decorative lighting

Robert Abbey Fine Lighting Launches New Line at High Point Market

wgoodson — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 12:19:51 +0000

Robert Abbey Fine Lighting Launches New Line at High Point Market wgoodson Tue, 10/15/2024 - 07:19

Robert Abbey Fine Lighting, which has current lighting collaborations with interior designers Michael Berman, Rico Espinet and Michael Almodova, will introduce a new line, the Elliott Collection, from its own in-house Robert Abbey brand.

This distinctive collection includes retro-futuristic lighting fixtures that embody sleek forms and clean lines, company officials said. Debuting at High Point Market, Oct. 26–30, the Elliott Collection draws inspiration from the Observation Towers from the 1964 World’s Fair, paying homage to one of the most iconic designs of the 20th century.

Encapsulating the same spirit of innovation and timeless elegance, the Elliott Collection offers a new series of a table, floor lamp, flush mount and pendant lighting. With its polished and refined features including linear forms, circular layers and soft metallics, this line captures a perfect balance of style and sophisticated functionality, offering a seamless blend of form and function for contemporary spaces, according to a news release.

“Growing up, I was in awe of the forward-thinking architectural and design concepts including the Observation Towers from the 1964 World’s Fair, with its retro-futuristic elements and elevated features,” said Nathan Hedrick, Chief Creative Officer at Robert Abbey. “It’s with that same wonder and intrigue that we welcome you to explore the new Elliott Lighting Collection by Robert Abbey.”

Available in Modern Brass and Polished Nickel finishes, the range of portable lights and fixtures offers versatility for a variety of design aesthetics. The table and floor lamps are height adjustable and illuminated by three G9 bulbs, providing warm, ambient lighting and featuring full-range dimmers for easy adjustment of light levels. For indoor use.

A Record-Setting ArchLIGHT Summit in Dallas

wgoodson — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:34:52 +0000

A Record-Setting ArchLIGHT Summit in Dallas wgoodson Thu, 10/10/2024 - 08:34

ArchLIGHT Summit attracted a record number of exhibitors and attendees from the architectural, specification and design communities to Dallas Market Center for its recent two-day trade event and education platform held Sept. 17–18, according to a news release.

The show featured more than 100 exhibitors, welcomed attendees from coast to coast, and hosted dozens of CEU opportunities, panel discussions and immersive experiences.

ArchLIGHT Summit, which experienced a greater than 34 percent attendance increase over 2023, was held at the same time as Dallas Design Week and Total Home & Gift Market, all occurring on the campus of Dallas Market Center.

Active participation in the show by leading local agencies contributed greatly to the growth of the show, summit officials said. This included support from ALA, Hossley Lighting & Power Systems, NEXGEN Lighting Solutions, Preferred Lighting Group and Texas Lighting Solutions.

An expansive number of exhibitors filled a sold-out show floor and included many of the top brands in lighting. Some of the first-time exhibitors included industry leaders such as Finelite, Inter-lux, Lightheaded Lighting, OCL, QTL and The Lighting Quotient. Returning exhibitors included special partners Casambi, Sourcery, Luminii, Zumtobel and The Lighting Exchange.

Returning exhibitor and sponsor, Paul Boken with Sourcery, said, “I think it's my favorite show because it is like the perfect scale.”

Michael Baudo, Director Global Key Accounts with Zumbotel agreed: “It was a great opportunity to share the knowledge we have … And it was a great success.”

For first-time sponsor and exhibitor, Texas Lighting Sales, Principal, Aaron Larmer, the show was a great way for customers to engage with its lighting and controls lines, “as well as for our team to have a chance to see some of the latest products and technology in the industry. It was great to see so many attendees at the show from all different parts of our lighting community.”

On the afternoon of Sept. 18, participating permanent showrooms at Dallas Market Center welcomed ArchLIGHT attendees to a new “Showroom Spectacular” that included tours of the companies’ permanent exhibit spaces at Dallas Market Center, featuring hospitality and entertainment.

Guided tours of these exhibits were topical presentations including colors and finishes; luminaire scale, placement and design; and materials. Participating showrooms included Kuzco|Alora, ELK Lighting, LEDI, Varaluz, Hubbardton Forge, CSL, WAC Lighting, Modern Forms, Oxygen, AFX, Minka Group, Eurofase, Acrosentec, Avenue Lighting, Sonneman-A Way of Light and Gama Sonic Solar.

“It’s been really good,” said Michael Brown with Gama Sonic. “We have some gaps in our commercial sales reps and we talked to some great folks here. We also have had great conversations with specifiers as well as landscape architects, which fits our line perfectly. We also talked to some students that were excited about the lighting industry, which is fantastic.”

