August 29th, 2009
Good lighting is vital to the décor of any home. Lighting can change the perception of space without physically changing the space. It can make small rooms appear roomier and large rooms appear intimate.
Light directs our view and guides us to focus on specific details. Think back to a play you have seen and you will recall how lighting is used on stage to guide the spectator’s gaze. A similar approach can be used to light up your rooms. It of course helps if you also choose the furnishings and wall colours with a little more thought.
Small rooms can appear larger
If you live in a city like New York or Tokyo, chances are your rooms are small and cramped. So be judicious and buy furniture that isn’t bulky and go for softer colours for walls and upholstery. The darker the colours, the smaller the room will appear. As far as lighting is concerned, here are a few simple tricks you can use:
• Project light on to the walls: When you wash the walls with light, the walls reflect light and make the room appear larger.
• Light up the ceiling with up-lights: This will visually raise the height of the ceiling and also bounce off light. A perception of a taller ceiling will also make the room appear larger.
• Light up the four corners of the room: Doing this will make your eyes take in the entire room and you will perceive that the room was extending in every direction.
• Avoid using a central ceiling fixture: This will kill the atmosphere in the room by bathing the entire room in bright light.
Avoid clutter in the room and the combined effect of lighting and décor will make your small room appear roomier and more cheerful.
Large rooms can appear more intimate
A large room is great for a party, but imagine how cold and impersonal it will feel if you are the lone person in a cavernous room. You may feel lost and isolated.
Start by grouping your furniture into smaller, more intimate arrangements and then light up each arrangement separately.
• If the ceiling is too high, instead of up-lights, go for down-lights. This will deflect attention from the height of the ceiling and visually lower the height of the room to make the space feel more intimate.
• Use table lamps and floor lamps to create spools of light. The lamps will only light up their immediate surroundings and make the space feel cosier and more inviting.
Lighting is an inexpensive way of creating the right mood and it’s amazing how often people overlook its importance when decorating their homes. Discover How To Choose A Table Lamp and the various Styles Of Table Lamps.
August 25th, 2009
Below are a few amazing examples of how some designers have used their creativity to recycle waste and create fabulous lampshades. The shades aren’t necessarily cheap just because they are produced from waste, but they are without doubt gorgeous.
Cardboard
‘Use UK’ has a range of stunning lampshades made from 100% recycled cardboard, of which 80% is post consumer waste and 20% is post manufacture waste. The look and finish of the shades is impeccable and the shades are produced with limited edition designs. What’s more, you can order the shades in the colour combinations of your choice and they come in a wide range of sizes as well.
The price range is from $52 to $116.
Picture source: http://www.use-uk.com
Coke Bottles
Sarah Turner has a degree in Furniture and Product Design and has turned her attention to recycling and reusing waste. Her Cola lampshades, which have won many awards, are made from waste cola bottles. The bottles are collected, cleaned and sandblasted and then transformed into decorative shades. Their inner shade too is made from recycled card.
The shade shown below is made from ten 500ml bottles of Coca Cola. The lamp is priced at $400.
Picture source: http://www.sarahturner.co.uk
Plastic Milk Bottles
Lizzie Lee’s lampshades are made from melted and reformed plastic milk bottles. She fuses the plastic with vintage lace and second-hand net curtains. It’s when you turn on the light that you see the full effect of the delicate lace. Prices range from $93 to $200.
Picture source: http://www.lizzielee.com
Paper
Yu Jordy Fu takes inspiration from ancient Chinese traditions of paper-cutting and exploits the versatility of paper to create the wonderfully intricate Cloud Lamps. The lamps are made from recycled paper and transformed into beautiful 3D landscapes. Recycling paper so effortlessly provides a simple and sustainable way to bring beauty and art into our homes.
Prices range from $55 to $160.
Picture source: http://www.jordyfu.com/
August 23rd, 2009
As the threat of global warming becomes all too real, people are increasingly turning to energy-saving lights to reduce their carbon footprint. The great thing about these lights however is that they aren’t only environment friendly, but they also save you money over the long run.
Compact Fluorescent Lights
The most popular of the energy efficient lights are CFLs or Compact Fluorescent Lights. They are also perfect for use in table lamps as the lamps shades allow air flow and the lamps are generally used for more than 15 minutes at a stretch.
