Home - Fixtures and Fittings

Lighting has an extreme effect on how we feel. Thoughtful and well-chosen lighting can make us feel safe and secure, happy or relaxed. However, lighting that is too bright can overpower, drain and dominate while a dark, unlit room can just feel cold and depressing.

Being invisible is the curtain and blind story of the year. According to Jenny Phare of Blindmaster in Brookvale, creams, earth tones and white steal the show in window decoration.

Contemporary outdoor lighting plays a big part in enhancing the look and appeal of your home.

Make the most of natural light or turn to energy efficient options to help reduce greenhouse gases and create a more pleasant environment in your home.

It’s believed the ancient Greeks used marble slabs to create the first window shutters to provide ventilation, light control and weather protection. But it wasn’t long before they realised a more practical material was required, allowing for variation in light and air flow. Thus, the versatile wooden shutter system was born.

With all the natural light options on the market to brighten up your office or home these days, it is easy to pick skylights or roof windows which look great and help you save on your electricity costs!

Blinds have provided homeowners with privacy and shade for literally thousands of years.

Exterior lighting not only helps extend the use of your outdoor living area during warm summer nights, it’s also an inexpensive way to give your house and garden a total makeover.

For thousands of years windows were simply holes in the wall. Needed for light, they were a major source of heat loss during winter. Nowadays, cleverly positioned and designed windows can make a style statement about your home – as well as make it more energy-efficient.

Then you need to cover up! Blinds, curtains, shutters and awnings can control the amount of light and heat that enters your doors and windows, and also be a stunning and cost-effective covering for your home.

Windows can be a real feature of any home. Peninsula Living explores the windows of opportunity. No house can be a home without windows. They provide light, insulation and ventilation as well as an integral design feature.

Doors are not only functional, they can also be aesthetically pleasing and energy-efficient. So when purchasing doors for your home, it's wise to invest in quality that will complement your home’s style, prove durable over the years, and perform during the peak heating and cooling months.

The days of having a few citronella candles to illuminate your outdoor living areas have long gone. As with most home decorating products, the choices of how to light up your home on the outside are limited only by your imagination.

Lighting is often the last item considered when redecorating, but it can be the finishing touch that gives a great first impression.

Some may think that deciding on the right blinds and curtains is easy. Some may even feel that these crucial items are just mere accessories. These people are incorrect. The type, colour and practicality of your blinds and curtains can make or break the appearance of your home.

Curtains and blinds are a highly visible part of every room, so it is important that they look good. More importantly, they make your home more private, block out light, and help to keep the warmth in during the winter months and the heat out in summer

Doors and windows may be functional fixtures, but they also add style and individuality to a home.

Windows can open up beautiful vistas or expose less appealing sights. So to create a feature, protect you from the sun or give you privacy, curtains and blinds are an attractive solution.

Curtains and blinds don't only keep out the hot sun in summer, they keep the warmth in during winter. They can also make a style statement in your home.

Although there are no hard and fast rules for home lighting, a little bit of knowledge will help you create the right atmosphere in every room, every evening.