Lamps & Pendants

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Table Lamps & Pendants It doesn’t take a design expert to know that bad lighting can instantly ruin even the most beautifully styled interiors. Get it right, on the other hand, and you can transform the look of your home with the flip of a switch. For example: Don’t go overboard overhead. When it comes to interior lighting, most of us are guilty of almost exclusively defaulting to overhead lighting in most rooms of the home. But this can have the unfortunate effect of making people feel as though they are on stage or at a convention centre. Instead, try layering the lighting in your home. Use a combination of ambient lighting (such as natural daylight, overhead fixtures, and pendants, all of which gently and evenly light up a room), task lighting (like floor or table lamps in a cosy reading nook), accent lighting (such as adjustable, recessed lights that draw attention to the architectural features of a space) and decorative lighting (like chandeliers, candles, and other ‘feature’ lights sources designed to create drama and interest all by themselves). Also, consider that size does, in fact, matter when it comes to lighting. You wouldn't pair a giant, luxurious corner modular sofa with a coffee table the size of a shoe box. Just as with every other area of design, proportion is important when it comes to choosing lighting fixtures. When you’re out shopping for lamps, pendants and lighting fixtures in general, remember that everything looks smaller in the context of a showroom than it does in the average family home. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can eyeball it unless you’re really confident. After all, a floor lamp that is too tall will blind passers-by, too much overhead lighting will cast highly unflattering shadows on people (as well as make them feel like they’re in a dentist’s chair), and poorly positioned lights in workspaces could cause you to throw a shadow with your own body over whatever you’re supposed to be doing. Plan ahead to avoid regret!