Hello,
Well, this is my first blog post on my newly renovated website. I admit I’m much happier with the site in general but this blog area is a bit bla.
Anyway, I don’t pretend to be an interior designer (or a web developer for that matter) but I do pride myself on my eye for detail, so I’ve got a mini series coming your way, ‘It’s all in the details’. This weeks installment is all about lighting and the part it plays in the details found in our Burrow…
Think outside the box
When we did our Kitchen, we found ourselves with a void of space in the lean-to and with me being a, ‘more-is-more’ type of person, I had to find a way to fill the gap. I’d seen branches used for lighting in so many commercial buildings before but rarely in the home and why the hell not. We purchased a branch and made a feature of the space.
Initially I was looking at smaller, 1 m long branches, but as you’ll read later in this blog, we should never be afraid to go big. This bad boy fills the whole 3 m width of the kitchen.
- Birch Branch: Decorative Birch
- Cage Lights: Amazon
- Lighting components: Creative Cables
There are so many beautiful lights out there but when we finished our hallway makeover (okay okay, I’m yet to post about it), we found ourselves with a dark corner and nothing left in the way of budget. What I did have though is imagination, plenty of verses and of course, festoons.
- Festoons: Amazon
- Vase: Local Garden Centre
Sticking with the dark corner/ no budget theme we also created this mini wall light for peanuts.
- Mirror: Coming soon to the Burrow & Me shop
- Pendant: Clas Ohlson
- Bulb: Dowsing and Reynolds
- Nail: Olive and the FOx
And lastly, in my ‘think outside the box’ section, who says that fairy lights were just for Christmas?! Ooo, I do love a good branch!
Don’t be afraid to oversize
This one is easy… go big or go home guys!
Ok, so it’s not always possible to go big, we’re fortunate to have high ceilings, but my advise is, if you can get away with going two sizes bigger then do. Just not to a point where you are always banging your head. We’ve used this giant Ikea pendant over out bed to create an impact, of course it’s not everybody’s cup of tea but we love it, especially the shadows it creates.
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- Light: Ikea
Even a simple pendant light shade can create more of an impact if you oversize and why not stop there, if you can see the bulb then go big there too! I mean, lets face it, we only really use the ‘big light’ when we’ve dropped something small and need to find it. The more light the better!
More is more
So, granted, I can be indecisive but believe it or not that wasn’t what happened in our dining room. Once again, budget was an issue and most statement lighting or chandeliers were expensive. Just having three pendants was really cost effective but creates an impact. I’ve never been one for matchy, matchy so of course I went for three different designs.
- Components: Creative Cables
- Lampshades: Ebay
Lighting as artwork
Noting profound to be found here, just why not bring your artwork to life with light!
- ‘Home is where the art is’: Bespoke from Light Up North
- Moon: Home-made
Traditional with a twist
So a much as it pays to think outside the box and push boundaries, don’t forget about traditional lighting, equally shake it up whenever you can. I love artwork and therefore picture lights can finish a room off a treat.
- Wall lights: John Lewis
Hidden details
Ok guys, I’m nearly done, but don’t forget those little hidden details. We’ve used simple fridge switches in our larder, airing cupboard and my mini walk-in wardrobe. There’s something so pleasing about a light coming on when opening a cupboard door!
Layering
Right ya’ll, for my final trick… Layering. Take everything you’ve read above, add them to the basics, spot lights, lamps, candles and don’t be afraid to have multiple types of lighting in one room. Keep your bulbs low lumens (and of course energy saving or LED) and layer them all up for some sexy ass mood lighting.
Thank you for reading, hopefully you’ve found some useful tips. I’m trying out a new blog style with less words and more images so let me know what you think and pop any questions below.
