Need Lamps To Decor Your Home?

Decorating your home with lamps is a great way to highlight furniture pieces and augment a particular theme you are trying to create. Lamps can give your home the soft light it needs to establish a cozy feeling within every room. Finding the right lighting manufacturer is always important, when it comes to redecorating your interior environment. Many homeowners purchase illumination lamp fixtures that do not live up to the hype. From lamps to chandeliers, the perfect choice for your illumination needs combines the top line illumination fixtures from well-known manufacturers, including lamps, wall sconces, cabinet lights, and much more! We know the science of light, and how it interacts with the environment to produce a certain effect. Our lighting experts can assist you with questions regarding what type of fixture to purchase, and where to place the item to give your space the desired effect. We offer a variety of beautiful floor lamps that can accent any room within your home. Our floor lamps come in many styles and a variety of finishes to accommodate your specific requirements. These illumination fixtures can be set up around furniture pieces to bring out particular colors or add a soft touch of light over work areas, such as in offices or reading cubes. Wall lamps can further accentuate that soft, gentle feel throughout your abode. These fixtures are attached directly to the wall and give your space a designer look. Spaces, which require limited illumination or have a small coverage area, are the perfect locations to install these devices. RLLD has many different kinds of wall fixtures to choose from, all which will give your home the beautiful illumination needed to foster a cozy living space. We offer a swing arm version, which eliminates the need of having to use a table or take up unnecessary floor space. Homeowners can adjust these types of lamps, so that the illumination is focused over a particular area. People, who read in bed, may definitely want to consider purchasing one of these fantastic products for their late night story indulgence. Many wall fixtures are installed at eye-level and produce a more dramatic effect than regular ceiling lights. Dr and function intermix in harmony, whenever these light fixtures are implemented into the larger theme of your home. Swing arm versions are also available for floor lamps. RLLD has swing arm floor fixtures, which can be adjusted to your favorite chair or sitting space. Contemporary, traditional, Roman, and bamboo are just a few of the styles we offer in this category. No theme could be complete without the addition of a few wall sconces. Wall sconces are perfect for uplighting stairs and hallways, giving your home a soft touch of illumination. Our wall sconces come in many styles, and some even give your home an archaic feel of Old World beauty. Wall sconces add a touch of elegance into your illumination dr package, while dispelling a calming radiance throughout your home. Lamps give your home functional illumination needed to perform certain tasks. They also can accentuate specific objects in the environment and bring out a variety of colors to feed into a creative dr theme. Let your home flourish under the supple illumination of lamps. About the author To learn more visit our http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/residential_lighting.htm lamps section or read more about http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/lamp.htm lamps.

Lighting Home Improvements

The lighting in your home not only adds brightness, but it adds value to it as well. When you typically think about home improvement lighting, your thoughts might turn to exterior security lights, but it improving your home with light can mean so much more. Even outdoor landscape lighting adds to your overall home value. Any residential lighting fixture that is installed inside your home has the potential to raise the worth of the house. Many believe that this only applies to counter tops and cabinetry, but it also means adding home improvement lighting. A good rule of thumb to follow is that any fixture which you install in your home for its betterment will be an investment. If you decide to sell your residence in the future, your home will net you more income than an identical home without specialty home improvement lighting fixtures. Think about when you were last visiting open houses. The homes that had special lights such as chandeliers lights or pendant lighting fixtures both were more interesting to look at, even unfurnished, and cost more, than those homes with simple ceiling lights. Using cues from the home sellers and builders, you can greatly beautify the interior of your abode with just the simple investment of a weekend's worth of time and a bit of patience in order to install some lighting for home improvement. Even if you are not planning on selling your estate anytime soon, do not forget that your home is your castle, and it will be beneficial to you to have the most comfortable and visually aesthetic living space possible. Having the right specialty lights and lighting fixtures can make all the difference in the atmosphere of your home. Improvement to home lighting creates an oasis from the harsh glare of commercial florescent lights. You can change the tone of any room by adding in LED accent lighting. The color of some of these models can be changed via a remote control so that you can match the room to your mood. Another way to artfully accent a room is to use track lighting kits. These allow you to spotlight certain areas. For a dramatic flair, you could direct the beams upward to paint shadows on the wall and ceiling. Even simply updating the original fixtures is an improvement to home lighting. If your lights were the same that the home builders installed, it is probably time to change them out. This will save you money since newer light fixtures can often be equipped with more energy efficient light bulbs, like our LED track lighting. The benefit of LED or even fluorescent ceiling lights are their longevity. They use much less energy than incandescent bulbs, and in many cases have a more modern flair to their styling. If you are doing home lighitng improvements, you will likely want to consider replacing your incandescent bulbs with more energy efficient fluorescent bulbs whenever possible. The savings on your monthly electric bill will quickly add up to a substantial sum. Creating the perfect illumination theme for your home environment requires the right type of lighting fixtures. Combining living room light fixtures with home automation dimmers is another way to project a particular mood or theme. Dimmers can set light tone within a room and enhance mood lighting by the simple touch of a button. About the author To learn more visit our http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/residential_lighting.htm lighting home improvement section or read more about http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/lighting-home-improvements.htm lighting home improvements.