In addition to visiting the show floor and permanent showrooms, hundreds of lighting designers, architects, interior designers and other professionals attended ArchLIGHT Summit’s two stages and demonstration vignettes, which offered guests informative and interactive sessions on health and lighting, UGR ratings, human-centered design, visualization tools, safety, personal branding, photometry, lighting regulations, collaboration and systems integration.

On Monday evening, a welcome party was sponsored by WILD, Women in Lighting + Design. The Tuesday evening opening night party, which offered attendees food, drinks and entertainment, was sponsored by Casambi.

New experiences for attendees included specialized lighting vignettes by Behavioral Health, sponsored by Visa Lighting, and the UGR, sponsored by Zumtobel.

In the Behavioral Health Vignette, a carefully designed presentation helped demonstrate the importance of behavioral health/high abuse luminaires and interior design elements. When it comes to patient and staff safety, behavioral health/high abuse facilities need light fixtures that are tested and proven to perform to the highest standard in these specialty environments.

In the UGR Vignette, guests experienced a real-life setting to demonstrate how the Unified Glare Rating (UGR) numbers calculated on paper actually feel. This unique installation enabled attendees to experience various glare and comfort aspects of UGR, to experience what the UGR Rating is that you specify, and learn why it’s important to understand the different settings. A subject matter expert from Zumtobel was also present to answer questions and guide participants to experience and understand the various measurements.

Another unique feature of the show was the Immerse Yourself in Light experience, presented by The Lighting Exchange. The VR experience allowed participants to dive into real projects from designers from all over the world; to explore the fundamental elements of light and interact with the products that illuminate the world around us; and to experience the real impacts of light in the built environment.

Student Day at ArchLIGHT Summit, Sept. 18, welcomed students from nearly a dozen colleges and universities including Oregon State University, Kansas University, Indiana University-Bloomington, University of Oklahoma, and seven Texas schools including Texas Christian University, the University of North Texas and Baylor University.

New association partners for the event included the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), an internationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to supporting lighting design professionals worldwide. ArchLIGHT Summit continues to support the IALD Education Trust with unique programming and fundraising opportunities during the two-day event.

The IALD Education Trust supports students and educators and promotes the profession of architectural lighting design. ArchLIGHT Summit partnered with procurement platform Sourcery, which streamlines product collaboration among specifiers, agents and manufacturers to benefit the IALD Education Trust. Attendees scanned and saved favorite products on the Sourcery platform, and in return a contribution was made by participating exhibitors.

Other new association partners include Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP), International Landscape Lighting Institute (ILLI), and The National Association of Women in Construction. New media partners include Bisnow and D5 Design Magazine.

Official event sponsors include Casambi, Visa Lighting, Zumtobel, Luminii, Sourcery, and The Lighting Exchange. Official Agency Partners include ALA, Hossley Lighting and Power Solutions, NexGen, Preferred Lighting Group and Texas Lighting Solutions.

Kalco Lighting Teams Up with Design Influencer Christopher Grubb

wgoodson — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:03:25 +0000

Kalco Lighting Teams Up with Design Influencer Christopher Grubb wgoodson Tue, 10/01/2024 - 10:03

Kalco Lighting, a leading manufacturer of casual luxury lighting and furniture, has partnered with Beverly Hills, CA-based interior designer Christopher Grubb. The collaboration will introduce a new style of handcrafted lighting and décor, including chandeliers, lamps, pendants, wall sconces and mirrors.

“Christopher brings a fresh approach and vibrant West Coast energy to Kalco’s design team,” said Riki Lent, Senior Vice President of Kalco Lighting and Allegri Crystal by Kalco. “He really shines at blending elevated design with effortless style, making spaces that feel both chic and comfortable.”

As president of Arch-Interiors Design Group, Inc., Grubb is recognized internationally for creating high-end residential and commercial projects as well as signature collections. While his versatile style spans contemporary to transitional and modern, he has carved a niche for himself as a master of ‘comfortable luxury’ that embodies California’s bold innovative spirit and laid-back lifestyle.

The new line by Grubb will also enhance Kalco’s decorative designs for kitchens and bathrooms. During the first year of the partnership, Grubb will work with Kalco to debut over 30 lighting looks and mirrors.

“You can expect to see Kalco’s quality craftsmanship coupled with a West Coast flair and pops of color,” Grubb said. “We’re going to dive deep into nature, blurring the lines between indoors and out. There's going to be an emphasis on incorporating organic elements and responsibly sourced materials found in nature, which Kalco is very popular for."

Kalco and Grubb will launch the new collection in Spring 2025.