When you compare CFLs to the incandescent bulbs that we use at home, the advantages of CFL become immediately clear.
Lower Power Consumption
CFLs use 50 to 80% less power than an incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light. This means a direct reduction in your electricity bills. Sure the initial cost of buying a CFL is higher but it will also last 10 times longer than a regular bulb. Thus the long-term savings outweigh the initial cost. Over the lifetime of a CFL, you will save over $50 than if you used cheaper bulbs. So think about how much you could save if your entire house had CFLs.
The brightness of a light is measured in lumens and its energy use in watts. So when comparing the CFL you will need to replace a regular bulb, follow the table below. To give you a rough idea, if you are using a 100-watt bulb for a lamp, you can replace it with a 23 to 28 watt CFL to emit the same amount of light.
Lower Environment Impact
CFLs are clearly more environment friendly than conventional bulbs because they use less electricity which means they emit less carbon dioxide and sulphur oxide which are gases that are hastening global warming. In fact, just one CFL will reduce CO2 emissions by half a ton over the bulb’s life. It is estimated that if all Americans switched to CFLs as many as 90 average-size power plants could be shut down.
Choice Of Lights
CFLs are smaller versions of what we commonly call tube lights. But advances in technology mean that now the fluorescent lights are now smaller and can fit into regular bulb sockets. You can also choose the kind of light you want – warm daylight, cool daylight or white. So you aren’t restricted to the stark white lighting you see in offices and stores. The warm daylight option is identical to the light given off by a conventional bulb.
CFLs are also available in a variety of shapes and sizes such as Spiral, Globe, Triple Tube, Candelabra, Standard and Flood Lamps. So no matter what kind of bulb your light fixture requires you will find an equivalent CFL option.
Recycling CFLs
CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury, which is a toxic metal, that can be released when the bulb is broken. Thus care should be taken while disposing the CFL and, if possible, it should be recycled. The thing to also remember is that the power produced by burning coal to light a regular bulb actually releases more mercury into the environment than the power produced to light a CFL.
So the next time you want to choose a bulb for your table lamp or any other light fixture in your house, make a more practical and environment-friendly decision and opt for a CFL.
Different rooms require different kinds of lighting. Read more about How To Choose A Table Lamp for berooms, living rooms and dining rooms.
August 22nd, 2009
- Image by whalt via Flickr
Victorian Era
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 till her death in 1903. This period is called the Victorian era and is associated with the dawn of the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution saw major advances in science and engineering. This era brought prosperity not just to the landed gentry but also to merchants and the middle class and resulted in more people than ever before spending increasing amounts of money on personal appearances as well as the décor of their homes. A person’s home was considered to reflect their wealth and standing in society. So every small corner, particularly in the parlor, was used to display ornate furniture, art and showcase the interests of the owner.
Victorian Table Lamps
Some of the most elegant and luxurious lamps are from the Victorian era and are known for their charm and sophistication. The base of the lamps was made of heavy and expensive metals like cast iron and often had floral and vine themes. The lampshades though were the focal point. Made of embroidered silks and chiffons, the shades were characterized by a fringe and sometimes included tassels and beadwork. Elaborate shapes, floral themes and luxurious fabrics and materials were used to make the lampshades. As Britain expanded its colonies, the colours and materials from Asia, Africa and the Middle East also found their way into the designs of the lampshades and added an exotic touch. Some of the lampshades were made of ornate glass with geometric designs.
Victorian lamps progressed from using oil to using gas and ultimately electricity during the industrial age. Their design too evolved accordingly.
Victorian Decor
Most living rooms and bedrooms in Victorian homes painted their walls in dark shades of red, green and mauve. Wallpaper with floral designs was also used. The delicate and ornate lamps stood out against these deep backgrounds and the fabric shades cast a soft light in the room. The lamps added a luxurious touch to the opulent décor.
In today’s homes, Victorian lamps co-ordinate well with rooms that have furniture in dark wood like mahogany, teak or oak. To achieve a Victorian look, you can paint your walls in deep colours, have a few Oriental rugs on the floor, add heavy velvet drapes on the windows and, if you like, mount paintings with gold painted frames on the walls. A Victorian table lamp looks particularly nice on a side table next to a leather chair.
