From our site: Implementing Track Lighting in Your Kitchen

Track lighting is not only easy to install, but it can also make your work in the kitchen much easier and add some atmosphere to its appearance.

Your kitchen will benefit from a central light source, but you shouldn’t forget task lights that are aimed right where you want to work. Track lighting manages to accomplish both of those goals, and it lets you place light where you need it most. Any kitchen with just a single ceiling light fixture can benefit from track lighting. You can purchase track lighting in flexible or rigid tracks. You can also wire it through the junction box in the ceiling and aim each light right where it needs to be pointed to give you the best illumination.

Track lighting gives you plenty of freedom. Even the best kitchen designers recommend it, as it comes in a variety of styles and it can be made to blend in or stand out. If you want to make your lighting practically disappear into the kitchen, you can go for a white track that disappears on a white ceiling. For more of a standout approach to your lighting, you can always buy track lighting with a metal finish. You can choose spotlight features for your lighting, making it simple to pinpoint it right where you need it. That’s perfect for illuminating art or making it easier to see what you are doing at specific workstations in the kitchen. Lights that are designed like pendants can give you a soft light that can be filtered and shaded with a variety of colorful glass coverings.

Choice in Installation

Your kitchen’s ceiling junction box is usually the best place to install the track lighting. The most basic track lighting systems are between 4 and 8 feet, and they include spotlight features. You do need to watch out for track lighting that doesn’t come with these kinds of options. If your track light doesn’t let you adjust it like a spotlight, then it will likely only provide ample lighting in the center of the kitchen, leaving important task areas around the periphery poorly lit.

You are better off with flexible track lighting systems, which are called monorail systems. These tracks actually curve so that they accommodate the design of your particular kitchen. You can optimize your lighting to illuminate several workstations at once.

Track lights are typically compatible with many different ceiling heights. They are not recessed, which makes them ideal for ceilings that deviate from the norm. The track lighting is supported and suspended using standoffs. These come in two varieties- rigid and flexible. The rigid standoffs are best for flat ceilings, while the adjustable standoffs work well on irregular ceilings. If you are installing one of these systems in a vaulted ceiling kitchen, you can use a track suspension kit to make the job easier.

You can use track lights or rail lighting in different ways.

Complete kits will also allow you to have a stylish ceiling system instantly. But with modern and contemporary options, including bronze track lighting and flexible monorail tracks, it has become very popular once again. Leading brands of contemporary fixtures include Bruck Lighting and Tech Lighting, among many other types of pendant lighting.

Add lighting to any setting with one of our beautiful track rail lights. Modern looks come in two styles, a rigid track and monorail and has found its way into many homes. WWe are asked about it all the time during home remodel design consultations.  We can also order different heads, track lengths and all sorts of accessories and connectors. Track lighting is clearly the most versatile type of lighting available.

Because it’s very directional, these systems perform best as accent lights or task lights. Focused on a kitchen countertop work area, it becomes almost indispensable.

The availability of monorail and traditional aluminum track lighting kits makes it easy to pull off a DIY project. Discount pendant tracks are typically used in modern decor and you can find the heads and rails in an array of types.

You’ll find rail kits, rails, and other rail and cable track accessories for easy installation. We can custom order, too.

In addition to design, determine the lighting needs before you select any track lighting fixtures. LED is the perfect flexible lighting option, available for most applications. This is a versatile way to light any room.

The electrical wiring of most modern track lighting is hidden inside a plastic or metal track. What is a beautiful and modern form of lighting for your home and is a style that has steadily grown in popularity around the globe. Lights are on in the kitchen more than in any other room in the home.

These lights serve as ambient lighting and focused or task lighting. More and more often, it is part of the kitchen lighting conversation. If your fixture doesn’t have any installation accessories within the kit, finding them will not be a problem.

We encourage you to browse our incredible selection of over 2,000 track lighting fixtures and accessories.

Architectural pendant track lighting has become the latest fashion in home and high end lighting design but modern lighting also requires a sense of play, adventure, and comfort.

All you have to do is choose from the wide selection of pendant lights and track heads available on the market. This can give you more control, allowing different pendants or lights on a single track to be controled by different switches or more capacity allowing more lights on a single track.

If you are adding to an existing track lighting system we can help you identify which track heads will be compatible. Bruck’s Modular Pendant System allows you to use any of these pendants as Juno compatible Track pendants. Quick Connect pendants can be used alone, with multiple pendants suspended from a single canopy, on track lighting, monorail or as wall sconces.

It is one of the most commonly used and misunderstood of the lighting system types. Before choosing a system, be sure to properly measure your ceiling and fully understand the sizing dimensions of track lighting, as well as all of necessary parts and accessories you will need.

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From our site: Positioning Your Bathroom Fixtures Effectively

To emphasize the importance of positioning your bathroom fixtures effectively and appropriately, let’s look at the issues in the picture below.

Yes, this bathroom’s decor looks great, but moving around in it will be no easy task, especially if you are in a hurry. Had this bathtub been a standard rectangular shaped tub, the functionality of this room would have been altered (for the better) dramatically.

