Home & Garden Blog

At the Palm Beach County Home & Interior Design Show, the company NiteLites took the spotlight.  Nitelites, “The Landscape Lighting Professionals”, specializes in low-voltage lighting which the company personalizes for every home or garden.  The lighting installations are elegant, smart and practical.  They illuminate the home you are proud of, and brighten pathways to keep your family and visitors safe.  All of the fixtures are made with solid brass or copper and comes with a 5-year warranty.

Special Inside Tip: NiteLites will provide free demonstrations at your home before you have to commit to an installation!

One downfall: The company is still expanding its locations. While NiteLites has the East Coat from Massachusetts to Florida covered well, service becomes a little sparse once you get past Tennessee and non-existent once past Texas.

When considering installing architectural or landscape lighting around your house, remember to consider:

1. Entrance ways, door ways, and exit points:  These are the portals to your home, so every doorway should be welcoming and well-lit so it is easy to spot.  Well-lit doorways help during that late-night search for keys in the purse, for example.  But, take lighting at the doorway with caution.  While you certainly want the light to be bright on the outside (even to make sure that you recognize who is knocking at the door) but you do not want the light illuminating the inside of your house for the whole world to see.  Keep this in mind if your doorway has glass and consider having it frosted if you have not already.

2. Privacy:  You have taken good care of your home and you deserve to beautify it even more with special, tailored lighting.  Nitelites can help you pick out the perfect set up to illuminate and show off the assets of your home.  However, don’t forget to consider your family’s privacy.  You do not want your home to be visible from space.  Make sure that the lights will not be shining into your windows and keep the direct light on the house to a minimum.  Instead, if you are just starting to consider installations, start small with pathway lighting, or maybe a little around the outdoor pool or garage.  Remember, this lighting is meant to benefit your family first.

Nitelites.com has a very interactive and image-heavy site that can give you plenty of ideas about how to improve your home with lighting installation.  Check it out, and even if you are on the fence about the idea, contact NiteLites for a free consult.  You never know what will spark your imagination!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop through a variety of affordable outdoor lighting.

Nothing is more romantic than sitting on your porch (if you’re lucky, right on the beach) right after the sun sets while gazing into each others eyes by candlelight.  Ahhh.  Relaxing and romantic.  You can achieve this effect on your patio, balcony, or porch by purchasing a set of lanterns like the two below on sale at PotteryBarn.com.

These are awesome for the beach.

Bristol Lanterns: $39-$79 Now: $29-$59 on sale!

These would work at the beach, or at your cabin in the mountains by the lake.

Grayson Lanterns: $19.50-$179 Now: $15.00-$139 on sale!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more lanterns.
Discounts on outdoor lighting.

Today I’m going to give you some spring lighting ideas.  Have you ever thought about solar lanterns?  How great is to have light at night, using the energy from an amazing source like the sun?  In fact, I think it is a very smart choice, not only for the way it helps save energy, but also for its practicality (needing no electric installation at all!).   Let me show you the coolest outdoor solar lanterns I found on Smarter.com:

These are my first choice, which would be totally great for any outdoor party.  Actually, I would use the party as an excuse to get this cute lanterns, because I think they would be a lovely decoration for my garden, since they definitely create an amazing atmosphere.

These elegant accordion lanterns open up and can be easily hung anywhere from its support wires.  They automatically turn on at dusk and glow, for several hours.  The globes are made of heavy duty nylon, and can be kept outdoors with no problem since they are weather resistant.  These colorful lanterns work with two LED lights, and each of them has one AAA rechargeable battery with photo light sensor and an on/off switch, which is located on the bottom of the solar panel.

Pictured: Soji Pod Solar Lantern: $22.95

Now, lighting a garden can get really complicated and annoying when you need to find an electrical outlet or run extension chords.  That is exactly why I chose this elegant set of four solar garden accent lights, that would light any garden on.

These beautiful lights are supported by the LED technology, assuring extra-long run times.  Its design is very chic and modern, so you would not only be lighting your garden, you would be doing it in a very stylish way, and in good taste.  As no wiring is required, the only thing you should do is placing them in your garden the way you prefer, and just see how the solar panel converts the sunlight into fine electricity, charging the rechargeable battery during the day, and providing light for the night when they turn on automatically.

In case you need help to place these lanterns, let me give you two options I always recommend.  The first one is setting the lanterns in the corners of your garden, so that you can get to distribute the light evenly in the whole area.  The second option would be selecting the “special spots” and lighting them to emphasize their beauty, for example next to a tree or some plant that feel needs to be distinguished.

