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My Expert Guide to Install the Perfect Lighting

We all want to look and feel good in our home. Lighting is one of the critical ingredients to accomplish this. Here are my top 5 tips for creating a happy, well-lit home: 1. LIGHT ALL FOUR CORNERS OF A ROOM Unlit corners throw shadows, making for dead spots, so make sure that your lighting, whether from ceiling lights or lamps are balanced throughout the room and that you put everything on dimmers. With dimmers, you can control the lighting and overall feel of the room based on your mood. 2. PLACEMENT IS EVERYTHING People frequently ask me for advice about what height to hang fixtures. Though nothing is written in stone and each individual situation may require a specific solution, here are my best guidelines: Over a kitchen counter: 36" off of the counter Over a dining table: 34" off of the table. This height creates an intimate feeling while giving enough room for a centerpiece on the table. In a hallway or room: 7ft from the floor to the bottom fixture. This gives enough height for most people to be comfortable while being able to see the fixture and have it relate to the rest of the space. Bedroom lighting: If the fixture is over the bed, 7 1/2ft off of the floor to the bottom of the fixture. Wall Sconce: 66" off the floor to the center of the light 3. GO BIG I'm always looking to create drama and give a sense of thoughtfulness and importance to a room, so I love to use a large fixture...even in a small space. Don't be shy about this, the bigger, the better! 4. MAKE YOUR BATHROOM SHINE Multi-directional lighting when lighting the ever-important bathroom. It's only by lighting from different sources that you can prevent the shadows that interfere with getting your make-up...or shaving...just right! 5. PAIR IT UP Create an unexpected look by using multiple fixtures down a hall, over a dining room table or combined as a cluster. Multiple lights make a statement... and can balance the light in a room. I've been designing custom lighting for my clients for many years and I'm thrilled to launch my very first lighting collection! My fashion-inspired collection features chandeliers, pendants and sconces with impeccable attention to detail. You can see them in person at the Niermann Weeks showroom at the New York Design Center, Suite 903 and also check them out on my website.

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#ROBINISM

Light all four corners of a room. A well-lit room feels happier!

Evenly distributed light means fewer dark corners and shadows in the room.