September 1st, 2010  Posted at   Uncategorized

Outdoor string lights are now widely used in many residential and commercial settings. The use of string lights has already come a long way since they were first introduced. Before, they were only used as festive lighting, but today, these lights now have plenty of functional uses. They can be utilized as appealing garden accents, home decorative elements, or typical lighting decoration.

Most string lights are encased in a resilient plastic covering with electrical wirings. They come with a series of bulbs that are available in all sorts of shapes, forms, and sizes. The bulbs used in string lights may come with one neutral color but there are also models that feature assorted colored bulbs.

If you are looking to purchase string lights for your outdoor area, here are some tips that you should keep in mind.

First and foremost, it is vital that you figure out what particular type of string lights to settle for. You should know that string lights are sold in an array of types and models. Each type varies greatly in size, design, style, and features. For instance, if you intend to illuminate your patio, then the patio string lights is the best option for you. Meanwhile, if you are looking for a more cost efficient option, then the solar string lights are the ideal choice. On the other hand, those who want extremely bright outdoor lighting must check out the string lights that use LED bulbs. They are more energy efficient as compared to models that utilize incandescent bulbs. And most importantly, they offer brighter lights.

Apart from the type, you also have to consider how much illumination you really need. Do you plan to only illuminate a certain portion of your garden or you wish to brighten up the entire area. You have to determine your lighting needs before you start shopping for one to ascertain that you will be able to effectively light up your outdoor area.

Finally, you have to take note of your budget. Shop around and check out different brands as well as models of string lights to aid you in finding one that will seamlessly match your lighting requirements without breaking the bank. Though outdoor string lights are relatively cheap to purchase, they still come with varying prices. Therefore, you should choose one that falls within your desired price range.

August 26th, 2010  Posted at   Uncategorized

I don’t know about you, but somehow lighting fixtures and bulbs are something I always forget about when I go shopping. You know how it is, it’s those things that you don’t really thing about that seem to slip your mind, even though they might be something important. Since the dead lightbulbs are something I only notice when I look up, I don’t remember to get replacements. And the fact that we really need a good outdoor lighting fixture on the patio in the back is something that just doesn’t enter my mind when I’m at the mall.

That’s why it’s great to be able to order these things online. One of my favorite stores to shop in online is the Lighting Universe. It’s a really great option because they seriously have everything related to lighting that you could possibly want to buy. Hence the name, I suppose.

For example, my husband has really gotten into LED GU10 bulbs recently. Saving the environment and lowering our monthly expenses have always been two of his top priorities, and he always gets excited when the two of them can go hand in hand. So he’s been bugging me to go pick some up.

At the same time, there’s that fixture for the patio that I mentioned before that really needs to be gotten. And if I would actually go to a store, I know that once I found something that I liked I would be uncertain if the size that it came in was what we needed, and I would just end up going home without buying anything at all. So I find it to be really useful to be able to run out back with a tape measure while I’m in the middle of ordering and confirm on the size.

And the best thing about shopping online at the Lighting Universe is that they have everything. Bulbs of every shape, type, and wattage, and light fixtures for every part of your home, inside or out.

August 26th, 2010  Posted at   Uncategorized

Solar power patio lights are the in thing now because of their convenience and cheap price. Although solar powered lamps have been available for a long time, they were not too popular because they were large and ungainly due to the size of their batteries, or they did not last for too long. Now with advancements in LED technology, it is possible to have a small solar powered lamp that will burn for 6 to 8 hours.

Solar patio lights are probably the way to go unless you live in an area where the sunlight is very low, or there is some other reason why solar power will not work. These lamps have a small panel of solar cells on top of each individual unit which is connected to a battery. The solar cells charge the battery during the day so that they will be powered up for the night. Some of these lights will have to be switched on manually, while others give the option of coming on automatically when the amount of sunlight goes below a preset threshold.

There are also various different designs that solar patio lights come in, with the more elaborately designed ones having their panel of solar cells off to one side for the sake of aesthetics. They come in sets or as stand alone units that can be purchased separately, and come in traditional lantern shaped lights or more new age funky looking ones. You even get a solar powered garden rope which can be twisted into any shape and made to glow very much like neon lights. These are especially good to set up the boundaries of your patio with.

Checking online is a good option because you will find products on sale that you will not find in your local store. These online stores also offer free shipping with some of them offering up to 25% off on their store bought prices. Buying from a reputed site will negate any chances of you being shortchanged in the deal and considering that most of the lights start off at around the $20 to $25 mark you can get much more than if you went to buy at your local store. Just beware of sites that link you directly to suppliers in other parts of the world since shipping might be a problem.