Win a £100 voucher to spend at Elesi Lighting

Hello again friends – welcome to the August H is for Home competition. This time round, we’re exited to be able to offer a generous £100 voucher, complements of Elesi Lighting.

Elesi is a British manufacturer, founded on 30 years of collective experience in sourcing and specifying electrical products for both residential and commercial settings. They provide a large range of indoor and outdoor lamps, lights and accessories including pendant, wall and down lights.

They sell a variety of energy-efficient LED bulbs; the traditional & practical and what I like to call the ‘fancy’ bulbs. Beautiful ones shaped like candle flames, have a decorative filament or are super-sized… like little works of art in themselves!

Another thing that has really caught our eye on their website is their Lieber range of copper sockets & switches – we have a real soft spot for this warm and flexible metallic being used in interior decoration.

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To enter, simply visit the Elesi website, have a scoot around and leave a comment here saying what would be on your lighting shopping list if you won.

£100 voucher to spend at Elesi Lighting

7 ways lighting can influence the appearance and feel of your home

Lighting is an extremely important feature of a home that’s often overlooked. The lamps and fixtures can provide style to the interior of your property and create a welcoming and cosy atmosphere. It can make your home more functional and it can even affect your emotions, from your productivity to your mood. Whether you’re working with natural or artificial light, understanding how lighting can make your home happier and look better is key. Today, we’ll be taking a more in-depth look into the ways in which lighting can influence the appearance and feel of your home, plus methods to help your home become a happier place to live and spend time in.

Bright light boosts focus

Many people don’t enjoy working under bright, fluorescent ceiling lights, but this is actually essential when it comes to boosting focus and alertness. Bright light will stimulate your brain and increase the levels of serotonin, which can improve your concentration. If you’re working from home or need to pay your bills, then you should have bright lights on to help you remain focused. Bright lighting can also make you feel warmer, which can heighten whatever emotion you are feeling at the time.

Dimmer switches improve sleep

The lighting of your home can influence your sleep. When it gets dark, melatonin will be secreted from your brain. Melatonin controls your body’s sleep-wake cycle and encourages sleep. Spending time in bright light during the evening has the ability to hinder your natural cycle, which can affect your overall health and sleep quality. To help your body unwind at night and improve your sleep, you should use dimmer switches to dim the lights, as well as energy efficient bulbs. You should also avoid staring at a screen for long stretches.

Task lighting avoids eye strain

Task lighting is there to help you see what you’re doing. This could be in the form of cooking, reading, working or applying make-up. Having focused additional lighting will improve the contrast between the objects you’re focusing on and the surrounding areas, which will help you avoid eye strain. For stylish task lighting that will keep your eyes healthy, you should check out the range at Moleta Munro. Their designer and contemporary lighting will help you add that special finishing touch to your home.

Natural light reduces depression

There is a strong link between sunlight, our mood and our circadian rhythm. Due to the lack of sunlight during autumn and winter, people who have SAD (season affective disorder) will often experience depression. This is due to their serotonin levels dropping. Even those who don’t have SAD can be affected by lack of sunlight. Maximising natural light in your home can boost your serotonin levels. You can do so by keeping your windows clean and positioning mirrors across from or next to them.

Accent lighting shows off possessions

We all have possessions in our home that we’re proud of and want to show off. You may have noticed that art galleries and museums use lighting to highlight sculptures and paintings, so why not do this yourself in your own home? This is called accent lighting, and will help to draw people’s attention to the items you want to show off, such as ornaments, prizes, artwork, a vase, a plant, a fireplace or even a collection of objects. Accent lighting is a great way to highlight your favourite and prized possessions to your family and friends.

Candles make things cosier

Candles and twinkling lights are a great way to express your personality, style and taste while getting creative with the lighting in your home. Choosing lamps and fixtures in designs and colours that work for your home is the first step, but candles and fairy lights are beautiful and cosy additional sources. You should consider adding them to the areas you like to unwind in, as they help you feel warm and mellow. You can get more creative by making your own lanterns, jars, etc. to place around the home.

Outdoor lighting will increase safety

When it comes to lighting up your home, many people will focus on the indoor areas. However, even though the outdoor areas will receive natural light throughout the day, lighting it up at night can increase the safety and security of your property. Outdoor lights can deter trespassers, as it can alert the home-owner and make it easier for neighbours and pedestrians to see any suspicious activity on your property. Knowing this will help you to rest easier at night, as it will reduce stress and anxiety.

Incorporating new and unique methods to light up your home doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to be creative and allow your own preferences to influence your decisions. By doing so, you’ll make your home look and feel better, which will make you feel happier in return.

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Perfecting your holiday lighting

We’re fast approaching the absolute best time of the year. In just a few weeks, the Christmas / New Year’s madness begins. Are you ready?! One of the enjoyable things about the festive season is preparing your home, and one of the most fundamental aspects of good holiday home decoration is the lighting. Christmas lights are one of the best ways to give your space a celebratory air, and to make your friends, family and guests feel warm and welcome. Here’s your guide to successful holiday lighting.

Trust the experts

Stringing Christmas lights can be, well, tricky. Getting up on the roof and making sure everything works correctly can take hours and hours. Not to mention, what if one of the bulbs has blown? What a nightmare! If you want to make sure that you achieve a successful holiday look without any of the trauma, it’s time to call in the professionals.

Your expert

Mr. Electric is your expert in all things ‘holiday lighting’ related. Whether it’s ideas for light placement, designing the perfect outdoor lighting scheme, or simply hanging lights all around your house, Mr. Electric is here to make things run smoothly and easily. Save yourself a possible injury, and lots of wasted hours being frustrated with Christmas lights, by calling Mr. Electric.

You can also check out this New York Times complete guide to holiday lighting to get some ideas on how to successfully simplify the process.

Don’t just light the outside

Lighting is such an important part of your decorations. Do not fall into the trap of lighting the exterior of your home and ignoring the inside. Holiday lights are a huge part of interior decoration as well. You can string Christmas lights around your kitchen and living room, add candles for a homely effect, and take advantage of festive lamps to make the whole place bright and cosy.

Have you ever considered pendant lighting? This elegant light source can make any room absolutely beautiful. Are you confused by pendant lighting? When executed properly and effectively, this lighting will transform your home into an absolute winter wonderland. There are so many beautiful options you can choose.

Think outside the box

Often, Christmas lights can look pretty similar. How do you make your home stand out from the rest? You’re going to have to get creative. Where can you string lights that other people don’t have them? Can you switch up the colours of the lights you choose? Have you considered draping stands of light in your trees and hedges to give them an extra pop when the sun goes down?

Christmas lighting shouldn’t be a competition, but looking just like all of your neighbours can be boring. The more you can brainstorm and try to make your house different, the more unique it will look and the more impressed your guests will be.

Make some art

Lights don’t have to just be lights. In fact, they can tell a story and add dimension to your space. You can craft shapes and designs from your lights to make your patio or garden a true winter wonderland. You can buy light art or make it a DIY project. This is another time to get creative. You can make Santa’s sleigh or re-enact the Charlie Brown Christmas scene, or even create a snowman figure out of lights. The best part about this is that during the day, your garden will look totally normal, but after hours, it will be transformed into a festive holiday celebration.

If you’re looking for a great way to make your home a holiday haven this Christmas and New Year’s season, lighting is a great place to start. You can make your exterior beautiful and unique with an awesome lighting scheme, and you’ll instantly be in the mood to celebrate once your space is beautiful and filled with holiday spirit.