Which lighting do you prefer for your home?
Article taken off suite101.com
Creative Lighting in Your Home Decor
Use lighting in your home decor to set the mood and add to your room designs. Light fixtures like floor lamps and chandeliers come in a wide variety.
Lighting is arguably one of the most important components in a room. Bad light will create ugly shadows, dim your view of the room's contents, contort color schemes or washout a room completely. Using creative lighting and interesting lamps or light fixtures can enhance your home and the whole mood of a room.
Japanese-inspired Home Lighting
Looking at Japanese traditional lighting, we see strong lines and a variety of strengths in the actual light from bright to quite dim. An evening living room might need some dim mood lighting, while a working kitchen definitely needs bright lights specifically located in areas for work. You can find Japanese-influenced lighting in most home decor stores, from the cheap round paper lanterns made to fit over existing fixtures, to glass box style lights. Another idea is to use a Japanese Shoji screen and place it in front of a bright floor lamp to create a dimmer and more intimate feel.
Eastern Asian Lighting Ideas
For more detail and a deeper ethnic look, try Egyptian/Moroccan style lamps. Extremely detailed metal covers with tiered levels seem to permeate this theme. The black and light colors match most decors, and they make an excellent showpiece in a room that also serve a function.
African Style Lamps and Light Fixtures
African style lamps sometimes have colored glass which can create a very different effect. Perhaps more for an evening feel, or something out on the veranda or porch. These lights often remind me of treasure or treasure-filled caverns and the Arabian nights!
Other World Lighting Ideas
Other countries have their own style of lighting, however you don't have to go traditional. Russian-inspired lamps can be colorful and fun without being too serious, such as those that resemble traditional Russian architecture. They serve as a beautiful light fixture as well as a great addition to an ethnically themed home.
For something different, yet still in a world theme, try looking for old British lamps or lighting. Rough metals and candle style lights set a slightly castle tone, while something more Victorian can be playful and stylish. These lamps can be found at second hand stores or antique shows, and often aren't too pricey. They cast a moody glow and fit into most rooms.
Light fixtures and lamps give you a ton of variety and serve as a way to theme a room in a very useful way. Mixing up the decor with other world cultures can immediately change the mood of the area. Make sure you look at a few options and weigh them. Warm light versus cool, gentle light versus stark, and floor lights versus ceiling.
