Page 14 - Your Home Your Way

14 THE BRANDON SUN • YOUR HOME YOUR WAY • THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

How to use architectural

lighting to revamp your home

Architectural lighting TO SET THE MOOD WITH
enhances the structure of a WALL WASH LIGHTING
space to create a cohesive Wall washing is a tech-
experience. It’s something nique that directs light at
to be considered during ev- a wall to draw attention to
ery building and renovation the smooth, vertical surface.
project, and the earlier the The fixtures can be recessed
better. This is because this in the ceiling or mounted to
type of lighting is integrat- it. If you prefer to create an
ed directly into the space, uplighting effect, install the
blending in with the features lights on the floor.
of your home. Here are some
ways architectural lighting is
used. TO LIGHT YOUR WAY
Illuminate stairways by
TO EMPHASIZE CEILINGS adding pot lights on both
If you have architectural sides of the bottom step, ei- focuses light where it’s most inets, to lighting up built-in
ceilings, rather than installing ther on the lowest riser or needed. shelving and other custom
pot lights, consider adopting the wall. Alternatively, add There are many other pos- features. For the best possible
lighting that blends into the lighting within each riser. sibilities when it comes to results, make sure to speak
mill work and moulding. This Uplighting can create height architectural lighting, from with an architect before you
could work well on a beamed, and drama, and when used to il luminating the underside start your renovation or build-
coffered, coved or tray ceiling. illuminate staircases, it also of kitchen counters and cab- ing project.

» Continued from Page 13 are warm on top; that could be a suitable Another option for light is a grow-
place. Same for near a radiator. A ther- light, either fluorescent or LED. Al-
(“potting soil”) is enhanced by the inclu- mostatically controlled seed mat offers though these lights look bright, they
sion of some coarse material such as per- more control. don’t compare with good old sunshine.
lite, vermiculite or sand. If you have little To keep moisture from evaporating Light intensity falls off rapidly with dis-
experience raising transplants, buy a pot- from your container, cover it with a pane tance from a light, so keep the light just a
ting mix. It will already have the drainage of clear glass or plastic, or enclose the few inches above the plants. Or combine
material mixed in. container in a plastic bag. a sunny window and a grow-light.
Fill the containers with the potting Be careful not to overwater or under-
mix and firm it down. Not too much, THE EXCITEMENT BEGINS water. I lift a container and its weight tells
though. Then sow seeds, three or four per Now for the exciting part, waiting to me if water is needed. The ideal for stocky
container or cell, as insurance. Do this by see little, green sprouts. Remove all but growth is keeping plants just slightly un-
poking a hole a few times the thickness of the sturdiest sprout from each container derwatered.
a seed into the mix, and drop in the seed. or cell, being careful not to disturb the In four to six weeks, most transplants
Smooth over the potting mix to cover the roots of the sprout that remains. should be two to three times the height
seeds, and firm it again. Your goal now is to grow sturdy, stocky of their containers, stocky and ready for
Water the container by standing it in transplants that can tolerate a move to the the outdoors. Or almost ready. Acclimate
a pan with water reaching about half as great outdoors. For this, you need abun- them to their future environment with
high as the height of the container. After dant light and cooler temperatures. Even a week of being outdoors somewhere
a few hours, lift the container up out of tomatoes, a summer vegetable, grow best shielded from the full brunt of sun, wind
the water. as transplants with temperatures between and cold. Then plant them in the garden.
Seeds need warmth to germinate, the 60 F and 70 F. Don’t worry if you can’t Perhaps you’ll be inspired next year to
amount varying with the kind of seed. A achieve ideal growing conditions; what’s grow more of your own transplants.
good average for just about all seeds is possible in a commercial greenhouse of- Lee Reich writes regularly about garden-
about 75 F. Beyond their optimum ger- ten isn’t feasible in a home. ing for The Associated Press. He has authored
mination temperatures, seeds will still A sunny, south-facing window works a number of books, including “Weedless Gar-
germinate, but more slowly. well, especially if it’s in a cool room. Ro- dening” and “The Pruning Book.” He blogs
Most seeds don’t need light to germi- tate the plants daily so they grow uni- at leereich.com/blog. He can be reached at
nate. So a suitable place is almost any- formly, rather than one side always bend- garden@leereich.com.
where in your home. Some refrigerators ing toward the light. » Associated Press