Once thought of as a simple commodity or add-on, lighting’s value as a sales and aesthetic tool has grown increasingly in this ever-softening residential sales market. Subsequently, building professionals as well as home owners are increasingly turning toward lighting to instantly increase curb appeal, while making properties stand out from the crowd. In addition, exteriors and interiors alike have been known to get an easy “face lift” at the time of sale due to lighting’s growing role as a home décor accessory.

In fact, lighting, which includes exterior lanterns and landscape lighting as well as indoor fixtures like chandeliers, sconces and pendants, is becoming well-known for its ability to enliven homes by highlighting architectural elements and/or keepsakes, increasing the functionality of surroundings, providing extra layers of safety and even lowering energy costs. Other forms of lighting such as recessed and under cabinet lighting have also being increasingly used to give kitchens, dining areas and baths the look of a makeover with layered effects.

Furthermore, another benefit to professionals relates directly to profit margins. This is because the sale of enhanced lighting packages to home and business owners can prove extremely lucrative, which is certainly a bonus to contractors and builders trying to compete in a tight marketplace. As a result, many contractors have greatly enhanced their businesses during slow and busy times by combining their electrical skills with a proficiency in lighting to offer customers a mutually-beneficial, added-value service that entails the sale of lighting and additional labor costs.

So, here are some tips for increasing profits through lighting and helping to sell new or existing properties during today’s housing slump.

Learn Lighting

Good lighting is an art form that is actually easy to learn with the right instructors and instructional materials. So, whether you are using lighting as an add-on to enhance sales to customers or to promote properties that have been on the market for far too long, your search for lighting knowledge should begin with the local lighting distributor.

In many cases, distributors are not only extremely knowledgeable sources on the latest lighting trends and styles, they are also well-trained experts who are especially adept on the various lighting techniques that can increase indoor and outdoor functionality and aesthetics.

In addition, other valuable business allies include the lighting manufacturers themselves. Many, such as Sea Gull Lighting, regularly hold ALA and AIA certified lighting seminars online or at local distributor locations and learning centers to specifically enhance the technical and sales skills of professionals.

 Better Sales Through Enhanced Curb Appeal

The old adage about “first impressions” certainly extends to today’s housing market. That’s why “curb appeal” has become so essential. Home owners and professionals can not afford to lose sales based on the initial “bad” reactions of potential buyers. The market is too competitive with alternatives available on every block.

As a result, lighting can help increase the “WOW” factor of nearly any home or building by providing a brighter, more comely façade to prospects. This includes supplying an ample amount of stylishly adorned light to entrances and pathways through a combination of wall, pendant, lantern and post lighting that are available in a wide array of traditional and contemporary finishes.

Another method for increasing curb appeal entails various lighting techniques that highlight architectural or yard elements. For example, silhouette lighting or the effect created by placing lighting below and behind objects such as fountains, statues, trees and shrubs can also greatly enhance the dramatic aesthetics of these structures as well as the overall landscape.

In addition, uplighting can be used to greatly increase the dramatic effect of archways, pools and ponds, while “grazing” or up-lighting can also be used to highlight fine stucco or other luxurious surfaces. Another popular effect includes placing lighting under railings, benches and stairs to increase the visibility and dramatize entranceways, porches and other notable areas in the evening.

However, be careful not to recreate a very common mistake in outdoor lighting – over-lighting. In fact, have you ever looked outside in an urban area and wondered what happened to the stars? This is the result of “urban sky glow” and the cumulative effect of misdirected, poorly positioned and overly lamped areas.

Remember, there is no benefit to lighting the night sky. Well-designed fixtures direct the light where needed, while reducing wasted light. In fact, Sea Gull Lighting offers “neighbor-friendly” Dark Sky outdoor fixtures that support the International Dark Sky Association’s initiatives to “preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies though quality outdoor lighting.”

Creating Interior Ambiance

Once inside, lighting can also help sustain the outdoor’s inviting appeal through a combination of fixtures and lighting techniques that simultaneously complement nearly any architectural design, create the mood for the proper occasions and facilitate the performance of most tasks.

Ranging from chandeliers, sconces and pendants to wall/bath and hall/foyer lighting, these fixtures are also available in a wide variety of finishes that can either complete or enhance modern as well as traditional surroundings. In addition to the fixtures themselves, both ceiling fans and lamp shades also provide cost-effective accessories that can also complement and enhance the look and feel of most decors.

Furthermore, remember that common indoor lighting mistakes include relying on one light fixture to support all the activities in a room as well as the over-lighting of other areas. Lighting should be complementary and composed of multiple layers provided by varying sources. With the flick of a switch and depending on the mood or occasion, the results will then combine to readily accommodate quiet moments, the performance of everyday activities and bright, festive atmospheres at a moment’s notice.

As for the home’s internal “curb appeal,” here are some other lighting techniques for cost-effectively enhancing the value and ambiance of home and offices, while potentially attracting more interest from buyers in a stagnant housing market.

 

• Use dimming controls to regulate the layers of light throughout the room and comfortably complement the performance of any task or enhance the mood for most events
• Position recessed “disc” lights or linear systems under cabinets or other shelving to greatly facilitate the performance of any task while providing an excellent source of general functional lighting
• Strategically place recessed fixtures and wall sconces in the bath to create warm, spa-like atmospheres and facilitate tasks. As an example, vanity lights stylishly placed on both sides of a mirror can provide generous levels of light, while reducing glare which can hinder grooming activities
• Place pendants and sconces above island areas and tables to make them more useable for simple tasks while creating the illusion of a larger space
• Mount rail lighting two to three feet from the wall to highlight a particular area. This will also help to create a wall washing effect that evenly showcases larger artistic elements such as murals and paintings
• Use ENERGY STAR® qualified lighting in you next building package. The switch from traditional lighting to ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures can help users to save hundreds of dollars on energy bills, while greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting also use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent fixtures and produce about 78 percent less heat. This often translates into cooler rooms during summer months and additional savings on utility costs for air conditioning