The chandelier used to mark your arrival. Clad in crystal, it met you in the foyer of a well-appointed home, then dazzled you from a power position over the dining room table.

Rarely did you find a chandelier in a starter home. To see them illuminating any room other than one used for entry or dining, more unusual still.

My, how times have changed!

Today chandeliers rate as a brilliant idea just about anywhere — from modest homes to magnificent mansions, contemporary digs to traditional houses. They dangle decorously in almost every room of the house.

Credit our bigger-is-better building boom. Taller ceilings and increased volume in today’s homes means chandeliers are less likely to crowd a room.

“Nine-and-10-foot ceilings almost demand something hanging to fill the space,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, educational consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA) and assistant professor of interior design at the University of Kentucky. The ALA is a non-profit organization of leading manufacturers, retail lighting showrooms and sales representatives in the U.S. and Canada dedicated to expanding public knowledge about lighting.

Colorful chandeliers create drama in the kitchen. Mini ones provide elegance to powder rooms. Even walk-in closets go upscale when lit with a small chandelier.

“Beyond laundry rooms and garages, any room is an open target for hanging a chandelier,” adds Rey-Barreau. “More commonly, kitchens and bathrooms have become the popular locations for chandeliers.”

Chandeliers add twinkle to a boudier. “People are treating their bedroom suites as more luxurious personal spaces with elaborate bathroom areas, so it is not unreasonable to consider chandeliers there, either,” says Dan Blitzer, Director of Education for the ALA..

By Kristin Waites

Warm weather makes it more appealing to be outside after the sun goes down, and do-it-yourself lighting projects can add a distinctive flair to outdoor gatherings. Mr. Electric® has ways to power your tomorrow and help make your backyard the place to be on summer evenings with these great DIY backyard lighting ideas.

This inventive project uses a small can, a thrift-shop vase and a wooden stick to create outdoor lighting that looks store-bought. It requires a few simple tools, but is very quick to put together. Real or battery-operated candles inside the vase will cast a dreamlike glow across your yard. Try making a few of these and lining a sidewalk or porch with them.

Recycle old wine bottles by making a mosquito-repelling torch. All you need is a bottle, washer, wick, and citronella oil. You can add decorative stones or rocks to the bottom of the bottle to decrease the amount of oil you need. This can also help weigh the bottle down if you are worried about stability. Place the torches around the backyard where the flame won’t be blown out.

This project turns recycled cans into lanterns that can be painted and hung outside. Some of the steps require extra time, so plan ahead. Lanterns are a simple way to add color and light to your backyard or porch. Not only are they fun and easy to make, you can customize the paint colors and design to fit the atmosphere you want.

This is a simple project that can add lots of character to your yard. All you need is an opaque glass light shade and a string of lights. The string lights can be coiled inside of the shade and when placed around the yard, add a muted glow. They are also simple but striking decorations during the daytime. A benefit to this project is that the orbs are easy to reposition throughout the yard. Invest in a few extension cords to make sure you can put the lights exactly where you want them.

Microwave ovens revolutionized kitchens across America when they came on the market in the 1970’s. Since then these technological marvels have come a long way, with more features, compact sizing, and greater cooking power than ever before. With greater power comes greater power usage, but if your microwave is tripping the breaker in your home, it’s a sign that the appliance is overloading the electrical circuit. The questions is, why, and what can be done to solve the problem?