The design process is complete, and the Thronedown Challenge is about to commence.  The votes will be cast and the crown awarded to the champion designer. Capitol Lighting followers can visit our company’s Facebook page to vote, while showroom customers and employees can get a live look at the renovations in order to choose their favorite design and cast their ballots.

This friendly competition between two northern New Jersey interior designers has involved weeks of hard work, resulting in a transformation of  both the men’s and ladies’ restrooms in Capitol Lighting’s Paramus store. The finalists were chosen based on their expertise; they each received a $2,000 project budget with lighting supplied by Quoizel and Feiss.

Before

After

Mannarino’s vision was to create something sophisticated, dramatic and tailored. Her step-by-step design process included:

The lighting of your kitchen plays an absolutely critical role in how your design will marry together, as well as make a very noticeable impact on the functionality of your space.

Many homeowners put off or ignore lighting in the kitchen, and neglect to plan accordingly. This can only end in tears! What is the benefit of those gorgeous mahogany cabinets, and that handsome granite counter top if no one can see them properly?

Don’t find yourself regretting your kitchen design decisions. Take lighting into account right off the bat! But how do you plan for your kitchen lighting? There are a few types of light to consider, and it all comes down to how you want your kitchen presented, and more importantly, how you want it used. Consider these lighting types for your perfect kitchen design.

For the sake of giving off the best lighting possible for visual appeal, consider these:

Task lighting is used to provide ample illumination for performing specific tasks (thus: task lighting), and should be installed with a specific purpose in mind. This could be for your stove top, a cutting and preparing area, or a space devoted to work or play. Task lighting is best used when it provides ample, glare-free lighting. These fixtures work particularly well:

Whether you need to install new lights in Alexandria, Annapolis, or anywhere in between, you can rely on Kolb Electric’s licensed electricians for a job done right. We’ve been helping DC home and building owners like you with all their electrical needs since 1925 and are ready to help you next!

Selecting the best electrical service professionals isn’t always an easy task. There are many available, and it can be challenging to narrow your search down to the best candidates. You might feel pressure to make a decision quickly, but doing your homework is highly recommended. Hiring the wrong electrical expert can lead to lots of frustration, as well as wasted time and money. Be sure to ask the important questions before deciding on a hire.

Even if they come with a big discount, you never want to work with electrical professionals who aren’t licensed and insured. Taking this measure will ensure your hire has proper training for the job and you won’t find yourself stuck with substandard results. Insurance is necessary as well since accidents are not always avoidable. Unforeseen damages can easily occur on the job site, and if your electrical experts aren’t insured, you could be stuck with the stress — not to mention extra costs.

It might not be enough to have a licensed and insured professional. They still might not have experience with your particular situation. Find out if they’ve dealt with jobs like yours before, and if they can offer insight that might help you finish things ahead of schedule and under budget. If they specialize in a particular area, be sure it’s related to the job you need! If it’s a big project, make sure they’ve worked on large scale contracts before adding them to your team. You don’t want your electrical professionals to get in over their heads while on the job.

It’s a bonus if the work performed is under warranty, as there is no telling what might happen down the line. If issues arise after work is complete, having electrical service professionals you can call on to address the problem is of critical importance. Beyond giving you valuable peace of mind, this can help ensure the work meets standards of safety and quality. When you consider how dangerous electrical work can be, this becomes even more important.

Electrical service professionals should be reliable enough to let you focus on other aspects of the job while they work. Seek a company that has extensive experience serving customers in your area and a proven track record for success. You can tell a lot about a company by reading online reviews and testimonials from other customers. In addition to that, any reputable electrical contractor should be open to answering any questions you may have.