Modern Bathroom Design, Clever Lighting Design

Read article : Modern Bathroom Design, Clever Lighting Design

Effective bathroom lighting ideas, modern bathroom design

Lighting design for modern bathroom space is a excellent tool for creating comfortable, safe, spacious and stylish interior. Not all bathroom light fixtures are equally great for high humidity levels or temperature changes. Choosing right lighting fixtures and their arrangement helps make your bathroom design effective, practical and attractive.

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Bathroom light fixtures are designed for specific zones. Safety is one of the most important modern bathroom design principles. Drops of water should not reach hot bathroom light fixtures, and you or your kids should not be able to touch hot lamps accidentally. LED and low wattage modern bathroom lighting design is a safe, eco friendly and stylish choice. (Modern bathroom, top 10 trends for 2011)

It is great if your bathroom interior has a large window. You can add modern bathroom light fixtures to illuminate specific zones, like a shower area and a bathroom mirror, with lights and save on general lighting. If your bathroom does not have a window, then you need to create effective general lighting design.

Also general bathroom lighting design makes a room with a small window more spacious, safer and more attractive. (Tiny bathroom, 7 tips for remodeling)

General bathroom lighting design

1. Usually three or more built into the ceiling bathroom light fixtures and two mirror lamps create effective and comfortable lighting design. (Modern bathroom lighting fixtures, fixed on the wall near a bathtub, above a bathtub or in a shower should be specifically designed for these areas with high humidity.)

2. There are two modern bathroom lighting design ideas that are practical and stylish. First, – arranging bathroom lighting fixtures on the ceiling at the same distance from each. Second, –  placing bathroom light fixtures on the walls near the ceiling.

3. Small bathrooms can be visually increased in size with smart wall lighting design. (Small bathroom remodeling and staging ideas) Well lit walls create  the wall-wash light effect, which can be general or decorative to bring out texture on a wall, highlight a wall decoration or a wallpaper pattern. Attractive wall-wash lighting design increases the ceiling height and makes small bathrooms look more spacious.

4. Bathroom lighting fixtures with dimmers are great for changing the intensity and creating soft,  relaxing and quiet atmosphere. (Peaceful turquoise colors for bathroom design)

5. Rotating and sliding bathroom lighting fixtures help create a quick change in interior design without any additional decorating, a different mood or a new decorative accent. They are great for experimenting with fresh bathroom lighting design ideas.

6. Traditional bulbs make bathroom design feel softer and warmer. Halogen bulbs create bright white light that can be used for modern bathroom design with dark wood or black decor items and warm colors.

Local bathroom lighting design

1. You can design few zones: around sinks, shower, bathtub, toilet, storage area. (Modern bathroom design, walk-in showers and glass screens)

2. Two bathroom mirrors lights create modern and comfortable lighting that is not blinding.  It does not produce dark shadows on your face, does not distort mirror images and colors.

3. Bathroom light fixtures should not be reflected in the mirror.

4. Arranging bathroom lighting fixtures above the mirror, – vertical lighting design, – is not the best. Downward light emphasizes wrinkles.

5. Fixing bathroom lighting fixtures too low creates shadows on your face.

6. Bathroom mirrors lights should be neutral. Fluorescent bulbs distort colors.

7. Built-in the floor lighting fixtures allow to create unique and relaxing environment.

8. You can place bathroom lighting fixtures around a window or diagonally on a wall. Unusual lanterns and ethnic style bathroom lighting design ideas look modern, impressive and personal. (Moroccan style accessories)

9. Functional bathroom lighting ideas, like lights in drawers and cabinets, add more comfort to your design.

10. Built-in lights in wall niches, above or around shelves are bathroom lighting ideas that are functional and stylish.

Contemporary bathroom lighting fixtures offer various attractive ways to decorate your bathroom interior with impressive, practical and attractive lighting design. Select the best option for your home and add more comfort to your bathroom with smart and pleasant lighting design.

Modern bathroom design:
Bathroom decorating with beautiful bathtub
Eco wall tile designs for modern life and style
Modern bathroom design

  by Ena Russ   
  last updated: 13.01.2012

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Maine Food Insider: Oxbow Brewing marks anniversary with Duckfat pig roast

Read article : Maine Food Insider: Oxbow Brewing marks anniversary with Duckfat pig roast

Oxbow Brewing Co. is celebrating its sixth anniversary today with a pig roast by Duckfat's new, second location abutting the boutique craft brewery on Washington Avenue in Portland and a burger and fry truck at its 18-acre farm and brewery in Newcastle.