Read about the different Styles Of Table Lamps.
August 19th, 2009
History
It was Louis Comfort Tiffany who introduced the famous Tiffany lamps to the world. His father was Charles Tiffany, the founder of the famous Tiffany & Co. jewellery store, and yet Louis decided to pursue his love of art. In the 1880s he moved away from oil and watercolour paintings and set up an interior design studio where he specialized in stained glass windows. Once, while experimenting with some leftover glass pieces, he hit upon the idea of creating lampshades with them and thus was born the Tiffany lamp.
The lamp debuted in 1899 and to this day remains a popular choice not only in American homes but also everywhere around the world. Original Tiffany lamps have commanded as much as $8 million at auctions and are hard to come by. Good quality reproductions however are easily available and are also affordable.
Types of Tiffany Table Lamps
Tiffany lamps have elaborate and colourful glass lampshades fitted on a bronze base. The lampshades have glass pieces held together with copper foil and are meticulously handcrafted. Most lampshades reflect Louis Tiffany’s love of nature and incorporate motifs of flowers, trees, spiders, dragonflies, peacocks etc.
The shape and style of each lampshade determines the category the lamp may fall into: Favrile, Geometric, Transition to Flowers, Flowered Cone, Flowered Globe, Irregular Lower Border or Irregular Upper and Lower Border.
Favrile:
Favrile means handcrafted. These lamps were the first ones produced by Louis Tiffany and are more basic and simple in their design. They mainly include the use of blown glass forms.
Geometric:
Leaded glass cut into geometric shapes such as squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals and ellipses are edged with copper foil and soldered together to form a lampshade. The lampshade either has many small pieces of glass or a limited but larger glass pieces joined together.
Transition to Flowers:
This style of lamps combines basic geometric designs with botanical motifs on a globe-shaped shade. The botanical motifs such as flowers, leaves and vines are either arranged neatly at the bottom of the shade to form a border or are scattered randomly on the shade.
Flowered Cone:
In this category, the shade has a distinctive cone shape with a neat circular rim. Flowered Cone lamps feature an abundance of flower patterns and sometimes also include other motifs such as dragonflies.
Flowered Globe:
These lamps are more complex to produce than the Flowered Cone lamps as the floral motifs have to follow the curved, globe-shaped design of the lampshade. The shape however also allows the creation of a more realistic look of nature.
Irregular Lower Border:
The lamps in this category have globe-shaped shades which end in an irregular lower border. This is because their motifs emulate the natural and irregular termination of leaves, flowers, insects and fruits tree branches on the lower rim of the shade.
Irregular Upper and Lower Border:
These involve fine and complex craftsmanship and are easily the most sought after of all Tiffany lamps. The straight edge of the aperture has an openwork crown that resembles the branches of trees. The metal finial common in other shades has been eliminated and the upper border thus has an irregular shape. The lower border too is irregular as it emulates the natural termination of botanical motifs as described in the Irregular Lower Border category above.
Decor Accents
The intricate design and fine craftsmanship of a Tiffany lamp transforms it into an extraordinary work of art. Its stained glass lampshade at once adds colour and magic to a room’s decor. The glass creates interesting patterns on the floor and walls and provides light that is soft and diffused. The result is a warm and inviting ambience in the room.
Since Tiffany lamps come in a variety of colours and have a timeless appeal, they can be used as decor accents for rooms that have a traditional, rustic or even a more contemporary look. Whether it’s a living room, dining room or bedroom, you will find that a Tiffany lamp will immediately add an elegant touch to it.
Also read about other Styles Of Table Lamps.
August 13th, 2009
Table lamps play a functional as well as an aesthetic part in a home. Not only do they create the right mood and light up a specific area in a room, but they can also be viewed as works of art that add delightful décor accents.
No matter which table lamp you choose, it should match the décor of your room. You don’t want to pick up an ornate Victorian lamp for your minimalist décor or a sleek steel and glass lamp for a room with a traditional look. Before you buy a table lamp, consider the broad styles of lamps available and then decide which style will match your décor.
