We all know Thanksgiving can be a hectic holiday, particularly if you’re hosting. When the 10+ pound turkey has yet to be picked up, the sides have yet to be planned, and your guests are due to arrive in hours, decorating the table is the least of your worries. Don’t be discouraged: you don’t have to be Martha Stewart to create a beautiful, easy, inexpensive holiday centerpiece. In fact, you may have all the supplies to wow those soon-to-arrive guests in five minutes flat:

Option 1: Glass Vases or Wine Bottles + String Lights

Check your cabinets for empty glass vases, hurricane candle holders – any decorative glass bowl will do. If you’re in a pinch, an empty wine bottle creates the same effect! Now, fill with string lights and voilà – instant centerpiece. Battery operated string lights are easiest because you won’t have to worry about the cord, but you can also get creative with hiding the cord under your table runner. Add pinecones and/or branches as you wish.

Option 3: Leaves of Your Choice + String Lights

This incredibly simple centerpiece looks fantastic with deep green magnolia leaves or a collection from your front yard’s best yellow/orange/red ensemble. The rustic tablecloth used in this picture matches well, but any neutral color would work.

Spirited lighting designs are trending toward the dark side, and that’s not just because it is Halloween.  Style spotters and top designers are embracing bold fashions and dramatic hues.  Take a look at the top three themes in the world of illumination…

1.  Deep, Dark Hues:  It is said to be a sign of the times that we are embracing rich, dark colors.  From politics to cultural rebirths, a positive vibe is in the air and we are changing it up with dramatic designs and darker hues.

“Momento De Mori” from Shannon Koszyk’s dramatic collection for Currey and Company features an Antique Nickel skull, black base and Inky Black parchment shade.

2.  A Cleaner Contemporary:   The ease of clean contemporary goes hand-in-hand with energy-efficiency and LED illumination.  From intricate geometric cutouts to textured Mercury glass compositions, the call for contemporary design has never been greater.

“Sovereign” table lamps from Dimond Lighting showcase Antique Mercury glass combined with energy-efficient LED illumination.

3.  Fearless Fashions and Surprise Twists:  Engaging new mediums run the gamut from natural palm leaf panels to a fusion of slate and metal.  Experimenting with hundreds of different textures, organic and synthetic materials, designers are coming up with new lamp shades, lamp bases and chandeliers that offer a magnificent blend of elements.  Novel lamp styles are making the A-list from designers who are not afraid to take a risk!

“Free Fall” from Kenroy Home introduces natural slate within a rugged iron lamp base for a statuesque presentation.

Lighting showrooms are abuzz with new lamps and chandeliers for the holiday season.  From High Point to Hong Kong, top lighting vendors are giving us plenty to celebrate.  Visit a Capitol Lighting showroom or 1800lighting.com to see the latest fixture fashions.

Electrical fires can be extremely destructive and uncontainable, once they break out. An electrical fault and severe sparking in the electrical installations in one part of your property can easily spread to the other areas very quickly. This means the destruction caused can be extremely high and the fire can pose a threat to the people living or working on your property as well.

When you get the electrical system on your property installed by credible professionals, you can rest assured that there will be no problems and that they will be quite safe. However, if you live on an older property that also has old wiring, it can deteriorate or get damaged over time, and can prove to be extremely dangerous. This is why you should make it a point to conduct routine checks on all the electrical installations in your home.

Most electrical companies also design preventive electrical maintenance contracts based on your specific needs; they will visit your property at pre-decided intervals and conduct thorough checks on all the electrical fittings and installations. This helps identify potential & existing problems beforehand and these can be fixed before they pose a major hazard.

Aside from this, it’s also important that you be wary and conduct some basic checks on all the electrical installations. Here are some signs you should look out for:

If you find that a particular circuit breaker trips once in a while, it may just be an indication that you have plugged in too many electrical appliances and devices all at once into that particular circuit. However, if you find yourself resetting the circuit breaker too often, it’s crucial that you don’t ignore it.

The circuit breaker is built specifically to alert you when something is wrong with the system; this is why you should call in a skilled electrician and get it checked without delay. The constant tripping could be an indication of a much bigger problem.

If you hear buzzing sounds or notice sparking in an electrical outlet or if you detect a burning odour emanating from the outlets, that’s a very strong warning that something’s wrong with it, and that it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Not only will the electrician check the outlet, but will also check and update the wiring connected to it.

If you experience an electrical shock while operating any appliance or device in your home, it’s an indication that there is electrical current leaking at some point. This could be caused by faulty wiring or even a grounding fault. The electrician will use special testing devices to see where the problem lies and will fix it quickly and efficiently.

Sometimes a light bulb might flicker because it hasn’t been fitted correctly in its socket. However, there are times when this problem is caused due to a loose circuit or loose wiring. It’s the same with other electrical outlets that don’t function as they should.

Underwater lighting gives your pool a charming, romantic look at night. It also makes swimming after dark more enjoyable. Such lighting can be a big help when you’re trying to test your pool water after dark. However, changing these underwater bulbs when they burn out isn’t quite as simple as changing a household light bulb.

When you go to replace a pool light bulb, keep in mind that working with water and electricity requires special attention to safety. Be sure to switch off the electricity to the pool area, either at the breaker box or the main shut-off switch. You will need your new bulb, a lens gasket that fits your pool light fixture, both a Phillips-head and a regular screw driver, a couple of towels, and a circuit tester.

The type of bulb you need is generally written on the edge of the fixture. If this information is worn, you can measure the diameter of the existing bulb and compare that number to common replacement bulbs. It’s important that the replacement bulb be the right size to prevent water from entering the bulb fixture and shorting out the bulb.

After you have the right equipment assembled and the electricity off, it’s time to switch out the bulbs. Start by removing the bulb from its casing. Most light fixtures have a screw at the top that holds the unit together. Next, pull the bulb assembly from its casing. There should be a long enough cord so that you can set the whole thing on the deck outside of the pool while you work.

Now that you have the light out of the pool, gently remove the face ring, gasket and lens so that you can get at the bulb. Once that is done, the next part of your pool light repair is to carefully unscrew the bulb and wipe off any moisture. Clean the entire assembly gently to remove any corrosion, but don’t scrape it or the unit may not seal properly when it’s put back together.

Finally, insert the new bulb, install the new lens gasket and put everything back together. Return the light fixture to its casing and replace the set screw. Turn the electricity back on and make sure that the light is working properly.

At Kolb Electric, we want you and your family to enjoy your swimming pool—at night as well as in the daytime. If you don’t feel comfortable replacing the pool lights yourself, we’re here to help. In fact, our licensed electricians are experienced in all aspects of pool light replacement, so we can help you with any service you require. To schedule an appointment for your Maryland, Northern Virginia, or DC-area home, call us at 877 287-1179.