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I blog here: http://blog.designpublic.com/ and here: http://thebubbreport.blogspot.com/ I also have a Masters in Landscape Architecture from UVA. I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta.

Modern Lighting - Ceiling Lights DOs and DON'Ts (7 comments)

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Lighting is one of the most important design elements in a space, indoors or out. I noticed I had started to amass so many images in my "Lighting" ideabook that I think I am going to have to break it up into a few different ones.

Here I am focusing on contemporary lighting schemes that hang from above, whether it be a sculptural chandelier or a row of very simple pendant lights. Overhead lighting can completely kill a room (think of those hideous square fluorescent ceiling lights that kitchens last renovated in the eighties have). On the flip side, they can completely make a room. Just as I'd rather have my face softly lit by Bruce Weber rather than see it in the airplane lavatory light, your space needs you to thoughtfully consider whatever you hang. Here are some Dos and Don'ts for showing your home off in the best light.
DO consider the context: Here, pendants that aren't much more than an exposed light bulb hanging by a wire work perfectly with the industrial vibe provided by the exposed brick wall and rectilinear furniture.
Ideas
DO coordinate dining room lighting with the dining room table. Here, three lovely glass chandies line up perfectly with the table, giving light to all.
by John Beckmann I Axis Mundi
DO, for a more sculptural piece, coordinate with the artwork. In this case, the intricate and oversized chandelier and the mural wall seem to balance each other out. This is not that easily acheived, so beware!
by Amy Lau Design
DO consider color. In this neutral space, the sunny lights are the sole source of color, drawing more attention to their placement and shapes.
by Dana Cohen-Vishkin
ditto.
by Anne Forell Architecture  
DON'T stick with indoor/outdoor rules (unless it's an outdoor safety issue, of course!). Here, a traditional outdoor lantern shape takes on a contemporary look when used in a modern dining space.
by 2.bp.blogspot.com
DO consider height when hanging! Obviously, there will always be a table underneath this bubbly fixture, or else many concussions would ensue.
by Mark English architects, AIA
ditto.
39th Street Loft
Here, a similar light is hung much higher in a hallway. The lesson here is to know your ceiling height before heading to the lighting store.
by Asher Elbaz
DO throw out the rules. These industrial lights add personality to this residential space.
by Billinkoff Architecture PLLC  
DON'T think that canned and track lights are your only options. A fixture like this can spread the same amount of light around and add to the decor.
by Abelow Sherman Architects LLC
DO: Consider scale and furniture placement. This fabulous light works great here, but won't necessarily work everywhere.
by Ira Frazin Architect
DON'T limit yourself to the dining table: Think of hanging interesting fixtures in places where you usually wouldn't. This nook now has a lovely light to read by, which doesn't include an ugly reading lamp with a wire stretched across the floor.
by nytimes.com
DO: Consider your entryway. It's where you'll make your first impression. Also, DO think about hanging pendants at different heights. It works out very well in this stark, long, narrow space.
Grunsfeld Shafer Architects › North Shore Modern  
I don't really have a do or a don't here, I just love this room and the Moravian stars and I wanted to throw them in my collection.
by RYAN ASSOCIATES GENERAL CONTRACTORS

comments

star_dust says:
Great ideas. My favorite fixture is the one in the dining room by Mark English architects- stunning!
becky says:
It is awesome, isn't it? Kit Pollard did an ideabook about bubbles and there were a bunch of neat lights like that one in it you might like:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2523/list/Bubbly--Decorating-with-Fizz
maison21 says:
this is a fun post, on one of my favorite subjects! i recently did a post on my own blog regarding the ugly side of ceiling fixtures: the can light (hate them).

http://maison21.blogspot.com/2009/11/kick-can.html
The pendants in the hallway are spectacular. Great collection of photos.
raztus says:
This is lovely. My dilemma is what to do in a modern low build with relatively low ceilings? I am not a fan of the flying saucer shaped things that tend to have dead moths in them.....
becky says:
Maison21, I'm with you on the cans. Not a fan. But I like how much they light up my kitchen, the one room I like to be bright. Otherwise, any kind of light like that literally gives me a headache. Even a bulb in a ceiling fan.

Raztus, if there is a spot where there will always be a table or island or bar underneath, you can let a bigger chandy or pendant lights hang low. The key is to make sure this furniture below any fixture that is lower than bonk your head level. In general, if you keep the chain short and the height of he chandelier short, you can make it work.
becky says:
P.S. Christian, I love your work. I wind up putting that picture of your Palm Springs job in ideabooks all the time.
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