The Shape of Your Bathroom

In order for a bathroom to function well, not only do you need for all of your fixtures to function, there needs to be as much space available in the room as possible, for comfortable maneuverability.

Not everyone’s home features a simply square bathroom. Often bathrooms are built-in to the corner of a home, and the roofing recedes downwards at an angle, as seen in the picture below.

Some homes feature ‘L’ shaped bathrooms, or ‘half moon’ shaped bathrooms, while others are as narrow as a passage way.

As mentioned previously, the best way to ensure that your bathroom functions efficiently is to consider how your fixtures will be positioned, in order to render as much space as possible in the room.

The best design to work with is a triangular design. This means that your most important fixtures; your bathtub, toilet, and sink area should be positioned in a triangle. However, this is not always possible when you consider the shapes of some bathrooms.

If you have a narrow bathroom you could choose to make use of a single-line type plan. A plan like this involves all of your fixtures being positioned in a straight line along one side of your bathroom. For example, as you enter the room, on the right hand side you will see your sink and vanity, then the bathtub and then the toilet (alongside the tub or even against the furthest wall). This leaves space open on the left hand side for maneuverability.

For a ‘half moon’ shaped bathroom, you could choose to make use of a freestanding tub, or you could choose to install a half moon shaped tub. As you enter a half moon shaped bathroom your sink and vanity could be on your right, with your bathtub being directly in front of you, and your toilet (appearing as though it is behind the door, when the door is open) on the left hand side.

‘L’ shaped bathrooms are relatively easy to work with. As you enter your bathroom, your vanity and sink could be placed on the right hand side. You could choose to make use of a shower tub or shower stall, placing it in the furthest right hand corner of your bathroom. This leaves space on the left hand side of the room, similar to a narrow bathroom.

Within the short arm of your ‘L’ you could install your toilet. This is also a great way ensure that the toilet area is private. In the picture below, the door is situated in the center of the ‘L’ shape, which means you would walk left or right as you enter this room, and not straight ahead as if the bathroom was a narrow passage way.

Creating Space in Your Bathroom

In many homes, spaciousness in a bathroom is an issue. All that any homeowner needs to remember is that by installing fixtures and features alongside a bathroom’s walls, space is automatically created in the center of the room. Many homeowners like to get dressed in their bathrooms, and this can be difficult if they are constantly feeling as though they may bump the tub and fall backwards in to it!

This is where logic plays a very important role in bathroom remodeling. As you stand in your bathroom while it is still bare, stretch your arms and legs out to the sides and consider the space you have for maneuverability, then position you fixtures accordingly; logically.

You will obviously need to consider your plumbing and electrical outlets once again. If they are not positioned where you would like your fixtures to be positioned, you could choose to either reconsider the fixtures you will use, or you could have your pipes and wires re-routed. This is a job for a contractor. If you are fixed on your bathroom’s new design and hiring a contractor is necessary for the job to be completed perfectly, then so be it.

Back to Bathroom Remodeling

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From our site: Great Ideas for Small Kitchen Islands

Your kitchen island has all sorts of uses, including tying your kitchen together nicely as well. Even if you have a small kitchen area, you can still do some great things with an island. We’ve put together some tips that will help you maximize your space and get the most from your kitchen island.

This slide-under island is ideal for small kitchens that lack prep workspace.

All kitchen islands, no matter how small, should have a few traits in common. Here are a few factors to consider when you are ready to install an island in your kitchen:

Does it give you more counter space?
Can you use it as a kitchen table to eat at?
Does it contain extra storage space- shelves, drawers, hooks, etc.?
Is it the right size for your kitchen where it won’t interrupt the flow of traffic and work?

If your island is going to be a practical area to eat at, then it needs to have open shelves and an overhanging countertop. It’s even better if it has a stool that you can tuck in.

Maybe you found an island you like that doesn’t include an overhang. That’s okay, as you can always replace the countertop with a new one. Just be sure to give yourself about six inches of overhang and ensure the new top is sturdy enough to stand up to regular kitchen work.

Clearance Space

One of the main aspects of your island you have to consider is its size. Think about how large the island is and how much space it will take up in the kitchen. Give yourself about 36 inches for regular aisle space, but increase that to about 42 inches if there is an appliance door facing it.

We recommend 28-36 inches of free walking space between kitchen island and counters.

The best place to put your island is usually in the center of the kitchen. You can also use it to box in a kitchen area that is part of an open floor plan. For open floor plan kitchens, an L-shaped island is often ideal.

If you give yourself about 36 inches of space for every aisle around the island, then you are leaving enough room for two people to comfortably pass. For those spots that aren’t very high traffic, you can probably get away with a few inches less. You should test out your floor plan and measure for the island’s space before you purchase or install any island for your kitchen.

You might discover that your kitchen isn’t big enough for a traditional island. If that’s the case, then you can go with an island that can be folded up or rolled under a countertop.

Your island does not have to be custom made. There are tons of choices out there, and you just need to find the right one from your particular space.

Restaurant-Style Kitchen Island

This small butcher block island is a great way to stow kitchen utensils and have a very attractive workspace.

