I think the contrast I like the most when it comes to interiors is when sleek, contemporary designs like this gorgeous cluster light are enhanced against rustic, vintage, industrial materials.

Via Casalil

I don't know...there is something very homely about this lamp made out of fabric scraps and I think it would make a wonderful little DIY projet to turn a one cold, wintery weekend into a creative one...Although I think I'll try mine with scraps of white and grey fabrics

(c) Photos: MARCUS LAWETT and SY - SINCERELY TEXTILES from IKEA Creative IKEA...

Je ne sais pas...Cette lampe fait a partir de bouts de tissus degage un truc tres agreable et je pense que ce sera un merveilleux petit project a faire un weekend pendant que nous restons a la maison bien au chaud...quoique je ferais surement le mien avec des bouts de tissues blancs et gris.

This morning I advised a customer who is planning to put two Kathleen Hills' cluster lights in her hallway like I did in my home in France (see this TOTALLY un-styled photo) and she was also interested in the Hang lamp. Now, I'm a big fan of the Hang lamp's simplicity because I think it's a good choice for a kitchen or a workspace mais attention size does matter...

In this super hip kitchen made by Italian Arclinea, they've used the standard Hang lamp (25 cm diam) which is fine and looks nice but personally I would have made a real statement with this light and go for the large version because the standard one just looks a tiny lost in the background.
So just bear this in mind when you search for the perfect lamp...enquire about the height of the lamp, its diameter and try to visualise how much space it will take above your head, will it be big enough or will it look lost in space?

HGTV home design tips

Home is a place where all of us relax away from stress of our jobs and routine life. It offers comfort to all of us. However, one need to make sure that house is well designed and planned to avoid clutter and negativity. Take care of your house interiors and make it look gracious and beautiful place to stay. You do not really need professionals to enhance the interiors of your house.

Source

Daylighting is an art of architectural lighting in which efforts are made to design the largest light source in our collective reality (the sun, obviously) as an effective source of light into a building.  Is that an exact definition?  No.  Does it seems like a common sense practice?  Of course!  People have been doing it for about, well, since the advent of people.  “How do I get some light into this ol’ shack made of sticks and leaves and still stay dry when it rains?”  It’s a common issue throughout history – clerestory windows, light collectors, reflecting panels, diffusion lenses, sawtooth roofs, skylights – all devices and concepts developed to use sun for interior lighting.

Sunlight is a light source that, if you think about it for a moment, is good on many, many levels.  That feels like a very obvious thing to say, but it’s true!  Sunlight makes the plants grow, sunlight is everywhere for a decent portion of the day, sunlight feeds us Vitamin D – and most importantly, it’s free and available!

My wife and I lived in Dallas a few years ago, and in our kitchen we had a SolaTube – a sunlight pipe that fed directly into the center of the kitchen.  It was situated on the rear of the house, and it got sun for about 12-15 hours every day.  Even on rainy, overcast days the sunlight pipe provided sunlight.  We always hung out in the kitchen – the light was nice, it was healthy.  It had such high color rendering and provided detail.  Food was beautiful!

Adding a SolaTube to a room doesn’t constitute Daylighting, and I certainly would not and do not assume so – I have a high level of respect for Daylighting designers, as they can really change our environments.  But the idea of pumping in some sunlight via simple technology is a smart idea – an efficient idea.  I was doing some research on the topic of Daylighting for a post or two, and in addition to SolaTubes and other sunlight pipe systems, I found some other interesting ways to use sunlight for interior lighting.

The fiber optic approach:

A Swedish company called Parans developed a fiber optic method of piping the sunlight collected on top of the roof of wherever the system is installed – hospitals, schools, museums, laboratories, and anywhere that you need light.  The system uses a series of fiber optic wires to run sunlight throughout whatever space in which it’s installed.  Even if you weren’t using the sun as the main lighting source in a fiber optic system, you could put the source in a place that would give you easy and quick access in the event that you have to change a lamp in the system.

Another company that is using fiber optics to send sunlight all over the interior of a building is Sunlight Direct.  Sunlight Direct uses a Hybrid Solar Lighting system to collect sunlight as a lighting source – a device is mounted on the roof that consists of a parabolic mirror that focuses as much sunlight as possible into a photovoltaic cell.  The Sunlight Direct system maintains lighting levels inside your house as the light level changes during the day.

Another company, Neues Licht, also produced a fiber optic system that has a beautiful form as well as an efficient function – it’s called the UFO Chandelier:

Neues Licht’s system is not solar powered, it is completely artificial.  However, the system is designed to tuck away the light source – to hide it in a closet, or an attic, or wherever else you might think to stash it so you can get to it in a hurry.  Can you imagine, however, if Neues Licht did make it solar, or provided a solar option?  Below is a cool photograph of the UFO Chandelier underwater in an aquarium – no electricity flowing through the lines, only light – so you can put it wherever you want!

I think that’s about enough rambling on the goodness of solar power for now.

Chandelier by Josiah McElheny inspired by the Lobmeyr chandeliers at the Metropolitan Opera House. Photograph by Jason Schmidt for the New York Times.

