<![CDATA[Coronet Lighting Blog]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 23:28:22 +0000 en hourly 1 <![CDATA[Our Range of Wall Lighting]]> Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:15:00 +0000 We love our range of wall lighting – which is obviously why we sell it. But we figured amongst all this inspiration and tutorials of the last few weeks, we haven’t been giving enough credit to the great range of lights we sell, and what better place to start than with our huge range of wall lights.
Wall lights may have gone a little out of fashion, with many plumping for statement pendant lighting or table lamps – but we think wall lights still have plenty to offer. The lighting from a wall light can be great for ambient lighting effects – giving a mid range of light that tends to be a little more forgiving than your usual downlighting. It’s a great way to illuminate and add drama to room, with wall lights and sconces making a great partner for large-scale pictures. Check out our personal favourites from our selection of wall lighting, and get inspired to create a lighting scheme that really reflects your style and home.


Up first is the Jasmine2-light fitting from Firstlight. Featuring some stunning glass shades, we love how delicate this light is, whilst still retaining a sense of urban sophistication. A great combination of the traditional and contemporary, this would be just as at home in a sleek living room as it would in a romantic bedroom.


Looking for a bit of directional lighting in your bathroom? This G9 Lamp by Aurora would make the perfect accent light doubled up near a bathroom mirror, providing directional light with a simple and contemporary edge. Alternatively, try in a sleek kitchen paired with light wood for a modern take on Scandinavian style. 

This tubular G9 light fromAurora would work perfectly over a bathroom mirror, and with it’s sleek design sensibilities, there’s something thoroughly modern about this simplistic fitting.

Ideal in a more traditional living room or office, this Santana double wall light from Firstlight is simple, without compromising on style. We love the pull cord feature, which adds to the period detailing on the arms. But don’t feel limited – this light could work equally well in a modern retro setting, with a distinct enough style to hold it’s own amongst a mish mash of period fittings.

It’s not just the sophisticated styling of this Diamond wall light by Firstlight that we love – it’s also the fact it comes as part of a range, allowing you to coordinate your lighting scheme in every room. It’s bold sculptural features also allow it to be a standout feature of your wall – try using in the bedroom or hallway for a stunning effect. 
]]> <![CDATA[How to Wire a Home Plug Socket]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:30:05 +0000 We’ve given you a quick tutorial on how to wire a light switch, so we figured we’d follow up with a little run through on how to wire a home plug socket. Like the light switch, it’s not hard to wire a home plug socket, but like the light switch, it’s always important to be careful when dealing with plug sockets. Home electrics aren’t a minefield to fit, providing you know what you are doing and feel confident. Keep reading for our step-by-step instructions to wiring a home plug socket.

As a side note before starting, be sure to follow our safety instructions, and of course if in doubt, consult a qualified electrician.

Top tips before you start:
Ensure the electricity supply is cut off and isolated.
Make sure you have all appropriate safety equipment
There are some rooms where you will need a qualified electrician to replace sockets – these include the bathroom, kitchen and utility room. Ask your local building officer for advice of other special rooms.
Be sure to leave extra recessed space if you are using a flush fitting or flat plate socket. They are a little trickier to fit than standard raised socket fittings. 
What you’ll need:
Socket back box and faceplate
Cold chisel
Plaster Filler
Hammer
Hammer drill with masonry bit (12-18mm)
Electrical screwdriver
Pliers
Wire Strippers
Tape
Gloves
Goggles
Pencil
Spirit Level

It’ll take you about one to two hours to fit a new plug socket.
Step One: Unscrewing the old socket
Isolate the power supply and check there is no live current running through the socket with a voltage tester. Using the electrical screwdriver, unscrew the fittings on the faceplate. Make a note using tape and a pencil of the wire connections – there will be wires running to the earth, neutral and live terminals on the socket. Take the back box away from the wall by unscrewing the fittings.
Step Two: Tracing the New Face Plate (Optional for double plug sockets replacing single plug socket)
If you are replacing a single socket with a double socket plate, you’ll need to trace the new faceplate. Using the double back box, place it on the wall over the top of the existing hole. You can use a spirit level to make sure it’s straight. Once it looks straight, take your pencil and trace around the edge.

