Astro Lighting at Lighting Majestic

Posted on February 5, 2013 by David

As an ever-expanding lighting retailer, Lighting Majestic is always on the lookout for new, exciting and innovative suppliers to add to our large selection of lighting products. When making the decision to introduce a new range of products we look for many qualities that we consider to be paramount for providing an efficient and satisfying service. Astro Lighting based in Harlow, more than meet these requirements.

Astro Bathroom Downlights

Astro lighting is a renowned supplier of lighting products with a wealth of industry experience and knowledge that specialise in IP rated Bathroom lighting among other forms of commercial and domestic products. Astro has gone from strength to strength since its formation in 1997. They have continued to expand and now boast the largest range of bathroom specific lighting in Europe and as of 2008 have set up shop in a 35,000sqft premises equipped with state of the art product development technology.

Style is also very important to us here at Lighting Majestic and the various ranges available from Astro Lighting are brimming with contemporary flair and subtle sophistication within their large range of bathroom fittings but which also carries across light fittings for all parts of the home, including outdoors.

Astro Park Lane Lamp

The Park Lane range is perhaps the standout, non-bathroom, range of fittings. With a stunning collection of elegant fittings featuring high quality rectangular fabric shades on offer, it’s no small wonder why this range has proven very popular. Wall lights, Table lamps and Floor lamps are all available in a range of desirable finishes and shade options, suitable for both standard incandescent and energy efficient light bulbs.

In the Bathroom department, ranges such as the Dakota, Broni and Taketa more than fulfil the needs of most with their simple and stylish appearance and dependable quality. But when It comes to style for people looking for their lighting to make more of a design statement ranges such as Mashiko and Moza definitely fit the bill.

It’s the stylistic diversity within the stereotypically basic field that is bathroom lighting that has most attracted us here at Lighting Majestic to Astro Lighting products.  We look forward to a long and successful collaboration with this new supplier and to carry on updating our ranges to unsure the customer has plenty of choice no matter what their taste and that when they do come to a decision, the fitting they have is safe, dependable and of course, stylish.

View the entire Astro Lighting range on our new look website at: www.lightingmajestic.com

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Outdoor Lighting Provides The Finishing Touch To Your Garden

Posted on August 13, 2012 by David

Garden Spike Light

Today many home owners are spending an increased amount of time, money and energy on their gardens and outdoor living spaces such as barbeque areas, garden rooms, children’s play areas and even hot tubs with items such as plants, outdoor lighting and garden furniture being snapped up all over the country. It is believed that part of the reason for this is the dreaded recession that has been affecting individuals and families for a number of years now. People are choosing to utilise the areas that they have rather than spending huge amounts of money on expensive holidays and day trips that can break the bank. Spending your money on your home and garden is often seen as an investment as it improves your living area and therefore quality of life, it can also add value to your property if you come to sell it at a later date.

Outdoor Lighting

So once you have managed to get your garden up to scratch, you may start thinking about some outdoor lighting solutions in order to make the most out of the space once the sun has gone down. There are so many options these days when it comes to garden lighting, there is something to suit every style of garden from the smallest modern patio to the large traditional style garden.  Outdoor lighting is essential if you like to enjoy your garden in the evening, whether you’re entertaining friends or family or having a quiet evening relaxing, it’s important to be able to see what you are doing and where you’re going. Lighting is also really great if you want to show off some of your handy garden work, it can be used to highlight your key areas such as water features or special plants and flower, garden spike lights are especially good for this as you can simply stand them in the soil.

 

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Making Good Use Of Picture Lights

Posted on August 7, 2012 by David

Polished Brass Picture Light

If you have a collection of attractive artwork, either photographs or paintings, it is a shame not to be able to enjoy them to their full potential after dark. Picture lights are an excellent way of drawing attention to the pictures on your walls without overwhelming the main lighting scheme, because they cast focussed light down onto the picture that doesn’t encroach too much of the rest of the room’s lighting. The design of these fixtures themselves is usually very understated and simple so that it does not detract too much attention from the actual piece of art, but is simply a way of delivering the light to the intended area of your wall space.

Picture lights can be wired in two different ways. They can either be wired in sequence to a single switch, so that they can all be operated as one, or they can be separately wired with a switch (usually a pull cord or press button) on the actual fitting itself. This latter of these options probably preferable for the collector with many art works they wish to display, as only a few can be lit if otherwise the lights would make the room too bright. An alternative way of using separately switched lights would be to choose a theme or perhaps just one favourite picture and light just that, to make a focal point in the room. Picture lights are normally made in a metal finish, either bronzed, brass or aluminium in either polished or matte. Matte finishes tend to interfere less with a rooms decor, whether they are on or off, but in most cases the choice of finish really depends on your decor and existing light fittings.