Incorporating LED Into the Four Essential Light Layers

dfalvey — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:20:04 +0000

Incorporating LED Into the Four Essential Light Layers dfalvey Wed, 11/15/2023 - 10:20

Lighting is a foundation for good design and functionality. There are four layers of lighting essential to providing an optimal atmosphere and functionality in the home. Today’s LED light resources have a wide range of values that work within those parameters. As no single light fixture can provide everything you need to illuminate a room properly, without layering lighting, a space can feel unfinished and uninviting.

Light performs four basic functions that can be broken into ambient, decorative, accent and task lighting. To layer properly, first identify the purpose of each, then blend and balance the layers to create a cohesive, comfortable space.

As designers and lighting retailers, you may be schooled in how to implement these layers; however, how do you extend that message to your customers and clients, particularly if it means adding or allocating funds to a budget in a way that was unexpected?

Understanding the layers is an important step to good design. As lighting technology evolves, too, also understanding how LED light sources can ensure the effectiveness of those layers will set you and your clients up for homes that function properly and set the right mood. As incandescent lighting is phased out — the Department of Energy is eliminating this type of lighting — we need to be ready to replace what we can no longer find.

The Four Layers of Light and Purpose

Task Lighting

Task Lighting is lighting by which you do work, such as under-cabinet lighting, reading lamps or kitchen lighting designed for prep and cooking tasks.
Task lighting should be bright enough to shine a spotlight on the work at hand, designed to reduce eye strain and ensure that what’s being worked with is easily seen.
To convert to LED light sources for task lighting, consider Kelvin temperatures of 3000 - 5000 Kelvin, providing a brighter — and cooler — light source that will accentuate the task at hand.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient Lighting is gentle fill light. It softens shadows on people’s faces and fills the volume of a space with a warm glow. Ambient light comes from illumination that is bounced off horizontal or vertical surfaces — think ceilings and walls. Opaque wall sconces, torchieres, pendant-hung indirect fixtures and cove lighting can be used to create ambient light.
“I love the use of cove and under counter lighting in some of our projects on the design side,” says Karen Johnson, Special Projects, Brand Manager for Craftmade. “When you enter the space, ambient lighting welcomes you in.”
Johnson recommends LED tape in these applications due to the ease of installation, versatile size, and flexibility of the product with most offering the ability to choose or adjust the color temperature from 2700 to 5000 Kelvin, going from warm to cool, depending on the light sources’ intended purpose.

Decorative Lighting

Decorative light fixtures add sparkle and design to a room. Such fixtures as chandeliers, pendants and wall sconces are considered decorative lighting and shouldn’t be used as workhorses for lighting a room. As decorative lighting is typically designed for spaces in the home where a warmer color temperature is desired, LED values from 2700 to 3500 Kelvin, are often suggested. However, this type of lighting can be more subjective, based on the design style of the home and the homeowner’s preferences.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is used to highlight objects and add depth and dimension. Adjustable recessed luminaires, track lights, portable uplights such as torchieres and directional landscape lights are examples of accent lighting as are table lamps and wall sconces.

According to Craftmade’s Johnson, it makes sense to mirror the Kelvin temperatures associated with decorative lighting in this case.

When gas and then electric lighting were first-introduced technologies, the single light in the center of the ceiling of the room was the norm, and many spaces still follow this today — consider the light fixture that is often in the center of the ceiling in each room of the home. As lighting has become more sophisticated, using the room itself as an important light source through ambient lighting can transform the space, making it more inviting and nuanced, setting the stage for a more balanced use of decorative, accent and task lighting.
By layering these four functions together you can create welcoming environments while providing the correct usable light sources for day-to-day activities.

What to Look For in LED Lighting

As LED light sources continue to evolve, with better color temperatures and dimming capabilities that can bring a room from daylight to warmer tones as the environment requires, understanding and utilizing LED can have a significant impact on the light balance in an environment as well as providing longevity, safety and sustainability.
Understanding the terminology and facts on lighting packaging can go a long way in ensuring the LED light color and temperature you choose is correct for the layer of lighting and the space it will illuminate.

Lumens addresses the amount of light enabled. The higher the lumens, the more light is emitted. For example, the equivalent lumens for a 60-watt incandescent bulb is approximately 800 lumens. The difference with LED is that the same level of light from the LED bulb consumes approximately 9 watts, a significant savings where energy is concerned. As a result, LED bulbs have a much longer life, close to two decades with natural use.

