LIGHTING
Lighting establishes mood, painting a space with intentional light and shadow. Each environment offers a unique opportunity for expression. Three specific lighting functions are inherent in thoughtful lighting design: task, general and accent lighting. These three lighting functions are woven and layered to create an ambient space that always beckons a person in!
Kitchen & Bar Lighting
  Don'ts: (2 photos on right) Top photo on right: Large scaled ceiling fixtures look amazing over larger than life Islands. This trend has gained serious momentum over the past few years. Understanding how to work with any trend can feel daunting-in this case, the question becomes: How low do they go and how do I know where to hang these jumbo pendants! How many do I need for my Island?? SO, first and foremost: Consider the CEILING HEIGHT in your space! The taller the ceiling the more grand the scale of the pendant can be IF you drop the length into the space making certain it is low enough to be PART Of your Island without interfering with the view and the function of the Island. The pendants on the right would be amazing if they were dropped 8"! Simple to accomplish during installation not afterward! Below photo on right The stunning pendants below are much too large for the small drop they have been installed with. I recommend that either you or your design professional be present at the installation of any ceiling fixtures that involve a drop; be it the Island, breakfast table, Dining Room, entry area or other space . It really makes all the difference in a space when the lighting is hung at the perfect place! Quantity of pendants can be determined by overall length of the Island. A rule of thumb: a fixture for each 4' of Island if the pendant is over scaled, every 3' for a mini pendant. | Do's: (2 photos on left) Top photo on left: Think of lighting as a paint brush stroking light onto a canvas. This canvas is your home. Adding layers of lighting will create depth, adding dimension and conveying a luxuriant feeling in your space. To achieve this feeling, the wet bar at left begins with twinkling L.E.D. lights embedded in the concrete bar top. Adding to the layering, pendants with clear glass stones, scaled to offer unusual patterns on walls and ceiling as well as repeating the refined pin dots of the counter lighting. General lighting, introduced in the indirect ceiling lighting compliment and complete the scene. Note the height of the pendants-Not in the way of the view but low enough to be part of the environment. Below photo on left: Our custom kitchen showcases a flurry of specialty lighting applications working in harmony to create drama and impact with thoughtfully designed ceiling architecture to form a stunning focal point. Piercing the extended end panels of the floating ceiling architecture, a matched set of glass pendants at either end of the long island and an industrial chandelier with rustic glass disks rest above the central portion of the Island. Carefully chosen locations for indirect lighting complete the vision.   |
Dining Room Lighting
| Do's: (2 photos on right & below) Top photo on right Love the fixture on the right! We intentionally installed this handmade piece at a height that showcases the massive table top sculpture. This room offers an unusual deep coffer and thus, we have plenty of ceiling height to balance the placement of this piece in the room. Photo below A newer trend worth taking a look at; installing two linear fixtures over a massively long table! Not only can you achieve great lighting for Dining, but with dimmers and well chosen fixtures the look is amazing! Again, the height these linear pieces are installed at is dictated by ceiling height as well as the scale of the pieces--too low and they attack the table too high and they are lost in space- |  |
 | Don't's: (photo on left) Simply adding a second chandelier so that you have a pair at either end of this table would have been a wonderful fashion statement in this lovely Dining Room! Do not be afraid to experiment and DO consult a Design Professional to help! |
Bathroom Lighting
  | Do's: (3 photos on left & below) Bathroom rule #1: Remember to paint with light to create a shadow free zone at areas where you will be shaving, putting on make-up; getting ready for your day or evening. I love linear pieces flanking the mirror working with indirect ceiling light! This combination creates the best natural lighting in a bathroom.  |
| Don't's: (photo on right) Linear fixtures (similar to those in the photos above) light the bath more efficiently and aesthetically than bath bars located over the mirror. A bath bar over the mirror creates shadows and a light source that is not pleasing in any way! Keep in mind that linear pieces can be added to soften the effect created by our example at right. |  |
TDS Tips:
Recessed Lighting
I love accent lighting! The three examples below show how well and dramatically this L.E.D. tape lighting works to achieve a rich and sophisticated layer to the lighting plan in a space. Be thoughtful about where you place this form of lighting, making sure that you are featuring an architectural detail that will allow it to stand out and be recognized.
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Accent Lighting
Enjoy the cozy feeling that indirect lighting table lamps and floor lamps offer. Add mood and create lighting for specific tasks as well. Reading lamps are wonderful for every room and buffet lamps in a Dining Room offer a unique form of light to softly light the space when the over head piece is just too much! Be adventurous with lighting! Try something you would not typically think to do and DO IT! Look at magazines, Houzz and Pinterest to sharpen your own do and don't skills as you see examples that are really appealing and those that you can see do not work. Lighting is a wonderful adventure! SO many options to select among! Have fun painting with light, it will warm your heart and your room. PS: I refuse to use L.E.D. bulbs! I order my classic incandescent bulbs on line! Go with a soft white, if you have the same aversion to the newer L.E.D. bulbs! 60 watt is a lovely light for most all lamps or 3-way if the fixture is set to accommodate a 3-way.
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