Step Three: Enlarging the hole (Optional for double plug sockets replacing single plug socket)
You’ll need to make a bigger hole to fit the double plug socket, so using the trace as your guide, make a series of evenly and closely spaced holes with the drill and masonry bit. Once your holes are drilled around the edge, use a cold chisel and hammer to knock out the rest of the masonary, creating a hole that will fit the socket neatly. Check by using the new back box to see if it fits – and if you are using plasterboard, use a plasterboard saw to enlarge the hole.
Step Four: Threading the Wiring
Next you’ll need to connect the wiring by threading it into the box. There will be round inlet holes in your connection box, you need to tap these out and thread the wiring through. Once threaded, be sure to fit rubber grommets, which will protect the wires. Mark the fixing holes, drill and plug and you’ll then be able to screw the back box into place.

Step Five: Connecting the Wires
Once the back box is threaded and secured in place, you need to fit the wires to the terminals. Twist the wires together, and then connect to their corresponding terminal. This is where marking the wires comes in handy – it’s a case of like for like. Push each wire into it’s corresponding terminal, screw tightly into place with an electrical screwdriver. Check for damaged wire ends, and if you find any, use the wire strippers to remove around 2cm/20mm of sheathing. You’ll have enough bare wire to fold back on itself, and using the pliers, pinch it together. Twist and screw, as above, making sure you screw tightly at the terminal.  
Step Six: Fitting the faceplate
Now your wires are connected, it’s time to put the faceplate back on. Push the plate against the box, ensuring none of the wires are obstructing anything, caught or stretched. Then it’s a case of screwing the faceplate back on using the two long screws, which you’ll find clipped to the inside.

Step Seven: Finish Off!
All you have to do now is fill in any cracks or holes with some filler and paint over. If it all looks neat, turn on the power supply and check to see if the socket functions. If it doesn’t, turn off the supply, check the wiring again for loose terminal screws. If you can’t find anything wrong, call in an electrician. 


And there you have it. Seven steps to a successfully fitted plug socket. Be sure to check out our amazing range of plug sockets, which will help you add the perfect finishing touch to any room. 
]]> <![CDATA[Spot Lighting Inspiration]]> Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:41:29 +0000

Spotlights are one of those strange beings in the world of home lighting – at first glance, they are kind of boring; often overlooked or dismissed as purpose lighting and nothing more. But we’ve found some of the most successful lighting schemes and effects have always been based around clever use of spot lighting and spotlights. With this in mind, we figured it was high time for a reappraisal of the humble spot light.




Spotlights fall under the ‘task lighting’ category, allowing you to illuminate specific aspects of your home. Whereas your normal pendant light or ceiling light casts your whole room in a golden glow, spotlights tend to give out more focused light. This has perhaps rightly given spot lighting a bit of a reputation as a practical light fitting, something that sits in the background rather than hogging centre stage. It certainly explains why so many spotlights are limited to the kitchen or bathroom, areas which demand hard working light fittings without any need for fuss or frivolity.

But take a look at some of our favourite spotlight schemes below, and you’ll see that spotlights can create a fantastic feature, regardless of the room. As a side note as well, you’ll find spotlights one of the most creative lights to work with, mainly because they can slide into any scheme, regardless of period or style.

In the room above, spotlights are deservedly in the spotlight thanks to a clever use of recessed lighting. Individual spot lights are concealed by an additional wood panel, creating a line of light that accentuates the open space. A great transferrable idea for loft spaces and open plan living areas.



You can really go to town with spotlights that accentuate your prized possessions and art. Spotlights are used in both recessed walls and above to create a double highlight effect, allowing an area that is often overlooked - the hallway - to suddenly become a high impact space in it's own right. 





Speaking of stairs, you can also use spotlights at a lower level to highlight your stairway. A great idea for solid wood or concrete stairs, or in the case above, on a set of seagrass matted stairs. We love the alternating sides of the spot lighting, creating a stunning effect that is as practical as it is beautiful. 



Playing up your finest features are the natural domain of spotlights - but don't be fooled into thinking they only work in large areas. In this relatively small living room, the spotlights sunken into a recessed statement wall not only show off the colour, but add extra light into the room, making it appear infinitely more spacious. 



Of course, the kitchen is a natural fit for clever spot lighting, combining a dual purpose of highlighting your best features as well as providing direct light essential for all your kitchen tasks. We like the twist of the recessed LED spot lighting under the cupboards, which brings a very modern edge to this simple kitchen. 