If you go to a store that sells restaurant supplies, you should be able to pick up an industrial-grade work table. It will be light but strong and usually made of stainless steel. They will also be relatively inexpensive and they come in a range of sizes.

If you want to get the most use out of it, then you should look for one that has open shelving and a towel bar where you can place hooks. You probably want one with locking wheels if you are going to be moving it around regularly, but many of these types of tables are light enough that you can move them easily without the use of wheels.

Butcher’s Block Island

You can also use a butcher block as a kitchen island. The countertop is already made for kitchen use, and it’s no problem to slide a few stools up to it to use it as a kitchen table.

Furniture Island Repurposed

You can take a piece of furniture and repurpose it as an island without much expense to yourself. There are lots of pieces that will work. Here are some of our favorites:

Sofa table – the great thing about repurposing sofa tables is that they are already the right height. You can get them in all sorts of sizes to fit your kitchen perfectly.

Cabinet – You can also use an old cabinet for your island. The best ones are those that have lots of shelves or drawers.

Dining Table – You can take a bar height dining table and make it into an island as well. It already has a counter that is perfect for food preparation, and you can add in hooks on the side of it to increase storage space.

The drop leaf kitchen island is a great way to add seating for casual meals or social mixing.

Drop Leaf Island

A drop leaf gives you extra counter space in your kitchen, and you can prop it up whenever you need the extra space. There may be times where it isn’t possible to install a kitchen island because of a lack of space. A drop leaf can be installed on the end of your cabinets or walls and serve the same function for your kitchen.

Floating Ledge

A butcher block ledge can work as an impromptu island as well. The ledge can be made to fold away when you need that extra kitchen space.

Storable Island

You probably have some spots around your kitchen or in adjoining rooms that can store a small kitchen island. Find that storage space and design or purchase an island to fit the specifications. If you are designing your kitchen from scratch, then you can always install an extra piece on one of the cabinets that rolls out to become an island.

The rolling kitchen island can provide a ton of layout flexibility.

Rolling Island

For a mobile island, you probably want to add on quality wheels. It’s a simple and inexpensive upgrade to make, and you will find that polyurethane wheels work best. You definitely want wheels that can lock so the island won’t move around when you are using it.

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From our site: Remodeling a Bathroom on a Budget

After having seen a few examples of remodeled bathrooms, you may already have begun to create a picture in your mind, of how you would like your bathroom to be remodeled.

We’ve already mentioned a few ways to save on initial costs during a project like this. The software programs will eliminate costs that you would have incurred on a bathroom planner or an interior designer. Because you can purchase your fixtures online after having chosen from the selection available with these programs, you will be saving fuel and time, that you would have spent trying to find the perfect fixtures at the perfect prices.

We recommend that you use freestanding features whenever you can, which saves you costs that you would otherwise incur with a contractor. That being said, we are ready to do any elements of the project that you feel are beyond your skills.

We also emphasized the importance of ensuring that your calculations for your measurements in your bathroom are 100% accurate, which will prevent you from purchasing fixtures and features that are too big or too small, and you may not be able to return or replace.

Where and How to Spend Your Money

Only spend money when you need to. If you have a lavish budget, these tips may not apply to you as much as they may to others. One thing we do want to emphasize at this point is the importance of only spending money if you have to spend it.

To what extent do you want to go to remodel your bathroom? Your project may be a wonderful one to think about, and to see your bathroom dressed up in its new attire on one of the software programs available, may make you feel as though; ‘if your bathroom looked this way, the value of your home would increase dramatically’. Yes, it would, but what’s the use of undertaking a project like this if you can’t afford it. You would actually run the risk of losing your home even as it stands now.

Where you can pay cash for services and products, do so. If you have a friendly and helpful family relative that can help you financially by loaning you the money without interest, ask them for help.

Remember, every time you purchase something on credit, not only are you now under legal obligation to pay back that amount within a specified time limit, you are expected to pay interest on top of your initial costs.

A ‘cash only’ policy is a great policy to have. If you don’t have the cash now, what makes you think you’ll have it in the near future? Remember, you are usually only given so many months to pay back your loan; if you don’t foresee a windfall in your immediate future; the chances are that your financial position will remain the same for quite some time.

Ensuring That Your Fixtures and Features are Guaranteed

Whenever you hire a remodeling firm, purchase any hardware or fixture, in fact whenever you purchase anything for your bathroom, make sure that you read the terms and conditions of the warranty or guarantee well, before you hand over your money. An enthusiastic sales representative may tell you that the product is guaranteed, and we take their word for it, only to discover a month later that the product breaks, but the sales rep that sold it to us was fired, and our product wasn’t guaranteed!

A guarantee or a warranty, like a limited lifetime warranty, ensures that if the product you purchase breaks or malfunctions with in a certain time frame, you will be able to either have the product replaced, or you will be able to receive your money back. Money back guarantees are great; however, be sure to read the small print, because there are usually hidden terms involved.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our bathroom remodeling series and please feel free to contact us if you have any more questions.

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