50 THE QUEENS COURIER • AT HOME • APRIL 15, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
50 a TtHE h QUoEEmNS eCOURIER • APRIL 15, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Five designer tips for transforming your home lighting
When it comes to choosing beautiful,
functional lighting, the selections can
appear endless and may be leaving you
with no idea where to start.
If so, you’re not alone. Many homeowners
mistakenly believe any fi xture will
do the same job, when in fact eff ective
lighting design is something of an art.
Th e right lighting elements can make
your home more relaxing or energizing,
boost your sense of well-being and make
daily tasks easier, all while refl ecting your
personal taste. According to Statista, the
desire for such improvements motivated
63% of U.S. consumers to plan changes to
their home lighting over 2020-2021.
To assist such forward-thinking homeowners,
Erin Hoover, director-design,
Luxury Space for Kohler Co., off ers the
following suggestions on choosing ideal
home lighting.
Factor in function
Ask yourself what you’d like your lighting
to accomplish in the room you’re
addressing. How is the room used? Do
you need a main source of illumination
for the space, or do you need to supplement
that with decorative accents? Where
do you need direct and indirect light?
Consider existing architecture
Even if you like an eclectic look (Pinterest
and Instagram can be inspiration), you’ll
want to at least partially align each fi xture
with the rest of your space in terms
of form, line and/or color. In general, high
ceilings work well with pendants, chandeliers
and linear-style lighting and lower
ceilings work better with fl ush or semifl
ush fi xtures and sconces. Your furniture
layout may guide placement of chandeliers,
linear style designs or pendants.
Stay savvy in the kitchen
Since most kitchens feature multiple
light sources, Hoover recommends designating
one fi xture as your statement or
focal piece, then choosing other functional
and decorative accent pieces that
align. “Th e other lighting doesn’t have
to match, but should be a little simpler,”
she says. “Make sure it’s the correct
scale for your space and ceiling
height,” Hutton continues. “Pendant or
linear lighting is a good choice for kitchen
islands and bars, and mixed metals
are on trend with or without black or
white accent fi nishes.” For added design
fl exibility, she notes, choose lighting that
can be raised or lowered to easily adjust
the height above bar areas, counters and
islands. KOHLER Lighting also exclusively
off ers fi nishes that perfectly color
match Kohler and Kallista fi xtures and
faucets.
Introduce style to
your bathroom
Depending on your daily routines, you
may want your bath to off er both bright,
functional lighting (for grooming) and
mood lighting (for relaxation). Popular
layouts feature 7- to 9-inch sconces
mounted on each side of a vanity mirror,
or a larger single sconce placed on the
wall overhead. In powder rooms where
steam isn’t an issue, Hoover likes decorative
Kohler sconces that feature linenlook
woven shades; she also recommends
installing dimmer switches. “If you have
the ceiling height, I love a chandelier in
a bathroom,” she adds. “A 20- to 24-inch
chandelier may be better than a 30- to
36-inch one unless you have a very spacious
bath with a ceiling height of more
than nine feet. A larger pendant of 15 to
18 inches makes a statement over a freestanding
tub if ceiling heights allow.”
Fit out your foyer
Hoover recommends considering the
height and depth of these important, fi rstimpression
rooms before deciding on the
pendant, pendant cluster or chandelier
that will make the right statement. “A single
pendant can look stunning in a foyer
that’s nine feet wide, whereas a 36-inch
chandelier or two-tier chandelier is perfect
in a grand foyer,” she advises.
Since your lighting design is so important
to the beauty, functionality and overall
mood of your home, it should never be
an aft erthought. Take time to choose from
the wide variety of bright, beautiful styles
available, then invest in the fi xtures that
will truly transform your living spaces.
Find more information about KOHLER
Lighting at us.Kohler.com.
— Courtesy of BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
/WWW.QNS.COM
/us.Kohler.com