Kelvin refers to the color temperature. The higher the Kelvin value, the cooler (or brighter) the light source. Higher values are good for task lighting, while lower values are better for ambience, giving a room a warm glow. Where 2400 Kelvin is equivalent to candlelight, 3500-4000 Kelvin more closely mirrors daylight. Choosing the right temperature for your layers of light helps create an optimal atmosphere in each room.
Color Rendering Index (CRI) The CRI is a measurement of light against the accuracy of sunlight on a scale of 0-100. The higher the value, the truer an object’s color will appear. A CRI of 85 or higher is best to ensure wall colors and objects in the room are depicted accurately.

Dimmability: Today’s better LED light sources have much improved dimming capabilities as well. Gone are the days of flicker when a bulb’s light is lowered, allowing your lighting to shift with the time of day and intended purpose for the lighting in a space.

Decorative Lighting That Creates a Focal Point

gannunzio — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 15:37:06 +0000

Decorative Lighting That Creates a Focal Point gannunzio Tue, 10/05/2021 - 10:37

The Decorative Appeal of Energy-Efficient Lighting

dfalvey — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 13:23:48 +0000

The Decorative Appeal of Energy-Efficient Lighting dfalvey Mon, 07/26/2021 - 08:23

Energy-efficient lighting has a bad rap. The general public thinks that all LEDs are alike. There are huge differences in the quality of the high efficacy lamps on the market. People just need to be better educated about what is available.

LED lighting can have a beautiful incandescent feel if you choose the right color temperature and a high CRI (color rendering index) Lighting Design: Randall Whitehead; Photo: Dennis Anderson

I have made it my personal mission to find energy efficient lighting that can be attractive, and dare I say it…sexy. To this end, all the lighting in my home has been changed to energy efficient lighting. Okay to be totally truthful, the fridge and the oven still have incandescent lamps. I haven’t yet found a viable alternative for these two locations. Yes, I could buy a new refrigerator with LED lighting, but that just isn’t in the budget at the moment. Now, when I have people walk through my home, it functions as a living light-lab. They get to experience in 3-D what higher efficacy sources can look like. It goes a long way toward calming their fears. Sometimes, they become instant converts. Other times they demand to see the bulb to make sure that is not incandescent.

Good lighting does not have to be expensive. This pendant fixture over the dining room table is an inverted foot stool combined with a reasonably priced pendant. Lighting Designer: Randall Whitehead, IALD; Interior Designer: John G. Martin, Turner Martin Design; Architects: Laurie Erickson and Chet Zebroski, EZDG Design Group; Photographer: Dennis Anderson

Along with upgrading the lighting, I opted to update the look of the house as well. Talented interior designer, John G. Martin of Turner Martin Design made magic by reusing what I already owned with just a few new things added to the mix. Basically, what he did was pull everything out of the house and put it back in a totally different way. It was an amazing transformation that didn’t break the bank. Technically this was a very green approach; since everything was reused or what John called “reimagined.” For example, the pendant fixture over the dining room table was originally a stool. How’s that for creative reuse?

LEDing You On

There are some really fantastic LED lamps and fixtures now available that have the potential to change how people feel about the industry. Most are dimmable and come in a variety of color temperatures; the warmer tones approximate incandescent light (2400K and 2700K) and the cooler colors are between halogen (3000K) and daylight (5000K), depending on the manufacturer. You also want the CRI (Color Rendering Index) to be 90 or higher. Incandescent light has a CRI of 100 and is the gold standard for color rendering quality.

Downer Lights

Okay, I’m going to tangent off for a moment here. A big complaint of mine is that all recessed downlights, no matter what the source, are unattractive lights for people to be under. They cast harsh shadows on their faces, instantly aging them. Who wants that? In my humble opinion, the lighting manufacturers are so busy coming up with viable LED downlights that they are missing the point that maybe downlights are not the best way to light a room. My suggestion is to use adjustable trims that allow the light to be directed towards art and tabletops, and to use indirect linear lighting to add flattering ambient light to spaces.

A detailed shot of one corner of the living room shows photographs illuminated with LED strip lights. The LED sources protect the photographs as they emit no UV.

As far as LEDs go, I like many of the non-downlight products. For example, there is a newer innovation for under-cabinet task lighting and indirect cove lighting in the form of warm-dim technology, which means that you can get a variety of true incandescent quality colors ranging from 3000K to 2150K. These products are available with various lumen outputs, depending on how much you need for a certain application. For instance, indirect lighting needs a higher lumen output while toe kick lighting just needs to be a gentle glow of illumination.

lantern in the corner uses three- 4watt screw-in filament LEDs; with a color temperature of 2400K which is the color of dimmed incandescent light.

I am testing numerous LED MR16’s for the recessed adjustable fixtures in my home. These companies are offering high lumen output that is equivalent to 50 watts or higher, along with deliciously high CRIs. My dilemma is that I already have boxes full of earlier versions of LED products. What are we supposed to do with these now obsolete products that still have an expected life of 25,000 to 50,000 hours?

Also I like that dimming and control system manufacturers are starting to step up to the plate to help inform specifiers and installers how to choose the correct dimmers or interfaces for control systems that are compatible with specific LED products.

Painting with Light

My mantra, as you all know is the use of light layering; combining task, ambient, accent and decorative to create a cohesive overall design. This remains in place even when using energy efficient sources. For example, bathrooms have now become little sanctuaries for us to get away from the day-to-day stressors. It is the one door that you can lock and get away from the rest of the family for a half hour or 45 minutes without feeling guilty. There is no reason why this room doesn’t deserve the full-star treatment.

Cross illumination at the mirror is key. Use a light source that offers 75 watts worth of light for the master bath and 45 watts for the powder room. A dimmable LED make-up mirror can be a great tool for detail work.

On the other end of the design dial, I’m not a huge fan of the manufacturers that offer color changing LEDs for tubs and showers, which come under the heading of chroma-therapy. The idea behind this is that light therapy can improve our mood. There are certainly clinical studies that show that increased exposure to light helps people affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Still, I am not comfortable getting into a whirlpool filled with bubbling yellow water…or even worse…red water. Now, you can get color changing LEDs that include white diodes, along with the traditional red, green, and blue. This brings the warm incandescent tones into the mix. That is a color I can dip into.

LEDs are now available in dimmable high CRI filament lamps which look like incandescent

I am currently in love with LED filament bulbs that look like the old Edison bulbs. They come in 2700K and 2400K versions with CRI’s of 90 or higher. I have filled my home with them. The beauty of the situation is that no one ever thinks that the sources in my home are anything other than incandescent, until the end of the tour when I make the big reveal…and then laugh diabolically.

Visitors are surprised to find out all the light sources are high efficacy. The recessed fixtures are fitted with LED MR16s. The center pendant is illuminated from within using three 4 watt LEDs. Lighting Designer: Randall Whitehead, IALD;
Interior Designers: John G. Martin, Turner Martin Design; Architects: Laurie Erickson and Chet Zebroski, EZDG Design Group

Using Layered Lighting to Transform Spaces

dfalvey — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 14:48:52 +0000

Using Layered Lighting to Transform Spaces dfalvey Mon, 06/28/2021 - 09:48

As you are well aware of by now, the techniques of lighting have greatly evolved beyond simple table lamps and chandeliers. Still many homeowners have not updated their thinking much beyond this approach. It’s true that progressive design is a hot topic, but it’s not for everyone. Can new lighting techniques be applied to non-cutting edge spaces to enhance the sense of warmth and comfort that these cozy interiors inspire? The answer is a resounding... yes!

The trick is to keep the lighting upgrades subtle so that the decorative light sources can remain the architectural jewelry for a home. Chandeliers and table lamps are an important element to most all styles of residences. They are needed to provide the ambience for a room without necessarily providing all the necessary illumination on their own. This applies outside of a home as well. Adding a layer of accent lights, hidden among the plantings, allows the lanterns at the front door and by the garage to provide the illusion of providing the main light without visually overpowering the landscaping. Using high quality LED lamps, they can offer the dimmability and warm color of the more traditional incandescent lamps.

The addition of landscape lighting subtly blends interior and exterior spaces, helping to eliminate the black mirror effect where you see your own reflection instead of the view beyond. LED accent lights and decorative fixtures lamps with LED sources provide dramatic illumination while saving money and maintenance.

Sometimes residential lighting design takes a backseat to commercial projects, as far as use of emerging alternative lamps. Lighting for homes needs to be more subtle than that for public spaces. A restaurant or theater project can dive headfirst into the realm of fantasy design. Patrons want to be transported to a place that is a different world than what they experience at home. Yet, when homeowners are in their personal spaces, they want to be able to have various levels of functional illumination for the mundane, but ever so important tasks, that are a part of day-to-day living.

Lighting can be a tremendous force. It’s the one factor that makes all the other elements in design work together. Yet it has for so long been the last thing considered and the first item cut from the budget. Often less expensive, poorly made LED light sources are specified for a project. The result has left many homes drab, uncomfortable and dark. Too often the blame goes elsewhere, when improper lighting design and component selection is the true culprit. Becoming better acquainted with the guidelines for good lighting, layered with a better understanding of the companies who offer high-quality energy-efficient sources, will allow homeowners to work with their designers and contractors to get the best of both worlds.

I have mentioned this many times but feel that it is important information when designing the lighting for your own home or that of a client. Light has four specific duties. They are to provide decorative, accent, task and ambient illumination. No one light source, whether it is incandescent or LED (I don’t even mention fluorescent anymore) can perform all the functions of lighting required for a specific space. Understanding what these terms mean will help homeowners make better decisions that will integrate illumination into the overall design and give them what they want.

The sconces and floor lamps use LED versions of household bulbs. The track lights, using LED MR16 lamps highlight objects in the space.

Here is a description of these four functions that puts them into terms that can be easily understood by everyone involved:

Decorative Light

Light fixtures such as chandeliers, candlestick-type wall sconces, and table lamps work best when they are used to create the sparkle for a room. They alone cannot adequately provide usable illumination for other functions without overpowering the rest of the design aspects of the space. I call them the supermodels of illumination. Their only job is to look fantastic. LED filament lamps add the sparkle without the energy consumption of incandescent sources.

For example, a dining room, illuminated only by the chandelier over the table, creates a glare-bomb situation. As you crank up the dimmer to provide enough illumination to see your guests, the intensity of the light source causes everything to fall into secondary importance. This one supernova of uncomfortably bright light eclipses the wall color, the art, the carpeting and especially the people sitting at the table.

By nature, any bright light source in a room or space immediately draws people’s attention. They won’t see all the other elements, no matter how beautiful or expertly designed. For instance, linen shades on table lamps draw too much attention to themselves when they are the only light source in a room. Consider using a shade with an opaque liner and possibly a perforated lid to help direct the illumination downward over the base, the tabletop and across your lap for reading.

Accent Light

Accent light is directed illumination that highlights objects within an environment. Light sources such as track and recessed adjustable fixtures are used to bring attention to art, sculpture, tabletops and plantings. Newer LED MR16 lamps can be used in existing fixtures to provide highlighting without UV radiation that can be harmful to art over time. Just like any of the four functions, accent light cannot be the only source of illumination in a room. If you use only accent light, you end up with the museum effect, where the art visually takes over the room, while the guests fall into darkness. Subconsciously, the people will feel that the art is more important than they are.

Good accent lighting thrives on subtlety. A focused beam of light directed at an orchid or highlighting an abstract painting above a primitive chest can create a marvelous effect. People won’t notice the light itself; they see only the object being illuminated. The lighting effect achieves its magic through its very invisibility. In the movies, if we can tell how a special effect has been achieved, we feel cheated. We don’t want to know, because we want to think it’s magic. In lighting, it should be no less the case. We want to see the effects of light, but the method needs to remain unseen. That subtlety is what will give the design a cohesive wholeness, allowing the architecture, the furnishings and the landscape to become the focus in a particular space, not the decorative fixtures or the bulbs glaring out from within them.

A pair of pendants provide indirect fill light as well as an element of architectural jewelry to this kitchen and breakfast area, while the LED recessed lights highlight the art and tabletops.

Task Light

This is illumination for performing work-related activities in the home, such as reading, cutting vegetables, and sorting laundry. The optimal task light is located between your head and your work space.

Ambient Light

Ambient light is the soft, general illumination that fills the volume of a room with a glow of light and softens the shadows on people’s faces. It is the most important of the four functions of light but is often the one element that is left out of the design of a room or space.

The best ambient light comes from sources that bounce illumination off the ceiling and walls. Such light fixtures as opaque wall sconces, torchieres, indirect pendants and cove lighting can provide a subtle general illumination without drawing attention to the light source. You could call it the open-hearth effect, where the room seems to be filled with the light of a glowing fire. LEDs can offer effective ambient light. It is important to have the ceiling finish be matte so that the light sources do not create hot spots on the surface.

Just filling a room with table lamps is not an adequate source of general illumination. The space ends up looking like a lampshade showroom. Let these lamps be a decorative source, creating little islands of light.

Ambient light, too, just like the other three functions, should not be used by itself. What you end up with is the cloudy day effect, where everything is of the same value, without depth or dimension. Ambient light alone is a flat light. It is only one component of well-designed lighting.

Light Layering, The Bottom Line

A lighting design is successful when these four functions of light are layered within a room to create a fully usable, adaptive space. Good lighting does not draw attention to itself, but to the other design aspects of the environment. An entryway desperately needs ambient and accent light, but may not need any task light, because no work is going to be done in the entry. However, there may be a coat closet, which would need some task-oriented illumination. The addition of a ceiling mounted decorative fixture helps set the tone for the rest of the house.

