One of the easiest ways to elevate design is to throw accent lighting into the mix. Not a surprising concept even for the most amateur or inexperienced of designers, but if done haphazardly, your efforts will have an adverse effect on your space. Here are a few ideas on how you can get lit:
NIGHT LIGHTS
I live in a stunning 150-year-old home in the historic district of my city, which I call The Ribbon House. With tall ceilings on three stately floors, generously sized bedrooms, a private garden, and a few charming ghost stories, the only thing this house severely lacks is a functional kitchen. It’s so small that the closet I spent my early adulthood hiding in was more comfortable. It also has 12 electrical outlets adorning enough counter space to fit a glass of wine and a cucumber, but we won’t talk about my Tuesday nights.
The redeeming quality of this space is that it has a huge window overlooking the garden and a glass door leading to a charming grocer’s alley. With my array of available electrical outlets, I found affordable, dimmable, night lights by a company named Fesnne. These accent lights cast an incredibly charming amount of bidirectional light and they come in a beautiful warm white. The kitchen is now bright enough that you could, with maybe 50 extra square feet and a reliable contractor, cook a meal comfortably.
SMART BULBS
Again, not anything new on the market to “wow” you, but smart bulbs are a great way to take your existing lighting and transform it based on the mood you’re looking for. While expensive, I prefer Philips Hue bulbs and love how they integrate into all of my Apple products. Need energy? Use bright whites to stay stimulated while you work from home. Hosting a dinner party? Set your bulbs to a dim, warm yellow and create an inviting atmosphere for your guests. Planning an orgy perhaps? They have every red you can dream of, and your living room will feel like The Eagle without a cover charge.
PENDANTS
In my aforementioned “functional” home, I have random, gaudy pendant lights throughout the house that I was eager to replace. Much to my surprise, I was unable to replace them because they are connected to old gas lines during a time where they would have been functioning gas lamps. Rather than hiring someone to figure out how to replace them safely, I removed the gaudy shade and replaced it with a giant Edison bulb. This made for a really unique conversation piece when receiving guests in my foyer, in lieu of all the other red lights.
Pendant lights are an inexpensive way to switch up your space. They’re easy to install (most times), and while I don’t always love supporting big-box retailers, you can find some really unique ones in online marketplaces.
FLUSH MOUNT LIGHTING
Many homes of various different periods are adorned with the age-defying and timeless contractor’s special: the flush mount. What I like to playfully call… titty lamps. When I first moved into The Ribbon House, everywhere I turned there were flush mount lights with the iconic knob sitting central to its round, voluptuous glass shade. What I discovered is that there are incredible versions of flush mount lights that offer attractive texture and cast light in unique ways. Much like pendant lights, they’re often inexpensive as well.
CLASSIC UPLIGHTING
Now, this is where I might find myself having an opinion unpopular to more experienced designers. I’m willing to be wrong, but here it is. I have absolutely had it with: Light under a fake tree. Light behind catty-cornered chairs. Light stealthily hiding underneath some mundane piece of furniture. Light precariously fastened to the back of a television by bubble gum and dental floss, often bright blue.
I’m not here to judge. But stop. Just stop.
Instead, consider casting light on unique artwork, brightening a dark hallway, lining the edges of crown moulding, or illuminating real foliage in your back yard — those are real game changers.
Hope some of these friendly and fun suggestions helped you get lit. If any of this sparked a light in your creativity, I want to see what you’ve come up with. Send your spaces to @jedwarddesign on Instagram and maybe they’ll be featured in Out In Jersey magazine.
