Home lighting distributors specialize in the types of lighting you would commonly find around the house, from small tables lamps up to chandeliers and even outside lighting. Working with home lighting distributors and wholesalers is the best way to find great deals on the costs of home lighting and commercial lighting for small offices or waiting rooms.

There are plenty of ways to find the best deals on home lighting and accessories. When you want to save money with home lighting distribution, you can concentrate on a few factors to save some cash. These include:

1. The costs of shipping options provided by the lighting wholesaler.

2. The type of lighting you need.

3. Any special deals or weekly discounts you can pick up.

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Choose wholesale lighting suppliers that can provide many types of home lighting options

Because a home or office requires different lighting solutions for different rooms, there are many lighting choices for each area. From table lamps to recessed lighting, your wholesale lighting supplier should be able to provide you with plenty of stylish choices. If you can find one supplier that meets your needs, you may be eligible for discounts if your order is large enough.

I recommend: Foothills Lighting & Supply offers all types of indoor and outdoor lighting. The Home Building Club provides a thorough guide on which types of lighting are right for each area of a residential property.

Find lighting wholesalers that provide weekly specials and sales

The best way to get a good deal, even through wholesale outlets, is to be a savvy shopper and try to find specials discounts and sales. Many wholesalers hold weekly or monthly sales due to an overstock of a particular item or a discontinuation.

I recommend: Light Bulbs Unlimited provides a blog where you can stay up to date on the latest company news, products and sales. CSN Lighting offers closeout deals on some of its products where you can save up to 40 percent off the wholesale price.

Consider wholesale lighting distributors that offer free shipping options

Free shipping options are often offered by wholesalers. This way, you get the chance to take your savings and buy more product. Wholesalers also offer free shipping deals if you purchase a minimum order.

I recommend: Westside Wholesale is a distributor that offers free shipping on a majority of products with a total purchase of around $150. Bear Lighting offers free shipping for those that meet a purchase price of $100 or more.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some home lighting wholesalers and distributors may not advertise discounts and special deals on shipping, but are usually willing to work with customers on an individual basis, especially for bulk orders.

While it’s true that top-of-the-line kitchen and bathroom fixtures, custom woodwork and a great space layout are key factors in the success of a new home, lighting also plays a major part, albeit in a more subtle way. From ambient lighting to task lighting to decorative lighting, the lighting options you need to consider from home lighting distributors and wholesalers are varied and many.

As you plan for the lighting in your next residential project, you’ll first want to:

1. Establish a lighting plan that includes the different types of lighting you need and if you can find everything from one wholesale lighting supplier or if you need to branch out to a variety of home lighting distributors.
2. Consider alternative lighting options from lighting distributors, such as fluorescent lighting and other energy-saving fixtures.
3. Consult a design professional to ensure the lighting you have in mind from lighting wholesalers creates the right mood in a cohesive way.

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Check out wholesale lighting distributors online

The great thing about online home lighting distributors is they carry such a huge variety of lighting that you can peruse from the comfort of your computer; the downside is you don't have an informed lighting representative right there to tell you if a particular fixture will meet your size and wattage requirements. If you know exactly what you want, however, purchasing lighting from a home lighting distributor is a good bet.

I recommend: LightingDirect allows you to shop for lighting by room, by style, by type of fixture – you name it. Shipping is free for orders over $50, and with more than 50 warehouses nationwide, you shouldn’t have to wait too long for your purchases from this lighting distributor.

Consider green lighting

Energy efficiency is no longer just a buzzword - it's become a major player in today's homes and offices. Home lighting distributors and wholesalers have take note of this, and many now offer energy-efficient lighting options.

I recommend: Bellacor offers green alternatives, such as Energy Star products and fluorescent lighting, in addition to free shipping and no-hassle returns.

Ask for discounts

Many lighting suppliers offer special pricing or discounts to real estate, design and construction professionals. If you don't see such discounts immediately on lighting wholesalers' websites or in a store, just ask - most wholesale lighting suppliers are willing to make a deal, especially when they know you could become a repeat customer.

I recommend: CSN Lighting has trade pricing and discounts on volume orders for contractors, builders and designers. Discount Lighting Direct is a lighting wholesaler that offers high-quality, brand-name discount lighting fixtures from manufacturers at wholesale prices.

Seek out a professional

Because lighting is so important to a home, perhaps this is an area that you should consider outsourcing. There are many designs firms out there who can provide design suggestions for your overall space or just figure out which lighting works best where. These designers will also have a long list of wholesale lighting suppliers for you to choose from and can usually secure good deals.

I recommend: Get bids from local interior designers at Renovation Experts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember that lighting can create a mood or serve a specific function, so don't make your purchases on the fly. Instead take your time to select quality light fixtures that go with the look you are trying to create.
• •  If you already have a buyer for the home you're building or renovating and want his or her input, ask for it early so you have time to find what they want and to get a good price. Some lighting fixtures may take as long as six or more weeks to ship, so you don't want a lighting selection to throw off an entire construction schedule.

When you designed your office, you probably considered furniture and paint, computers and copiers. But did you think about lights and lighting? You should have, because office lighting is a smart yet subtle way to optimize your workplace. Commercial lighting, when carefully planned and purchased, can enhance your environment as well as your efficiency.