Finding nice, contemporary table lamps that work for our home is not as easy as one thinks....
I mean I love the oversized Dwarf Wired Lamp by Something from Nothing but it would not work in my home but yesterday when I was at Top Drawer, a trade show for interiors/gift businesses, I fell in love with this beautiful Tribeca table lamp and bought two white ones for one of our bedrooms and more stock to put them on our sister site which is soon we will have more gorgeous home accessories.

Yesterday, I was saying how much I love Kathleen Hills' work so here is another reason why I think she is very talented....She sourced vintage lamp shades and gave them a contemporary twist by adding her trademarks style ....beautiful parts in bone china and twisted flex.
I think the result is a beautiful almost romantic pendant light that will add lightness and style to a bedroom or bathroom.

I have always been very admirative of the beauty and simplicity of Kathleen Hills' lights. Last Summer, before a photoshoot for a New-Zealander magazine, we added three of her pendant lights in our open plan kitchen in France (see below and me with my prawns salad. Coffee maker is from Bugatti here !).
I will eventually get rid of the Ikea one in stainless-steel but since we added Kathleen's lights 2 days before the photoshoot, we really did not have time for anything else.
The result was better than expected and I'm so glad for once I went out of my comfort zone and mixed the designs rather than going for three of the same designs like on the second picture which looks nice but a bit too clinical....

Gorgeous Fashion shop Whistles in London also mixed the designs....Well to be fair, they actually did it first and then I copied it but the result is fab and I really think mixing the designs work better....What do you think???

If you want to replicate the look of the Whistles shop, they've used the star light, the large pendant light and the cone pendant light.
And now, we have added the beautiful Cluster Light in black to our ever-growing lighting collection. Frankly..... I find it so stunning that I'm aching. I'm trying to think if it would work in our new house where we need to pendant lights in the lounge or if the staircase is high enough to afford such a striking pendant light but oh gosh, I do love it and I think regardless of the fact that it may give less light than the white Cluster light, the black one looks more luxurious and striking than ever!

I shall leave and ponder where I could fit it in the house......Click here to see more pictures of the Cluster Lights in situ.
Have a great Friday evening.
Bises xoxo

One of the experts we recommend to our clients who are building a new home and need help selecting appropriate light fixtures for their home is Ellen Winkler, CEO and principal of Ellen’s Interiors on Main Street in New London, New Hampshire. Her 3000 square foot showroom features a lighting display, fine furnishings, kitchen & bath fixtures, granite & tile displays, area rugs, carpet samples, decorative accessories, and wall art. I had the opportunity to talk to Ellen recently to find out what her potential clients are concerned about the most in regard to designing the interior of their home.

Not surprisingly, one of the top concerns folks have about interior design is lighting. When clients bring up the subject of lighting, Ellen says she puts her clients at ease, explaining that lighting style and efficiency, as well as basic lighting elements are more easily addressed after each room is evaluated for its purpose and use.

Addressing lighting efficiency, Ellen helps clients decide how much light they actually need, rather than how much they think they need. “I talk about lighting elements and their uses in the home,” Ellen explains, “and we discuss ambient lighting for general indoor and outdoor activities, task lighting for specific areas such as under-counter kitchen lights, table lamps, or bathroom mirror lights, and accent lighting to showcase aesthetics such as sculpture and art.”

Our visual performance depends on the location of the light as well as quality and quantity. “An example of this is a client who has a specific sculpture they would like to showcase,” Ellen says. “We discuss the angle of the light as well as the type. For instance, placing the lighting unit above the sculpture will produce a lot of angles and shadow. Lighting placed below the sculpture will highlight the texture of the piece. We talk about their specific goals in displaying the sculpture and the results they would like to achieve to determine the location of the lighting units.”

For kitchen lighting, Ellen likes to use a rack system for under and display cabinet lighting applications, such as this Xenon fixture. The photo here demonstrates the system nicely. (photo courtesy WAC Lighting)

Ellen explains, “We like this low voltage system for several reasons: 1) The Xenon bulb has a rated life of 8,000 to 20,000 hours making it a good financial and long term choice; 2) The Xenon bulb is dimmable and is available in a variety of sizes for a variety of lighting needs; 3) The Xenon bulb does not emit much heat, and can be specified for use in compact designs, such as cabinet, soffit and cove lighting applications without maintaining a huge distance from combustible surfaces; and 4) Xenon bulbs emit a warm light, which is nice aesthetically and does not present health problems for people who are sensitive to florescent lighting.” The photo below shows the Xenon rack system under the cabinets (photo courtesy Ellen’s Interiors).

More light is not necessarily better, as some may think. “After identifying the ambient, task, and accent lighting areas, I create a lighting plan identifying the number of footcandles (a unit which measures the intensity of illumination) in each room. Hallways and other areas that require only ambient lighting can require only about 4-5 footcandles. On the other hand, areas where specific tasks are performed, say an office or bathroom vanity, may require 45 or more footcandles, depending on the intensity of the task.”

Concerns about lighting are minimized when you work with an architect and experienced interior designer.