Matte Black LED Picture Light

I think we could all agree that when lighting a number of pictures in a room where art or photographs are to be displayed, it’s important that they not only do the art piece proper justice but also match with one another to help uphold an even flow to the rooms design and decorating scheme. Picture lights, although often small compared to more significant room lights can have a great effect on the overall feel of the room, there is definitely something stylish about an understated, yet ornate polished brass fitting in a room dressed with gleaming antique polished wood. There are also many fine antique effect finished display lights to complement classic art pieces. The antique effect doesn’t have to be real; any more than the pictures do to create a lasting impression. Even your old family photos can get a new lease on life and look really special lit to help take you back to the time they were taken. Whether it is holiday snap or a wedding portrait, complementing accent light can really bring a sense of prestige and distinction to your most beloved memories.

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Flemish Style Lighting

Posted on July 12, 2012 by David

Flemish Resin Chandelier

Given the title that they carry it is no small wonder that Flemish style light fittings carry with them a certain charm and sophistication that could of only have been born out of the rich and vastly influential history of Dutch and Belgian design.  This particular brand of architecture dates back to the early 17th century and began with an increase in western European finances. The industry leaders behind this flourishing economy started investing in the local community as well as treating themselves to lavish new dwellings to match their fledgling status. Before long, countryside regions were scattered with affluent, regal statement homes, with designers such as Jacob van Campen making waves. However this progression was halted by the interference of more powerful, outside empires.

Despite the early opposition, Flemish design concepts and motifs from way back at the inception have still found their way into contemporary interior design. As a matter of fact the traditional (some would say medieval) characteristics synonymous with Flemish design are among the most popular and sought after by developers. Creating certain bricking and flooring effects may prove to be a tough task for even a skilled interior designer, but finding a light fitting with all the hallmarks of elegant Flemish design could not be simpler.

Solid Brass Flemish Wall Light

Grand ceiling lights and chandeliers, along with candelabra single, double and triple wall lights are all out there with quite a high visibility, so shouldn’t be too difficult to locate. The added bonus of course with having a range of fitting available in this stunning style is that you can create an even and matching light plan throughout a room or even an entire house. The grandeur this particular style of light fitting would also work wonders in classy establishments such as restaurants and hotels. The range of finishes traditionally used with Flemish style lights quite traditional in nature, with the use of brass, resin and elegant creams most common in the ranges. Many manufacturers even hand paint there Flemish fittings with certain finishes, which can give a light fixture its own unique feel and impact.

Flemish style lights, Flemish chandeliers and other Flemish ceiling lights will always be accredited as being some of the most impressive traditional lights around. You as a consumer cannot go far wrong when creating a lighting plan for your home or business with this timeless design that is both rich in culture and history as well as being aesthetically satisfying.

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Finding The Right Energy Efficient Light Bulb

Posted on June 25, 2012 by David

Despite the near extinction of the old familiar and reliable incandescent lamps since a change in European law, arguments are still rife among both consumers and lighting experts alike. Don’t worry; this article isn’t going to be some kind of long-winded harangue, expressing the personal views of Lighting Majestic on this matter, but rather just some straight forward tips and eye opening advice.

Standard Shape CFL

We would like in particular to concentrate on the brightness of fluorescent lamps compared to incandescent bulbs. This issue after all is without doubt the most disputed, with many people claiming that the newer lights bulbs, though being more energy efficient are just too dull. In some cases this may be the due to the lamp as it has a phosphor coating that purchasers often don’t take into account, and also if lamps have been fitted for a very long time fluorescents and compact fluorescents can lose up to 20% of their effectiveness, despite the boasts of a long life span. But most of the time the dissatisfying element of opting for a more energy efficient lamp comes from not knowing the correct wattage. 
Believe it or not there is even some debate on how to calculate the correct wattage to get the equivalent fluorescent lamp to replace an incandescent lamp. The European commission have stated that to get the correct wattage equivalent you simple divide the incandescent wattage by four to get the compact fluorescent wattage. For example: to match the wattage of a 60 watt incandescent lamp you would use a 15 watt fluorescent lamp.

Spiral CFL

Regardless of the reputable source of this information, expert testing in America has shown that customers looking for the optimum matching lamp should only divide the incandescent wattage by 3. (Meaning to get the same effect as a 60 watt incandescent you should use a 20 watt CFL) This is due to the method used to calculate the wattage of a fluorescent lamp, which is in a laboratory, a neutral environment, and according to newfound research the effect of a change in environment can have an effect on the brightness of a lamp. (Lamps giving out a certain amount of light in a lab may not give out the same in a living room) It is thought that this is due to the temperature at which a fluorescent lamp puts out its maximum light potential, which is 25c, any hotter or colder and the brightness could be affected. This is why to ensure you don’t end up with a duller lamp some say you should opt for the higher wattage fluorescent. But don’t worry, due to large gap in energy use, a higher wattage fluorescent lamp will still be far more energy efficient than an incandescent lamp.  

Incandescent Bulb

Whether you want to believe the EU X4 rule or the American scientist’s X3 rule is entirely up to you. Depending on the space you are working with and your own personal preference of light intensity, it may all come down to some experimentation on your part, but energy efficient light bulbs are here to stay and so shouldn’t be written off, especially with the decrease in availability and increase in cost of incandescent lamps becoming more and more noticeable.

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