Bring on the Light

This quarter I'm taking a Lighting Design class.  It's the hardest class in our major, so I'm trying to focus on not making it harder than it should be! One of my favorite elements in a room is the lighting sources, fixtures and coloring the light brings to a space.  It's the light that truly highlights and brings to life the architecture and design of any room. Without it, you wouldn't be able to see and appreciate it! It's all that technical stuff like lumens, wattage, foot candles, A-lamp, R-lamp, that is the not-so-fun-but-still-important-part. Lost you yet?!


Because I don't want to bore you with that stuff {and because I'm no expert myself, yet!} today I'm showing off some of my favorite rooms with great lighting.  When adding lighting to a space, always remember that it sets the mood and to include 3-4 of the 4 types of light:


1. General {the overhead lighting that generally lights up the room}
2. Task {light that helps you perform specific tasks, like reading or cooking}
3. Accent {sconces, pendants, or recessed lighting that are used to highlight artwork, sculptures, fabric, or architectural details}
4. Decorative {primarily the ornamental chandelier lighting, wall sconces, candles, entry fixtures, etc.}


Now that you're an expert on types of lighting, let's indulge in some prettiness...


This room features a skylight, allowing natural light in, as well as the beautiful pendant lantern and wall sconces for general and accent lighting:

This kitchen is an example of great general lighting seen in the recessed cans. The pendants above the island can act a general or task lighting! Love the yellow light:

This is perfection on so many levels. I love the use of unity found in the light fixtures- all classic drum shades. Lighting at different levels is key in making a space interesting and functional:

If I could create my dream kitchen right here and right now, this would be it. All the upper cabinets are lit and the arches are highlighted with under-mount lighting. The pretty and fresh white cabinets paired with the rustic lanterns are just enough juxtaposition for this eclectic girl's taste:

Rooms with high ceilings are challenging, but are so important to light well! The natural daylight helps this room stay nice and bright, but the stunning over-sized chandeliers were the right choice for this tall room. Not only do they highlight the pitched roof, but also make a statement and light the space {which is the real function, after all!} The warm yellow glow is beautiful and inviting:

Again with the lovely lantern look and decorative wall sconces:

I think we can all agree that the combination of this natural daylight and decorative lighting sets the perfect mood for this stunning wedding. Sometimes when you're trying to create a mood, you don't need to use all 4 types of lighting. Of course there's always an exception to the rules :)

All images via my Pinterest

I know sometimes it's hard to actually notice good lighting, {and that's really what we should go for! Normally we want light to be so natural & awesome that it's not talked about. We tend to notice poor lighting very quickly!}, but what spaces have you seen lately that draw you in because of the light? What about poor lit rooms...{see: dressing rooms}? Do share!


Thank you for all the sweet comments about our new family pup! She's loving her new home :)
Happy Tuesday!
Love,



PS. Welcome to my sponsor Claudia, of Casa de Berry!

Claudia is a DIY wife and mom who loves decorating, creating, cooking, organizing, and making her house a home for her husband and 2 boys! She's also from my home town which automatically makes her awesome :) Stop by and check out her latest DIY- her craft tower!