What's a home without words?!

Right now it's all about making a statement in oversized numbers and letters. I mean, why say things quietly when you can let them SCREAM across the room right?!

Via Serendipity is Life

Yellows Photography

Via Serendipity if Life

Via IDN  World

Via Serendipity is life

Oooo am really loving the typography lights it makes such a statement! Do you know any great sources for buying light signage?

PS I found all these lovely pics on Pinterest, my latest addiction! If you'd love a little more inspiration check out my Pinterest moodboards by clicking the icon to the right. If you want to hop aboard the Pinterest train let me know and I'll invite you!

Wednesday DIY - simple cluster pendant lamp from IKEA

If you're looking for a new project to start 2012, how about this light? All you need is several IKEA SKURER plant pots and a few electrical cords. Drill a hole in the bottom of each plant pot and voila! A cluster pendent light like the one below! Thank you Plaza Interiors, for the inspiration. 

Plaza Interiors Blog

The beauty of this light is that you can also just make one or two to hang over a table. Or if you prefer the more colourful approach you could also choose a coloured flex or spray paint the plant pots. Personally I love the simple nature of the white design above. Happy DIY! Oh and if you make one, don't forget to share it with us!

Light bulb moment, New year's eve inspiration

So, New Years Eve tomorrow. Yaaay! I am heading off to see a great friend in the countryside which I'm so looking forward to. Are you having people over? If so, how about these festive ideas with lighting or stars. Simple but beautiful. The perfect way to bring in 2012....

Picture: Wikstein studio



Picture: Varpunen. Lights: Granit

FruFly

The setting in the picture above was created by the wonderfully clever Norwegian blogger, Heidi, at FruFly. Visit FruFly for more inspiration for your New Years Eve table!

Thank you so much for reading my blog in 2011, you've made me super happy! I'll be back with a beautiful home to show you on 2nd January. Happy New year!

Have a cosy evening!

As you know, I have a penchant for white, and this room's no exception. Through the lovely dividing windows you get a glimpse of two vintage Louis Poulsen industrial lights which I am currently trying to track down for my own home. Just lovely. Have a great evening!

Picture Åpent Hus 

Lighting up time

Here in Sweden it's already getting dark around 3pm. Eeeeek! I wish I had the Cluster Light shown in the pic below from the wonderful shop/blog Bodie & Fou to brighten up my home. Have a lovely evening and see you tomorrow!

Picture: François Kong Stylism: Karine Kong via Bodie & Fou

Bright idea: DIY lamp

Check out what the Finnish blogger over at Weekday Carnival made. Pretty cool DIY light. A project for the weekend perhaps?! For more images and know-how click here. 

These are a few of my favourite things...

Hi, so I'm Ullis... I live in a house amongst stacks of interior mags, with a head full of interior ideas, unfinished projects and a wish for my very own handyman to come and execute them all. I wouldn't mind if the handyman had a generous wallet too...

I have a particular obsession with lighting in all shapes, sizes or forms. Any lighting signed Tom Dixon is a particular favourite and more than welcome into my home! I love the play with contrasts - industrial vs. organic, hard vs. soft, cold vs. warm. Like his Bulb Chandelier (below). It almost looks like a diamond ring.

Shown above is the geometrical Etch Light. Pictures are from Tom Dixons catalogue which you can find here.

Lighting doesn't always need to be a source of light, it can just serve the purpose of an illuminous installation. I am seriously contemplating something like this to greet guests in the hall...

A scavanger hunt for desk lamps at the 2nd hand stores, a saw, some spray paint, glue and light cords later and you could create something like the above. But sometimes it's not even the light itself that's of interest, it's where or how you place it!

Credit owed where credit is due - I have a folder full of inspirational pictures I have saved over the years making it difficult to trace the source. If you know where the above three pics are from, please let me know and I will update the post!

That's all from me. Lights out!

Niki is back after the weekend. Have a bright one!

Interior Design: Lighting

One of the experts we recommend to our clients who are building a new home and need help selecting appropriate light fixtures for their home is Ellen Winkler, CEO and principal of Ellen’s Interiors on Main Street in New London, New Hampshire. Her 3000 square foot showroom features a lighting display, fine furnishings, kitchen & bath fixtures, granite & tile displays, area rugs, carpet samples, decorative accessories, and wall art. I had the opportunity to talk to Ellen recently to find out what her potential clients are concerned about the most in regard to designing the interior of their home.

Not surprisingly, one of the top concerns folks have about interior design is lighting. When clients bring up the subject of lighting, Ellen says she puts her clients at ease, explaining that lighting style and efficiency, as well as basic lighting elements are more easily addressed after each room is evaluated for its purpose and use.

Addressing lighting efficiency, Ellen helps clients decide how much light they actually need, rather than how much they think they need. “I talk about lighting elements and their uses in the home,” Ellen explains, “and we discuss ambient lighting for general indoor and outdoor activities, task lighting for specific areas such as under-counter kitchen lights, table lamps, or bathroom mirror lights, and accent lighting to showcase aesthetics such as sculpture and art.”

Our visual performance depends on the location of the light as well as quality and quantity. “An example of this is a client who has a specific sculpture they would like to showcase,” Ellen says. “We discuss the angle of the light as well as the type. For instance, placing the lighting unit above the sculpture will produce a lot of angles and shadow. Lighting placed below the sculpture will highlight the texture of the piece. We talk about their specific goals in displaying the sculpture and the results they would like to achieve to determine the location of the lighting units.”

For kitchen lighting, Ellen likes to use a rack system for under and display cabinet lighting applications, such as this Xenon fixture. The photo here demonstrates the system nicely. (photo courtesy WAC Lighting)

Ellen explains, “We like this low voltage system for several reasons: 1) The Xenon bulb has a rated life of 8,000 to 20,000 hours making it a good financial and long term choice; 2) The Xenon bulb is dimmable and is available in a variety of sizes for a variety of lighting needs; 3) The Xenon bulb does not emit much heat, and can be specified for use in compact designs, such as cabinet, soffit and cove lighting applications without maintaining a huge distance from combustible surfaces; and 4) Xenon bulbs emit a warm light, which is nice aesthetically and does not present health problems for people who are sensitive to florescent lighting.” The photo below shows the Xenon rack system under the cabinets (photo courtesy Ellen’s Interiors).

More light is not necessarily better, as some may think. “After identifying the ambient, task, and accent lighting areas, I create a lighting plan identifying the number of footcandles (a unit which measures the intensity of illumination) in each room. Hallways and other areas that require only ambient lighting can require only about 4-5 footcandles. On the other hand, areas where specific tasks are performed, say an office or bathroom vanity, may require 45 or more footcandles, depending on the intensity of the task.”

Concerns about lighting are minimized when you work with an architect and experienced interior designer.

Ellen’s Interiors, Inc.

12 Lovering Lane

New London NH 03257

603-526-8662

www.ellensinteriors.com