Missing IKEA

The great thing about IKEA is that you can buy nice looking stuff without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, they don't have a branch in Manila.

See the picture on the left? It's the Tank Table Lamp from Keystone Lamps, and it would have been perfect for the accent table we bought last year. The problem is that it's rather short at 11.5 inches (height), and I prefer the shade be changed to something black instead.

To change the shade will cost us Php 6,800. To increase the height by around six inches will be an additional Php 11,700:

Time to start looking elsewhere.

Elements: Guest Room 1

At the back of where we live is a road which I like to refer to as "Light Street" because it's lined on both sides with numerous shops all selling light fixtures. And in my search to find the perfect pair of table lamps for the guest room, I decided to walk the entire length of Jalan Besar to check them out.

Now, despite the huffing and puffing (I am completely out of shape) and the glare of the hot afternoon sun, I came up decidedly empty handed. It seemed like most of the stores were all selling the same thing and oddly enough, there weren't too many options.

I also visited as many decor stores as I could find, but it was only in IKEA that I found what I was looking for.

IKEA 365+ Lunta

For me, it was the perfect fit for a narrow room with a rather large window.

Renovation Update 10

Today is Alecto's last day. All the lights are installed and there is now enough wattage for the appliances we plan to plug into the house.

Also, we had Rabacon install a half-wall (drywall) inside our bedroom. It has made the place look even smaller but it will provide more space in the long run as this is where we plan to put the TV along with a few shelves for the DVD player and the DVDs. On the other side of the wall is where we'll hang a full length mirror so it will act like a small dressing area.

Coming Soon: Dimmable Energy Saver Lamps

Whoever thought that a light bulb would make me so excited? Well the dimmable compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) just did!

As almost half the house is on dimmers, I was getting a bit worried since only incandescent bulbs can be used and the guy at Wilcon told me that they were being phased out (the bulbs that is).

At first, I didn't believe him - how could that happen when all the decorating books I've recently read have advocated the use of dimmers? Not only for better lighting but also for saving on electricity? But it turns out, he was right and it seems that the Philippines will be the first in Asia to ban incandescent bulbs according to Wikipedia (which cited Fox News as the source).

Panic then had me searching Google for a solution and that's how I discovered dimmable CFLs by Philips. My relief was short lived however when I found out that the lights are not yet available locally and no other brand carried a similar product.

So yesterday I called up Customer Service, and the lady who answered advised that someone will get back to me regarding my query. I was pleasantly surprised at their response rate - they replied that same day with the news that the lamps will be available starting July! Hallelujah!

This is even better since incandescent bulbs only have one color - yellow. CFLs, on the other hand, have other colors like "cool white" which is what I wanted for the entire house as it's not as harsh as daylight or as mellow as warm white. It's a good in-between color.

Here are some of the lamp's features but you can read more about the Philips' dimmable CFL on their website:

- Light levels can be adjusted to suit the scene
- Can be used with most conventional dimmers*
- Offers a wide range of dimming (from 5 to 100%)*
- Fast run up time
- Starts up at minimum dimmer level of 5%
- Compact and attractive design to suit many fittings
- Quality Philips technology delivers up to 80% energy savings over incandescent bulbs
- Light does not flicker*
- No hum*

* Test performed in Philips laboratories based on dimming capability, flickering, humming and ignite at low dimming level with most consumer dimmers.

Update: As of December 2011, this lamp is still not available locally. I sent them another email and they informed me that they plan to introduce it next year but no definite date.

A Word on Lighting

I've just finished re-reading The Smart Approach to Small-Space Living and I thought I'd share with you their guide on lighting that I found useful:

Page 163 - Dimmers connected to ceiling lights give you flexibility. When you want to rev up the lighting and brighten the whole room to make it look larger and more alive you can do so. Then with a quick turn of a dial, or flick of a switch, you can dim the room down into cozy intimacy.

For economy and energy savings, you can also dim the lights just slightly to extend bulb life without making any significant change in the light level. For instance, dimming the light to 50 percent will be perceived as though you had dimmed it to only 70 percent.

Page 164 - Your lighting needs. When a room is not bright enough, many people simply exchange low-watt bulbs for high-watt ones. Wattage, however is simply a measurement of how much electricity a lamp consumes. The actual light output of a bulb is measured in lumens. If the bulbs you're using aren't producing enough overall illumination, replace them with ones that have more lumens. The next time you shop for bulbs read the labels, which indicate the lumens per watt (lpw) produced by a bulb. The more lumens per watt, the more efficient the lamp. When looking for intensity produced by a lamp, refer to its candlepower (Cp). The more candela (units), the brighter the source.

Page 168 - Most lighting specialists agree that light for dining should come from an overhead fixture centered on the table. In a room with 8-foot-high ceilings, hang the fixture so that its bottom is 27 to 36 inches above the table; raise the fixture 3 inches for every additional foot of ceiling height.

Lights - Set B

Eglo Gino - Php 899.77 each - wall sconces that will frame the mirror in the upstairs bathroom. Original price was Php 999.75 each.

Eglo Beluga - Php 4,499.77 - overhead dining table lamp. Original price was Php 4,999.75.

Akari Outdoor Light - Php 499.75 - outside wall light beside the back door.

Firefly Ceiling Light - Php 649.95 - upstairs bathroom overhead light.

Keystone Lotus Lamp - Php 10,800 - since the stairwell light is visible from the outside, I wanted something that I felt would not only look good but would also provide a lot of light. Here's hoping it works out as planned. Original price was Php 12,000.

Aristocrat WL FKA W-99 - Php 1,750 - ground floor bathroom wall light. Original price was Php 1,995.