What we often see in various design magazines is a house lighted for entertaining only. It is a very dramatic, glitzy look. Every vase, painting, sculpture and ashtray glistens in its own pool of illumination. Yet, the seating area remains in darkness. What are these people going to do for light when they want to go through the mail, do their taxes or put a puzzle together with their kids?

In reality, people entertain only part of the time. The rest of the time these rooms are used to do homework, clean and interact with other family members or guests. This doesn’t mean that you should eliminate accent lighting. Just don’t make it the only option. Simply putting ambient light on one dimmer and accent lighting on another provides a whole range of illumination level settings. Don’t forget to add a layer of task light and decorative light to the mix as well.

If once the installation is done and someone walks in and say, "You look great!" or "Is that a new painting?" then you know the lighting is successfully integrated into the overall room design and that you have done a good job.

Images: Lighting Design: Randall Whitehead; Interior Design: Turner Martin Design; Photography: Jeff Zaruba

James Fleming Named to Lead Eichholtz Efforts in Lighting Retail Channels

dfalvey — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 19:15:29 +0000

James Fleming Named to Lead Eichholtz Efforts in Lighting Retail Channels dfalvey Tue, 01/12/2021 - 13:15

James Fleming, CEO of Camelot Consulting Group, Asheville, NC, has announced an exclusive agreement with European Design Leader, Eichholtz, to manage business development and sales management within the company's Decorative Lighting, Kitchen and Bath sales channels.
Eichholtz sells its products globally through a network of more than 5,000 dealers and offers a full range of products for residential, commercial and hospitality interiors, including lighting fixtures, table & floor lamps, mirrors, upholstery, occasional furniture, desks, tables & chairs, home accents, art prints, rugs, bar stools, outdoor furniture and more.
Eichholtz recently increased its investment and presence in the North American market taking over a 20,000-square-foot freestanding flagship showroom site in High Point, NC, previously occupied by Christopher Guy. The showroom provides a showcase for Eichholtz products, and inspiration for what an Eichholtz Gallery or Concept Store could look like for retailers to pursue and capitalize upon the growth for modern living lifestyles, the company said.
Camelot Group will be reaching out to select lighting retailers that are leaders in their market to offer exclusive sales channel representation for Eichholtz. “In todays competitive and evolving marketplace, it no longer makes economic sense to buy samplings of products from a wide variety of vendors, particularly vendors whose products are readily available online 24/7/365,” Fleming says. “It’s very apparent by the substantial success of Restoration Hardware, Room & Board, Pottery Barn and Ashley that narrowing product offerings behind a single brand, or lifestyle, is a winning formula for achieving meaningful differentiation to attract and retain clients, and compete with online sellers.”

The Right Light Balance Puts an Accent on the Positive

dfalvey — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 19:12:00 +0000

The Right Light Balance Puts an Accent on the Positive dfalvey Mon, 10/28/2019 - 14:12

As I have mentioned before, there are four functions of light — Task, Accent, Decorative and Ambient. Each one plays an important role in creating a cohesive lighting design. Here is an explanation of these various types of lighting:

Task- Lighting by which you do work; such as the under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, lighting in the closet or a reading lamp.

Accent - Lighting used to highlight objects in a space. This adds depth and dimension to an environment. Recessed adjustable fixtures, track lights, portable uplights and directional landscape lights all fall into this category.

Decorative- These are what I like to call architectural jewelry. Their main purpose is to look pretty. They help add sparkle to a space. Chandeliers and candlestick-type wall sconces fall into this category. They should not be used as the work horses for lighting a room. When they are too bright they can visually overpower the other elements of the design.

Ambient- This is the gentle fill light for a room. It softens shadows on people’s faces and fills the volume of the space with a warm glow, as if the room were being filled with the light of a roaring fire. Ambient light comes from illumination that is bounced off the ceiling. Such sources as opaque wall sconces, torchieres, pendant hung indirect fixtures, and cove lighting can be used to create the ambient light.

Focus on the Accent

For the purposes of this blog post, I'd like to address accent lighting. It is the one function that I think gets overused. Too often, it is the only source of illumination, whether it comes from a track system, a cable system or a series of recessed adjustable fixtures. While this makes for a highly dramatic space, it is basically unusable for day-to-day living. This lighting issue is referred to as the museum effect, where every piece of art, tabletop and plant gets its own individual spotlight. It's a popular look that we often see in magazines which is why people try to emulate it. Yes, it is very showy for a print article or on a website, but it's not very useful for the people actually living in the space. It would be like living in a museum. This choice of lighting design plunges seating areas into darkness. Subconsciously, family and friends will feel that what you own is more important than the people you love and care about.

