Many homeowners in Ocean County, New Jersey, make a New Year’s resolution to revamp the interior and exterior of their full-time and vacation homes. Lighting is no exception. Multiple lighting styles currently trending have plenty of long-lasting power, with a focus in the upcoming year on personalization and eco-friendliness. The following are only some of the lighting trends you’ll notice being incorporated into Ocean County homes.

Smart Lighting

It should come as no surprise that smart lighting is one of the top lighting trends in Ocean County for the upcoming year. Several options are available, such as setting a timer in an app for your exterior lights to go on at a specific time or for your interior lights to go on while you’re on your way home. Smart lighting at your Ocean County home has numerous benefits, including enhanced security, saving money, being more eco-friendly, and extending the lifespan of your lighting devices. If you’re interested in smart lighting solutions but are unsure which options would be best for your space, ask an electrician for insight. When you first install smart lighting, make sure that you know how to use it properly. Test it out while you’re still home to check you’re setting it up correctly. For example, use the app on your phone to set your outdoor lighting to go off at a specific time and watch if it goes off when you scheduled it.

Eco-Friendly Materials

Many interested in replacing the lighting at their Ocean County homes may gravitate toward lamps and fixtures made from eco-friendly materials. For example, they might choose bamboo or recycled metal lamps. It’s a great way to showcase your personal style and preferences while also doing some good for the environment in the process.

LED Lighting

Those who haven’t already incorporated LED lighting into their Ocean County homes will likely strive to do so into the new year, thanks to its numerous benefits. While it has a more substantial upfront cost than incandescent bulbs, it’s more cost-efficient in the long run and better for the environment. If you’re worried about what to do with them when you need to replace them, the good news is that many major retailers will take them off your hands.

Vintage Lighting

You may have noticed a massive resurgence of vintage appreciation this year, particularly with fashion. However, it’s also parlayed into home decor, including indoor and outdoor lighting. Many homeowners want to add vintage lighting charm to their Ocean County residences this year. If you’re one of them, there are several things to keep in mind, especially considering you’re likely buying these pieces from secondhand shops, estate sales, online auction sites, and garage sales. Inspecting the vintage light before you buy it is important. You should evaluate the wires closely to see if you can notice any damage, especially fraying. Anything that falls under the vintage distinction is 20 years or older. Considering its age, vintage lighting will generally have some type of wear, but you still want to ensure you’re getting your money’s worth. It’s typically a good idea to test out the lighting before purchasing it, even if the seller tells you it works perfectly. However, you never want to plug it in if you notice any type of damage, as doing so could result in you getting an electrical shock. The best and safest thing to do before you use the lighting in your home is to have an electrician evaluate it. This is important even if the lighting seems to be in great shape and if it turned on without any problem when you tested it. You never know what might happen after extended use. An electrician will take a look at the wires, examine for any water damage, and ensure that the overall condition is safe. It will likely be a good idea to ask the electrician to rewire the lights to ensure they’re safe to use, as the wiring might be outdated and no longer meet safety standards.

Task Lighting

Task lighting allows you to focus the brightness on one or more specific areas rather than lighting up an entire room. For example, if you tend to be an early riser before other people in your house, you can put task lighting in the form of under-cabinet lighting above the coffee maker in the kitchen. This allows you to flip on the light only above the coffee maker instead of turning on the kitchen light to illuminate the entire room. Task lighting is beneficial for a variety of reasons, including that it can help conserve energy. If you want to install task lighting at your Ocean County home for the upcoming new year, the best place to start is to think about where you can most benefit from having it. For instance, maybe you want to illuminate only the bathroom vanity area instead of the entire room or highlight the kitchen island instead of turning on the flush-mounted ceiling light. Depending on the task lighting that you’re interested in, you may have to bring in an electrician to install them for you.

Outdoor Solar Lights

Many homeowners throughout Ocean County already have solar lights on their property. However, you may notice even more people using them in the upcoming year. They’re beneficial in a variety of ways, including that you can use them practically anywhere on your property, and they won’t affect your current electrical usage or bill. One of the most popular options is to use stake solar lights to line pathways either from the sidewalk to the front door or side door or from the backyard to a patio. Solar string lights are also a lovely option to use on trees and shrubbery. They’re a no-fuss option that you don’t have to worry about plugging into an extension cord. Make sure to wipe them off at least once a month, if not more frequently, to keep them looking their best and operating efficiently. This is particularly important if you live on or near the shore and the lights are exposed daily to the salty ocean air.

Color-Changing Lights

Color-changing lights are a beautiful way to personalize your lighting. It lets you decide whether you’re in the mood for blue lighting, pink, or one of the many other possible colors. You get to create the ambiance, the lights add an interesting decorative element, and the different colors can even affect your mood.

Our Electricians in Ocean County

Make a list today of what lighting changes you want to make at your Ocean County home for the new year. Mister Sparky in Beachwood, New Jersey, offers a variety of electrical services, including installing ceiling fans, updating circuit breakers, repairing electrical panels, installing whole house surge protectors, and putting new lighting indoors and outdoors. Contact Mister Sparky® today for more information about how we can update the lighting at your home!