ILD specializes in the professional installation of lighting for paintings. We have working relationships with the leading art lighting manufacturers of the world, and we possess all of the working knowledge and experience required to install the best equipment in any commercial or residential gallery that requires custom picture lighting solutions.
Invariably, when we first call on a new client, we find that they are already using some sort of lights for paintings. In many instances these lights are what we call over-the-picture lights. They attach to the top of the frame and shine down onto the canvas or print below.
While there is nothing wrong with over-the-picture lights for paintings, we strongly encourage our new clients to use them only for less expensive artwork lighting. This is because infrared heat builds up in these lamps that can damage the fine oils and delicate canvases of more sophisticated works. The distribution of light is also a problem, because these lights create brighter spots near the top of the picture and darker areas near the bottom.
More sophisticated lights for paintings are required for high-end lighting applications, and professional lighting design is necessary to make the equipment support the art without distracting the attention of the viewer.
When lighting any painting, it is absolutely essential to match the amount of light to the size and shape of the picture. If we have too little light, we will have dark areas on the edges of the work. If we have too much light, illumination will spill onto the wall and form hot spots. Creating the necessary precision lighting effect that matches light to art is quite the challenge for the do-it-yourselfer. Proper art lighting requires mounting each fixture from an optimum vantage point. It also requires choosing a halogen bulb that has an appropriately-designed reflector that will create a beam spread equivalent to the dimensions of the picture.
There is a special science to balancing these two requirements that calls for a strong technical knowledge of all the many different art lighting fixtures and corresponding reflectors that are made. It is never workable for the collector to try to learn all this. Instead, it is more practical and cost effective to let a professional fine art lighting company choose and mount the right type of fixtures for the paintings on display.
Specific types of lights for paintings include track lights, surface mounted lights, recessed lights (that go in the ceiling), and framing projectors. Track lights, as their name indicates, suspend from tracks that run along the ceiling. They are often used in galleries that hang professional photography and have some limited use in temporary art lighting design installations. However, the larger ones are very difficult to conceal. Smaller track lights can be used in home environments because they are more low-profile in design.
Surface mounted lights for paintings install on the ceiling or on the wall and shine at precise angles toward different paintings or groups of paintings. Because surface mounted wall art lights are typically bulky and visible, it is crucial that you let a lighting designer select the right fixtures for you in order to better match your interior decorating and home interior architecture.
Recessed art lights for paintings are a much easier to conceal. They hide in recesses that are cut into the ceiling. They will only be noticed by someone who is looking for them. They, too, need to be positioned by a lighting designer who is able to determine just where fixtures need to be placed and angled for optimal lighting.
Framing projectors are high-end lighting tools for paintings that mount on the ceiling and shine down on artwork below. Many different types of framing projectors exist in the world of modern art lighting. Some are designed to be installed directly into the ceiling itself. Others are made for retrofit mounting in an environment where ceilings cannot be cut.
Whomever the artist and wherever the artwork is located, you can trust the lighting professionals at Illuminations Lighting Design to design and implement a fine art lighting theme that will showcase your collection in the best possible light on a budget you can afford. Let a trained fine art and sculpture lighting company help you with your art collection.
Contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 or locally at 713-863-1133 to request a design proposal.Since 1980, ILD has grown to include a team of over 50 talented and dedicated employees. Specialty divisions have been created to focus on such disciplines as lighting design, electrical contracting, landscape lighting and home automation. Having specialists in each of these disciplines, while remaining true to the mission of offering home owners the "complete picture" of lighting design, is key to continued success at Illuminations Lighting.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond. Labels: Art Lighting Consultants, Artwork Lighting Experts, Houston Art Lighting, Houston Fine Art Lighting Experts, Lighting For Paintings
Art gallery lighting should be low voltage when at all possible. Low voltage recessed art light fixtures use less power than high voltage equivalents and can save a gallery a small fortune in power costs. Low voltage fixtures exist in many forms, giving the curator a complete freedom of choice in selecting what will work best for particular showings and art types. Low voltage framing projectors, recessed ceiling lights, track lights, pinhole lights, and eyeball lights are becoming increasingly common for corporate art consultants, interior designers and architects.
It is also very important that the equipment feature commercial, specification grade quality. In most instances, such equipment can only be sourced through a professional art lighting firm such as ILD. General specification equipment, which many freelance electricians or end users can buy through retail channels, is less reliable and often features a shorter lamp life which will compound replacement costs. Commercial grade lamps are far more likely to fulfill their predicted lifespan and typically have a much better manufacturer warranty in the unlikely event they do not.
