Lighting
Trends: Nothing Short of Elaborate
Improve the interior of your home - click here to find out more
Using
decorative lamps and chandeliers to add an old-world
feeling
A vintage-inspired
lamp with a shade of shantung silk is just one
of the many options in lighting available this
season. More than ever, fashion and function have
come together to create decorative table lamps,
floor lamps and chandeliers that do more than
simply illuminate -- they create ambience. Arhaus,
a 19-store retailer of exclusive and unique home
furnishings, knows that when it comes to lighting
the more detailed and elaborate, the better.
Lighting, for the
most part, has been accepted as a utilitarian
must-have. However, new to the accessory runway
are lamps with ornate handcrafted bases made of
cast iron, carved wood, hammered copper, brass,
and elegant combinations of hand-blown glass,
crystals and marble.
When making
lighting choices, consider the following:
- Your lighting
choice should complement the entire room setting.
Match the lamp to your furniture style to help
complete the look. For example, select a sophisticated
lamp to use with furniture that is more refined.
- Buy lamps in
pairs or in similar styles to create the mood
in your room.
- Don't guess!
Take a snapshot of your room to the store with
you. A good salesperson should be able to offer
you several appropriate choices of lighting.
Getting
Shady
Changing lampshades
is an effective way to freshen or update a room's
decor. Lampshade fashions this season are all
about using beautiful materials and combining
them with unique treatments. The fabric choices
for shades are much more decorative and refined,
such as shantung silks and crinkled, oiled papers.
Anything goes this
season, as decorative trim on lampshades becomes
more popular. Have fun selecting a lampshade dressed
up with a row of glass beads, pearls, rhinestones,
tassels or even feathers to complement a setting
in your home. Selecting the right shade is an
easy way to dress up an area of your home with
functional accessories.
Chandeliers
make a come-back
Chandeliers are
back, and better than ever! Chandeliers are not
just for hanging over the dining room table anymore.
A beautiful, effective way to create a focal point,
chandeliers can add ambience to any room. Made
of solid, handcrafted metals, new chandeliers
are heavily adorned with hand-cut crystals and
blown glass fruits, birds, beads and baubles.
These extra touches will add sparkle and interest
to the style of your room or setting.
Chandeliers can
be used in every room of the house -- be creative!
For example, hang one over an occasional table
in the living room, or over each nightstand flanking
your bed. Another ideal spot is over a foyer table,
or hang a cluster of two or three in a corner
of any room. Chandeliers can even be incorporated
into the canopy of a bed.
If you choose to
hang a chandelier over the dining table, try using
more than one for a more dramatic look. Hang a
group of small chandeliers together over a table
clustered at the same or different heights. Hint:
Hanging chandeliers 24 inches to 30 inches above
the table will provide the best lighting and visual
appeal. You can also bunch up a decorative fabric
chain cover for a more finished look.
Lighting:
Function or Fashion?
Much of home furnishing
today reflects the need for homeowners to surround
themselves with things that are functional. Lighting
is a significant consideration when determining
a room's functionality and should complement a
homeowner's lifestyle. There are three basic types
of lighting that work together to illuminate your
home: general, task and accent.
General lighting
provides overall illumination. Task lighting helps
you perform specific tasks such as reading, cooking
or doing paperwork, and accent lighting adds drama
to a room by creating decorative interest. All
three types of lighting can be found in table
lamps, floor lamps and pendant fixtures.
Here are
some hints:
- A good lighting
plan combines all three types of lighting in
an area or room. It often helps to draw a simple
diagram when considering your needs.
- Consider using
a combination of table lamps, floor lamps and
pendant fixtures.
- For visual appeal,
consider mixing sizes, shapes and styles of
lamps in a room. If you have three lamps, you
may want to invest in two similar lamps and
a third lamp in a different, more ornate style.
Try grouping two or three small chandeliers
in a corner or hanging one over an end table
for added drama.
- "Consider
lighting as part of the next 'layer' in a room
after the furniture is in place," says
Gary Babcock of Arhaus.
- Try some of
the newest lighting looks to add drama. Lamps
are now more elaborate and beautiful than ever
before. Unusual shade treatments and decorative
trims are very important this season.
Decorative lighting
can dramatically change the look of any room.
As a result, more homeowners are enjoying the
mood that only lighting can create. With today's
options, there doesn't have to be a question of
fashion or function -- now, you can have both.
Courtesy
of ARA Content
|