"We have a new beer for the celebration," Tim Adams, founder of Oxbow Blending & Bottling Co. of Portland, told Mainebiz. "It's our flagship Barrel Aged Farmhouse Pale Ale, which is an American Saison aged in a blend of American and French oak barrels." He said Oxbow hasn't released the beer for more than a year because it takes more than one-and-one-half years to make it.

The company produces all its beer in Newcastle, then brings it to Portland to be aged, blended and bottled. The 10,000-square-foot Washington Avenue location also has an indoor bar and eatery with seating, an entertainment area and art displays. He noted Oxbow has a Class A lounge license to let it serve beer and food.

That helps in its new partnership with popular Portland restaurant Duckfat. Duckfat already had been serving Oxbow's beers, which are Belgian style, but was cramped for kitchen space, Duckfat Chef Rob Evans told Mainebiz.

"The production at our restaurant [on Middle Street] was crazy, so we were looking for production space. Tim called us to tell us about the space next to him," said Evans. The original Duckfat is about 1,700 square feet, including kitchen and serving area, and the new space is about the same size, with most of it to be devoted to kitchen and expansion space.

Duckfat was opened in 2005 by Evans and his wife Nancy Pugh. Evans was named "Best Chef Northeast" by the James Beard Foundation in 2009 and is a three-time Food Network Chopped Champion restaurant.

Duckfat, which used the month of July to sporadically open a fry window at the new location to judge traffic, plans to open in late fall, Evans said, and will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and for special events at Oxbow.

Evans and Adams worked for over a year to update and put in stonework and a grill on a patio the two share between their spaces. The patio houses picnic tables where customers of both can eat and drink. In the winter, Duckfat's fry window customers will be able to use Oxbow's indoor eating space.

Evans said Duckfat will only serve fries at the window, but there will be an assortment, including poutine French Canadian fries with gravy and cheese curds.

"This [arrangement] fits perfectly with our Belgian fries and their Belgian beers," Evans said.

For the Aug. 16 celebrations, both tasting rooms open to the public at noon. Newcastle will stay open until 7 p.m. and Portland until 11 p.m.

Spontaneous fermentation

Oxbow is one of the few craft brewers in the country to use a coolship, a long vat that exposes wort to naturally occurring yeast and bacteria so they reproduce faster by consuming sugars. That in turn starts the production of alcohol. It's a process from Belgium known as spontaneous fermentation, which maximizes the surface area so it has the most contact with air. It is typically done in the winter, Adams said.

Oxbow's beer-making process is slow, from six to 18 months, so it can sell beer at a premium, from $12.50 to $17.50. It also has started putting the production time on its bottles and the date it was bottled.

The beer is shipped from Newcastle to Portland for barrel aging, blending and bottling. Adams said Oxbow releases about 40 beers annually, and this year that will include 12 new beers.

The company made just under 50,000 gallons, or about 1,600 barrels in 2016, which puts it at the state's limit for brewers to self-distribute. Oxbow will need to choose a wholesale partner in a year, he said.

The company distributes its own beer now in Maine, but has relationships with distributors and wholesalers in Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It also has exported beer and collaborated with breweries to make its brews in Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan and Canada.

It's overall focus is on steady but slow growth, and to be part of the local community, Adams said. Oxbow has about 30 employees in both locations.

In 2018, it plans to slowly grow production.

"We don't want to become a large-capacity brewer," he said. "We aim to make 4,000 to 5,000 barrels a year as a result of slow, steady growth."

Currently, it produces Belgian- and French-style farmhouse ales and one pilsner.

"Different tastes aren't a priority for everyone," Adams said of other craft brewers. "We focus on making new flavors in the realm of farmhouse ales." Some of the flavor comes from the honey bees at the Newcastle farm, along with cherries, strawberries, raspberries, elderberries and blueberries grown there. He also farms his own pigs for the pig roasts.

The controlled growth also relates to the company's funding. It initial was funded with a $400,000 equity round to friends and family, and last year the company brought in $150,000 of a $1 million round focused on buying out an existing partner.

