Professional advice for personalizing spaces with innovative lighting design choices. By Lucy Dearborn
Newlyweds looking to outfit their new homes sometimes overlook an obvious step to creating a home that reflects their personal style. When developing a footprint for a new nest, perhaps the best way to see things in a new light is to understand how to integrate your personal style in your selection of lighting.
I often coach new homeowners to think of lighting like jewelry, the ideal accessory to add color and fashion to an outfit while making a personal statement. Lighting is such an important part of home design and something you look at every day, so why not have some fun and infuse your personality into your pieces? Here are a few ideas to light up your life:
Make a plan – Create a master lighting plan. Work with an expert-your “GPS” for navigating through your lighting vision. The plan will provide critical guidance for your timeline and budget. You may want to focus on function first, then fashion.
Create a signature piece – There are endless options for creating a lighting piece that reflects your personal style. You can design anything from a custom-blown glass chandelier to a table lamp topped with your favorite fabric.
Modify a family heirloom – It may be the lamp that lit up your nursery or your grandmother’s treasured dining room chandelier. Add a new lampshade or crystal jewels and jazz up a piece of your family history.
Add a splash of color – Whether adding a pop of color to wall coverings, floor decor, countertops, or a lighting pendant, homeowners are coloring their lives. You can celebrate the color trend by creating a custom piece in your favorite hue or adding color in details like switch plates or dimmers.
See the light – Thumb through magazines, visit your favorite design sites and Pinterest boards, check out your neighbors’ lights, or walk through your favorite lighting showroom. It’s even helpful to create an online vision board or make notes in a journal of ideas and inspirations.
Lighting guru Lucy Dearborn possesses over twenty years of experience in the lighting industry. Her initials, LED, illuminate her destiny to love all things related to lighting up lives. She is the founder and owner of LucÃa Lighting & Design.