As you know by now, Bellacor is celebrating its 10th Anniversary throughout the month of September. We have a ton of contests and giveaways going on, so be sure to check them out when you get a chance.

One of our current promotions is an online medallion hunt. On one of our products, we’ve placed a medallion- one of these guys. Use the corresponding Bellacor item number to enter a drawing where we’re giving away 2 of that item. Look to our Facebook page and blog for clues to help you navigate through our site to find the medallion.  Some clues will be more helpful than others, so it’s important to stay tuned in.  New clues are posted every Friday until 10/10/10.

Clue #1

The Medallion Hunt has begun-search through ALL of our products ‘til you find the ONE!

Clue #2

Don’t click each item; it’s a waste of your time. Scrolling through lots of products will work out just fine.

Bonus Clue:

A great deal of time, this hunt can take- but don’t take this talk lightly- a great prize is at stake.

Clue #3

What fills a room yet takes up no space, and makes your eyes small when shone to your face?

This week we are kicking off our month long 1oth Anniversary celebration! It’s be a wonderful 10 years in business and we have quite the story to tell!

We are also giving away over $20,000 in contests and prizes! You can enter the giveaways here.

Finally, to start the celebration off right, we are offering our customers 15% off over 100,000 select products!

Use coupon code:  ANV8

Some of our favorite categories:

• Chandeliers
• Ceiling Fans
• Lamps
• Accent Tables
• Mirrors
• Shop all Eligible Products

Thanks for helping us celebrate and we hope that you enjoy the contests, giveaways and savings!

There are a lot of home décor and design blogs on the web and all of them offer useful tips and tricks for decorating your space. I was recently catching up with some of my favorite blogs and I wanted to highlight one that I find particularly interesting… Room Remix.

Room Remix is a blog that focuses its efforts on providing its followers with budget-friendly decorating advice and creative ideas—not just for your home, but for your food as well. One of the things I like about this blog is that it is clean and easy-to-follow. All topics, followers and related sites are listed clearly to the right and I can navigate to all of them with ease. A refreshing change from some other blogs I have visited.

Beyond Room Remix’s structure and layout, however, I would like to point out the useful and fun information that it displays. As mentioned, there are creative ideas hidden within each post. These alone can keep you reading for hours. But if you are more of a visual person, as most of us are, you would also be interested in all of the beautiful pictures! They are a great way to get the perfect visual of what is being described.

So you’re not interested in decorating your home? That’s okay, too. Room Remix’s creative ideas also spill over into your food. Room Remix offers a variety of different ways to set a table, interesting recipes, and new ways to present your food to your guests. It was really fun to see all of the different festive Fourth of July table settings and decorative food designs. They made me want to throw a dinner party!

Now you know why I like Room Remix… If you are looking for a place to view some interesting room designs or artwork, or you need a new recipe for your upcoming party, or maybe you want a chance to win a shopping spree (yes, they post contests as well), Room Remix is a fun place to go for all of your decorating and creative ideas. Go check it out for yourself!

What comes to mind when you hear the word chandelier? For many of us, it’s an image of the magnificent fixture in the Grand Staircase of the Titanic…

or the Old World elegance of this crystal piece by Savoy House.

But the huge variety of styles available today makes shopping for chandeliers a real adventure. There’s something to fit every style and nearly every room of your home!

For instance, to decorate a cabin or a rustic setting, consider this wheat inspired chandelier by Kalco. It serves as a great focal point for a room without the glitz of shiny metal and/or crystal.

If you have a more contemporary bent and appreciate a little dazzle, consider this ribbon chandelier by PLC Lighting. It gives a festive, party atmosphere to any room!

What about those who appreciate art deco style?? Check out the white drum shades and espresso finish on this chandelier in The Brady collection by Triarch International. It has a dreamy retro look!

Another possibility is an Asian-inspired piece by Arroyo Craftsman. It’s an American-made chandelier that celebrates the style of far-away locales.

And finally, for those celebrating something closer to home… consider this fun centerpiece as the perfect addition to a child’s sanctuary. The fixture by Kids Korner hints at the adventures and travels that lie ahead for the tiny occupant.

Hello there! First off, we offer our sincerest apologies on being M.I.A for a while. We’re back up and running now, and to make up for our disappearance we have some exciting news to share with you. Bellacor is turning 10 and we’re celebrating by running several promotions where you can win anything from product giveaways to room makeovers!

