As promised, below is the second part of the interview from Michelle Steinback of Schoolhouse Electric Co. If you missed part one of the interview, you can read it here.

Schoolhouse Electric Interview – Part Two

1. If a homeowner was going to splurge on one part of their home’s lighting system, what would it be?

Typically people spend the most on light fixtures for their entertaining spaces including the living room, dining room and kitchen.  These rooms set the tone for the house and are a good place to splurge.

2. You provide many lighting options for homeowners trying to do authentic period renovations, what do you love about older fixtures and lighting that we lack in contemporary designs?

Two things: Details and quality.

Almost all lighting and hardware is made overseas these days.  Fine detailing is overlooked and the quality is spotty.  We are bucking that trend by keeping our manufacturing in the USA so we can keep craftspeople and time honored production techniques alive here in America.  We take great pride in every detail and the quality of American made parts far and away superior.  Another advantage to manufacturing in the USA is that it reduces the carbon footprint of our products by eliminating the need to transport materials around the world.  Our light fixtures are built to last 100 years and can be re-wired or easily recycled at the end of their life, unlike disposable quality lights made overseas and sold at big box stores.  We take pride in our products and do not cut corners—just like the good old days.

3. I tend to focus more on the style of lighting fixtures rather than the function, how can homeowners find a balance between style and function for their own lighting design?

Think of lighting in terms of layers to open the most possibilities and flexibility in your design.  Consider  mixing overhead ambient lights with sconces, recessed lighting, indirect lighting (such as under counter lighting) and/or  table or floor lamps to achieve the level of light you need in a room.   For instance, if you are working on a kitchen design and want a set of “eye candy” pendants over your island but you know they are not going to put off enough light for all the task areas in the room,  be sure to add additional  layers of lighting to make the space functional and adaptable to different uses.

4. Ok, and finally, we love local Portland businesses like yourself, what other local businesses should homeowners know about if they are working on a home renovation or remodeling project? 

Portlanders love their house projects.  What else are we suppose to do when it rains all of the time?  Luckily we are a hot bed for renovation supply companies and organizations.  Be sure to check these places check out:

North Portland Tool Library /  http://www.northportlandtoollibrary.org
Unless you live in North Portland you won’t be able to check out tools for your renovation project here (for free!) but this is a fantastic organization. I encourage people to check them out so you can start a tool library in your own community!  

Architectural Heritage Center / http://www.visitahc.org/
The Architectural Heritage Center is a non-profit resource center for historic preservation, located in Portland, Oregon.  They host dozens of programs, workshops, and exhibits each year.  They are also caretakers of one of the largest collections of architectural artifacts in the United States.

NW Renovation Magazine / http://www.nwrenovation.com/
This is a local free publication that posts all of their content on-line for everyone to enjoy.  They are a great resource with lots of current information and a great DIY section.

Pratt and Larson / http://www.prattandlarson.com/
Handcrafted tile made here in Portland, one at a time. Love them and you will too.

Old Portland Hardware / http://www.oldportlandhardware.com/
Everyone is talking about this new company specializing in vintage hardware.  Top notch is the word on the street.

Hippo Hardware / http://www.hippohardware.com/
They are an institution and treasure here in Portland. 

A-Ball Plumbing /  http://www.a-ball.com/
They are another institution in Portland and carry some of the harder to find reproduction plumbing items.

Winks Hardware / http://www.winkshardware.com/
This is the hardware store that has everything that you need but can’t find anywhere else.  Grab a ticket and wait in line M-F because this is where all of the contractors go.  The knowledgeable staff is first rate!

Laurelhust Fan Company / http://www.laurelhurstfancompany.com/
This is a brand new company we just found out about.  Their fans are amazing.

Aurora Mills Salvage / http://www.auroramills.com/
This is another fun salvage place in the area.

Thanks again to Michelle for taking the time to answer all of these questions!

If you’re looking for more information on lighting here are some past posts that might also interest you:

Lighting the Way with Beautiful Fixtures
Holiday Remodeling Ideas: The Dining Room
Beating the Bedroom Blues

There is nothing I like more than featuring local businesses I love from the Portland area. Two weeks ago I was proud to feature an interview with a designer at Neil Kelly, and this week I have another great Portland company who was willing to answer my questions, Schoolhouse Electric Co.

Michelle Steinback, General Manager of Schoolhouse Electric Co., had a wealth of information to share with us on successfully lighting your home.

Michelle is a Portland native who has been with Schoolhouse Electric Co. since the company’s founding in May 2003.  Since then the company has grown from two employees to twenty, including a showroom in Portland, Oregon and one in New York, and a factory where the metal finishing and assembly take place.  Michelle oversees the daily operation of the company including everything from product development & marketing to customer service & quality control.

This interview has so much great information packed into it I’ll be breaking it up into two posts. Continue to read part one, and come back on Thursday for part two.

