|
|
|
Decorate
in Style with Lighting
The
wallpaper is up. The drapes are hung, and the furniture
is in place. But something is missing. Decorating is not
complete without a selection of stylish lighting. There
was a time when lighting did not have the decorating
value that it has today. The choices were few. Now,
consumers can find lighting to fit their decor, no matter
the room.
Today's looks follow four major developments as stated by
experts of the American Lighting Association (ALA).
  1.
Softer metals. Brushed nickel,
stainless steel, pewter, even brushed copper, have done
their best to dethrone brass as the top finish choice.
The softer tones of these gray metals make it easier for
a lamp to blend with a multi-toned interior, according to
Dan Blitzer, the American Lighting Association's
technical lighting consultant.
2. Painted finishes. Multi-toned colored
finishes offer consumers lamps with more depth and
texture. Expect to find colored finishes with a soft tone
that may include gold or silver flecks and tones of brown
and red. Textured white finishes are also widely popular.
3. More authenticity. Developing hand-in-hand
with painted  finishes, are weathered finishes
and patinas, which offer a unique, timeless look. "This
is the next antique brass," says Monty Gilbertson,
CLC. "It's a soft, traditional look."
4. Better detail. "Today's fixtures
are more refined," says Blitzer. "There's more
attention to detail." Nearly every aspect of the
lamp, from the base to the pull chain, has earned more
decorative detail, giving the lamps greater
sophistication.
It isn't possible to consider the weight of lighting in
home decor without considering one of the lamp's most
decorative features - the lampshade. It too, has evolved
from the days of limited choices. Shades have taken on a
more decorative look with a variety of shapes, fabrics,
and adornments. Materials from metal and paper to
tapestry and sheers, beads, stones, wire, fringe, and
myriad accoutrements have made it onto shades.
Whether it is crystal or beads or whatever... It's been a
growing trend for several years.
Certainly, the off-white A-frame silk shade in its
traditional form is available, but why stop there when
you can customize a lamp with shades shaped in cylinders,
spheres, rectangles, and squares?
When it comes to decorating a home, lighting certainly
can't be left out. A well-chosen lamp may make all the
difference. And finding the right one shouldn't be too
difficult. "Lighting has changed dramatically,"
says Gilbertson. "And, it does a dramatic thing for
your house. [Remember], it is how it's done that can make
a world of difference."
For
a great source of lamps try this convenient search engine:
Return to
Home Improvement Index
James E.
Bohne, Jr., REALTOR®
Mobile: (801) 791-9579
Office: (801) 476-9500
Fax: (801) 476-9581
E-mail: j.e.bohne@att.net |
Crest
Realty Inc.
Equal Housing Opportunity.
Equal Opportunity Employer. |
Copyright © 2003,
James E. Bohne, Jr., All Rights Reserved
|
|
|
|
