[Your] Place: Lighting Focus

Lighting... in my opinion the most influential tool at an Interior Designers disposal. It influences the perception of a space and can be adjusted to effect the ambiance and the way people feel within it. I have a life long love affair with lighting, its my starting point for every scheme and my focus for our home.

The following is a run down of my approach to lighting ...  maybe it will inspire you in your next project.

1) Maximise Natural Light,
Natural light is the best source of light for your home, it is the best light for your eyes and the most environmentally friendly light source. If used properly effectively it can transform your space. 

Top Tips:
If you are extending consider adding rooflights to help light inner rooms.
Where you lack natural light cheat your way to second window with a cleverly placed mirror.



Light and Airy Lounge Pulltab Design Duplex, NYC... Fabulous!


2) Imitate natural light
If you can't get natural light into your space then imitate it. There are some very clever LED lighting systems that can allow you to create floating surfaces that create the impression of reflected natural light from a high level.

Contemporary Living Room by San Francisco Architects & Designers Mark English Architects, AIA

3) Create Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting needn't be complicated; It can be as simple as a few well positioned table and floor lamps that when switched on alone (without overhead lighting) create a more intimate lighting level.


Ambient Lighting from VICTORIA HALE: A PLACE TO ENTERTAIN

4) Create Intimate Lighting
Reducing the level of a light fitting over a seating or dining area can create a more dynamic lighting scenario in the home and a more intimate feel to your space. The image below is a design by Matha O'Hara Interiors

Image by Martha O'Hara Interiors

5) Play and have fun
Experiment with lighting, buy portable funky fun pieces that can be moved around. Lighting is the most functional and most effective onrnamentation in my book so I say indulge your home and flood it with light.


Image Above by Graux & Baeyens Architects, 6 House Design


Watch out for these techniques in my schemes for more ideas...

 

Inspiration from Fashion: Monocrome

The pace of fashion seems, to me, to gather speed on a daily basis. The media today is an explosion of information, choice and concept sharing, which we can access 24/7... its incredible!

The interiors market seems to be following suit with trends emerging on an increasingly frequent basis, more magazines hitting the shelves and infinite numbers of emerging blogs showing what we can achieve in our own homes and businesses.

The choice is limitless.

Sometimes this can feel overwhelming.

In these cases I would advise sourcing inspiration to refine your options.

Fashion trends often influence interior design so to stay ahead of the game, and stay true to your individual style, apply the principles of your tastes in fashion to your interior projects. An approach whole heartedly adopted in Sugar Plum Slippers house.

The latest fashion trend to hit the high street is monochrome, the timeless combination of black and white, which to me calls out for yellow highlights:

 

Shelving Unit by Ikea

Wallpaper by Eco Wallpaper

Cushion By Jean-Paul Gaultier at Amara Living

Stockholm Cushion by Ikea

Grand Duo from Fashion for Home

Rug From Ikea

Lampshade from Not On The High Street

[Your] Place; The Brand Behind The Name

Branding is a big decision.

I spent a long time trying to find the right name and image for my venture. The right words and the right look to encompass everything I want this company to be.

Being a designer left to my own devices I was, naturally, a nightmare. The prospect of virtually unlimited possibilities to promote myself and my design ethos to the world left me chasing my tail for weeks.

This issue was alien territory for me; it is not a problem I suffer with when realising my client’s dreams and aspirations. I rarely have difficulty when it comes to ascertaining another's desires and personality and infusing them into a space.

 

Thinking about what I want this company to be is how I came to the conclusion that my brand had to describe my ethos;

I am client focused.

 

I believe that good design is not all about high end glossy schemes, it is about thinking about the people and the place as a single entity and designing the space to the way the people within it choose to live, work and play. Good design is about really thinking through how a space will be used and designing and detailing it accordingly. I believe that no matter what your budget, requirements or restrictions there will be a way to make your space work as hard as you do to improve your standard of living.

Now came the task to find the name and words to encompass homes and workplaces, offices, gardens and public spaces and my design ethos. So I came up with:

Place; The universal description of a space, building or area with defined or infinite boundaries. A word that conveys belonging and ownership

Your; Belonging to you; of you; related to you

 

And finally I am really rather happy with it.