Tiffany Table Lamps
First created in the 1890s by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany lamps continue to be popular with homeowners even today. Graceful and sophisticated, the lamps are distinguished by the use of colourful stained glass pieces on the lampshade. The glass lampshades depict everything from simple geometric patterns, to elaborate designs of birds and dragonflies. The complexity of the design and the quality of the craftsmanship usually determines the cost of these lamps. The lamp base was originally made of bronze and the glass pieces were held together by copper foil. Today the lamp bases are made of brass, copper, steel, cut glass, ceramic and even wood.
Tiffany lamps should be treated as works of art and should be placed in areas where you want to draw a person’s attention. They are ideal for lighting up rooms with hardwood floors and fireplaces.
Read more about the history and the different categories of Tiffany lamps at Tiffany Table Lamps.
Victorian Table Lamps
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901 and this period is known as the Victorian era. The later half of the nineteenth century saw the production of Victorian table lamps which were highly ornate. They were appreciated for their floral imagery and even had lampshades with hanging tassels.
The earliest lamps used oil and later incorporated the use of electricity for lighting.
Victorian lamps, either antiques or reproductions, make for lovely accents in rooms with more traditional décor characterized by carved wooden furniture, rugs and warm colours. They also add a touch of luxury to the room.
Read more about the history, design & how you ca decorate with Victorian table lamps at Victorian Table Lamps.
Rustic Table Lamps
These table lamps take their inspiration from rural country living. You will find elements of nature or country living incorporated in either their designs and motifs or the materials used to make the bases and lampshades. Everything from distressed wood, animal skins and woven fibers are used. You will also find ceramic and metal bases with animal and plant motifs. What you won’t find is the use of cold steel.
Rustic table lamps have a lasting and earthy appeal. They look great in log cabins and village homes as well as modern condos because of their natural look and timeless appeal.
Contemporary Table Lamps
This is a very broad category of table lamps, encompassing a host of modern styles and materials. The base of the lamps can be of every conceivable shape – either geometric or abstract. From metal and wood, to plastic, fibre and leather, contemporary table lamps not only come in a wide variety of materials but can also be found in a host of colours, ranging from earthy and muted, to vibrant and fluorescent. They can either be sleek and simple or they can be funky and fun.
Contemporary table lamps can either be used to make a design statement or to simply complement your décor. The sheer choice available in stores makes is very easy for you to match these lamps to every kind of furnishing style.
Other styles of lamps include Art Deco, Mission and Crystal table lamps.
To know more about the factors to consider when buying a table lamp, read How To Choose A Table Lamp.
August 13th, 2009
The most important things to consider are safety, the child’s age and the décor of the room. Below is an outline of everything you need to know before you buy a table lamp for your kid’s bedroom.
Safety
All wires should be safely out of reach, especially if the child is a toddler. The table lamps should also be able to withstand some rough treatment. It’s best to have the lamps made of plastic or wood so that they don’t shatter or break.
Style
Most kids’ rooms have unique themes and given the sheer choice available, you are sure to find table lamps that perfectly match the décor in your child’s room. Table lamps add a playful accent to the room.
Size
The bigger the table lamps, the more likely they are to come in the way. So keep the lamps small but sturdy. If the base of the lamp is small but heavy, it will be stable and won’t topple easily.
The lampshade too shouldn’t be too wide so that it doesn’t come in the way of active children.
Wattage
Younger children who are afraid of the dark feel secure when a dim bedside lamp is switched on. For older children who like to read, a 60-watt regular bulb is essential. For energy-savings, use a CFL of 13 to 16 watt which will give you the same brightness as a regular 60-watt bulb but will cut electricity consumption by 50 to 80%. For a desk lamp a similar wattage is sufficient for doing homework. Remember to avoid halogen bulbs as they tend to heat up very quickly and may burn the child.
August 13th, 2009
Large family meals, intimate candlelight dinners and kids doing their homework – all this happens in a dining room. Therefore the lighting in a dining room should be flexible and must be right for a variety of situations.
Most often you will find a large chandelier or some other ceiling fixture dominating the room. But this makes for very bright lighting that casts harsh shadows on the walls. So do use a dimmer and supplement the lighting with the use of well-placed table lamps.
For candlelight dinners, the mood may be romantic but you still need to see what you are eating. A table lamp or two placed on the sideboard can add warmth without killing the mood.
