Blinded by the Light
The importance of lighting.
Ever walk into a bar or restaurant that is so bright you shield your squinting eyes as if you were a vampire at sunrise?
Lighting. I can’t stress enough how important good lighting is.
It dictates the mood and can change the entire feel of your home. Maybe I am evil because I want to buy a life supply of incandescent bulbs before they are banned, but ambience is numero uno in my book and that starts with proper illumination.
If I had it my way I would live by candle light, but since that would be a fire hazard, filament Edison bulbs, dimmers, and warm lamp shades come in as a close second. Things just look better under a warm glow.
Dim the lights, baby.
Installing dimmer switches for recessed lighting is key. This function allows you to change the feel of a room without sacrificing brighter task lighting when you need it. Since we eat dinner in the kitchen, it is nice to be able to transform the mood from cook space to romantic bistro with a flick of a switch. See an example:
Look at that ambience!!! Even Zoe feels relaxed.
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F I X T U R E S
Think of fixtures as fashion accessories. They should stand out and compliment the outfit or in this case, the décor.
You can find reasonably priced lamps that will add warmth and character to your home. Home Depot and Target actually have great options and if you are looking for something more unique, try Etsy or local flea markets/vintage shops. Even replacing your existing lamp shade can spice things up without breaking the bank.
A little online research to find what you are looking for also goes a long way. I found this repurposed railroad telegraph insulator pendant lamp on Etsy from Junk Yard Lighting for above our kitchen sink.
I wanted something unique for our main entry and always admired Moroccan style lamps. The issue was finding an electrified one since they are typically used with candles so we had to hardwire ours.
I love the beautiful design it casts on the ceiling.
My latest find – two beautiful Kichler Tiffany-style table lamps from a local thrift shop.
Two for the price of one? Yes, please!
They even have a two-way switch (you know how that excites me).
A couple of my favorite lighting resources:
Rejuvenation bonus – these lights are made in USA!
Barn Light Electric Another American Co.!
And where we bought our dining room light
N i D o 
3 Responses to “Blinded by the Light”
I agree…I have dimmers on all my hi-hats!! And I have been collecting Tiffany-style lamps. I am currently trying to find a Tiffany-style pendant to hang over my new kitchen table. Any ideas on sources?
Love your ideas! Do you have any for long, narrow halls that can’t really support art/photos on the walls? Thank you. Louise in Albuquerque
Hi Louise!
Thanks so much for following my blog.
I saw your question about your hallway. I am not sure what your decor style is or exactly what the space looks like, but there are a few options I came up with.
1. If you like a more modern look, you can get wall decals. There is a wide variety of designs from trees, to maps, to abstract. They are also removable which is nice. See example by clicking on the link below:
http://www.whatisblik.com/shop/explore/90291
There are several sites that have these decals too. (I would only do a decal on one of the two hallway walls)
2. If you have a more traditional look you can paint a pattern on the walls like stripes or another design. You can even get removable wallpaper in case you decide it is not for you. Another option is to just paint one of the two walls an accent color or get textured wallpaper for one side of the hallway wall. I really like the simple grasscloth paper – images in link below:
http://www.google.com/search?q=grasscloth+wallpaper&sa=X&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=F1QeUs2GEIa0sATpmoDwDA&ved=0CFgQsAQ&biw=1268&bih=591
3. If you want to hang art on the wall, you could put crown at the top and hang the artwork by wire like it was done in the 1800’s due to the crumbly horsehair and plaster walls. See below:
http://www.oldhouseonline.com/how-to-hang-pictures-in-an-old-house/
Hope this helps. If you want to send me a photo of the space you are talking about please do!
Dana