Indeed, good commercial lighting fixtures can provide your business with more than light; the best can also provide it with higher profits. Here's how:

1. Office lighting can help you create a more attractive, more appealing work environment.
2. Commercial lighting can improve and enhance employees' and customers' moods.
3. Office lighting can increase productivity and decrease physical strain.
4. Industrial lighting can reduce your energy costs.
5. Commercial lighting, in retail stores, can attract customers and highlight products.

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Outfit ceilings with commercial lighting that's optimized for your business

Your ceilings are home to core commercial lighting fixtures. The best lights and lighting for your ceilings depends on your industry, office space and environment.

I recommend: VGK Lighting offers a variety of options for ceiling lighting, recessed lighting and track lighting. See more products for track lighting, recessed lighting and ceiling lighting at CSN Lighting.

Turn to task lighting for office lighting that can help productivity

Employees' desktops should be the brightest surface in your office. Begin commercial lighting improvements, therefore, with upgraded task lighting.

I recommend: LightingDirect, Lights-Hardware and Lamps Plus have dozens of desk lamps and are a good source of task lighting for office lighting applications.

Use accent lights and lighting to spotlight important objects

Accent lighting is an ideal way to highlight important elements within your space. Use it within your industrial lighting layout to illuminate important awards or art in your office, or important merchandise within your store.

I recommend: Specialty lighting manufacturers such as Lighting Services, Nora Lighting and Translite Sonoma are ideal suppliers of stylish office lighting, including accent lighting.

Open up small spaces with wall-mounted office lighting

Lighting both walls and ceilings reduces contrast, shadows and glare, which can directly and negatively impact workers' performance.

I recommend: Companies like The Basic Source, Ledalite and SPI Lighting specialize in office lighting and offer dozens of wall- and ceiling-mounted commercial lighting fixtures. For more extreme work environments, look to companies like Hubbell Lighting, which specializes in industrial lighting.

Keep your eye on industrial lighting that can save energy and money

For maximum efficiency, go with fluorescent office lighting over incandescent lights and lighting, which are energy-inefficient.

I recommend: Pay attention not only to the commercial lighting fixtures you buy, but also to the bulbs you buy to go in them. Look for long-lasting, energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs using the Business.com directory, where you’ll find vendors like Bulbs.com. Use GE’s online calculator to see how much you can save by using GE Energy Smart compact fluorescent lights. They can also save you taxes; consult the National Electrical Manufacturers Association's Commercial Lighting Tax Deduction website to learn how.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Balance bright industrial lighting with light-colored walls and partitions; dark colors make optimal lighting impossible.
• •  Office walls should be matte; shiny finishes are reflective and therefore interfere with commercial lighting arrangements.
• •  Commercial lighting is especially important to retailers, who should install lighting fixtures that give good color and perfect contrast.
• •  Industrial lighting isn't just a matter of aesthetics; if you work in manufacturing, it can be a matter of safety, too.
• •  A mere 4 percent improvement in productivity justifies doubling spending on commercial lighting improvements, research suggests.
• •  To improve natural lighting, consider installing skylights; a well-designed commercial lighting system can save half of the energy used in a typical building, which offsets any additional heat loss or gains due to the skylights.

It is important to be able to communicate effortlessly with distributors and wholesalers when you run a home lighting retail business. You need to learn a few important key terms in order to ensure that you stock the highest quality and safest lighting options for your customers.

Familiarize yourself with the following terms when browsing the offerings of home lighting distributors and wholesalers: National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors, Energy Star, fixture requirements, downlight, burning position and task lighting.

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National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors (NAILD)

The National Association of Independent Lighting Distributors (NAILD) is the main industry organization for lighting distributors. To ensure that you work with the most reputable distributors, check to see if they are NAILD members.

I recommend: Read about the mission of the NAILD and its standards on its website.

Energy Star

Energy Star is a label given to energy efficient lighting fixtures by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Generally, fixtures that receive the Energy Star label are those that use fluorescent and LED lights.

I recommend: Learn more about the Energy Star program in relation to home lighting products at the Energy Star website.

Fixture requirements

Fixture requirements are the parameters for proper and safe use of a particular light fixture. Such requirements include location (outdoor or indoor) and bulb-type (wattage and voltage).

I recommend: General Electric provides a definition of fixture requirements in relation to HID lights. The site's glossary can also provide you with definitions of many other home lighting terms.

Downlight

Downlight is a term applied to any type of ceiling-mounted, recessed lighting. The term describes the downward direction in which the light shines from such light fixtures.

I recommend: Go to CSN Lighting's website for a thorough explanation of downlight, along with a host of other home lighting terms.

Burning position

Burning position refers to positioning a light fixture so that it will operate at maximum safety and efficiency.

I recommend: Pro Lighting explains the abbreviations used with different types of standard industry burning positions.

Task lighting

Task lighting is a term applied to any type of lighting that is used for the completion of a specific task. Examples of task lighting include desk lamps, reading lamps and ceiling pendants.

I recommend: Get an in-depth definition of task lighting from OSRAM Sylvania.