"We are very selective about our business partners," Adams said, referring to the amount remaining to be raised. He doesn't like talking about money matters, so he declined to specify the amount of loans the company has with Bath Savings bank, nor the total investment to date or revenue. He would only say the company is profitable.

"For us it's about how to keep producing beers and be a center of culture in our community," he said. "That's what the reward is for us."

Too many craft brewers?

There have been a series of craft brewer acquisitions outside Maine in recent months. Anheuser-Busch InBev bought its 10th craft brewer in early May, Wicked Weed Brewing of North Carolina. On Aug. 10 Constellation Brands, the parent company of Corona, bought Florida's Funky Buddha. In early August Japan's Sapporo bought San Francisco's Anchor Brewing. And on the consolidation front, San Francisco craft brewer New Belgium Brewing bought Magnolia Brewing, also of San Francisco.

"Maine hasn't seen acquisitions of craft breweries, but it certainly will happen," he predicted. "There's not that much room left in bars and breweries in terms of shelf space." He said the industry consolidation will up the competition, which he sees as a good thing.

DESIGN CHOICES: BATHTUB OR SHOWER?

Read article : DESIGN CHOICES: BATHTUB OR SHOWER?

Is it time to ditch the tub? Bathroom trend study reveals tricks for top redesigns

When redecorating your bathroom there are numerous choices you’ll face. The size, shape, style and arrangement of your bathroom furniture is naturally your biggest concern and sometimes finding ways to fit everything in comfortably can seem impossible – so why not cut something out … like the bathtub perhaps?

According to research, 59% of older homeowners ditching baths in favour of showers when they renovate their bathrooms but is this a trend that you should mimic? Or is there a better way to have your cake and eat it in the bathroom?

The bath revolution

While a large number of individuals are opting for showers over baths, research from Houzz has also shown that consumers are becoming more imaginative in their selection of baths when they decide to keep them as part of their bathroom design. Rather than just having a plain white metal tub, many older people invest in a spa type experience or a hydrovescent bath that helps to invigorate them as well as promote good hygiene.

It’s important to remember that not all baths are large and bulky units which prove difficult to fit in the bathroom and if you’re keen to keep this traditional feature part of the room then there are plenty of options to do so.

Firms like Premier Bathrooms offer a great range of hydrovescent bathtubs as well as walk-in baths and shower cubicles designed to help you get the most out of your bathroom; whatever its size. Hydrovescent tubs are also good for those with poor circulation or arthritis so having one installed could do as much good for your health as it does for the design of the room.

If you’re planning to design your bathroom anytime soon then we advise you consider the following trends and ideas when making your decisions:

• Opt for walk-in baths and showers if those using the units suffer from mobility issues or disabilities and remember to leave enough room for doors to open outwards where needed
• Install seats within showers and baths to help people lower themselves into the water but consider how these are arranged so as to create a stylish appearance
• Use lighting carefully to transform the bathroom into an oasis of calm – the development of safe LED lighting systems means that showerheads and bathing areas can all be illuminated safely so it’s a good option to try
• Add an en suite bathroom to the master bedroom if possible – this is a great way to add luxury and convenience to a home and according to Houzz’ research it is a trends that 85% of people are likely to follow
• Pick a bath or shower unit to match the dimensions of the bathroom – remember that there are a vast amount of styles available so give them all equal consideration and remember to consider shape (square, round or corner baths) too
• Install double sinks in bathrooms shared by couples to make morning routines more convenient and to elevate the appearance of the bathroom as a whole
• Make sure flooring is safe and practical – lino, vinyl and tiles are all preferable over carpets but you’ll need to opt for something that is water resistant and which offers a non-slip surface. Underfloor heating is also an important consideration – especially for cold winter mornings

The bathroom is now a popular room

With improvements to walk in-baths and showers, many older homeowners are investing in this type of bathroom furniture in order to retain their independence. If you can have a therapeutic bath in the comfort of your own home, why not install one of these wonderful devices today?

Wet rooms are also growing in popularity so this is something you should consider too. They are easy to use and the shower attachments are at a convenient level for all which means practical showering every day of the week.

Sources: http://info.houzz.com/rs/houzz/images/HouzzBathroomStudy.pdf