Accent lighting is just one of the components of a successful lighting design. It is not meant to be used as the sole source of illumination, other than in a gallery or museum setting. Even then, I recommend the addition of other sources of illumination, especially ambient lighting so that visitors do not get eye fatigue. How many times have you walked through a museum and you feel tired by the third room? That’s because your eye is moving from the bright light on the art to the dark wall spaces in between. A layer ambient light would lessen the contrast between the paintings and the wall, reducing eyestrain.

Achieving the Balance

Take a look at this newly renovated loft space. Four functions of light are expertly blended together to create an environment that is both inviting and dramatic. People can tell immediately when lighting is bad. But it’s very hard for them to put into words what good lighting looks like. That’s because well-done lighting is subtle. Bad lighting hits you in the eye, while good lighting gently caresses your face.

This loft-style condominium has a great balance of light. The different lighting functions blend together to create space that is warm and inviting, as well as a little bit dramatic. The suspended cable system offers both accent and ambient light for of the open plan living room and dining room areas. Small rectangular trays project light up towards the ceiling, showing off the massive beams and the warm tones of the wood. They create the ambient light which softens the shadowing on people’s faces, while providing an overall glow to the rooms. Adjustable accent lights, also mounted on the cables, project light toward art and sculpture. They help create dimension and keep the viewer’s eye moving around the room.

The same cable system continues throughout the loft space, including the bedroom and the master bath. This makes sure that there is a consistent source of ambient light to help unify the rooms. The table lamp off to the right creates a little island of illumination on top of the chest, while adding a bit of accent for the structural wood column.

In the bathroom, vertically mounted lights are inset into the wall above the vanity so they are flush with the mirror. These use a 90-CRI dimmable LED source which has tunable color. The color temperature goes from 5000 K (daylight) down to 2200 K (candlelight).This gives the owners the ability to see themselves in daylight or nighttime settings and even a relaxing/romantic environment. Even in this area, the cable system adds accent light and ambient light to the mix.

*All Photos from Randall Whitehead

Lighting as Art: How Today's Fixtures Balance Form and Function

kcaron — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 20:04:05 +0000

Lighting as Art: How Today's Fixtures Balance Form and Function kcaron Wed, 08/21/2019 - 15:04

While some might say that all lighting is a form of art in its own way, some lighting fixtures are especially artful, designed to catch the eye and add visual interest even when they’re not switched on. We chatted with Jeff Dross, Corporate Director, Education and Industry Trends at Kichler, to learn more about how technology has given rise to lighting that doubles as art and the ways today’s spaces are balancing form and functionality.

Lighting functioning as art has been enabled by the change from incandescent to LED light sources, Dross says. Advances in LED technology mean that less clunky wiring is needed, and lighting can be configured in a wider variety of ways.

“It has freed up designers to be a little bit more creative and not worry as much about the placement of the light bulb,” Dross says.

With fewer constraints on the lighting design process, more product designers at more companies are thinking outside the box and creating bold, sculptural lighting fixtures.

Another aspect of this growing trend, Dross notes, is the way we light spaces today compared to even 20 years ago. Whereas different spaces in a home used to have generally one type of lighting — a fluorescent box in the kitchen, a chandelier in the dining room, mushroom lights in the hallway — today, each room is more likely to have several lighting sources. With more functional options like recessed cans and toe kick lighting available, decorative pieces can be decorative for their own sake.

“When there was only one lighting fixture, you had to have a lot of function, and the beauty came along,” Dross said. “Now, I think we can probably see a reversal of that where maybe the beauty becomes the first and most important element of that particular piece and the function is a little bit lower in the responsibility level, because we know that there are other lighting sources in the home that are only functional.”

In both residential and commercial spaces, Dross says he’s seeing the lighting as art phenomenon most commonly in the form of chandeliers and sconces these days.

For interior designers looking to incorporate pieces of lighting that stand alone as art, Dross recommends picking your battles and not going overboard with too many statement fixtures.

With innovations in materials and technology, lighting fixtures designed for different spaces don’t have to serve one purpose or look one way anymore. As with any form of art, Dross says it’s all about making it personal to a space and having fun with it.

The Hatton 1 grouping of three pendant from Original BTC has an angular sculptural beauty, even when switched off.

Noctambule by Konstantin Grcic for Flos is made from hand-blown glass, making it appear invisible during the day. At night, carefully hidden LED lights illuminate the fixture to create an impressive column of light.

The father-and-son team behind Original BTC use production techniques that maximize the translucency, luminosity and versatility of bone china.

Reminiscent of the calla lily, the Calla sconce from Sonneman integrates organic influences while maintaining a sleek aesthetic.

From Kichler, the Charter vanity light has configurable arms for a wide variety of customizable looks.