Schoolhouse Electric Interview – Part One:

1. Why are lighting fixtures and lighting design an important part of a home remodeling project?

We think of lighting as house jewelry.  It can pull together a space and certainly makes a statement about the finish quality and style of a home.  Tasteful lighting and woodwork are the kind of details that give houses timeless character and appeal.

2. What is the most important thing that a homeowner should consider when planning to install new lighting in their home?

Consider the big picture. Choose timeless designs and high quality fixtures that will stand the test of time. Avoid trendy looks and disposable quality fixtures that will fail quickly and end up in the landfill—wasting your time and money.

3. Can you give a quick rundown by room on what the lighting focus should be for each space – ie, kitchen lighting, bathroom lighting, etc.

Living Room: Many people use one or more ceiling-mount light fixtures to provide illumination for their living rooms. Wall sconces placed around the room can also provide general light for the space. Some use a combination of ceiling and wall fixtures. For example, if you have a fireplace in your living room, you may choose to light the room from overhead while providing supplemental light by highlighting the fireplace with wall sconces.

Single-socket surface mount or multiple-socket pan fixtures are good choices for living areas depending on the amount of light needed. Single-socket ceiling-mount fixtures often provide up to a maximum 100 or 150 watts of incandescent light output. Fixtures with multiple sockets usually take a minimum of 60 watts of incandescent light per light bulb. More sockets often mean more light.

In living areas where people will be moving underneath the light(s), a good rule of thumb is to keep a minimum of 7’ of clearance from the floor for rooms with 8’ ceilings and 7.5’ of clearance from the floor for ceilings that are 9’ or higher.

Dining Room: Chandeliers and drop-pan light fixtures provide an essential element of style in a dining area but they also provide ample light for the room. If you choose to hang or drop your light fixture from the ceiling, a good overall length from the ceiling to the very bottom of the fixture and glass is in a range that is approximately 36” to 46” off the top of the table, or 66” to 76” off the floor.

Bedroom: A single ceiling mount light fixture is a good choice for ambient light in a bedroom. Many bedrooms in the houses in Portland have single-socket surface mount fixtures with 75 to 100 watt incandescent (or compact fluorescent equivalent) light bulbs that provide ample light for the space. The light output needed for a bedroom, like other rooms, depends on size and ceiling height but is generally less than the light output needed in a kitchen or living room.

Bathroom: Bathrooms may be the most important rooms in the house for task lighting. If you are selecting wall-mounted lighting for your bathroom, focus on your mirror(s). Lighting thoughtfully placed above or beside a mirror can provide more than adequate light so that many bathrooms do not require both ceiling and wall mount light fixtures. Some bathrooms have fanlights, which can provide supplemental light to that over a mirror.

Most wall-mounted bathroom light fixtures have open shades, and sockets are usually rated between 75 and 100 incandescent watts. Two single-socket wall sconces beside mirrors or one double or triple-socket light fixture above mirrors will provide good light for shaving and make-up.

When placing lights beside your mirror, place them somewhere in a range that is between 65” and 70” off the floor and approximately 30” apart. When placing a light fixture over a medicine cabinet, make sure there is clearance for the door to swing.

Kitchen: Many people use a combination of task and ambient lighting in the kitchen. The goal is good quality light with enough illumination to see and be safe in your work or eating spaces. Depending on your ceiling height, pendant lights can bring light down into the room and closer to your table or countertop. Pendant lights usually allow for higher output light bulbs, and opal glass shades that act as lenses provide even light — without shadows — in all directions.

Hang pendant lights so that the bottom of the light (including glass) falls somewhere between 36“ and 46” off the top of the workspace, or 72” and 82” off the floor.

Tricks of the Trade: When you are trying to determine the overall length you would like your new fixture to be, hang a piece of string and a balloon or paper plate (or something to give you a sense of scale) from your ceiling, and try out lengths within the recommended range. This will allow you to stand back and look at the total drop as well as practice moving underneath it, and you will find it much easier to make your decision on length than by simply holding a measuring tape to the ceiling.

Dimmer switches can be used to control the amount of light a fixture provides and work well in rooms that serve multiple purposes. For example, a dining room table may be used for entertaining and also for reading the paper, paying bills, etc. While bright light is not needed to serve and eat meals, the option of adjusting the brightness of the light to see when you read or write allows rooms to serve multiple uses. Dimmers can also help save energy; using less light uses less power.

Energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are a “green” alternative to incandescent light bulbs because they use a fraction of the power to yield the same light output, but they can’t be dimmed. Energy-efficient CFLs last much longer than incandescent light bulbs and are ultimately better for the environment.

Check back on Thursday for the second part of Michelle’s interview where she will cover topics such as how to choose lighting that has both style and functionality, and about Schoolhouse’s historic lighting options.