But like we said earlier, spot lighting does not always have to be stark or sleek. The clever use of two warm spotlights in this room provide a great light source for accenting period features like the recessed walls and fireplace, whilst being inconspicuous enough to tie in with the overall traditional theme. 

]]> <![CDATA[Coronet Lighting update]]> Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:39:00 +0000 We’ve been settling into the end of late summer here at Coronet lighting, hoping for a final burst of sunshine before autumn and winter kick in. It’s a little chance for us to snatch a few moments outside (and glance through these lovely late summer snaps) but we’re getting ready to get back to the grindstone, especially seeing as the shops are already filling up with the usual Christmas fare. We’re also busy putting the final finishing touches to the website, with our huge range of home lighting nearing completion and looking in tip top shape.
And when we haven’t been busy sorting out our selection of lighting products, we’ ve been procrastinating like crazy (what with the kids back at school, it’s the perfect chance to catch up on a few new YouTube favourites). We’re loving this trawl through the styles of the last 100 years.



Yes, it’s an advert for Westfield, but who cares – we’re well and truly hooked and ready to hit the stores as well as the dancefloor.
Oh, and as a final treat, if you haven’t managed to see it yet, take a look at these two amazing people figure out how to use their webcam. And they say romance is dead...


]]> <![CDATA[How to choose the correct Kitchen Lighting]]> Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:36:00 +0000

Our how to’s aren’t just about the technical stuff surrounding your lighting questions. It’s also a chance for us to share our passion for creating beautiful lighting schemes that will really help bring your home to life. With the kitchen often considered one of the hubs of every home, it’s a great place to invest and plan out a kitchen lighting scheme to do the room justice. Read on for our top tips on how to choose the correct kitchen lighting that is as practical and useful as it is beautiful.


The Overlooked Room
It’s pretty easy to forget about kitchen lighting and install a few spotlights – but given the importance of the kitchen to most homes, it’s an area where a considered kitchen lighting scheme can really make all the difference – and even update an existing kitchen to bring it bang up to date.
What type of light?
As a starting point, it’s really important to look at the three types of lighting – task, ambient and feature lighting. Kitchen lighting schemes are quite unique, in that you can use a combination of all three to achieve something really special for your kitchen. You’ll need task lighting in abundance – to help you see food you prepare and work efficiently. Ambient lighting will help to create the right atmosphere for your kitchen, and this has as much to do with natural light as it does with kitchen lighting. Finally, consider feature lights to add character and a flair to your room that is as individual as you are.
Vary your options
Like most rooms, you’ll probably want to fit pendant or ceiling lighting. The type you choose will depend on the balance of your other lighting sources. For example, if you fancy adding strip lighting under the cupboards and other task lighting, you will have more room to play with a feature pendant light. Used in the right context of your room, this can look stunning, and if you add a dimmer switch, it can really alter the mood of your kitchen throughout the day. If you prefer to keep things simple, consider a directional ceiling lamp, with angled spots that you can adjust to shine light right where you need it.
Task lighting is key
It really is important to install task lighting in the kitchen. Be it a low hanging pendant over an island unit or breakfast bar, strips lights underneath cupboards or angled spotlights, it’s always a good idea to have plenty of options – especially if you want to avoid eye strain from a single dull pendant lamp. But task lighting can also come in surprising forms. Consider strip lighting around the skirting of cupboards, or even cupboard lights inside glass fronted units to display your best china – or just to help you navigate around your kitchen efficiently.

A few practical tips
  • Where possible, look for adjustable head fittings you can angle to the right direction. Track lighting kits can also look fantastic in a kitchen setting, and will provide the flexibility you need.
  • Don’t forget about under unit lighting, particularly for your wall cupboards. Warm white bulbs will provide you with bright – but never harsh – light.
  • Clip lamps can also provide multipurpose lights.
  • Consider using recessed lamps and spotlights in areas susceptible to dirt – for example near your cooker or extractor.

For inspiration
Check out our favourite kitchen lighting schemes for a healthy dose of inspiration and some great ideas for creating your own perfect kitchen lighting system.