Living Room Lighting Fixtures

The living room serves as a hub for home activities, and it is usually the main visitation room when guests come. Living room lighting requires layers of illumination to be truly effective and careful attention to walls, decorations, adjacent furnishings, and congruence with interior design. This is not as daunting a task as it sounds. If one breaks down lighting the living room into simple matters of luminance level, color, and distribution, then choosing the appropriate fixture and knowing where to position it follows naturally almost as a logical matter of course. Furniture, bookshelves, and even fine art take on an entirely new dimension with RLLD living room lights, and with the help of our specialists, even the first time installer can learn how to combine direct and indirect light levels, eliminate pockets of shadow, and canvas the room in light without creating reflective glare off surfaces in the interiors of windows. Compact Fluorescent Living Room Lights Compact fluorescents are ideal for functional lighting in living rooms of any size. Their power energy efficiency is second only to LED, and new ballasting technology now makes it possible to install them on dimmer switches. Our fluorescent compacts feature geometric shapes of all kinds to counterbalance curvature of furniture and angle of the room. They are ideal for the avant-garde and eclectic in taste. Contemporary Living Room Lighting Contemporary styles also speak to the bold, the innovative, and the trendy living room lighting designer. This section of our inventory alone has over 400 fixtures from which to choose0and it is still growing. Contemporary living room lighting offers controlled, dimmable lighting, glare free task lighting, and even decorative colored lighting to match any interior design theme conceivable. Craftsman and Mission Living Room Fixtures The Craftsman and Mission style of decorating is currently one of the most popular styles in interior design and lighting. Living rooms decorated in the mission style can now look more enriched and complete with RLLD Craftsman & Mission styled lighting fixtures. Homeowners and professional designers can find a wide of selections ranging from an organic appearance to bolder brass and satin nickel finishes. Crystal Living Room Lighting Crystal lighting in a living room lends a sense of sophistication, classicism, and refinement to the atmosphere of the entire home. Not only do the fixtures themselves appear more ornamental and skillfully wrought, but the quality of light produced by crystal has a much more unique and vibrant quality to it as well. Crystal can refract light like a prism, casting it simultaneously in all directions at once. Our crystal living room lights feature hand craftsmanship that equals that of chandeliers, and clients looking to mount a pendant or chandelier as a centerpiece light in the living room may therefore want to consider decorating with a primarily crystal theme. Iron & Rustic Lighting Room Lights Rustic interior decorum can best be complimented with a variety of iron and rustic fixtures found in this section of our online inventory. For smaller living rooms, consider hand-made, single light sconces to go along the walls. Light bars are another hot item to be found in this section. Hanging suspended from the ceiling, they make excellent keynotes above doorways leading to hallways and kitchens. They also make excellent task lights for living rooms that connect to a staircase and require additional light for safety. Colored lights for the living room abound in this section as well; so decorators looking to add a frontier or colonial look to the environment have much to choose from in this category. Traditional Living Room Lighting Fixtures Homeowners looking to maintain a sense of unchanging value can do so with styles that range from the Spartan to the ornate. Our wall sconces in this category bear particular scrutiny as pieces the offer a decorative blend to virtually any form of furniture and wall decoration. We even have living room wall lights shaped like lamps to compliment floor and desk lamps placed in corners or on tables in the room. Transitional Living Room Lighting As the name suggests, transitional living room lighting represents the 0middle ground0 between classic and contemporary styles. For homes with unique floor plans, this often proves to be a preferred style because it brings tradition to the table reminiscent of larger custom homes and simultaneously adds elements of the innovative and futuristic. In this section, find up lights and down lights in fine glasswork fixtures that create unique and varied patterns of lighting along walls, eclectic 3-D art, and modern furniture. About the author To learn more visit our http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/residential_lighting.htm living room lighting fixtures section or read more about http://www.residential-landscape-lighting-design.com/living-room-lighting-fixtures.htm living room lighting fixtures.

