LIGHT helps in the growth of our plants and the food we eat. LIGHT brings warmth to our skin on a cool day. LIGHT lets us see the beauties of the earth and the joys that surround us.
LIGHT = LIFE
Our homes represent all the intricacies of our lives, our spirit, our cravings, our love and even some (or lots) of our craziness. In order to relish and savor all of the things that hold our home together, we must have LIGHT.
Lighting is the ambience of the room and sets the perfect mood. It helps display furnishings and decor with purpose. Light maintains a cozy atmosphere, if done correctly.
As we have stated before, the more natural light the better. But how does one achieve the goal of setting that perfect mood with fixtures such as lamps and chandeliers?
Let’s start with lamps. Lamps come in all sizes, shapes, colors, materials, etc. The possibilities are endless when it comes to shopping for lamps. However, when choosing that perfect lamp, one must be able to be in the scale of the furniture that the lamp will complement. When looking to illuminate the living room sofa, pick two that match and are the same height.
One big mistake is choosing too small of a lamp. Remember, the purpose is LIGHT, so the smaller the lamp, the less glow. We recommend a 3-way bulb that produces three levels of light, usually 50 W, 100 W and 150 W. This allows for more flexibility when trying to set the right tone or mood. Lastly, take into account of the lamp shade. The shade can make the lamp look outdated if the size of the shade does not correlate with the body. Many old lamps can be revitalized with just a new shade!
Chandeliers. We really, really love pretty chandeliers, which is why we have a generous assortment! When helping our customers pick out the right fixture, we look closely at the square footage of the room while also determining the objective. An ordinary misstep in hanging light fixtures is not suspending them low enough. An increase in chandelier height is a decrease in the lambency of a room. For a dining room, the average height that a fixture would need to be hung 30-32 inches above the CENTER of a table. The chandelier must, must be centered; otherwise, the look and feel will also be off-centered.
An essential element needed to produce satisfactory lighting is a dimmer. A dimmer is used to lower the intensity of the light output. Chandeliers, as well as exterior wall lanterns, demand dimmers in order to attain the right ambience. It is truly amazing what such a small device can do for the surroundings.
The desire for good lighting is to balance style and functionality in the home. Like we’ve mentioned above, your home encompasses all the details of your lifestyle. Light is refreshing. Light makes us happy.
We also want to make you happy! At J.Allan’s, we have a broad collection of fixtures and lamps to liven up your home. While we do have many vendors that supply a multitude of fixtures and lamps, we provided just a few sites such as A&B, Uttermost, Gabby, Creative Co-Op, and Pacific Coast. If you see anything you like, call or come see us to special order, or browse through our own featured products here.
Photo courtesy of: Regina Andrew