» Sign up to receive news, events and sales notices.

» Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/clighting

We've been mentioned in the media lately.

Best Lighting Store: C Lighting, Best of Atlanta 2011, Jezebel Magazine, Apr 2011 (http://www.modernluxury.com/jezebel/articles/best-of-atlanta-2011)

Expert Advice Mood Lighting - Why the right fixtures can make or break a room, Atlanta Magazine, Sep 2009 by Suzanne Oliver

Yaacov Golan, owner of Buckhead's C Lighting Gallery, knows how to light up a room.

From under the cabinets to over the island, here's his advice on illuminating your home:

First, consider function. "There is a tendency to use light as a decorative element and forget its function," Golan warns. Always consider a fixture's purpose in terms of general, task or accent lighting. Is it diffusing light from overhead? Is it beaming on a work area? Or is it simply playing up a focal point? Likewise, place recessed or track lighting according to function, not symmetry, says Golan. Resist the temptation to line up cans in rows.

"Lighting is not cheap to start with, but it will make a break a space," says Golan. He recommends devoting 10 percent of construction costs to lights alone. He also advocates buying quality bulbs. Speciality lighting stores can direct consumers to the right voltage and size, whether it's LED, halogen, xenon, or even fluorescent (which is ideal on top of cabinets). More efficient brands often last longer.

Finally, says Golan, it's scientifically proven that light has an impact on one's mood. "Good lighting will make you feel happier."

Layers of lighting key to beauty, expert says
Living - Home & Garden, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mon, April 20, 2009 by C.W. Cameron

View article photos...
Listen to audio of article...

Decide function before choosing fixtures for task or display, C Lighting owner advises.
If you’re looking for a way to spruce up your home without the expense of serious renovations, consider lighting. Choosing the right lighting for your home can be a challenge. One basic problem is that people often choose fixtures for how they look instead of how they function.

Yaacov Golan, a lighting designer and owner of C Lighting in Buckhead, says he often hears customers complaining that they have many fixtures but little light. The problem is they’ve given little thought to what they need light for in their homes.

Yaacov Golan created a modern space with many types of lighting fixtures in his condo. Photography: Joey Ivansco, AJC

“What function does it fill,” Golan says of home lighting, “and what tools do I need to fill that function?”

Answer those questions, he thinks, and you’ll have a good idea of what sorts of fixtures you’ll need to properly light your home.

Then you’re ready to start thinking about layers of light, a design technique that Golan says is the key to beautiful and functional lighting.

Here are some tips he offers that you might consider if your house is dim and you’re thinking of brightening things up.

General lighting

In his own words: “During the day, nature gives us light in all directions. Now how do we duplicate that indoors?”

The goal: Finding fixtures that diffuse light in all directions.

What works: Ceiling fixtures, lamps or cove lighting — hidden fixtures that bounce light off ceilings and walls.

What doesn’t work: Recessed fixtures.

Task lighting

In his own words: “If you have a space with all dark colors, no matter how much you light it, it will still feel dark.

The goal: To brighten up areas where you spend lots of time and do specific tasks — kitchen island, work desk, table in breakfast room.

What works: Lamps, down lights, directional lighting.

What doesn’t work: Fixtures that provide soft, diffused light.

Display lighting

In his own words: “Each layer should be controlled separately.”

The goal: To highlight paintings, sculpture and other architectural elements.

What works: Track lighting and rail systems.

What doesn’t work: Lamps providing soft light filled with shadows.

The guest bedroom features both general lighting and display lighting to highlight the art on the wall. Flat wall paint also is effective at diffusing light. Photography: Joey Ivansco, AJC

TIPS FROM YAACOV GOLAN

• Decorative lighting: Think of table lamps and other such fixtures as pieces of art, a reflection of your taste and style.
• High and low: A good dimming system, one of the biggest trends in home lighting today, can create dramatic, even theatrical effects in your home.
• Day and night: Don’t forget about your windows. During the day you’ll need to find a way to cool them down — sheer curtains offer one solution — and diffuse natural light from outside. And at night, windows become large black holes in your interior. You might consider landscaping lights to brighten the view.
• Plan ahead: Figure out your needs before you begin any work. It’s much easier to take care of problems at the beginning of a project instead of fixing things when you’ll nearly finished.
• Flat vs. glossy: Consider using lighter colors and a flat wall paint when painting a room. Glossy surfaces are not good at diffusing light and generally cause hot spots and glare.

Atlanta Magazine, December 2008,
Best of Atlanta Edition - Hall of Fame

C Lighting benefits the visually impaired, Buckhead Reporter, Dec, 26, 2008
C Lighting owner Yaacov Golan held his annual holiday bash Dec. 11 at the store, located at 333 Buckhead Avenue, which benefited the Center for the Visually Impaired (CVI). Golan said he is "proud to continue the Israeli tradition of providing support to the visually impaired community, especially during Hanukkah, the season of light." From left: Golan is shown during the party, which was attended by more than 300, with CVI President Subie Green, Steven Buchwald, director of trade sales for C Lighting, and Frank Virgin, chair of the CVI Board of Trustees. CVI is Georgia's largest facility providing rehabilitation services for individuals of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.

Yaacov Golan, Karin Klein and Sam Massell

Party helps the visually impaired,
The Social Butterfly, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mon, Dec 22, 2008 by Jennifer Brett
Hanukkah began at sundown last night, so what better time to tell you about C Lighting’s annual holiday party?

The bash, catered by Alon’s Bakery & Market, was Dec. 11 and benefited the Center for the Visually Impaired (www.cviga.org). C Lighting owner Yaacov Golan says he is “proud to continue the Israeli tradition of providing support to the visually impaired community, especially during Hanukkah, the season of light.”

More than 300 revelers attended, including CVI president Subie Green, board of trustees chairman Frank Virgin, Steven Buchwald, Karin Klein and former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell.