TIPS + SUGGESTIONS
GENERAL LIGHTING | LANDSCAPE LIGHTING | WORKING WITH A DESIGNER

For all your needs, do it once & do it right!
In the long run you will have saved a great deal of time, energy and money!

A common mistake in many renovation or building projects is to concentrate on a single element. While lighting is the finishing and most important touch, many focus on a single facet.

• Expand your horizons.
• Do your homework.
• Whether a simple renovation, an extreme makeover or a new home.

Take a look at some simple tips & suggestions that may help in your decision process:

General Lighting

More lighting does not necessarily mean better lighting. Take the following steps, and then decide:

1. Consider size of room
2. Consider floor to ceiling heights
3. Consider colour selection (dark colours can absorb 40% of light out-put)
4. Consider your day to day use of the room(s)
5. What type of light do you want?
6. Will you be using dimmers or dimming systems?
7. Consider windows (Which way are they facing?)

The Professionals at Galileo Lighting will consider the above and factor in any other relevant calculations such as lumens and photometric data.

There are definitely products on the market which are poorly designed with little quality control.
Not to worry, Galileo Lighting & Design will not use such products in our clients’ homes.

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Landscape Lighting

Considering which way to go; Line Voltage (120volt), Low Voltage (12volt) and Solar/LED.

If the inside of your home is brighter than the outside, you will lose the visual elegance & tranquility you have worked so hard to achieve.

Option 1) Line Voltage (120volts)

Advantages

• Able to run long distances

Disadvantages

• Burial of cable must be at least 16” below surface
• High energy costs
• Small Selection of attractive 120v fixtures
• Each fixture requires a concrete burial box (added cost)
• Should you require any electrical troubleshooting, your electrician will have to dig up concrete box’s (added cost)
  

Option 2) Low Voltage (12volts)

Advantages

• Terrific selection of product
• Burial of cable is only 4”-6” deep
• Ease of installation
• Low energy cost (6 to 1 ratio)
• Extended lamp life
• Minimal electrical costs for installation & maintenance

Disadvantages

• In my professional opinion there are barely any disadvantages to low voltage. With the exception of one issue which can easily be overcome by using the appropriate products.
• Limited distance is 50’ to 100’ when using 12/2 cable (standard cable). Want to run further? Switch to a 10/2 cable with a multi-tap transformer.

Option 3) Solar/LED

Both solar and LED are viable options however only when using quality & tested product. The only drawback is your initial cost.

The advantage to solar, LED or organic LED is that once installed the products are virtually maintenance free. Your average lamp life is anywhere between 30,000 hours to 100,000 hours.

Green technology is the way of the future. Get on board and let the professionals at Galileo Lighting & Design Solutions design a plan that covers all your needs.

Well thought out & properly installed products will increase the value of your home, save you energy while creating an extended living space for you to enjoy.

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WORKING WITH A DESIGNER

Contrary to popular belief, hiring a designer can also help you save money. Galileo has the necessary tools & products to maximize the impact in your space.

We believe that every building project undertaken by an owner is absolutely unique. Therefore we will find the combination of site conditions, personal needs/wants, budget and materials that fit your personal project.

This is the primary advantage of hiring a designer to help create your home. Our expertise is in marrying the functional, structural, and aesthetic requirements of your project in a way which best suit you.

Conversion or eliminating an area seldom used can open up more square footage and in the process save you thousands of dollars.

Galileo’s experience of more than twenty years has applied lighting techniques to less expensive projects yet result in an amazing transformation.

Few people have overseen or built enough to be entirely comfortable with the mayhem of a busy jobsite. Cost over-runs, shoddy workmanship, slow progress, and other elements are unfortunate facts of life that can arise in the course of a project. This is yet another area where we are able to anticipate or foresee challenges. The knowledge of the building process, construction techniques and materials, and with the client's best interests at heart we are a liaison with the builder, sub-trades, building inspector, and other trades.

Last but not least, years of experience provide us with the visual tools to ensure your décor, paint treatments, and lighting design result in the desired effect having been fulfilled thus satisfying our clients.

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