New Options for Recessed Lighting   Residential Lighting July 2010   Randall Whitehead
Readers ask our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, for advice on getting a proper beam spread from LED recessed lights and whether fans can stand in for fixtures.

Dimming Different Light Sources   Residential Lighting June 2010   Randall Whitehead
When it comes to use with controls, all lamping options have their cons, says our pro, Randall Whitehead, IALD.

Proper Size and Placement of Outdoor Lanterns   Residential Lighting May 2010   Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, tackles a trio of questions on the topic of exterior fixtures.

Is LED recessed lighting a practical purchase at this point for use in the home?   Residential Lighting April 2010   Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, responds to a recent inquiry about LED downlights.

Effective Lighting Around Mirrors   Residential Lighting March 2010   Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, describes lighting perfection surrounding a reflection, plus his position on portable lamps.

Considerations When Lighting Kitchens   Residential Lighting February 2010   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert Randall Whitehead, IALD, shares his checklist of key factors when illuminating this popular room.

PAR Alternatives and Difficult Dining Rooms   Residential Lighting January 2010   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert Randall Whitehead, IALD, gives his recommendations for energy-efficient alternatives to PAR lamps, plus how to improve the scale of a massive dining space.

Dealing With Concrete Ceilings   Residential Lighting December 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert Randall Whitehead, IALD, explains what to do when you’ve got a surface you can’t break through, and how to update ho-hum high hats.

Can LEDs hold up when the mercury plunges?   Residential Lighting November 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, looks into solid-state lighting’s sensitivity to colder air temperatures in response to a reader question about task lighting in a garage.

Illuminating Rooms With High Ceilings   Residential Lighting October 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, answers the call for tall walls to ensure adequate and aesthetically pleasing lighting in expansive spaces.

Recessed Retrofits and New Technology for Antiques   Residential Lighting September 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, give advice on retrofitting recessed lights with LEDs and suggests alternatives to incandescent lamps for the antique lighting market.

Halogen’s Heat Factor and Under-Cabinet LEDs   Residential Lighting August 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert, Randall Whitehead, IALD, explains what to recommend when customers say halogen is too hot and when LEDs might overtake T2s under cabinets.

Mounting Wall Sconces   Residential Lighting July 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Proper sconce placement depends on the fixture’s function in the room, according to our expert Randall Whitehead, IALD.

Can sitting too close to a CFL cause a rash?   Residential Lighting June 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Our expert Randall Whitehead, IALD, separates fact from fiction regarding fluorescent’s skin irritation factor.

Oh Holy Light   Residential Lighting May 2009   By Randall Whitehead
Forgive me for I have dimmed: A fixture restoration at a church prompts an epiphany about cold cathode lamps.

Circling the Bandwagons   Residential Lighting April 2009   Randall Whitehead
Fueled by yet another ruffled reader, Randall holds up his end of the energy-efficient lighting conversation.

Which companies make quality CFL dimmers?   Residential Lighting March 2009   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead explains where to turn for dimmable CFLs and the control systems that love them.

What should you do if you break a CFL?   Residential Lighting February 2009   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead explains that compact fluorescent bulbs do contain mercury, but not enough to be concerned about.

Will fluorescent bulbs make lamp shades last longer?   Residential Lighting January 2009   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Will fluorescent bulbs lengthen the lift of lamp shades because they are cooler than incandescents?

Are CFLs a bad choice for ceiling cans?   Residential Lighting December 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Q: "Having just started on a major renovation and addition to my old Victorian, I found compact fluorescents very useful. However, I heard 'somewhere' that CFLs are not a good choice for ceiling cans because the heat buildup seriously shortens the bulb's life. True or false?"

Green lighting can still sell even in a bad economy   Residential Lighting December 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead defends his position that selling green products to high-end consumers is still a good idea in a bad economy.

Tips for illuminating children’s rooms   Residential Lighting November 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
What's the best way to light children's rooms?

How to promote a new lighting line to lighting fixutre manufacturers   Residential Lighting November 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead gives advice about how lighting fixture designers can bring their new products to lighting manufacturers.

Tips for lighting stairwells   Residential Lighting October 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Stairs may need plenty of light, but they also present precarious places for changing bulbs.

How to prevent alabaster sconces from getting discolored   Residential Lighting October 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead explains why alabaster sconces offer get discolored over time and what to do about it.

Do LEDs Have Oomph?   Residential Lighting September 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Q: “Randall, I am a vocal advocate for green building and lighting. Is there an equation to compare LED to incandescent watts? I have a customer who is very interested in LEDs, and we are retrofitting with LLF retrofit cans. What’s your opinion about that product? Can you get dimmable LED recessed lights? Do they fit in regular cans? Also, what insight can you give regarding the future of LED overhead lights in commercial applications?”

How to design a lighting solution around artwork   Residential Lighting September 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead explains what you need to consider when designing a lighting solution to accommodate homeowners and their art collections.

Night Light   Residential Lighting August 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Q: “Randall, why is exterior lighting overlooked? Why should it not be?” A: I think people are more concerned with the inside of their homes. Once they have settled in, they realize there is valuable real estate beyond the front and back doors.

How can you block UV rays from linear fluorescents?   Residential Lighting August 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead answers how you can block UV rays from linear fluorescents and how to make LED lighting appear warmer.

Island Oasis   Residential Lighting July 2008   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Q: “Randall, I want to install non-returnable 6-inch by 6-inch mini pendants over a 4-foot kitchen island with 8-foot ceilings. Are they too big for my space?”

The Indirect Route   Residential Lighting August 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, dives into his favorites file, coming up with a few thoughts on the subtleties of uplighting.

Who's the Fairest?   Residential Lighting July 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, reflects on the best way to bring a healthy glow to the marriage of two essential powder room partners: mirrors
and lighting.

America's Top Remodel   Residential Lighting June 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, illustrates how to avoid common pitfalls when working with customers and partners on a remodel project.

Page of Enlightenment   Residential Lighting May 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, proves a learned and gracious guide through lighting's labyrinthine lexicon.

Sibling Rivalry   Residential Lighting April 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead, IALD, tackles the modern-day great debate: LEDs versus CFLs.

Can-Do Illumination   Residential Lighting March 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Learn how best to make a splash while lighting the bath.

Viva Variety   Residential Lighting January 2007   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Too much dependence on recessed lighting can make a home look more like a museum.

What's Cookin'?   Residential Lighting December 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
A recent onslaught of kitchen lighting questions inspires Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, to provide a “group therapy session” on the topic.

Twinkle, Twinkle   Residential Lighting November 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Our expert spreads the holiday spirit with tips about festive vegetation illumination.

Smells Like Team Spirit   Residential Lighting September 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Creating an “e-mail trail” will ensure you’re not the last
to know when someone tampers with your specifications.

Swing Low...   Residential Lighting August 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Swing low...sweet reading light. Randall tells a cozy bedtime
story about perfectly positioned illumination.

Color Is for Rainbows   Residential Lighting July 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, urges those who dream of pepping up landscape lighting with color to get their heads out of the Technicolor clouds.

Fine Vintage   Residential Lighting June 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, says classic’s still cool, now that manufacturers are offering off-catalog options that live up to contemporary standards.

LED My People Come   Residential Lighting May 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, heralds the advance of LEDs while still preaching the fluorescent gospel.

Outta Sight, Outta Mind   Residential Lighting April 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD, proffers his advice on imbuing fluorescents with flair—and convincing consumers to make the switch.

Take My Temperature   Residential Lighting March 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Ending months of anticipation, Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead explains how to make that light box he recommended in January's column.

Path to Lightiousness   Residential Lighting February 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
This month, Randall lights the way toward more effective exterior illumination.

The 411 on CFLs   Residential Lighting January 2006   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
This month, Randall sets the record straight regarding compact fluorescent technology.

The Great Debate   Residential Lighting December 2005   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
This month, Randall tackles a cost/efficiency comparison between line voltage and low voltage light sources.

Weighty Issue   Residential Lighting November 2005   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Heavy transformers could spur the downfall of remodel recessed cans, unless you follow the advice of Contributing Editor Randall Whitehead, IALD.

Safety Costs   Residential Lighting October 2005   By Randall Whitehead, IALD
Randall Whitehead, IALD, explains the omnipresent UL designation and what it means for your product offering.