Lights, Camera, Action!
Lighting can play many different roles in the design process. Some offer function, others offer form utilizing sculptural elements, and some combine the two. For me, the fun begins when you combine design styles.
Here we mixed Louis Poulsen pendants over the kitchen island along with Hart’s rock crystal barrel chandeliers in the adjacent great room. Have some fun with your lighting. Make the style your own….lighting can be the jewel in the room that elevates your home from ordinary to extraordinary.
LIGHTING Can Also Play A Major Role When You Combine Styles Like Traditional With Modern Design
FUNCTION
Lighting creates the mood in a room so function matters. Determine the lighting’s purpose: will the chandelier be for ambiance or will you need the lighting to be functional too. If it’s the latter, than you can layer your lighting and select the chandelier you love and add recessed high hats for the functional element.
Don’t forget the dimmers! They add a little more to the cost upon installation but they're worth it! There is nothing worse than hosting a dinner party and not being able to adjust the lighting to suit the mood for the evening.
SIZE
How do you know what size chandelier to purchase?
- Over a dining room table: ADD the length and width of the room and convert to inches (12ft by 20ft. Then add the numbers together which = 32” diameter chandelier). Depending on the scale of the room/table, you can also opt to do 2 chandeliers as we did in this client’s home.
Keep in mind, the diameter of the chandelier should never extend beyond the width of your dining table. You can use the same rule of thumb over a coffee table — measure the length and width of your Great Room (20ft by 25ft. Then add the numbers together which = 45” diameter for your coffee table chandelier. Make sure your coffee table is the appropriate size — likely at least 48” square.
HEIGHT
How high should I hang the chandelier?
- If the chandelier is being hung in an entry, a hallway, or even a walk-in closet, you must allow at least 7 feet of clearance.
- If the fixture/pendant is being placed over a kitchen/dining table or an island, allow 2-3ft from the top of the table to the bottom of the light fixture. You want to be able to have your guests see one another at the table so the light should not extend into their sight line when seated.
- If the chandelier/fixture is being placed over a coffee table, you should hang the light high enough so that it does not interfere with conversation — or heaven forbid, the sight line of the television. Generally, the 7ft rule applies here as well.
- Open pathway: at least 7 feet of clearance to the floor
- Above a table: 30-34 inches
- In a bathroom: at least 3 feet from the tub
- Over a bathtub: 8 feet of clearance (for getting in and out!)
- Ceilings over 8 feet: add 3 inches hanging height per foot
LEDs
What are LED’s and how do I know when I need to use LED’s in my lighting?
Here are some LED facts:
- LED bulbs are 90% more efficient than our older incandescent light bulbs.
- LED’s produce less heat and,
- LED’s last longer than incandescents.
In most of our lighting design applications today, we recommend wiring for and purchasing LED lighting. Although LEDs are slightly more expensive at the point of purchase, we find that in the long run LED bulbs last 10 times longer than our old incandescent bulbs. Over time LEDs will wind up being more cost effective. We recommend using LEDs whenever and wherever possible — they are sure to minimize bulb changing on your “Honey Do” list.
WHAT's HOT from the 2018 Light! Design Expo recently held at the Pier in San Francisco
Here are Tuck-Bernstein Design's 3 favorite vendor picks...
LUMIUM
1. LUMIUM offered large scale hinged lighting where you can basically create your own style suspension lighting…they market their lighting as if it’s the periodic table of elements. You select every element individually to suit your likes and needs. The hardware was top notch showing off the corners of each connection — the skies the limit here with jumbo square shapes, linked squares, zigzags and patterns all left up to the individual or designer to put their creative stamp on.
Moreover, if you are not interested in seeing the sleek aluminum exterior, Lumium offers wood veneer panels that can be fastened to the sides of the aluminum hardware. I can see this application used in commercial spaces along with dramatic residential layouts.
2. ARCHETYPE: Well it just wouldn’t be California if you didn’t have that naturally organic/recycled style lighting. The folks at Archetype didn’t disappoint. Their “Scraplights” were not only interesting (being made from recycled cardboard) but they are functional and a whole lot of fun. These pendants offer many applications for the home and could be a truly unique focal point in a room if you combine the various shapes & sizes under one canopy.
3. WakaNINE offers exceptional lighting designs using eco-friendly materials. They are truly works of art providing a sculptural element to each and every room installation. One of the most impressive aspects of WakaNINE is with David Trubridge Design work. His lighting is artistry at its best, casting shadows that span ceilings and walls through each design element.
WakaNINE’s HUSH also offers acoustic lighting and the design style is super interesting. Each light is a dome-like sphere which is manufactured from 65% post consumer waste (ie: water bottles)…kudos to WakaNINE for giving new life to the dreaded water bottle.
This HUSH pendant shown above not only muffles sound but also looks amazing and comes in a host of vibrant colors. What fun they would be in a kids playroom!