]]> <![CDATA[The Dos and Don’ts of Ceiling Lighting]]> Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:26:00 +0000

Ceiling lighting is one of our favourite areas of lighting design, mainly because there are no end of options for the most prominent lighting element of your room. It’s easy to start and end your lighting scheme with a ceiling light – be it a pendant or fitted ceiling light, or even spotlights. But when it comes to ceiling lighting, there are a few rules that many people overlook in favour of a fancy ceiling light, leading to a wasted fitting that detracts, rather than enhances the overall ambience of your room. Which is why we’ve compiled a list of our personal do’s and don’ts to help you find the perfect ceiling light for your room:



DO consider your room: context is always key – from the style of your space through to the purpose of the room itself. Ceiling lights can be both practical and beautiful, providing they are used in the correct setting. Top tips are to think about the style or period look in your room, be it contemporary or traditional and choose a light fitting that suits your scheme.



These stunning contemporary lights above would look out of place in a traditional room, in the same way that the beautiful traditional fittings used below below would never fit in to a modern, urban space.


DON’T try and fit a large lamp into a small space. Size matters – but bigger isn’t always better. Look at how these small low hanging ceiling lights provide more balanced light than a large chandelier


DO think practically sometimes. If you need a light fitting that will illuminate the whole room, it’s worthwhile thinking about a smaller, flush fitting ceiling light rather than something low hanging and outlandish. At the same time, don’t be afraid to have more than one ceiling light, or cluster them. The varying lengths of this pendant lighting below provides a more complete lighting system, as well as adding added interest to the staircase.



DON’T always think practically. A statement ceiling light can look wonderful – and with a hardworking system of wall lighting, table and floor lights, you can afford to splash out on a sculptural piece that will be a real showstopper.

DON’T be afraid of colour. Sometimes, coloured lights can add a dramatic twist to the room, be it through coloured glass pendants or through coloured LED bulbs.



Use coloured ceiling lights smartly, and you’ve got the perfect accent to brighten up a plain room in more ways than one. 

DO use dimmer switches where possible – it allows you to adjust your lighting to suit your mood, giving you added ambience no matter the occasion. 
]]> <![CDATA[7 Creative Home Lighting Techniques]]> Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:54:49 +0000
When it comes to lighting up your home, it can sometimes be a little too tempting to think inside the box and shell out for a fancy lampshade. But creating a gorgeous home lighting scheme needn’t be limited to something to put on your ceiling bulb.  With a bit of imagination and a little bit of inspiration, you can create a lighting scheme that can really add some light to your home. Read on for some of our creative lighting techniques.




Creative Lighting Tip 1: Think beyond the Ceiling
Your first thought may be to find a pendant or ceiling light for your room, but thinking about lighting in a more flexible way can help you create a functional yet creative lighting scheme for your house. Take a look at this example, where the ceiling light has been scrapped for a series of table lamps and a huge uplighter. The result? A totally creative – and totally practical – lighting scheme you can really live with...















Creative Lighting Tip 2: Rethink the Rules
It’s always nice to think about sticking to a style and sticking to traditional lighting for a traditional room. But you don’t always have to play by the rules. Take the less than humble chandelier, a classic light fitting in opulent ballrooms from years gone by. But don’t assume that a chandelier must equal traditional – check out this amazing modern chandelier for a hefty dose of inspiration. 











And even if you do use a traditional style lamp fitting, when placed in the right context, you can also capture a timeless feel that’s both old and new, decadent and simple.






















Creative Lighting Tip 3: The More the Merrier
For an instant feeling of abundance, a group of hanging pendant lights can give your home a stunning centrepiece for a room.




















At the same time, creating linear blocks of light can provide a practical – and gorgeous – lighting scheme, particularly for places like island units, breakfast bars, hallways or the dining room table.




















Creative Lighting Tip 4: Go to great lengths
A stunning effect can be achieved if you play around with the lengths of your lights – offset low hanging pendant lights with high floor lights to create a multi directional lighting scheme. It’s practical as well – a freestanding uplighter will offer softer light to warm the room, whilst low hanging pendant lighting will cast a greater concentration on a spot you may want to accent.















Creative Lighting Tip 5: Don’t be afraid of colour
Believe it or not, coloured lighting can add an amazing contemporary glow to your room that is miles away from the old red incandescent light bulb you’d find in teenage bedrooms from the 70’s. Try adding a splash of colour with recessed coloured LED lighting or even coloured rope lights behind headboards, and add a whole new level of sleek and sophisticated ambience to your bedroom.
















Creative Lighting Tip 6: Combine form and function
Sure, you need a reading lamp next to your bed, but don’t feel limited to table lamps for your bedtime story. Mini- chandeliers or hanging lights can look stunning in the right position, and add a fresh look to your room that’s as easily controlled as your standard table lamp.














