Light, both natural and artificial, is as fundamental a device as colour, form and material in designing an interior. And yet lighting is often overlooked or left to the last minute when we're thinking of redecorating at home. Colour schemes, designer furniture, wallpaper, paint and floor coverings invariably come first and there's little energy left over to think about lighting. But no room is truly finished until there's light on the scene.
Lighting is key to engaging the body in space, creating a sense of depth and intimacy, adding interest and sensual appeal. Lighting can be used to zone your space, highlight architectural features, artwork or accessories, and to set the mood of your room. Think about it as a layering process, with multiple light sources and a mixture of floor lamps, table lamps, wall and ceiling lights creating a play of light and shade across the room. Accessories can work to enhance and manipulate light and space; mirrors and glass will refract light and bounce it around, while anything faceted or highly textured dramatises the contrasts of light and shade.
Choose lighting that's as decorative or striking turned off as turned on so it becomes an integral part of the room. In the daytime, a crystal chandelier will catch natural light from the windows, while an oversized floor lamp will create a focal point, and a table lamp picking out a colour from the wallpaper will help draw your scheme together. Windows are natural focal points, inevitably drawing the eye as the source of natural light in our homes. Window treatments make a huge difference to a room and help to set the mood by filtering natural light. Maximise available light from small windows with blinds that can be drawn all the way up, or create a sense of drama at large windows with curtains and drapes in sumptuous fabrics. Sliding fabric panels are great for floor-to-ceiling windows and large expanses of plate glass, particularly in modern settings. And shutters are a versatile, elegant and timeless choice for almost any scheme.
Bring your room to life and engage the senses with light.
Author Resource:-
Catherine Gregg is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and a features writer at furnish.co.uk. She's recently published an essay, 'Virginia Woolf and Dress Mania', as part of the Bloomsbury Heritage Series (Cecil Woolf Publishers). When she's not writing about design, she's buying and selling it at her market stall in London. She's currently on the look out for designer furniture to complete the redecoration of her living room.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/feed-icon.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article2008.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites