Now that the weather is shifting into full Fall mode, I want to talk about ways to make your house feel cozy and warm (aside from the obvious scented candles and cashmere throw concept). I’m talking about decorative lighting.
What do I mean by “decorative lighting”? Simply put, I’m referring to pendants, chandeliers, sconces, and table or floor lamps. Utilizing a layer of decorative lighting in your home (perhaps in conjunction with overhead can / recessed lighting) is a great way to give yourself options to create different lighting vibes.
I want to focus on 5 main areas where you can inject some design flair (and lighting optionality!) into your space:
Hanging pendant lights flanking your bed is a real power move. This requires a lot of planning to ensure you get the right spacing, as well as the right hanging height. But when this is done correctly, bedside pendants can be a really dynamic and practical way to illuminate your space. (bonus points – you get to retain a lot of open space on your bedside table!)
Table Lamps flanking a bed are the most common and the easiest option for changing out. This is a great option if you’re renting, or if you don’t want to commit to something fixed (like pendants or a sconce). Table lamps are also a great way to interject a pop of color into your room. If you’re looking to amp this up a notch – maybe switch out the shade for something patterned or pleated!
Sconces (or “scones” as I continue to mistype, even after doing this for 18 years lol) are another of my favorite ways to add lighting and sculpture to a bedroom. Similar to using pendants, ensuring proper electrical location for mounting in conjunction with your furnishings is of utmost importance. In this bedroom below, a simple dimmable globe provides the perfect glow for this moody bedroom.
We love designing in-home bars for our clients and almost always are incorporating a unique tile, wallcovering (or both!) into the finished product. Illuminating these specialty finishes, glassware, bottles, and other personal decor items really brings these areas to life. Sconces, integrated puck lights, or linear LED lighting is our go-to for these special installations. In my own loft, I love how cozy our Living Room feels when just our bar sconces are on – you’d be surprised how elevated this can make your home feel.
Some might call the Dining Room chandelier the star of the show when it comes to Decorative Lighting, and they’re not totally wrong! So many people are moving away from delineating between formal and casual dining spaces….so when there is a designated Dining Room – I think this is a huge opportunity for a decorative statement piece!
Think of your Chandelier as art in this space. While it needs to provide illumination for your table surface, I think it should also be viewed as a central decorative element. Each fixture below is giving us equal parts form and function in their designs.
It’s no secret that I LOVE designing Powder Rooms and decorative lighting is a big part of that! The lighting in our Powder Room designs are usually the jewelry of the space – whether this is a pair of sconces flanking a mirror, an overhead pendant, or a cute ceiling fixture – it’s all equally important.
One of my favorite decorative fixtures in a home is the Kitchen Pendant. They’re usually located in the center of the space and are a great representation of the overall vibe of the Kitchen. Let’s take a peek below at a few options and configurations…
Given the double islands and active design features happening on the walls of the Kitchen, we knew the pendants needed to be understated. Simple, light clear glass globes with pretty brass framework are the perfect complement.
This industrial all black Kitchen is such a vibe….and the pendants play into it perfectly. Mod white globes capped with perforated black metal are the perfect fixture to tie this all together.
This antique farmhouse Kitchen we designed has a lot of bold elements in the mix with the colorful cabinets and the patterned wallpaper – so we kept the island and table pendants classic and simple. Pretty milk glass schoolhouse style pendants over the island and an overscale drum shade above the breakfast table play nicely with the other, more bold features.
Check our this Martha Stewart Living Article where a few of my cozy lighting ideas were recently shared.
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