Chances are it was the lighting design stopping you in your tracks. But have you given much thought to the lighting in your home and garden? We think of lighting as layers - there’s task lighting for when you need brightness and clarity for example on your hob or worktop, doing your makeup or tapping away at your computer keyboard
Then you have ambient lighting, which is all about casting a glow over your whole room.
Think down-lights, or wall lights. You can change the atmosphere and energy of the room by choosing either cool white or a softer, warmer glow.
There’s also accent lighting, used to draw attention to a zone in your room, a piece of artwork, sculpture, or the dramatic texture of a slate wall, for example.
Beyond the standard pendants, down-lights, wall lights etc, lighting can be used to add decorative impact and contribute to the personality and style of your home.
Statement lights are generally high impact and create a great focal point, whether they are on or not and in daylight as well as dusk. So how can you incorporate statement lighting into your home.
In your living room or entrance hallway:
If you’re lucky enough to have high ceilings, perhaps in a period home, or a vaulted ceiling in a barn conversion or new build, look for a chandelier or multi-light fitting which will fill the space (without coming into contact with anyone’s head, of course)! Traditional chandeliers are timeless, and work perfectly in Victorian homes, but if you want to create a more contemporary vibe, have a look at Sputnik style pendant lights, or coloured glass chandeliers.
In your dining room or over your dining table.
This is the perfect spot for a statement light fitting or 2 or 3 together, hung low over the table, where you don’t have to worry about head clearance. Glass pendants, or enamel metal shades can add definition and drama or colour to your dining space. You can also use floor lamps, eg arc lamp over your dining table. This helps to define this area as a zone and you can create a beautiful atmosphere for dining with dimmed or no lights on in the rest of the room, and just light the table. Think also about what the lighting fitting looks like when it’s not on - can you incorporate a reference to your home’s colour palette, or use texture and pattern in the shade, or fitting itself?
In a conservatory or extension area with lots of glass
Avoid blocking the light or view and opt for glass lanterns, go for matte black metal frames for an industrial statement, or an elegant nickel or brass for a more traditional style. You can also find amazing sparkly crystal shades, driftwood light fixtures, or fun patterned pendants. Statement lights work as jewellery for your home accentuating areas you want to draw attention to, and elevating the overall look and fee. Statement lanterns, grouped in pairs of different sizes or threes the same size.
Wall lights If you’re looking to inject a fun, quirky vibe, why not take a look at neon shapes and signs, many of which can be customised. Why not pick a family motto or catchphrase that will make you chuckle?
Statement lighting in your bedroom could mean quirky bedside lamps (kitsch animals are a big theme for lamp bases in recent years).
Of go for fun wall lamps, or even pendants hung from the ceiling over your bedside tables. This frees up your bedside tables and gives a more streamlined look. With the latest LED bulb technologies, lighting design has evolved to include a huge array of materials, rattan is a big trend right now, and creates a soft, statement light, also great as a cluster of lights hung at different heights. Smaller light fittings mean you can incorporate a small pop of colour, sparkle or an industrial exposed filament bulb, whichever suits your room or personal style best.
So think about the areas in your home which you can enhance and bring attention to with a bold statement light. And pop into Cookes in Christchurch or Birmingham for advice on how to make a statement with lighting in your home.Posted by Hayley Allen