Photo: Rapid Imagery Courtesy of Envisions Flooring & Interiors
Picking the Perfect Light Fixture Is the Finishing Touch of Home Design
Lighting trends have changed considerably over the past few decades. Advances in technology and materials allow light fixtures to do so much more than illuminate a room. Lighting can transform a space and set the tone for your aesthetic — it is the jewelry that makes a room shine.
Mishelle Brosinski of Envisions Flooring & Interiors in Wirtz carries a beautiful assortment of light fixtures. Brosinski thinks of it as the finishing touch. She notes, “Lighting sets a mood and creates an ambiance by the light it casts as well as the style, size and finish.”
Photo: Rapid Imagery Courtesy of Envisions Flooring & Interiors
As a design element
Finding a unique fixture adds personality to a room. For example, Brosinski found a chandelier made of sea glass to complement two pendants shaped like twig branches that hang over a peninsular bar in a kitchen. These three fixtures enrich the room while maintaining the organic décor the homeowners wanted. Adding these distinctive light fixtures contributed texture but stayed with the style of the natural finishes that are found throughout the home.
Choosing a few different lighting fixtures that preserve the decorating style makes a home special while keeping with the themes and look that make the interior flow seamlessly. It is important to consider scale when selecting light fixtures for a room. Light fixtures should function well for the room’s use but must be in the correct proportion.
Using two large cone-shaped pendants, black shades lined with gold, is an example of keeping the modern farmhouse black and white décor while adding a splash of color. The fixture’s grand size balances the double islands that sit below. Repeating the pendant shape and color with light sconces on the wall continues the theme throughout the kitchen and completes the look. Using lighting as a design element is both practical and enjoyable.
Current trends
As technology offers more choices — LED lighting, smart lights and layered lighting — selecting the right fixtures or combination of fixtures becomes complex. Spaces that once were lit by a single bulb now can benefit from light from several sources. Layered lighting produces several advantages. Brosinski explains, “Focal point lighting is a technique used to highlight a specific area or object, drawing attention to it. The purpose is to create a contrast between the illuminated object and its surroundings.”
Once used mostly in museums and mansions, there is a movement now to use art lights or “up lights” to highlight a special piece of artwork or a focal wall. Outside, uplighting is used to call attention to beautiful trees and plantings in the garden as well as line walks for safety.
Another trend is counter lighting in kitchens that brightens workspaces and offers a softer look in the cabinet area.
Photo: Rapid Imagery Courtesy of Envisions Flooring & Interiors
Mixed materials
When choosing light fixtures, it is easy to lean toward practicality and choose the same style fixtures throughout the house. Using the same materials in each room seems cohesive but overlooks the joy of allowing each room to have its own distinctive fixtures. Incorporating different fixture materials while maintaining your décor theme is a challenge but rewards each room with a little bling. Lighting materials offer a place to be vibrant and add eye-catching details to a room. Remember to consider cabinetry hardware and plumbing fixtures when you choose light fixtures for a room. It is important to maintain the look by sticking with a similar color, material or style so that it blends with the décor.
Mishelle offers this tip, “One of the best ways to design a lighting selection is by mixing lighting pieces.” Look for a “common thread when mixing different materials, though, to create a cohesive feeling.” To do this, consider a fixture’s style, shape and finish or color. As long as each fixture has one of these in common with the rest of the fixtures, then it unites your selections and gives the décor a balanced and seamless unity.
Fixtures with clean lines and natural textures are popular. This transitional style works with many décors.
Combination metals are still strong in the lighting market. Matte black with heritage brass is trendy. White plaster lamps and chandeliers are fashionable as well as chandeliers that convey forms of nature – antler horns or metal shapes that look like tree branches. Searching for a material that works with your home’s look is worth the time. Once you find the right light fixture, it is an accessory that makes your room shine. ✦