Rio Cultural Centers: Flamengo Options

Thinking about renting an apartment in Flamengo? Excellent idea! Flamengo has become an increasingly sought-out neighborhood in Rio for several reasons, including its art deco architecture buildings, famous bars like Belmonte and ultimately its cultural centers and museums. Until the 1950s, Flamengo and Catete were the principal residential zones of Rio's wealthier middle class and that may be the reason why some of many embassies (today consulates) were established here.Nowadays, Flamengo is a vibrant middle-class residential neighborhood, with much charm and culture to be had. In this article we will describe some of the cultural centers and museums established in the Flamengo district including the Modern Art Museum, Oi Futuro Cultural Center, and the Catete Palace. The best thing is that most of these marvels are free.Our first stop is the city ´s Modern Art Museum. It has a privileged location on Flamengo Park alongside Guanabara Bay, with the landscaping designs of Burle Marx. The Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro started its construction in 1954, and is perhaps architect Affonso Eduardo Reidy´s most striking design: rows of angled concrete ribs support and enclose the gallery space. Inaugurated in 1958, the Modern Art Museum has a very unusual history; after a tragic fire in 1978 burned most of its collection, and damaged the structure of the building, a tremendous reconstruction effort put the museum back on its feet, and today the permanent collection has over 2,000 pieces by Brazilian and international artists. A major contribution was made by art patron Gilberto Chateubriand, with a private collection of 4,000 pieces. It is also under the care of MAM, and can be seen in the permanent exhibition. An interesting program of art shows and exhibitions keep the museum as an excellent attraction throughout the year. An impressive collection of the works of Picasso, Max Ernst, Rodin, Brancusi and other artists from Brazil and elsewhere is housed in this concrete and glass building in Flamengo Park.Another major attraction of the Museum of Modern Art is the film collection ("Cinemateca do MAM"), one of the best in Latin America, with over 12,000 titles including some rarities. There are sessions and festivals open for the general public, with Brazilian and foreign cult movies that are not normally shown on the commercial circuit. Art workshops are held at the Oficina da Gravura. Additional Information on the Modern Art Museum in Rio: Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Av. Infante Dom Henrique, 85 - Flamengo Park.Our next Cultural Center for Flamengo is OI FUTURO, located at Rua Dois de Dezembro, 66. The Center is maintained and supported by major telecom player in Brazil: OI and has been receiving since its founding grants from several foundations to enhance its cultural assets and infrastructure. OI FUTURO is housed in a building that was built in 1918 and has just been remodeled, resulting in a gain of over two thousand square meters of internal space. The building's façade was preserved. There are four floors, interposed among the building's eight levels, connected by glass stairways and elevators. Each floor presents different exhibits throughout the month. OI FUTURO's varied program includes activities related to music, videos and plastic arts. Visitors will also find an up-to-date library with an abundance of research material: magazines, newspapers and on-line computers as well as exhibition rooms. A full multi-use theater with 180 seats presents regular plays every week, at popular prices. A very charming Wi-Fi connected bistro is located at the upper floor of the Cultural Center, which leads to the terrace of the building. From the terrace, you can even see part of the Flamengo beach and Guanabara Bay. You can check OI FUTURO ´s monthly cultural program and schedule in English at http://www.oifuturo.org.br/oifuturo.htm#/en/Additional Information on the OI Futuro Cutural Center: Open Hours: Tues-Sun. 11am-8pm; Address: Rua Dois de Dezembro, 63 - Flamengo, Phone:(21)3131-3060. Free Admission for several exhibits, with the exception of theater plays.Our last stop is the Catete Palace. The Catete Palace - seat of Brazil's Republican Government from 1897 to 1960 and scene of activities of eighteen Presidents - has seen some of the most important events in Brazil's political life, including the Declaration of Brazil's entry into World Wars I and II and the suicide of President Getúlio Vargas in 1954. Transformed into a museum when Brasília became the nation's capital in 1960, and closed for restoration from 1983 through 1989, the Republic Museum reopened with a broad-ranging cultural program that includes exhibitions, concerts, plays, movies, videos, boutiques, restaurants and a book-store.The gardens of the Museum acquired new lighting, with the replacement of 71 forged iron posts - in the eclectic style - for other posts with contemporaneous designs made of steel. Today, on the ground floor, the Entrance Hall and the Ministerial Room still retain the solemn atmosphere of capital meetings and decisions regarding the nation's destiny. Two long-standing exhibits present historical information about the first occupant of the Palace and his descendents and about the inauguration of the Republic Museum. The remaining rooms hold temporary exhibits that represent varied aspects of Republican Brazil.On the second floor, known as the "noble floor", luxury and thematic diversity stand out. The Chapel room and the Blue, Noble, Pompeian, Venetian, Moorish and Banquette rooms show off their vintage Brazilian and French furniture, paintings from artists such as Baptista da Costa, Gustavo dall'Ara, Décio Vilares, Rodolfo Amoedo, Henrique Bernardelli, besides sculptures, chandeliers and porcelain from the 19th and 20th Centuries. The third floor highlights the reconstruction of President Getúlio Vargas' room. The remaining rooms are devoted to the display of objects, text documents and photographs from the Republic Museum's own collection. The complex also hosts one of my favorite movie theaters in town. The theater is especially known for its art movies and is named "Cinema Museu da República". You can check the theater's schedule in any newspaper in town.Additional Information on the Catete Palace: Open Hours:Tues-Thurs-Fri, noon-5pm Wed, 2pm-5pm- Sat-Sun-Holidays, 2pm-6pm. Free admission Sundays and Wednesday to the Catete Museum. Address: Rua do Catete, 153 - Catete. Phone: (21) 3235-2650 The park in the Catete Palace is opened for visits until 10 p.m.We described in this article only some of Flamengo´s cultural centers and museums. There are many other Cultural Centers all within the Flamengo district boundaries, with many art exhibits and public libraries. We also suggest and appoint the following:Figner Mansion Arte SESC CulturalJulieta de Serpa House of and CultureCultural Center Oduvaldo Viana FilhoCarmen Miranda MuseumTelephone MuseumAs we mentioned before, most of these Cultural Centers have free admittance. Other positive aspects of these cultural centers we described above, is that they are very modern and underwent major renovation efforts. If you have cultural interests, consider settling in Flamengo neighborhood on your next trip to Rio. We are sure this district hosts one of the liveliest cultural scenarios in town.--- Andre Skowronski is the managing partner of Belavista-Rio Rentals, a vacation rentals agency based in Rio de Janeiro. Andre works directly with tourists to find their dream apartments in Rio. Please visit Belavista-Rio0s website and find a full list of apartments in the best neighborhoods of Rio such as Ipanema, Copacabana, Leblon, Flamengo, Lagoa and Barra da Tijuca.

