"In a restaurant -- where people must look as aesthetically pleasing to each
other as the food does to them -- the quality of light is crucial - the
type of fixture and the kind of light they produce," says Re:Vision's
Jeremy Avellino, an architect/designer and former builder.
For now, he has chosen compact fluorescents (CFLs) that cast a
surprising bluish light. They'll use nearly one-quarter the energy
incandescent bulbs would and will last 10,000 hours or more.
CFLs produce varying shades of white light, identified by color
temperature measured on the Kelvin scale, according to the
Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Web site (www.energystar.gov).
Lower Kelvin numbers mean the light has a warmer color; higher numbers
mean the light has a cooler cast. But not all manufacturers list color
temperature on their packaging.
Most CFLs on the market offer soft or warm light (2,700K to
3,000K), comparable to an incandescent, that will enhance warmer room
colors such as red, yellow and orange, the Web site says. At higher
Kelvin color temperatures (3,500 to 6,500K), CFLs will emit more white
to bluish-white light that enhances cooler colors (blue, green, violet).
"Our eyes have been tuned to incandescent bulbs for years,"
Avellino says. "After you get used to compact fluorescent . . . people
look better."
But even in mid-renovation, decisions are being reconsidered at the
White Dog. The CFLs are an interim step, to be replaced ultimately with
light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
LEDs are Environmentally Sound, Use Less Energy, and Last Longer
LEDs are the next wave because they are more environmentally sound, use
less energy and last longer than both CFLs and incandescents, Wicks and
Avellino say.
LED Colors are Endlessly Creative!
And the light they cast allows for any number of tones and moods. "You can totally name your color," Wicks says.
LED Lights for Exterior AND Interior
Though she is starting to use LEDs in exterior lighting, as the
technology advances Wicks plans to use them inside, too - they are
easier to dim, an important feature for a restaurant.
Don't Stop with Creative Rays -- Create Environmentally Friendly Fixtures, too!
For environmentally aware designs, he uses life's flotsam and
junk: old brass instruments, discarded crystal candy dishes, colanders,
antique glass jars, car and motorcycle parts.
Being ahead of the game in repurposing what's available is what led developer Tony Goldman to Muller's door.
Goldman Properties helped create New York City's SoHo district and
Miami's South Beach from once-trashed warehouses and old hotel spaces.
In Philadelphia, he's taken on a once-worn-out area of South 13th
Street between Locust and Chestnut.
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