NEWH - May 2003 - (Page 15)

tips on specs... chandeliers WHAT ILLUMINATES YOUR NEXT PROJECT is limited only by your imagination. Chandeliers, the jewels of the decorative lighting world, are sparking boundless creativity spurred by new shapes, new materials, and new technologies. Product options range from concisely catalogued to completely customized. Success overhead involves dozens of factors, with scale, aesthetics, and lamping among the most critical. We asked an array of lighting manufacturing experts to guide us through a best-of-breed specification process, and to let us in on chandelier trends. Take a concise approach Your specification success begins with precise parameters: - Determine fixture purpose – as primary lighting or secondary lighting. Experts note the aesthetic flexibility of mood-rendering secondary lighting. - Calculate clear dimensions, distinguishing between overall fixture height (bottom of fixture to ceiling) and fixture body height. Scale chandeliers to their space, allowing for required clearances. - Evaluate aesthetic preferences for materials and finishes. Manufacturers will guide you on viability. - Decide on deadline and budget criteria. Lighting experts may help engineer value based on your requirements. - Seek recognized compliance testing (such as UL approval) on finished product. - Proceed with shop drawings in exacting CAD format. The better the drawing, the better the execution. Lamping right Present lamping criteria up front. While manufacturers may guide you in the process, indicate the basics. Specify incandescent or energy-efficient lamping, conforming to energy-related building codes. Light should be evenly diffused, minimizing hot spots and avoiding “overlamping” a fixture. Keep technical and material compatibility in mind. For instance, acrylic diffusers trap heat and are not recommended for incandescent lamping. Ask about limiting wattage with certain fabric shades. Computerized dimming systems offer mood-altering effect and energy savings during off-peak operations. Ensuring means to clean For the heaviest, most-difficult-to-clean chandeliers, installing a wench lowering system may be warranted. Ask manufacturers about ease of maintenance and access (including trick doors and panel openings) that allow for cleaning of very large chandeliers. For installation, specify finely tuned details. Do you want lamp shade perfectly straight (ask for a “unifitter”) or slightly crooked for effect? Are beads and crystals properly in place? Against the elements Communicate on customization Five collaborative steps help ensure you get the custom fixture you imagined: - Relay your vision effectively to manufacturers, providing good images and/or drawings. - Allow manufacturers to determine practicality and engineering, given dimensional, weight, mounting, electrical, and aesthetic requirements. (Can it be built, shipped, installed?) - Discuss detailed budgets. - Engage in design review, including all finishes, materials, and substitutes. Talk to manufacturers about what works and what doesn’t (for example, alabaster is lathed, which limits its potential diameter), and what’s expendable (exacting finish matches, for instance, not inspected closely at 20’ heights). Ask for material and finish samples, and even a prototype of a fixture produced in multiples. Porte cochere chandelier applications get their own set of guidelines. In potentially wet locations, all glass panels must be sealed. Bug guards should be standard. And wind-constraint and seismic-approved mounting systems may be required. Fixture testing and compliance testing (UL, for instance) is critical. The “in” list What’s in and what’s out in this product category? Anything goes. More contemporary and transitional motifs are popular now, say experts, brought alive by color. Sculptural, multi-hued and textured glass and resin effects top the list of what’s hot. In metalwork, once-impossible die-cutting requests are the new realities of sophisticated laser techniques. Reprinted with permission copyright © Hospitality Design magazine 15

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - May 2003

NEWH - May 2003
Contents
Letter From the Editor
Hospitality News
Spotlight on NEWH
Tips on Specs....Chandeliers
On the Road Again
Did You Know?
Ancient Storytelling Comes to Life
Indian Gaming: Developing the Latest Gaming Trend
You Can’t Sue an Indian Tribe, Can You?
Putting the Pieces Together: The Steps It Takes to Develop a Casino
Building the Fantasy
The Icing on the Cake: The Importance of Architectural Millwork in Casino Design
Designing Today’s Casino Resort: How to Make Entertainment Memorable and Distinctive
Casino Advertising: A Sure Bet!
Understanding Code Issues Related to Riverboat Casinos
Purchasing on a Dime
Under Wraps
Small Business Advice
Working With Team Players...
In My Opinion...
Taking the Gambling Out of Specifying Gaming Furniture
Industry Partner Education
Bios

NEWH - May 2003