Here’s the 411 (straight from our press release):

In September 2010, Bellacor.com celebrates its 10th anniversary with a month long commemoration featuring a series of contests and giveaways. The veteran online lighting retailer will partner with over 70 premier lighting and decor vendors and business partners to award customers with prizes ranging from product giveaways to entire room makeovers—a total giveaway value of $20K.

We are extremely excited to celebrate this milestone of achievement,” said Jim Lawrence, president and CEO of Bellacor.com. “At a time when most websites were shutting down, Bellacor was just getting started. We have thrived after two major economic downturns. We have persevered and have a lot to celebrate.

In 2000, Bellacor began as a traditional lighting catalog business and was able to make the quantum leap, launching Bellacor.com at a time when tech startups were rapidly going bankrupt and websites were shutting down. In 2002 they tapped into the growing commercial consumer base and launched BellacorPro.com, providing designers and homebuilders access to superior support and pricing.  Their on-going search for new merchandise and their continuous improvements to the consumer’s shopping experience position them as the industry leader in the online lighting and décor categories.

We want to thank our customers for helping us build our business – while having a little fun. We also believe in giving back, so we’re proud to support Habitat for Humanity and Bridging, a local non-profit organization, with donations of lighting, furnishings and home products.

Bellacor.com is offering more than $20,000 in prizes and giveaways during its 10th anniversary celebration. The “Ugly Room Makeover” contest, sponsored by Minka Group, asks people to submit a photo of a room in their house for the chance to win a consultation from a professional interior designer and up to $2,000 in products from Bellacor.com for a complete room makeover.  Bellacor will also feature an online “medallion hunt” and product giveaways.

Additional sponsors include Hinkley Lighting, Murray Feiss, Quoizel, Capital Lighting, Golden Lighting, Kenroy Home, Maxim Lighting Int’l, Progress Lighting, Triarch International, Livex Lighting, PayPal, Commerce Hub, Omniture, Bronto, BobVila.com and more.

Details on the giveaways and events can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and the Bellacor.com site.  The month long celebration commences in September and concludes on 10/10/10.

LED, Light-emitting diodes are the latest and greatest in the lighting industry.  They haven’t always been that way, there have been hurdles to cross, but LED today is a great and economical light source. There are LED light fixtures for every room in your home.  It is not for just car headlights anymore!  And did you happen to notice all the LED Christmas lights out this season?

LEDs stand out because unlike the typical light bulb that has a very sensitive filament or can shatter, these bulbs have a light emitting chip encased in crystal clear resin, making them nearly indestructible, thus eliminating the burned out light bulb issue.  Not to say an LED will not burn out, but its life is approximately 50,000 hours, making this almost a non issue.  Similar to fluorescent light bulbs, LEDs are huge energy savers, saving an average of 90% in energy-cost savings.  They are also excellent in cold weather conditions and since I live in Minnesota, this is a GREAT thing!  And for those of us that are friends of the environment, these bulbs do not contain any mercury.

Want to make a great first impression? Update your outdoor post lights!

My uncle was selling his home. After using up most of his budget sprucing up the interior, he had limited funds left over for an exterior project. By changing six post lights, he made his 40 year old bungalow’s exterior, look brand new!

Outdoor post lights are not only functional, but can be an affordable accent to your home’s exterior. Bellacor offers over 700 styles that can fit your budget.

Do you have a Contemporary styled home? Bellacor offers Murray Feiss.

How about a Victorian style? Update the post lights at the end of your driveway with Designer’s Fountain.

Light up your Traditional home with Livex Lighting.

Save energy with one of many Energy Star post lights we offer.  Type keywords, ‘Energy Star, Post Light’, in Bellacor.com’s search box, and you’ll find beautiful energy saving lights.

Our outdoor post lights are weather resistant and exceptional quality.

Don’t forget your posts and mounts! They are not included with the post lights, but we offer them, and they are affordable too!

Bellacor.com offers Free Shipping within the contiguous US, and affordable shipping options for international destinations. We have a no hassle return policy, and our manufacturers stand behind their products.

If you’re unsure of your design needs, contact us, and we’ll help you with your selection, and answer any questions you may have. Contact us at 1-877-723-5522, or email us at customerservice@bellacor.com and our friendly, helpful customer support staff can assist you.

So, what constitutes a funky floor lamp?   Well at Bellacor we like to think of a funky floor lamp as something you rarely see or have never seen before.  Here are five that fit the bill.

Metallic Silver Porcelain Floor Lamp with Grey Fabric Shade – It’s a floor lamp that looks like a table lamp.

Scribble Floor Lamp – Your kids can write all over this one and it will still look like new!

Fortune Large Green Floor Lamp – This Floor lamp is more sustainable than most with bamboo legs.

