* Log Home Lighting

Lighting is as necessary to your home as your foundation, yet lighting your home can be one of the most difficult chores to accomplish. Whether you are building a new home or remodeling, a lighting plan is a necessity in any home design process. The task of lighting a home can be overwhelming with todays styles and technology. Yet there is some light on the horizon.

Today you can access many forums to help you with your lighting needs. Between the Internet and trained lighting designers who may be working independently or with lighting design showrooms, the homeowner has more people to talk to then ever before. Exploring both avenues can be helpful to consumers who want to educate themselves about lighting and the different styles and fixtures for any log home.

Ambient Lighting - rustic, log, lighting, antler, tin, chandeliers, antlers, log homes, punched tin, sconces, chandeliers, log furniture, exterior lighting, rustic light fixturesAn initial plan for lighting your home should be based upon consideration of both function and fashion within your own lighting needs. Questions such as "How much natural light will each area receive?" and "What is this space going to be used for?" should be first and foremost in any homeowners mind. Another consideration for anyone planning their home lighting is "What furniture and decorative elements will be present in any given room?" You should keep in mind that each house is different and every room may need careful thought when you choose a lighting scheme.

Most lighting designs use a combination of three types of lighting: General, Task and Accent lighting. Any home that incorporates these three types can create a beautiful and comfortable lighting style. Each of these types of lighting can serve a specific need while adding a decorative look to your home.

General Lighting, is also known as ambient lighting. This type of lighting allows a person to move around the room. In any room where there are heavy tasks preformed, general lighting will normally be brighter to allow for better working within that room. For a room like a living room or a hallway, general lighting may be more subdued. Chandeliers and wall sconces can be placed in key areas and be used to fulfill this lighting need.

Task Lighting - country tinware, lights, country style, lanterns, unique, log lights, log cabins, wood switchplates, southwestern, western, country fixtures, switchplatesTask Lighting is a directed light that can focus on a work preparation area such as a kitchen or bathroom counter. This type of lighting normally features a form of down light or in other words; a fixture that focuses and directs a light source down to the task area. Any sort of down or directional lighting can be a wonderful type of task lighting.

Accent Lighting - hand crafted, lamps, antler lighting, chandelier, accessories, tin lights, custom lights, task lighting, accent, log home, log constructionAccent Lighting is used to highlight a specific item or decorative feature in your home. This type of lighting is often found accenting artwork or other items that may be hanging or mounted to your wall surface.

When lighting a log home there are often two major issues that typically surface.

1.] Log home structures do not provide the same flexibility for a concealed light fixture as a conventional home with studs and drywall.

2.] The irregular wall surfaces of a log home may make wall mounting more difficult.

To battle the first situation you may choose to use more ceiling mounted fixtures or chandeliers with a variety of lamps. To meet with the challenge of wall mounting you can have a log shaved or hollowed out to accommodate a wall sconce or mounted light fixture. Custom made lighting may be just the answer for your homes specific needs and can be an excellent way to over come such issues when lighting your log home.

Log homes do have the advantage of providing interesting textures and great architectural features that will highlight your overall décor. It is very important to find a style of lighting that shall accent your aesthetic preferences and will fit with the more rustic, cozy and natural feel of a log home. Natural looking surfaces such as wrought iron or pierced tin, antlers, and even natural logs are a popular choice in lighting styles for todays log home owners.

Chandelier LightingWhatever combination of lighting you may choose for your home, remember that lighting fixtures and their placement within a room will determine their effectiveness. Sconces can be used to light your way up a winding staircase or down a hallway. Chandeliers may provide that much needed center piece to your living room or great room, while table lamps and floor lamps can serve as task lighting near your favorite reading chair or love seat. Hanging and pendant lights can add their own unique touch, while lighting over your kitchen sink or pool table and adding a new dimension to your décor.

With careful thought and planning, lighting your log home may be one of the most rewarding tasks in any building or remodeling job. When it is all said and done, your lighting choices can not only keep you out of the dark, but may add that perfect touch to your dream home. There is truly NO better feeling then when someone visits your home for the first time and comments "That fixture is perfect for this room! Where did you ever find it?"

Scott and Ani Walker have been in the rustic lighting business since 1998Scott & Ani Walker have been in the rustic lighting business since 1998. After moving to northwest Montana and purchasing a log home, Scott Walker hand crafted his own rustic log lighting. When he realized there was a market for such a product he began One Guy Light Co. Starting out with Scott’s hand crafted log light fixtures, their business grew to the point that they later added antler light fixtures and punched tin lighting. While Scott works in his shop located at their home in northwest Montana, Ani designs and manages their web site. Their complete line of hand crafted rustic and country style lighting can be found at their web site located at http://www.rusticloglighting.com