Creative Lighting Tip 7: It’s all about the finishing touches
Be it something as grand as an illuminated kitchen island unit or something as simple as picture lighting, cabinet downlighting or just coordinating light switches, make sure you round things off with some finishing touches to do all your hard work justice. Use lights to accent your prized possessions, or tie things in with a metal light switch to give your home consistency. The devil, as always, is in the details!
















]]> <![CDATA[How to... Wire a Light Switch]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:17:50 +0000 We like to share our wisdom on all things lighting here at Coronet Lighting – and that includes the basics. So we figured a little tutorial in how to wire a light switch would be a nice way to kick things off. With a huge choice of light switches available, you don’t have to settle for your standard white plastic job.

A well chosen light switch can instantly adjust the ambience of your room, with a variety of finishes and styles - look out for sleek steel or chrome for a contemporary twist, or classic bronze light switches will always add a traditional flair into your home. And don’t forget about dimmer switches, which can really help you to create gorgeous light for every mood.

Now, wiring a light switch is pretty simple, but like most simple things, it’s all down to know how to make sure you do it right. When dealing with electrics, no matter how basic the job, it’s important to know what you’re doing to avoid any accidents. And of course, if you’re not comfortable with wiring the switch at all, then make sure you get a qualified electrician in for the job.
So, without further ado, here’s all you need to know about the basics of wiring a light switch. We’ve covered a one way lighting circuit – but stay tuned as we’ll be posting a double switch tutorial very soon.

Before you start:
Remember, if you are looking to wire a dimmer switch, you must check your current wiring layout matches that of the dimmer switch. In most cases, this works out fine, as dimmer switches are generally wired in the same way as a standard light switch. But always err on the side of caution – it’s the golden rule of electrics!
And of course, if you are using a dimmer switch, be sure that the light you are wiring the switch to is dimmable (and never ever wire a dimmer switch to control a fluorescent light).

What you’ll need:
  • New light switch (or if you are using one, a dimmer switch)
  • Voltage tester
  • Medium and small electrical screwdrivers
  • Pliers
Note: you’ll need about 30 minutes in total to complete your wiring, but make sure you set enough time aside – especially if you’re new to wiring a light switch. Light switches range from the cheap and cheerful to more plush styles, so how much you want to spend is up to you.

Step One: Remove the Existing Plate

Isolate the switch from the mains power supply. You can do this by switching off the circuit from your mains power box. Use your small screwdriver to loosen and remove the screws of the cover plate from the switch box.

Step Two: Change the Plate
Check the plate you’ve just removed with a voltage checker to be sure that there is no live charge.
Take a look at the switch, and you’ll find your light switch is wired to the circuit by the core cables (red and black or blue and brown depending on the age of your wiring) and possibly earth cables (yellow and green).

It’s then a simple case of noting where each cable goes with masking tape labels and replacing like for like (most switches will be labelled with L1, L2 etc). Make sure when you replace the cables that there are no bare wires exposed, and that they are tightly secured in the new switch.

NOTE: If you are using a metal switch, then you MUST earth the switch. If there is no earth switch to connect and you a replacing a plastic switch with a metal light switch, call a qualified electrician.

Step Three: Secure the Switch
If all your wires are secured, make sure any extra cable is sheathed and fits into the box so that it wont obstruct the new switch cover plate. Secure your cover back onto the wall box. Reconnect the power supply, check the fitting works and you’re done!
And, if you fancy a video version, then check out this fully comprehensive video from the aptly titled Ultimate Handyman himself

]]> <![CDATA[Beautiful Monday Morning!]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:17:49 +0000
It’s a beautiful Monday in Hertfordshire, we’re still making some finishing touches to the website, in the mean time enjoy some pictures of the local countryside
]]> <![CDATA[Coronet Lighting nearly there!]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:17:48 +0000 Welcome to our new blog, we set this up to compliment our new website http://www.coronet-lighting.co.uk which we have been developed over the last 6 months now, it finally looks like we be launching over the next couple of weeks.

The blog will be bringing you the latest from Coronet Lighting and the lighting industry in general as well as handy home lighting tips and resources.

We've set out to make shopping for lighting and lighting accessories as simple as possible, we hope we've succeeded and you enjoy shopping with us if you have any feedback we'd love to hear it, use the comment function below or get in touch by phone on 01707 275484 or email contactus@coronet-lighting.co.uk

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