The new school year is in full-swing, which means your schedule is about to be totally packed with all sorts of activities. Between the numerous football and volleyball games, fine arts events, and various other school-related events ahead this fall, your time at home will be both precious and a rarity. Depending on how often you’re out cheering your favorite student on, your home could become the perfect spot for a burglar.

Last week, we gave you some really important tips on protecting your home from an invasion when you’re away on vacation. This week, we’re going a step further to help you protect your home while you’re still in town, but maybe just out and about until the late hours of the night. Even if you’re not concerned about a break-in, perhaps you just want peace of mind your babysitters, housekeepers, repairmen are doing their job. You can even check to see if your kids are doing their homework or chores.

Smart security cameras are an excellent way to safeguard your home and family when you’re away, even if it’s just a few miles down the road. Equipped with WiFi capabilities, you have the ability to peek in on what’s happening using the app paired with your system.

Your home’s circuit breaker is a valuable line of defense in protecting your home. All your electrical appliances rely on your home’s circuit breaker which makes it that much more important. Replacing your circuit breaker can be such an economical investment in protecting your home. Dealing with flickering lights, poor performance from your appliances such as your stove or microwave, and a smoking scent from your panel are just a few of the warning signs when it comes to your circuit breaker. Learn more about the warning signs so you can avoid a catastrophe and replace your circuit breaker before it’s too late.

One way to tell if you need a circuit breaker replacement is to sniff around and see if you smell a burning odor coming from the panel. If so, that means the wires and insulation have become overheated. Ultimately your circuit breaker is failing to protect your home from an electrical short elsewhere. Shut off the main power to the house immediately and call an electrician for an home, potential buyers are going to be hesitant to put down an offer. Everyone wants to purchase a home that is safe and secure, which is why an upgraded breaker is that much more valuable.

By Clarissa Allison | March 31st, 2017

Of the Cosmic Leaf by Artemide: “It appears as a digital leaf from another World , embedded with scales like a reptile or an insect which gather light and shadow on its body to seduce a mate.” Materials: chromed steel structure; body lamp-diffuser in transparent methacrylate with texture; painted metal lighting unit.

Contemporary lighting design would not exist today without the heavy influence of lighting movements from the past.  Mid-Century, Art Deco, Bauhaus, and various other instantly recognizable “Mad Men” retro looks still have a profound influence on today’s lighting designs and styles. The infinite array of modern lighting fixtures available for purchase on www.LouieLighting.com will dazzle you and are manufactured by the top brands in the industry! Today’s designers are combining timeless materials like glass and wood with natural metals such as copper, and are also marrying classic structures made of chrome with startlingly unique silhouettes. The clean lines of these straight-forward designs create the ideal focal point in the modern home or business. The result is innovative, functional art that boasts optimal functionality and high style! Read on for 4 of the best contemporary lighting fixture collections, and click the photos to learn more.

Ross Lovegrove, an industrial designer based in the UK, is the man behind Artemide’s Cosmic Collection. He is a  visionary who’s work is “considered to be at the very apex of stimulating a profound change in the physicality of our three dimensional World. There is always embedded a deeply human and resourceful approach in his designs, which project an optimism, and innovative vitality in everything he touches from cameras to cars to trains, aviation and architecture.” View the entire Cosmic line and other amazing Artemide fixtures here.

Watch Ross Lovegrove discuss his approach to design:

Bromi Design is a premier lighting brand that works to bring some of the most innovative designs and energy efficient light sources to any user’s space. Whether you are illuminating a cozy bathroom or a sizeable commercial space, their products that are both functional and uncompromising in their high quality design. Bromi has an inspired approach to furnish and finish a space with a piece of architecture that can elevate the aesthetic of any interior motif!

The Hunza® Border Light Twin Head (shown below) is a 12 volt adjustable outdoor light that projects two wide spreads of soft light filtered through its frosted lenses. This Border Light is one of several similar pole lights created by Hunza. Use it for lighting garden paths or low level planting with a soft wash of light. This fixture is precision engineered and hand assembled in New Zealand.  A transformer or LED driver is required. These fully-adjustable lights boast a 360° rotation and 0-90° elevation.  The fixture itself is made of Marine grade 316L stainless steel, solid natural bronze/copper or aluminium powder coated in several colours!

Since 1988, Ultralights Lighting has been in the business of the design and fabrication of lighting for decorative purposes. The company has aimed to achieve “better design, better materials, better construction, better lights” for its clients. Today, Ultralights’ product line includes more than 200 interior and exterior fixtures like wall sconces, chandeliers, pendants, etc., in varied finish, diffuser and lamp choices. With its mix of traditional, modern and transitional products for commercial, ecclesiastical, retail, hospitality and medical applications, Ultralights Lighting offers customers multiple design possibilities for every conceivable usage.