The house is still in a state, but today I seem to be obsessing about lighting. In our old house it wasn't much of an issue because the ceilings were so low that, for the most part, only inset downlighting was possible. In our new place, there is a tall, if not terribly wide, space over the staircase and galleried study (photo above, ignore the loft ladder on the left) that is currently empty and could do with something dramatic to light it up. We also have a 12-foot-high ceiling in the black-papered master bedroom that has no light hanging from it either. Instead, in that room, there is a single, horrible wall lamp positioned in a useless spot. I have a horror of wall lamps, and of the UFO-type of lighting that fits tight against a ceiling. We have at least two of each of those in our new house and they make me feel a bit sick.
So I've been having a think about lighting, and wondering how we can have something fabulous in these spaces without bankrupting ourselves. One of my favourite lighting designers at the moment is Lindsey Adelman. I cannot get enough of these branching pendants: so simple and organic, I think they would work in almost any space. However, I would have to get another mortgage in order to be able to afford them, so I'm considering turning lighting designer and making my own. Lindsey's site has a DIY version of the branching pendant, in case you're a bit handy with electrical bits and bobs. I may rope the husband into this (PhD in electrical engineering? I think he will be useful).
I also spotted this rather delightful confection (above) by Winnie Lui at Rockett St George today. It costs a cool £13,148. I think I could make my own quite easily, don't you? A few trips to the charity shops and boot sales, a rummage in an electrical shop, some bits of fishing wire and hey presto... or maybe not.
In other news, this is the sitting room now. We are moving in next Friday. I get the feeling we will have to work our tits off to make this place even a little bit more ready to receive us!
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A while back I had a bit of an obsession with looking at DIY decorations people had made themselves (particularly how to spruce up rental places without damaging walls-its amazing what people have done!). Of course, then lack of time intervened, so I actually haven't done that much...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it convinced me that really you don't need money just imagination (and time).
On the subject of lights, I spotted quite a few unusual ones on ravelry a while back. Some are a bit too grannyish (although I strangely like that), but these snowflake globe ones are probably my faves...
http://sirimi.vuodatus.net/blog/2419312
I hate the "UFO" celing hugging lights, too. Bleuch. I have a think for industrial looking steel lampshades that hang low, and also (and have since childhood) Chinese paper lanterns. Love 'em!
ReplyDeleteHappy new house! x
Hi Kat - I have seen those doily lampshade tutorials too. They are pretty! funnily enough, the previous owners of the house left a handful of doilies in the garage. Now all I need is a balloon and some glue...
ReplyDeleteHi Laura. Thanks! We finally made it into a new house. And low-slung industrial lampshades: yes, please! Sadly the husband isn't so keen on paper lanterns, so they have been vetoed.
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