Co-rdinating Styles
Choose the table lamps that match your overhead lighting fixture. For instance, if you have a wrought-iron chandelier then your table lamps can reflect the style of the chandelier and can also be made of wrought iron. The lamps should also match the rest of the décor in your room.
Placement & Size
Sideboards are generally the perfect place for table lamps. But because of the limited depth of the sideboards, you may need to choose a slim lamp base with a matching slim lampshade. This will also leave you enough space to keep your plates, serving platters and flower arrangements. Besides sideboards, table lamps also look good on buffet tables.
Height
The height of the table lamp should be such that a person seated at the dining table cannot see the bulb. The bottom brim of the lampshade should completely cover the bulb and its socket.
Wattage
Since the table lamps will be used in conjunction with another source of lighting, the wattage for each lamp need not exceed 60 watts if you are a regular bulb. If using a CFL, 13 to 16 watt is enough to achieve the same amount of brightness but with the advantage of a significant reduction in your power consumption.
Read about How To Choose A Table Lamp for bedrooms and living rooms.
August 13th, 2009
Table lamps by your bedside are the perfect way to create a warm and tranquil feel in your bedroom. The look of the lamp will also enhance the décor of your bedroom.
Style
Your table lamp will most likely be placed on a bedside table or stand. If the surface of the table or stand is glass, then avoid using a wooden table lamp. Match the frame of the table with your lamp. For instance, if your glass table has a frame made of steel or wrought iron then your lamp too can be of the same material. If the table is made of wood then you can choose from a wider variety of lamps that can match the décor in your bedroom, including wood, ceramic and brass.
Whatever you choose, make sure that the base of the lamp is heavy enough so that it doesn’t topple when you accidentally push it when groping for your alarm clock in the dark.
Size
Your bedside table is where you keep your clock, books, glasses etc. So make sure that the lamp base doesn’t hog all the space on the table. Choose a slimmer base and with a lampshade that doesn’t have a very wide brim. The lamp should cast enough light on the table and on the book you are reading in bed. A wide brim will disturb your partner by casting light on their eyes.
Height
Don’t go for very tall table lamps for your bedside as you may be able to see the bulb and the lamp will also cast light on a wider area and disturb your partner.
Wattage
An incandescent 60-watt bulb or preferably a 13 to 16-watt energy-saving CFL bulb is enough for reading a book. You can also opt for a two-way bulb of higher wattage. Most lamps have a switch on the wire that connects to a plug point so that you can conveniently switch off and switch on the lamp from your bed.
To explore the different styles of table lamps and how they can match your décor read Lamp Styles. You may also want to read How to choose a table lamp for more details about factors that should influence buying decisions.
August 13th, 2009
A living room is where you entertain guests and where you spend the most amount of time so creating the right mood is essential. It is also the room that says the most about your personal taste.
Form
During the day you want your table lamps to serve as pieces of art or sculpture. They should make a style statement and complement your room’s décor. You can modify a favourite vase or a wooden sculpture into a table lamp. If the lamp is placed on a side table next to a sofa or chair, ensure that the base of the lamp is heavy so that it doesn’t topple if someone’s hand accidentally brushes against it.
Function
At night, table lamps are instrumental in creating a warm and intimate mood. So you should decide the placement of the lamps based on the size of the room. In larger rooms you will want multiple sources of light and may need to have overhead lighting along with table lamps and floor lamps.
Generally speaking, you will need at least one source of light every 10 feet in the room. If there’s just one lamp then make sure that it can use a 3-way 150-watt regular bulb or 42-watt CFL bulb so you can adjust the brightness of the light as and when needed. You need at least a regular bulb of 60 watts or a CFL bulb of about 16 watts for reading a book. Multiple lamps, each with a bulb of about 40 watts or more (8 to 10 watts for CFL), create a more intimate ambience.
Lampshades
Fabric or semi-opaque paper shades diffuse light and cast a softer light. To minimize glare near a TV, you will need the lampshade to be in an opaque material. The size of the shade should be appropriate for the table it’s resting on.
The other factors to consider are the style, height and size of the table lamp. You will find all of them explained in detail at How to choose a table lamp.
