Lamps help me in this area.
The highest quality light is natural, and therefore I prefer a great deal of windows. I leave my windows bare - no curtains of any kind - which, given we don’t have neighbors, works out well. Perhaps my Swedish side is showing itself.
However, there is the north side, hallways, and nighttime. For these situations, I vastly prefer lamps. In fact, I have almost no overhead lighting (including no skylights or overhead fixtures), which I find leads to cold, shadowy and not flattering rooms.
Then I try to position the lamps evenly where practical. For me, a square room is lit best with a lamp in each corner, and either all are on or all are off.
Given that, here are some examples of our lamps:
A "Gravitas" Lamp (handed down from a grandparent)
Another "Gravitas" Lamp (also handed down from a grandparent)
From an Estate Sale (seek out a local shop that will rewire old lamps)
Handed Down from a Relative (using CFL bulbs, as I do with all lamps, can make some older low wattage lights more useful)
Hand forged and bought new
Bought New and Balances "Gravitas" and "Light and Bright"
The Closest I Come to Overhead Lighting
Lamps are easy to under-appreciate. But as with so many things, finding good examples and taking care of them has a profound impact on making a space inviting and comfortable.
6 comments:
I think you hit upon a common misconception which is that skylights, because they provide natural light, are warm and provide welcoming light. I however have come to the same conclusion that you have which is that sky lights make a room more dreary and cold (especially in the winter when the light seems to be more gray outside than in other seasons).
I have six skylights in my loft covered w/ Duette shades and I can attest that the light, albeit filtered by the Duettes, is gray. Like you, I don't care for overhead lights--never did. Most of my lamps are Asian inspired. Oh, I have a Simon Pearce lamp that I've filled w/ shells.
I love the blueberry lamp!
I live in a studio apartment close to my university, with the only windows facing east; by noon-ish, the sunlight has already passed to the other side of the building and I live in a perpetually shadowy world. I know well the value of well-placed lamps, and while it took me some time of migrating my collection of lamps around the room to find the right balance, when I hit that sweet spot, it was like heaven peeked into my studio and lit it from within.
Thanks again for another blog that makes me feel like someone else "gets me"!
theladypirate - You set up this post so much better than I did! Those feelings you describe, both when it is not quite right and when it is right, as a result of subtle changes, may be the point of this entire blog.
Ah, yes! I've always detested overhead lighting, unless it's very good, focused task lighting or diffused ambient lighting. I kind of have a thing for funky lamps and I use them, everywhere. I agree, good lighting is key and bad lighting can ruin a space.
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