Marco Agnoli Sphere Floor Lamp – This one isn’t available at Bellacor but it was too cool to not include.

Malcolm Floor Lamp with Tray – This one has a plaid base and drawers to boot.

We are always on the lookout for unique or interesting things to talk about.  Contact us with your ideas.

Mirrors never were a décor feature to me.  I used to think they were just bland afterthoughts used to expand small spaces and perform their function.  I remember the frameless rectangular mirrors that hung in the bathroom.  They did their duty but they were décor statements to be ignored.  In recent years, mirror manufacturers figured it out.  Why not marry function with style?  Why not use texture, color and shape to make mirrors statement pieces that spice up the style in your room?  Well, manufacturers have answered the call with mirror designs and styles that compliment the modern lifestyle.

Today, we find that mirrors are wall décor, mirrors can offer unique style features and mirrors can be statement pieces that enhance your environment.

At Bellacor, we have the mirrors to satisfy your design desires.

One of our customer’s favorites is the Jasper Mirror by Quoizel.  It adds flair through the frame’s unique edge, bevel and dull steel finish.  You can mount it horizontally or vertically.  This is a great mirror option over an entryway table, in your bathroom or in the dining room over your buffet table.

Mirror frames are not just in metal or resin, the Savona Mirror from Cooper Classics features a birch wood frame with a brown wash and black accents to create spiral edging.  This mirror is a flexible option that compliments both rustic and minimalist room designs.

The Urban Trends Mirror from Kichler is an example of using traditional materials – in this case steel – to create a non-traditional look.  The frame for this mirror evokes the look of porcelain.  A wonderful selection for the contemporary spa bath or any room in your uptown loft.

From Classique Collection we have the Gem Silver with a Black Rub and a Toner Mirror.  The shape and the multi-dimension frame of this mirror surprise and delight the buyer.  It is a play on the common round shape.  The black rub makes the mirror less formal.  The multi-dimensional frame leaps from the edge creating shadows and light uncommon in the usual round mirror.  It becomes a design accessory that would complement many homes.

The Cyrus Mirror from Uttermost uses intricate mirror cutouts to create the frame.  It is an innovative design concept within a traditional round shape.  Fun, practical and beautiful – what more can you ask for in a mirror?

I encourage you to explore the styles, shapes, colors and textures in mirrors that we offer at Bellacor.  Remember that mirrors can be a great wall décor option in any room in your home.

Overcome any design obstacle using these wall sconce tips & tricks.

The creative use of a wall light or sconce can play up the best features of a room. Sconces can easily provide general, task, or accent lighting in all areas of the home.

Avoid shadows: The combination of a bath strip and wall sconces provide ideal lighting in a bathroom. The placement distributes light along the side of the face, top of the head & under the chin.

Create drama through repetition: This hallway photo from Hubbarton Forge shows how the combination of a ceiling fixture & wall sconces can unite a space. Use a series of wall sconces to accentuate the path & create a sense of drama.

Test out the location with a plug fixture: Currey & Co offers the most sophisticated fixtures & many are wired with a plug. It is the perfect solution if you are renting your home or are not ready to commit to a final location. Rhine gold scrollwork is adorned with simple strings of glimmering beads.

Clear the clutter from your nightstand: Replace bedside lamps with a wall light designed for bedtime reading. This fixture from Access Lighting features a 60 watt sconce that can be switched off independently of an adjustable arm with LED light. The arm can direct light onto the page to allow one person to sleep with the other reads. As a rule of thumb, mount the wall fixture 30 inches above the mattress & ensure that the on-off switch is within reach.

Use eco friendly materials to update your home: The Fascination collection from Varaluz features Hand forged frame supports circles of varying sizes that are filled with a variety of shaped Rosettas. It is made with with 70% or greater recycled steel and recycled glass.

Add a bit of sparkle & character: Who doesn’t need a little more bling in their life? The Bling Bling collection from George Kovacs features crystal accents.

Use combination of fixtures from the same collection to unite a space. The Tacoma™ Lighting Collection complements a variety of interior styles. The trestle pendant works well with an elongated dining table.

Shelly One-Light Bath Fixture Use classic forms with rich wall colors. Update a space with deep, rich wall colors. A ceiling fixture in a small bathroom may be sufficient with light colored walls. Wall sconces will “pop” against dark walls & add light back into the space. The Shelly bath collection from Hinkley Lighting is shown in chrome & is also available in brushed nickel. The Hinkley Lighting website features lifestyle images that were taken in private homes that they used as sets to feature their products.