Something else that curators should always be mindful of is the amount of heat produced in art gallery lighting. Without an initial investment in the very best equipment, it is unlikely that less expensive fixtures are going to satisfactorily perform in a high-end setting. This goes back to what we just discussed in reference to commercial grade quality and how you plan lighting. The more reputable and established lighting manufacturers are making it a priority to engineer equipment with technology that dissipates as much forward throw heat as possible. Not only does this better protect rare art against damage; it also helps keep the building cooler and contributes to lower HVAC operating costs.
Along similar lines, lighting for paintings should also be manufactured with advanced filtration mechanisms that block ultraviolet and infrared radiation. These are two very dangerous wavelengths of light that no gallery can afford to allow near any painting—especially historical or rare pieces. Canvases will dry and colors will fade in a relatively short period of time unless UV and IR radiation are blocked completely. In order to accomplish this, fixtures must be manufactured with reliable filtration mechanisms that block these frequencies and ensure that only visible wavelengths reach the canvas.
All this being said, we have to also take into consideration most art galleries are lighting a wide variety of painting sizes, photography, and sculpture. Any given showing will more than likely group various pieces according to artist, historical period, culture, or genre, but beyond this, there is a great diversity in individual works. Sometimes more eclectic showings will feature a mixture of art types that bring even more diversity and subjectivity to the display and interior lighting design. Gallery lighting in either instance must consist of a diversity of fixture types, luminance intensity, and fixture mount positioning in order to appropriately illuminate both individual works and provide enough general lighting in the room for viewer comfort.
If you are interested in a fine art lighting system or art gallery lighting, we invite you contact us at 713-863-1133 or us our online request design consultation form.
Since 1980, Illuminations Lighting Deign has grown to include a team of over 50 talented and dedicated employees. Specialty divisions have been created to focus on such disciplines as lighting design, electrical contracting, landscape lighting and home automation. Having specialists in each of these disciplines, while remaining true to the mission of offering home owners the "complete picture" of lighting design, is key to continued success at Illuminations Lighting.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and house lighting plans in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.
Labels: Architectural Lighting Houston Texas, Art Gallery Lighting, Fine Art Lighting Consultants, Houston Fine Art Lighting Experts
Home lighting designers employee of art, math, and hard science to create new, personalized living spaces in custom homes. Energy efficiency is top priority in both the planning and installation of new equipment, and great care is taken from an interior design perspective to make certain that the new light fixtures installed do not cost the homeowner an arm and a leg in electrical expenses. Custom home lighting design is a complimentary aesthetic intended to harmoniously and seamlessly blend into the many facets of daily life and entertainment. Working with a professional team who has been cross-trained in decorative science and licensed in electrical engineering and extensively trained in interior design will ensure the most personalized and custom lighting systems attainable with today’s luminaire technology.
Analysis of energy efficiency
Because energy efficiency constitutes a now global concern in almost every industry, home lighting designers must begin their work with a careful analysis of existing fixtures. Because California has already banned incandescent lighting, homeowners across the nation have already begun retrofitting store-bought fluorescent bulbs to lamps and overhead lights in places like the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. These lights indeed save a great deal of power and last for many years as promised. Many times, though, they do not provide an adequate match to the existing fixtures into which they are installed, and the quality of home decorative lighting may diminish if a proper analysis of the equipment is not conducted by a lighting design professional. By examining what has already been installed in a custom home at the time of build out, and by itemizing any subsequent retrofits, ILD technicians can quickly determine the best course of action for the planning of a new system.
Photometric study of lighting levels
To correctly assess both the efficiency and the quality of home lighting, and to design a superior system in the process, our professionals perform a systematic and photometric analysis of your home’s lighting fixtures using a point-by-point scientific procedure. This is done with a highly sophisticated home lighting design software program that allows us to three-dimensionally render every room in your home and see what it would look like with different fixtures, lamps, and angles of lighting incidence. We can literally make a movie of your own home and take you on a walk through of any number of proposed home theater lighting designs we conceptualize as options for you to consider. This gives you the power to see results prior to spending any money, and to choose the best system for your personal lifestyle and entertainment requirements.
Creating of layered lighting effects
Our Houston lighting designers have earned a reputation for leadership in our industry for our unique ability to combine for home lighting design with home lighting controls. By laying down multiple layers of light, we can any atmosphere in any area of your home. When linked to lighting controls, we can use the same fixtures to program multiple lighting themes that can make the same room look like many different rooms, depending on the activities occurring in that part of your home at the time. These controllable layers of light have a powerful effect on human emotions and can be used to set the tone for family gatherings, home theater, musical appreciation, fine art collecting, displays of collectibles, and parties. With the right combination of home automation services and manual controls, you can have instant, one-touch access to a myriad of colors, brightness levels, and special lighting effects throughout the house.