New wineries and lodging attract visitors to Temecula

While the 23 wineries of the Temecula Valley are a fraction of what you might find in ever-popular Napa - with at last count, something like 300 local wineries - Temecula's wine-tasting experience is getting high marks from travelers who have happened on this scenic valley almost by accident.Located just off the well-traveled Interstate 15, between Temecula vineyardRiverside and San Diego, the gently rolling hills and scenic vineyards of the Temecula wineries now are becoming a destination in their own right. Not just a gimmick to boost local tourism, the wineries of Temecula make good wine - and presumably good money - turning the fruit of the Valley into wines that are satisfying even the most sophisticated palates.New wineries are coming on board every year, according to Linda Kissam, executive director of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. Big resorts are opening, too, such as the South Coast Winery's new Resort and Spa that was estimated to cost $20 million but cost well over that. Not to worry - the resort already is on its way to paying off that investment with its 76 villas booked solid on weekends even before the resort was completely finished."The whole goal here," says Mark Zovic, South Coast's general manager, "is for Temecula wineries to be taken seriously." With many more visitors every year making Temecula part of their Southern California vacation plans, it seems like the area is now being taken plenty seriously.Zovic compares Temecula wineries to the Napa Valley of 20 years ago when its tourism infrastructure was catching up with the growing popularity of the region. But one of the local winemakers pointed out there is a big difference - many of Temecula's wines are already considered competitive with Napa and certainly not 20 years behind in the attainment of overall quality.One vintner who feels pretty good about the quality of his Palumbowines is Nick Palumbo, a 38-year-old grape grower who just two years ago opened his own winery, Palumbo Family Vineyards and Winery. Picture a 20-year-old rambler farmhouse set on 12 acres of vineyards and you see that the emphasis in this business is on family. The oak barrels containing the 1,500 cases of wine he produces each year are piled high in what was once Palumbo's three-car garage.Palumbo grows the grapes and "drives the tractor every day" up and down his vineyard rows to make sure the four varieties of grapes he is using will be the quality needed for his special wines. He's an example of what you'll find elsewhere in Temecula - a vintner who is willing to stand there a few minutes and tell you how it's done. That's another difference from Napa, the locals say: almost all of the Temecula wineries are family-owned."If I didn't have control of the vineyards," Palumbo says, "I wouldn't have control of the quality."Palumbo says the reason his mom-and-pop operation can produce wine commanding the highest prices of all Temecula wineries is "I can do a lot more tricks than the other guys can." For example, he can split his lots and make a big difference in taste by using different yeast in each lot and then blending the two together.Over at Ponte Family Estate Winery, the emphasis is a little different, according to owner Roberto Ponte. "I was confused before," Ponte explains. "I thought it was all about the wine."The people who visit his winery, Ponte says, are interested Pontein a getaway experience, and wine just happens to be part of that. Beginning with a concept of "a day in the country," Ponte set about to create a kind of mini-theme park all built around his winery and surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards. Opening in the summer of 2003, Ponte Family Estate Winery offers one of the Valley's largest tasting rooms and a gift shop - similar to what you find in Napa - and also serves gourmet California cuisine in the popular Smokehouse Café.Visitors are encouraged to stroll the grounds of the winery where they will find park-like pathways and exhilarating vineyard views in addition to the many features of the winery such as the giant stainless steel containers, the wine storage area ("where the wine sleeps," Ponte says) and other buildings and processes related to winemaking. The setting is popular with couples who choose the winery for a wedding