“It is not your mother’s light bulb anymore. Most of us grew up with the 60-watt light bulb in our lamps and the smaller 40-watt light bulb in the refrigerator. Seniors recall the big silver-tipped bulbs, 200 or 300 watts, that were part of the white ring fixtures in schools. Then, when I was a child I saw a new kind of light, fluorescent tubes, used in schools and work places to save energy and provide even light,” claims Kay Newell (the Light Bulb Lady), owner of Sunlan Lighting, Inc., North... more

WHEW! Sure glad that spring is over! What a horrible, wet, yucky, gloomy (well, you get the picture) season it has been. I’m ready to get outdoors, not just to work in the garden and make it pretty, but to sit in the garden, have a cocktail, and enjoy the company of my husband and our friends. Since our house is teeny-weeny, bringing the party outdoors is necessary and that makes lighting the garden for those wonderful evening parties, essential. We’ve always considered our outdoor spaces an... more

The kitchen can be the most challenging room to light. Your surfaces need to be bright enough to be able to see where you are chopping, soft and inviting for conversation and midnight snacking, and in many cases, available to show off collections or family heirlooms. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

The best part about being the “Lightbulb Lady” is the stories my customers share when returning to Sunlan Lighting to obtain more full spectrum light bulbs. They teach me the value of light and new ways to use them. Here are a few from people who use full spectrum lighting. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

My column this issue will focus on two technology trends I see as we move into the second decade of the 21st century. Number one on the list is battery power. This trend has gained tremendous traction in the past 10 years in the world of cordless tools, cell phones and laptop computers, with the current state-of-the-art lithium-ion cells leading the way. This technology continues to move forward as we speak, and suddenly the prospect of mass produced non-hybrid, electrically powered “plug-in”... more

Changing the lighting in your home generally requires some re-wiring, and for that you should consider hiring a licensed electrician. However, there are some simple solutions that allow you to make some changes using existing fixtures and outlets. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Boy, it sure is dark outside. Doesn’t it just seem like the short days, the leaf drop and the rain all started at exactly the same moment? Weird. I guess there is just one thing to do and that is to get ready for the holidays, which makes it just the right time to light things up. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

It’s no secret that the best place to go for lighting needs in Portland is Sunlan Lighting, Inc., a small, non-descript store on N. Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →