skip to main content
SEATING EVENT
0
Your shopping cart is empty.
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
GET IDEAS
PHOTOS
Kitchen & DiningKitchenDining RoomPantryGreat RoomBreakfast Nook
Bed & BathBathroomPowder RoomBedroomStorage & ClosetBaby & Kids
LivingLiving RoomFamily RoomSunroom
OutdoorLandscapePatioDeckPoolBackyardPorchExteriorOutdoor KitchenFront YardDrivewayPoolhouse
WalkwaysStaircaseEntryHall
Bar & WineHome BarWine Cellar
UtilityLaundryGarageMudroom
More RoomsGame RoomHome OfficeBasementCraftLibraryGym
Popular Design IdeasKitchen BacksplashFirepit
FireplaceDeck RailingPergolaPrivacy FenceSmall Closet
MAGAZINE
Stories and GuidesPopular StoriesRenovation Cost Guides
DISCUSSIONS
Get AdviceDesign DilemmasBefore & After
HOUZZ TV
HOUZZ RESEARCH
FIND PROFESSIONALS
PROFESSIONALS
DesignArchitects & Building DesignersKitchen & Bathroom DesignersInterior Designers & DecoratorsDesign-Build FirmsLighting Designers & Suppliers
RemodelingKitchen & Bathroom RemodelersGeneral ContractorsHome BuildersTile & Countertop ContractorsMasonry & Concrete ContractorsExterior & Siding ContractorsStair & Railing ContractorsFireplace Contractors
RenovationCarpentersCabinetry & Cabinet MakersFlooring ContractorsWindow ContractorsDoor ContractorsGlass & Shower Door ContractorsCarpet Contractors
OutdoorLandscape Architects & DesignersLandscape ContractorsDeck & Patio BuildersFence ContractorsDriveway & Paving ContractorsSwimming Pool BuildersHot Tub & Spa Dealers
ServicesPaintersRoofing & Gutter ContractorsOrganizers & Closet DesignersHome StagersGarage Door ServicesWindow Treatment ServicesPaint & Wall Covering Dealers
Appliances & SystemsAppliance Sales & ServicesHVAC ContractorsHome Theater & AutomationOutdoor Lighting & AV SpecialistsSolar Energy Contractors
All ProfessionalsAll ServicesFor Professionals
SHOP BY DEPARTMENT
KITCHEN & DINING
Kitchen & Dining FurnitureSinks & FaucetsKitchen AppliancesTabletopCabinets & StorageKnobs & PullsKitchen LightingTileCookware & BakewareTools & GadgetsView All
FURNITURE
Living RoomKitchen & DiningHome OfficeOutdoorBedroomStorageBathroomView All
BATH
Bathroom VanitiesShowersBathtubsBathroom LightingFaucetsBathroom SinksTileBath AccessoriesBath LinensMedicine CabinetsView All
DECOR
RugsMirrorsWall DecorDecorative AccentsArtworkPillows & ThrowsHoliday DecorView All
BEDROOM
Beds & HeadboardsBeddingDressersNightstandsBenchesBedroom DecorLampsCloset StorageFutonsChaisesView All
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HardwareTileBathroom FixturesKitchen FixturesHeating & CoolingBuilding MaterialsTools & EquipmentView All
LIVING
Coffee & Accent TablesRugsSofas & SectionalsArmchairs & Accent ChairsTV Stand & Media StorageHome DecorLampsArtworkBookcasesFireplaces & AccessoriesView All
OUTDOOR
Patio FurnitureOutdoor DecorOutdoor LightingPool & SpaLawn & GardenOutdoor StructuresOutdoor CookingView All
LIGHTING
ChandeliersPendant LightsFlush-MountsBathroom & VanityWall SconcesCeiling FansTable LampsFloor LampsKitchen & CabinetOutdoor LightingView All
MORE
Storage & OrganizationHome OfficeBaby & KidsHome BarCleaning & LaundryPet SuppliesHoliday DecorView All
Looking for the perfect gift? Send a Houzz Gift Card!
SALE
ON SALE - UP TO 75% OFF
Bathroom VanitiesChandeliersBar StoolsPendant LightsRugsLiving Room ChairsDining Room FurnitureWall LightingCoffee TablesSide & End TablesHome Office FurnitureSofasBedroom FurnitureLampsMirrors
SEATING EVENT
Up to 45% Off
Bestselling Living Room Seating 
Up to 60% Off
Bar Stools With Free Shipping 
Up to 60% Off
Dining Room Essentials 
Under $499
Small-Space Patio Seating 
Lighting
Lighting
4 Steps to Home Office Lighting That Works
Top Ideabooks
4 Steps to Home Office Lighting That Works4 Ways to Bring Smarter, Healthier Lighting to Your HomeThe 5 Layers of a Well-Lit KitchenHow to Keep Your Light Fixtures Shining Bright
Appears in
Decorating Guides
See also
Pendant Lighting

Design Details: Quite the Light

20 Ways to Light Up Your Home With Creativity and Surprise

Shawn Gauthier
Shawn GauthierJuly 23, 2011
I'm a freelance writer and design enthusiast who believes the best design is collected, not decorated, and that homes should always be as comfortable and functional as they are chic. In addition to writing for Houzz, I work as the Head Copywriter for Layla Grayce and Zinc Door.
More
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
It’s no secret that lighting can make or break a room. The secret lies in the many different forms and functions in which we can bring lighting into the room. Too often we fall back on the ever-reliable table lamp or typical overhead pendant light — not that there is anything wrong with these options — but maybe it’s time to think outside the box a little bit.

Consider altering the look for your room with a new spin on your lighting. Here are some photos to get your ideas moving.
Mal Corboy Design
You may not even think to put lighting at your feet, but this fluorescent tube along the bottom of this kitchen island gives this space a contemporary zest. And the blue tint pulls in the view of the water from outside.
Yaniv Schwartz
A fixture itself can completely change how lighting is perceived in a space. Instead of the everyday wall sconce, this funky fixture lends a functional yet ethereal glow that gives this modern bathroom eclectic personality.
Wright Street Design Group Inc.
Create a succession of light sources with a series of back-lit lightboxes. Not only does it provide light, but in this case, the display helps camouflage the TV.
Birdseye Design
Don’t want to go through the fuss of wiring lighting? Find a piece of furniture that glows. This illuminated onyx table will hold your cocktail and provide enough light for a late-night chat.
Who needs paint when you can outfit your room in polycarbonate walls enhanced by colored lighting? What otherwise would have been a fairly typical modern bedroom just on a sophisticated lounge appeal with this neon hue.
Laidlaw Schultz architects
Consider lighting fixtures that appear more like a work of art than functional lighting for an added sculptural effect. Not only will this fixture become a likely focal point, but each bulb can be angled to light your entire room.
1800Lighting
Pendant lights take on a whole new meaning when rested on top of this carved piece in this fixture. When the light is turned on, it will result in different shapes that will dance across this dining table.
Ira Frazin Architect
If you have a large space and don’t want recessed ceiling lights, go big or go home with a fixture that will work just as well, while adding a surprise and sense of fun.
Beckwith Interiors
If you think a corner is simply a spot to adjoin walls, think again. Sneak in a panel of colored glass and back-light it with LED lighting, and your corner will never be the same again.
sususu
For a hint of playfulness, outfit your hallway with a series of oversized globe lights. Hang them at different heights so they take on the guise of floating bubbles.
Elad Gonen
Don’t just recess your overhead lighting. Recess it in continuous line that goes from ceiling, down the wall and to the floor. In fact, do it twice, and repeat it on the other side of the room. Then stand back and marvel at its coolness.
Here’s another fixture that takes on the look of an artform as much as it does a source of lighting. Its rectangular shape is the perfect complement to the clean, straight lines of this modern kitchen.
BiglarKinyan Design Planning Inc.
Set your bar a-glow by installing a partition in front of your wall and back-lighting it. Before you know it, your basement will become the coolest bar in town.
Beckwith Interiors
It’s hard to tear your eyes away from this beautifully constructed stairwell, but once you do, you’ll notice the custom tube light running through the center. If you have winding stairs as stunning as these, light them from top to bottom for a real showcase.
Sutton Suzuki Architects
Don’t have a winding staircase? No worries: Wall-mount fixtures can still put them on display. These tiny light sources feel like twinkling stars along the staircase.
Arijit
Want to create a bathtub worthy of a 5-star hotel? Light it up! All that’s missing from this scene is a glass of wine and a great book.
Stray Dog - pendant light

Here are a few unique light fixtures that will definitely make a statement in your home. I love the playful retro feel of this pendant light from Stray Dog.
Cicatrices De Luxe 8 Pendant Light By Philippe Stark

This fixture by Philippe Starck takes glassware display to a whole new level. One that hangs in mid-air and lights your dining table, to be exact.
Modern Pendant Lighting

The Spica Light from Iacoli & McAllister mixes a sculptural presence with the everyday Edison bulb.
Canned Light Pendant by Ingo Maurer
I bet Andy Warhol would have gladly lit his home with this quirky pendant light created from a Cambell's soup can by Ingo Maurer.

More: Browse more lighting ideas
Print
Embed
Facebook
Twitter
Email
See 8 comments
Explore Related Topics
Lighting
Read Related Stories
Translucent Surfaces: A Canvas for Light and ShadowTranslucent Surfaces: A Canvas for Light and Shadow
By John Hill·9
Lighting
Get Movie-Star Looks With UplightersGet Movie-Star Looks With Uplighters
By Shoshana Gosselin·5
Lighting
Modern Icons: The Logico LampModern Icons: The Logico Lamp
By Becky Harris·10
Lighting
The Glorious Benefits of SkylightsThe Glorious Benefits of Skylights
By Jen Dalley·42
Lighting
New Classics: The Ikea Maskros LightNew Classics: The Ikea Maskros Light
By Becky Harris·16
Lighting
Lighting: The Hardest Working Fixtures of the HomeLighting: The Hardest Working Fixtures of the Home
By Kerrie Kelly·5
Lighting
15 Great Design-Minded Uses for LED Lighting15 Great Design-Minded Uses for LED Lighting
By Yanic Simard·34
Lighting
Easy Sparkle: String Lights for Christmas and All YearEasy Sparkle: String Lights for Christmas and All Year
By Jen L'Italien·10
Lighting
Remake a Space With a Sculptural ChandelierRemake a Space With a Sculptural Chandelier
By Becky Harris·12
Lighting
Is Smart Lighting a Smart Choice for You?Is Smart Lighting a Smart Choice for You?
By David Warfel·23
Lighting
Choose Downlight Fixtures by Answering These 5 Easy QuestionsChoose Downlight Fixtures by Answering These 5 Easy Questions
By David Warfel·18
Lighting
8 Ways to Design With Light8 Ways to Design With Light
By Jason Ball·6
Lighting
Help! I Need a Light!Help! I Need a Light!
By Kit Pollard·28
Lighting
A Lighting Pro’s 5 Tips for Buying LED BulbsA Lighting Pro’s 5 Tips for Buying LED Bulbs
By David Warfel·75
Lighting
How to Light Your Home RightHow to Light Your Home Right
By Shawn Gauthier·6
Lighting
Shop Related Categories
Lighting
Lighting
Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Chandeliers
Chandeliers
Floor Lamps
Floor Lamps
Pendant Lighting
Pendant Lighting
Table Lamps
Table Lamps
Item 3 of 7
Sponsored
Learn More
People who liked this story also liked
Translucent Surfaces: A Canvas for Light and Shadow
Translucent Surfaces: A Canvas for Light and ShadowFull Story
Get Movie-Star Looks With Uplighters
Get Movie-Star Looks With UplightersFull Story
Modern Icons: The Logico Lamp
Modern Icons: The Logico LampFull Story
The Glorious Benefits of Skylights
The Glorious Benefits of SkylightsFull Story
New Classics: The Ikea Maskros Light
New Classics: The Ikea Maskros LightFull Story
Lighting: The Hardest Working Fixtures of the Home
Lighting: The Hardest Working Fixtures of the HomeFull Story
15 Great Design-Minded Uses for LED Lighting
15 Great Design-Minded Uses for LED LightingFull Story
Easy Sparkle: String Lights for Christmas and All Year
Easy Sparkle: String Lights for Christmas and All YearFull Story
Remake a Space With a Sculptural Chandelier
Remake a Space With a Sculptural ChandelierFull Story
Is Smart Lighting a Smart Choice for You?
Is Smart Lighting a Smart Choice for You?Full Story
Item 3 of 7
Sponsored
Learn More
  • United States
  • ABOUT
  • CAREERS
  • MOBILE APPS
  • PROFESSIONALS
  • BUTTONS
  • FOR BRANDS
  • SELL
  • Privacy & Notice
  • Terms
  • © 2021 Houzz Inc.