Ellen’s Interiors, Inc.

12 Lovering Lane

New London NH 03257

603-526-8662

www.ellensinteriors.com

One of the experts we recommend to our clients who are building a new home and need help selecting appropriate light fixtures for their home is Ellen Winkler, CEO and principal of Ellen’s Interiors on Main Street in New London, New Hampshire. Her 3000 square foot showroom features a lighting display, fine furnishings, kitchen & bath fixtures, granite & tile displays, area rugs, carpet samples, decorative accessories, and wall art. I had the opportunity to talk to Ellen recently to find out what her potential clients are concerned about the most in regard to designing the interior of their home.

Not surprisingly, one of the top concerns folks have about interior design is lighting. When clients bring up the subject of lighting, Ellen says she puts her clients at ease, explaining that lighting style and efficiency, as well as basic lighting elements are more easily addressed after each room is evaluated for its purpose and use.

Addressing lighting efficiency, Ellen helps clients decide how much light they actually need, rather than how much they think they need. “I talk about lighting elements and their uses in the home,” Ellen explains, “and we discuss ambient lighting for general indoor and outdoor activities, task lighting for specific areas such as under-counter kitchen lights, table lamps, or bathroom mirror lights, and accent lighting to showcase aesthetics such as sculpture and art.”

Our visual performance depends on the location of the light as well as quality and quantity. “An example of this is a client who has a specific sculpture they would like to showcase,” Ellen says. “We discuss the angle of the light as well as the type. For instance, placing the lighting unit above the sculpture will produce a lot of angles and shadow. Lighting placed below the sculpture will highlight the texture of the piece. We talk about their specific goals in displaying the sculpture and the results they would like to achieve to determine the location of the lighting units.”

For kitchen lighting, Ellen likes to use a rack system for under and display cabinet lighting applications, such as this Xenon fixture. The photo here demonstrates the system nicely. (photo courtesy WAC Lighting)

Ellen explains, “We like this low voltage system for several reasons: 1) The Xenon bulb has a rated life of 8,000 to 20,000 hours making it a good financial and long term choice; 2) The Xenon bulb is dimmable and is available in a variety of sizes for a variety of lighting needs; 3) The Xenon bulb does not emit much heat, and can be specified for use in compact designs, such as cabinet, soffit and cove lighting applications without maintaining a huge distance from combustible surfaces; and 4) Xenon bulbs emit a warm light, which is nice aesthetically and does not present health problems for people who are sensitive to florescent lighting.” The photo below shows the Xenon rack system under the cabinets (photo courtesy Ellen’s Interiors).

More light is not necessarily better, as some may think. “After identifying the ambient, task, and accent lighting areas, I create a lighting plan identifying the number of footcandles (a unit which measures the intensity of illumination) in each room. Hallways and other areas that require only ambient lighting can require only about 4-5 footcandles. On the other hand, areas where specific tasks are performed, say an office or bathroom vanity, may require 45 or more footcandles, depending on the intensity of the task.”

Concerns about lighting are minimized when you work with an architect and experienced interior designer.

Ellen’s Interiors, Inc.

12 Lovering Lane

New London NH 03257

603-526-8662

www.ellensinteriors.com

If you are on the hunt for lamps and bored with the unimpressive usual suspects, take a look at the collection of lamps by italian artist Paola created for Lampaole. I love the dramatic look of model "Paglisia" shown above but also the simplicity and elegance of the bugia"candlestick" . These awesome creations are handmade using recycled materials and available in different colours. Thanks Paola for allowing me to share on Interiors.

I have to openly admit that I am a pyrotechnic lover! Yes, I am one of those who 'ohhs' and 'ahhs' every-time the night sky is lit up! Of course today is bonfire night in the UK, a day dedicated to remembering the plot, treason and attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament!

Of course now-a-days fireworks are used to celebrate just about everything and every occasion across the globe. Bringing the vibrancy and magical qualities of the patterns fireworks produce into your home is a great way to inject some zing into your home. Of course you could use photographs of actual exploding fireworks or create your own wall art, alternatively you could look out for fabrics which have been inspired by pyrotechnics and use them as curtains, cushions and duvet sets. Beautifully designed lighting in vases is yet another way of adding wonderful lighting effects in your home which are reminiscent of the trails of light left behind by fireworks!

If you're not into making your own soft furnishings there are some wonderful vibrant patterns and colours on the 'ready made' shelves of many high street and online retailers. The key in creating the illusion of fireworks is to have a black, night sky, back ground with vibrant contrasting patterns. Beaded embellishments will add the glittery sparkle beautifully!

Image: MocoLoco

Studiomold was founded by Brendan Young and Vanessa Battaglia in 2003. Since the outset the studio's inventive approach has achieved international recognition, working on projects for both local and international clients.

If you remember last month, I mentioned this uber cool loft in Holland which had a stunning yellow flower painted on the wall and a beautiful, oversized lamp that really caught my attention... Well after a bit of research, I'm pleased to say that this gorgeous Dwarf wired lamp is now available from BODIE and FOU.