Installation of fixtures with better glare shielding, reflectors, and lamping technology
When it comes to recessed lighting fixtures themselves, our company is a firm believer in taking a “less is more” approach to the actual number of equipment pieces we install. If you place too many visible light fixtures in a room, you can clutter the interior aesthetic and quickly diminish its ambiance. One of our specialties is to room, to conceal whatever fixtures we install as much as possible, relying on precise, mathematical calculation of optimal lighting angles to get more light out of a single lamp. We use only professional landscape lights that are engineered with the best optics, glare shielding, and lamping technology available from today’s top manufacturers. Our equipment is 100% American-made, factory-grade, and backed up with written warranties from our nation’s leading manufacturers. We aim to give you the best in both design and technology so that reduced power costs and minimized replacements help recover your investment over the years to come.
It starts with a simple phone call
Whether or not we are helping you play or work, every home lighting systems is designed to meet the practical needs and personal tastes of the eclectic custom homeowner. Contact us today and request a complimentary initial consultation to assess your home’s current lighting system and see what design and functional improvements can be made that will improve the practical and aesthetic elements of your home’s interior and save you money over time. Regardless of your needs, we can assist with any Houston home repairs.
Where is your main office located?
We are situated in the heart of Houston just west of Downtown at the corner of Durham Drive and Blossom Street, which is located between Memorial Drive and Washington Avenue in the Rice Military Subdivision. Although we are located in Houston Texas we provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.Call us today at 713-863-1133, visit our lighting blog or request a consultation online using our contact us form.Labels: Home Lighting Design Plans, Houston Fine Art Lighting Experts, Lighting Designers Texas, Texas Residential Lighting Plans
Illuminations Lighting Design is the only “One Stop” destination for lighting design, engineering, landscape lighting services and installation in the state of Texas, and remains unrivaled by any lighting firm in the United States for lighting that is art. As homes grow larger and needs become more complex, having a single resource provides home owners with peace of mind. This translates into a smoother process, reduced costs and a better product.
Like fine wine, Illuminations has matured and become a classic for those clients with a discriminating palate for comfort, mood and ambiance.
Here are just a few testimonials from our growing list of list of satisfied customers:
We have certainly enjoyed working with you and all the wonderful lighting professionals from Illuminations Lighting Design. I just wanted you to know that we get many compliments from our friends and family on both our interior artwork lighting and outdoor tree lighting. Of all the amenities we have added to our home over the years, nothing has been more enjoyable than the lighting. Thank you!
Kyra Janke
Houston, Texas
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The wedding is over and all went very well. All the "older" relatives got here and back to Wisconsin and Michigan safely. Several times when I have been out in the front yard people have stopped and asked who is your outdoor lighting contractor? You may be getting some calls. Everything looks just wonderful! The roses are just breathtaking under the new lighting. I love just walking up to the front door. A lady stopped by just this morning and commented how good it looks at night. Thank you.
Linda Condon
Houston, Texas
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It is unbelievable the difference the new lighting made in our backyard. The tree lights create the perfect glow for the patio and the lights on the sculpture/artwork accent them in ways which allow you to see how truly beautiful they are. The lighting consultant knew exactly what we needed within minutes. And, he was honest in his assessment. He also recommended gas lanterns which they don't even sell, but he knew they would look spectacular. He was right. And, their electrical contracting services for installation was prompt and worry-free.
Steve Weingarten
Houston, TX
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We are really pleased with how (our landscape lighting) all turned out. I have to say that I was told (by others) that I was paying too much, etc. However, you get what you pay for - in both quality of work and the expertise that goes into designing the plan in the first place. Plus, I really appreciated the night-time check to fine-tune the lighting. I was floored with the previous firm didn't do this, leaving it up to us (who had no idea exactly what we could achieve). It's been a pleasure working with a true Houston Texas lighting design and installation company!
Toby
Houston, Texas
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Are you interested in learning more about Illuminations Lighting Design? We have created a simple way for you to communicate with us about your lighting needs and SCHEDULING WORK at your home or office. This simple scheduling form is the perfect way to communicate not only with the scheduling department, but also the manager assigned to your account. All messages are sent to multiple recipients. That way your request will not go unnoticed and will be handled efficiently and promptly!
Not really ready to schedule the work yet? Would you like to first have someone come out and meet with you to discuss your project? No problem, try using our online CONTACT US FORM or REQUEST ASSISTANCE DIRECTORY. These handy online tools allow you to tell us more about your project, attach files or identify an individual responsible for processing your specific request! Our local number is 713-863-1133 and our toll free number is 800-863-1184.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting, electrical service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters, emergency generators, surge protection systems, phone systems and lighting control systems.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and design services in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.
Labels: Commercial Lighting Design, Houston Fine Art Lighting Experts, houston landscape lighting, Lighting Testimonials Houston Electrical Contractor Testimonials, low voltage lighting systems, Tree Lighting
