Home And Family USA

Accent lighting is one of the arts of decorating. The artistic placement of light fixtures, combined with techniques that highlight different elements of a room or landscape can make a dramatic change in the mood and usefulness of the space. Accent lighting can add true dollar value to your property, at comparatively little expense. Realtors know this. A sterile looking space can be transformed into an inviting and comfortable space, using accent lighting alone. A poorly lit garden can become a dramatic statement in ambiance and provide safety for visitors. Accent lighting is art with functionality.

Do you have a room or outdoor area where you’re happy with the decor and furnishings, yet something seems lacking? Accent lighting may be the answer. For example, with a monochromatic scheme, correct lighting with artistic effects can highlight the virtues of one color schemes with dramatic back lighting of plants, spotlighting art work and adding warm pools of light around reading or gathering areas.

A screened porch or veranda can become an oasis for fun family gatherings or a barbecue center. Accent lighting can make outdoor spaces beautiful and useful at night. Pools with proper night lighting make it easy to host a party. Avoid accidents, such as tripping over the hose, with some pathway accent lighting. Accent lighting also deters burglars by creating well-lit areas approaching your home.

Accent lighting for indoor areas is a huge subject. So where do you begin? There are many ways you can change the mood of a room. Examine your room in terms of use. If you’re cooking or reading, you’ll want brighter light. When relaxing on the couch or in the bedroom, you probably want a softer effect. Study areas need moderate lighting, eliminating shadows without over lighting . Dining rooms benefit with lighting on a dimmer switch, to create adjustable ambiance suited to anything from a family Christmas gathering to a romantic dinner for two.

What type of effect do you want to create? Accent lighting can create any effect you desire. Direct lighting, from a single source, such as a lamp, is best for task areas. Indirect lighting, such as track lighting, highlights a painting while spreading a subtle ambiance throughout the room. Indirect lighting has a softening effect. Usually, a combination of the two types creates an integrated look.

Outdoor accent lighting provides safety, beauty, functionality and value. Solar lighting is an inexpensive solution that satisfies all these criterion. Light your driveway, garden paths and well trafficked areas for the price of the fixtures! Fixture styles are abundant and without wiring or electricity costs!

Whether indoor or outdoor accent lighting is your goal, you have down and up lights, spot lights, track lighting, silhouette and back lighting from which to choose. Unless you’re especially artistic, you may want to consult a professional. It takes an artist’s eye, and the professional palette is large! Accent lighting can transform a dull look to a work of art!

Flowers have a romantic history with their honey sweet aromas, silky soft textures and cheerful appearance. The Dahlia flower is one of the the most enchanting and elegant of all flowers. The name itself conveys an image of mystique. One theory of the origin of the word “Dahlia” suggests a beginning in Eastern cultures. The “Dah” sound is remarkably similar to many Hindu Indian words. In the Hindu language, this part of the name signifies a certain godly essence, while the “lia” indicates an effeminate quality, an apt portrayal of the flowers’ gentle beauty. With these two combined, it’s likely that the word Dahlia means, roughly, “strong divine feminine”.

With over 1,800 varieties, the Dahlia flower is among the most easily recognized kinds in the world. So special and important was the Dahlia flower in the horticultural circles, that an international conference was held to determine what is, and what is not, a Dahlia flower.

In 1962, at the International Horticultural Congress in Brussels, a conference was held to determine what could be classified as a Dahlia flower. Color and shape were out of the question, as those descriptors were both open to interpretation. Instead, it was decided that the center disk must be double and not visible. The disk could either be curling inwards, outwards, or both.

What makes the Dahlia flower unique is the fact that it consists of two or more flowers within one. That may sound confusing, but let us describe this lovely piece of nature’s art. In the single layer Dahlias, the flowers spring forth from a central disk, with the tips either perfectly rounded, or sharply pointed. Some varieties have each individual petal divided into up to six sections.

The Anemone flowered Dahlia is a wonder of mother earth. While the central disk does indeed exist, it is not visible, due to the enormous number of petals embedded within. These are classified as a “Fancy Flower”, as they are indeed, quite elegant. One of the most attractive Dahlia flowers is known as the Ball Dahlia. The name does not do it justice. The flower is large and honey comb like. With eleven layers of petals, each layer piled on top of another, the overall design is a spiral shape, which tapers towards the top of the Dahlia flower.

So entrancing are these flowers that films have been named after them, and authors have written about them. Most recently, the big screen adaption of “The Black Dahlia Murders” was released. An indie film, called “The Black Dahlia” is currently in production. The plot centers around the enchanting beauty and fragility of the Dahlia flower, and was written by, and stars, the world renowned guitarist, Gidget Gein. This goes to show just how amazing this flower is, with an international conference held to study and define it, and with the admiration of a rock legend.