backdrop, and Ponte has a large event tent used for meetings and parties.With the exception of the new South Coast villas, most of the accommodations near Temecular wineries are bed-and-breakfasts or small inns, and there aren't many of them. That's one reason that Luis and Sherry DiBernardo are enjoying early success with their new bed-and-breakfast inn, the Castle. The Castle was built three years ago but one wing was left unfinished in case they wanted to become innkeepers. In January of this year, they did just that.Guests can roam throughout their landscaped grounds to Dibernardosenjoy the countryside views that begin with the swimming pool and groves of olive trees right on the property. The Castle itself is not just a name - the European décor and furnishings, the high ceilings and chandeliers all add to the medieval feeling. One end of the Great Room has a stone wall and long breakfast table befitting King Arthur. Medieval paintings cover another wall. The four guestrooms also share in this motif to one extent or another, and most include Jacuzzi tubs.For the DiBernardos, Temecula's burgeoning wine industry and the wide open spaces were enough to lure them from the San Fernando Valley, where Louis had been involved for many years in investment banking. The couple bought the property because they loved the 'crickets, frogs and stars in the sky' and now it's like getting paid to have a party every weekend."Visitors to Temecula wineries will find they can reasonably visit between four and six wineries in a day - most of the wineries are clustered in an area along Rancho California Road. But wineries are not the only attraction in town - the city's Historic Oldtown is a popular day trip for people from surrounding communities. A number of historical buildings are highlighted in a walking tour of the area, and there are many festivals held throughout the year to bring attention to the area.If shopping is your thing, about 15 miles north on Interstate 15 is the Lake Elsinore Outlet Mall, which includes dozens of outlet stores, each offering discount prices on brand name merchandise.There are seven championship golf courses in the area, as well as lakes for fishing. And, if you want to try something totally unique, local hot air balloon companies will give you an angle on the valley you won't get from anywhere else - a dreamy view from hundreds of feet above the gorgeous Temecula Valley Wine Country.AT A GLANCEWHERE: Temecula is located on Interstate 15, about half way between San Diego and Riverside. The Temecula Valley Wine Country is located to the east of the Valley where the rolling hills are scenic and the sun shines most of the time. Temecula is easily included in any Southern California vacation itinerary.WHAT: Temecula wineries have become a popular day trip for Southern Californians, but now is beginning to become a destination resort area with several new accommodations being built in the past couple of years. With many lodging rates in Temecula still reasonable, those looking for cheap vacations need look no further. It's an easy, no-muss, no-fuss way to visit California wineries.WHEN: Any time of year. California wineries generally harvest August to September and you can see more of the grape and wine production activities at that time. Temperatures are best in the winter months. Weekends are quite busy, so weekdays are highly recommended. If you go on a weekend, visit the most popular tasting rooms in the morning, about 10 a.m. when they open. If you're booking one of the local inns and resorts, be sure to ask about travel deals and vacation packages. Sometimes last minute travel deals are available.WHY: Temecula is a good place to visit California wineries and be able to talk one-on-one with vintners and see how they make wine. And, like other wine-growing regions, it's very scenic.HOW: For more information on Temecula wineries and accommodations, contact the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association at (800) 801-WINE or visit www.temeculawines.org.---Cary Ordway is president of Getaway Media Corp which publishes websites focused on regional travel. Among the sites offered by GMC are http://www.californiaweekend.com, focused on California beach vacations and other getaways, and http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com, which covers Pacific Northwest travel.