviate making the surrounding wall plaster too thick. Which mold formula would be best for this?

Hello Nicholas:

I have thought about your question and cannot think of an easy way for you to do what you asked about. If you had a piece of wall that was done the way you want you could probably find someone who could duplicate it for you.

Trouble is it would be expensive as hell. You would need a large sample so that it did not repeat itself to often.

I think it would be cheaper for you to hire a local plasterer and ask him if he could help you.

You could do this yourself with very little practice. This could be your chance to learn the plaster / stucco trade! You do not want a smooth finish like sheetrock so it should not be too hard.

It will be something that you can brag about when people come over to see your renovations. Next thing you know you will be doing it at your friends place.

Maybe they will want the rec room to have the appearance of an old 1930 style Pool room. I can see it now, the walls stained yellow from years of cigarette smoke. (Fake of course) A couple of posters of Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman from "The Hustler". Your stamp on the lower corner with the date of completion.

What will your next project bring?

I would go buy a trowel and some plaster or stucco mix and have at it out in the garage. After a couple of hours practice you will probably feel confident enough to start the real thing. It is just a matter of getting a feel for how the plaster spreads and what sort of stroke gives the texture you want.

Use plaster, it is very light when dry. Stucco is more like concrete in the weight department.

You should be able to build the thickness you want without worrying about the walls ability to support the weight. You will find it will take more than one layer to get the effect you are looking for, so be patient. You can't do it all in one day. It will take 3 or 4 applications.

Don't rush it. Put on 1/8 – 3/16" of plaster and let it dry, then ad to it. If you try to do it 1/2'" at a time it will shrink and checks will develop making the job last longer and making it very frustrating.

There are also places that do overlays using proprietary mixes and stamping. They have some beautiful stamp patterns. I know they have brick patterns, I have not seen any like you have asked about but that does not mean they don't have any.

I also wondered if you could try to get the thin veneer type bricks that glue on and then have your plasterer sort of stucco over them, maybe leaving a few exposed here and there. Or knocking some of the plaster off after doing the job to get the look you want.

I hope this helps a little, and thanks for thinking of me with your question.

Del

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Duvet Covers Add Warmth In Color Tones And Insulation

Writen by Terry Price

Have you ever shivered in bed on a cold, winter's night? Then you know how important it is to be comfortable and toasty under a warm blanket! This article was written with you in mind, and here are a few tips to keeping warm on those chilly nights. If you live in an area where the climate changes from season to season, your wardrobe probably consists of summer and winter clothes. In fact, you may even have to store out-of-season things for the lack of room, or in a special area of your home. It simply makes sense to change the clothes on your bed, too. When those warm, summer nights turn to chilly, winter nights, you have plenty of choices to keep you warm. From mink blankets to acrylic blankets along with full mattress pads, cushy feather beds, soft flannel sheets, duvet covers and more, there is plenty around to keep you warm! Every person's taste is different and you have to decide what is important to you, and which one is the best combination that makes you feel comfortable.

Your choice of duvet covers will bathe you in light fluffy softness as it protects your downy comforter. Down has tremendous properties and is lightweight and comes in warm blankets, pillows, comforters and more. With its remarkable properties, it is one of the best insulators for a cold winter night and it will retain just the right degree of warmth for most bodies. It is considered to be the best product choice for comfortable bedding products.

Duvet covers are available in many colors, and getting one for your down comforter is certainly one of your best decisions. Duvet covers will replace all other blankets on your bed and are very functional for a lot of uses. It's a tremendous solution for children's beds as all you have to do is shake the comforter over the bed and tuck your child in at night. Duvet covers can be made from plain or decorative fabric to compliment your room's decor. If you are an allergy-prone person, remember that down is an animal product so you may want to consider this before you purchase. When the next icy cold winter night comes along, another option is to think about curling up with a mink blanket or fleece blanket, or just about any type of luxurious blanket. You'll be glad you did!

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