Pictured: Moderna Solar Light, Set of Four: $123.40

Not only are lights cool to use to decorate our garden, there are many different accessories that could help, such as yard stakes, that I think, would add a nice homey touch.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more solar lanterns.
Discounts on outdoor lighting.

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“This is so easy to figure out I don’t even have to explain it. I think it’s fabulous for camping, drinks, picnics, impromptu gatherings, or even when you’re too lazy to wash dishes. Tho you can use the Foldable Bowl for just about anything, I’d avoid hot foods. My only gripe is the material. Plastic, really? Do we need to go down that road again? I didn’t step into some alternate universe where plastic and nature get along fabulously right?” (Source: Yanko Design Blog)

I think this is a great idea but I DO NOT approve of the choice of material either. One of the readers commented that waxed paper would work or even making the bowls out of flattened bread thus making it completely biodegradable!

Overall though I feel the idea has merit!

Smarter Home & Garden Round-Up: 

I tend to steer clear of lucite in shoes BUT check out these wonderful Acrylic Furniture pieces that exude class and beauty.

 Super Sale at BestBuyerDiscounts - Find Outdoor Lighting for only $.025 Cents!

Wonderfully Niche and Unique - Beautiful Cedar & Wood Sake Vessels and Sake Cups 

Beauty is Born from Chaos - Utterly Stunning Multi-Faceted Mirror 

Deal of the Day - Valentine’s Day Puzzle Cards - Personal and Sweet Gift Ideas for Your Sweethearts

Okay guys I don’t know what is going on at BestBuyerDiscounts.com but they are having super awesome deals right now! I am not kidding some of their stuff is 97% OFF!

That is unheard of and you gotta check out this SALE! 

Small White Lantern - was $6.95 NOW $0.25 (you save 96% Off)

Mini Cutwork Garden Lantern - was $7.95 NOW $0.25 (you save 97% Off)

Ladybug Mesh Lantern -  was $9.95 NOW $0.25 (you save 97% Off)

Honestly these are amazing savings and it appears that the whole site has been discounted, so this is just an example of the savings! 

To shop for deep discounts at BestBuyerDirect.com - click here!

No more stumbling around in the dark, fumbling in the twilight through sharp rusty tools and garden equipment! The Solar Shed Light installs in minutes without the need for running electric power. Simply attach the swivel-mounted solar panel outside and the bright LED light inside. Weatherproof design mounts anywhere, and includes two rechargeable batteries. Which saves you tons of money as well as saves the Earth from excessive waste. It’s a win-win.

Three stores offer the Solar Light Shed, prices range from (low-high) $39.95 - $50.00

If you are interested in checking out the details or purchasing the Solar Light Shed - Click here! 

Shop for more discount Outdoor Lighting options, click here. 

Funny story, ready? Well not so much funny “haha” but funny “sad slash ghetto”. My brother has a house in San Fernando Valley and he recently purchased those solar lights that line your lawn and some garden thief promptly stole them!

Well okay I know that not everyone may see the humor in that situation but if you knew my brother you would. This is the same fellow who had his car stolen twice (recovered and stripped in Riverside) and who has an uncanny ability to get into hi jinx wherever he goes. So really the event didn’t surprise anyone, just brought additional chuckles.

The whole event made me wonder if there were other solar outdoor lighting options available that could not be so easily swiped.

Voila! I introduce you to the Driveway Solar Lights from Frontgate.com!

Place along the driveway or along the steps of your porch or front walkway and let the solar lights be a beacon for your way home. The lights will guide you on your path safely as you bring in your groceries at night, sleepily pull out your trash early in the morning, or slowly guiding your car threw rainfall or drizzle.

Powered by solar memory circuitry for 18 hours of run-time on a full charge (even when the skies are overcast), they provide reliable outdoor lighting all night long. Housed in rust free aluminum, 6 super strong LEDs provide bright and brilliant light, completely cordless so no wiring required to install. Also mounts vertically so you can add the Solar Lights wherever some luminance is required. 

Price - $59.50 (for a set of 2)

To shop for the Driveway Solar Lights from Frontgate, click here.

To browse a wide selection of Discount Outdoor Lighting Options, click here.

L to R: Kilcher St. Croix $139.99, Hinkley Tiki Bamboo $104.90, LampsPlus Bronze Pole Light $219

Normally, these lights wouldn’t be my style, but since they’re for the great outdoors, I like them.  The first two are path lights that would look great posted in a front walkway, while the third is a portable pole light that you can move around at your convenience (I’m thinking it would be good for a back patio).  I’m into their tropical feel, and I adore the illuminated pineapple on the first one.  Sweet.