Inspiration
Where the light should come from, how high it should sit, and which fixture does the job. Six rooms, and what we would put in each of them.
Inspiration
Not styling notes. The practical decisions that make a room feel finished, with the measurements to go with them.
Living room
One pendant overhead on a dimmer, a floor lamp beside the chair you actually read in, and a small light washing a wall. Five sources at thirty percent beats one at full.
Keep every bulb at 2700K. Layering should add directions, not temperatures.
Dining room
Hang the shade thirty to thirty-six inches above the tabletop. Keep its diameter at least twelve inches narrower than the table. Past six feet of table, use two or three smaller pendants rather than one large one.
Bedroom
A pair of wall sconces at roughly shoulder height when sitting up clears the surface and puts the light where you read. Plug-in versions work perfectly well if the wall has no supply.
Kitchen
Two or three pendants above the island at thirty to thirty-six inches from the counter, spaced twenty-four to thirty inches apart. Warmer light for the pendants, slightly crisper for the working surfaces.
Hallway and entry
A hallway is passed through, not occupied, so it wants a small warm source rather than a bright one. Keep seven feet of clearance below any fixture, and match the temperature to the rooms either side.
Workspace
An adjustable lamp positioned so the light arrives from behind and to the side keeps shadows off the page and glare off the screen. Pair it with a low ambient source so the room is not a bright island in the dark.