What are you Light?

Lighting is an integral part of any design scheme, it’s not only about getting the right form of lighting for a room (ambient, task, accent) but also choosing a fitting that will work perfectly with the look and style of your chosen scheme. There are so many options available when it comes to light fittings, from small and minimal to big and dramatic, that it can all seem a little overwhelming at times. But you don’t have to settle for the ordinary or the expected, instead choose to make your lighting the talking point of your home, no matter what your style. I’ve pulled together some ideas in six different styles to inspire you and your lighting needs.

‘Brompton Size 3 Anthracite Glass Pendant’ from Original BTC

If you have a minimal scheme running through your house, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to interrupt this look by adding in some flamboyant lighting pieces. Going for simple pendants doesn’t mean you need to settle for plain. This pendant like from Original BTC is just stunning, it’s a simple design but the use of the black instead of a typical glass pendant gives it an edge over other similar pieces. Featured against a crisp white wall will create a strong, but low-key statement in your home.

‘Atto Pendant’ from Benchmark

These pendants from Benchmark have a modern Scandinavian feel about them. The slits in the shade give the wooden structure a light feel, making it ideal for a minimally dressed room, and depending on the colour scheme, you can use the natural, white or black finish. They’ll make a great addition to a light, airy, modern space.

The industrial trend has been a popular choice in the interior design world over the past few years, with the style showing up in furniture, accessories and lighting. It’s a strong look and with the right building and attitude, can be pulled off to perfection, but it’s important to make sure the trend doesn’t engulf you. To add hints of the style into your lighting, opting for designs that are less obviously industrial will make any future transitions easier to accommodate, you can also apply subtle industrial features to a scheme without completely changing it. I really like this Anglepoise original lamp that’s been given a cosmetic lift with some industrial style additions. The brass accents and the black shade gives the contemporary lamp an industrial undertone.

‘Original 1227 Brass Desk Lamp’ from Anglepoise

For an industrial style pendant that will stay in style for years to come, blending it with some contemporary elements is a failsafe option. This Edison bulb is caged by some modern wiring and along with the addition of some coppery tones, it gives the pendant a well-rounded contemporary look, which would give an industrial scheme a breath of fresh air and a contemporary scheme a hint of that vintage vibe.

‘Juba Caged Pendant Light’ from Clippings

When opting for a contemporary style of lighting, it’s your chance to get a bit creative and turn traditional ideas on their head. A chandelier for example might be considered a traditional style, but today there are many modern designs that adopt its look. This cluster chandelier from Fritz Fryer gives the term a whole new meaning, the translucent shades and the bright red cables name together wonderfully to create a sharp, sophisticated look. It’s a design that would look amazing in a high-ceilinged hallway, making a strong feature to any house.

‘Upton Ceramic Multi Pendant Cluster Chandelier’ from Fritz Fryer

’90° Home’ from Artemide

A floor lamp is not only a great way to light up a dark corner, but can also make its own style statement. It contemporary piece from Artemide oozes with confidence, with a futuristic element to finish off the look. The streamline design could be paired with a sharp, masculine interior to really show it off.

Lighting in a traditionally styled space can be utilised to give the area a clean, fresh and punchy impact. Table lamps in a traditional setting can be the perfect way to add some detailing to a room, the patterned vase from the Abbeywood design from Vaughan has a lovely traditional feel to it, and it kept fresh with a crisp white shade. The elegant piece would look great as a pair on two end tables in a living room.

‘Abbeywood Vase Table Lamp’ from Vaughan

If you have a period property, or want to add some traditional glamour, a dramatic ceiling light can add character and really cement a room’s style. This chandelier from Bella Figura has a classic style and refined nature to it, giving a room a sense of understated grandness. A hallway could be an ideal spot for this piece, making sure you have something eye-catching when you first walk in to the house.

‘Leonardo Ball Chandelier’ from Bella Figura

With a bohemian, eclectic style there is always the challenge of making sure a room isn’t so overloaded with patterns, styles and things that it loses its stylish essence. Incorporating a vibrant lamp into the mix can be a good way to incorporate colour and pattern in a small way instead of large pieces everywhere. Pooky is a fantastic lighting company that has some lovely, bohemian style lamps to hand. They’re the perfect colourful finishing touches to really make a room pop. I love this hand-blown Iris base with a fun shade to go with it, creating a great blend of sophisticated colours in a playful nature.

‘Iris Table Lamp in Turquoise’ from Pooky

‘Decofabulous Pedant Shade’ from Rockett St George

A tasselled lampshade might have once been something you found in your grandma’s house, the shade an unsightly floral pattern and the tassels old and frayed. But these pendants are reinventing the style and giving something fun and wacky back. The luxurious gold tassels contrasted against the abstract shade design gives you a perfect Boho chic shade to add into your home.

When done well, a glamorous style home can look breath-taking, but it’s a theme that needs the right confidence to pull off. Lighting is a great way to add in some beautiful finishing touches for a glamorous setting. A glamorous interior usually consists of dark hues and metallics, so add in a hint of luxurious colours with something like this Amelia table lamp from Heathfield. The wonderful glass base is framed with gold accents giving it a rich, elegant feel.

‘Amelia Table Lamp’ from Heathfield

‘Manor Wall Sconce’ from Graham & Green

I love this beaded wall sconce from Graham & Green, it’s a really original way to use wall lights as a strong design feature, making a smart, elegant and glamorous light fixtures for your scheme.

Finding the right lighting that suits your home, style and yourself can not only create a beautiful atmosphere in your home, but give your style a little lift, making everything just that little bit brighter.

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It Was All Yellow

As with all colours, there are hundreds of shades in the yellow family, and sometimes the thought of using the bolder, brighter shades can be intimidating due to their strong look. But if you’re looking for an alternative to the neutral, or darker palettes that are around these days, yellow may be the perfect colour for you, especially if you want to show off a strong, confident style in your interiors. Though the colour has always been popular in the design world, in recent years yellow interiors, furniture and accessories have been making quite an impact, especially in those brighter shades. There are lots of exciting ways to incorporate yellow into your home, that can really showcase a particular style; whether it’s contemporary, glamorous, bohemian, traditional, or a combination. Adding a dash of yellow could be the way to bring a refreshing, exciting look to your home.

Using a bright yellow on the walls of your home may be a touch overwhelming if you’re a yellow novice, but if you’re already a fan, it’s a fantastic way to create a statement. The trick is finding your perfect shade to suit your home, and choosing the right complementary accents to create a well-rounded, flawless look. To keep your wall looking fresh opt for a rich shade that won’t shy away into the background. For a contemporary look, I love the dramatic but playful nature of Farrow & Ball’s Babouche shade.

‘Babouche’ from Farrow & Ball

And if you’re in need of a more traditional shade, the Sudbury Yellow has an elegant and regal nature that will give a room a strong sense of character, without overshadowing any other wonderful features you may want to put in there.

‘Sudbury Yellow’ from Farrow & Ball

Another way to add yellow into the core foundations of the home’s design scheme is with some creative tiling. Fired Earth always have a strong collection of interesting colours and patterns, and some of their yellow tiles are to die for. For a bold, exciting look, these vibrant mustard coloured tiles are the perfect background against a crisp, white bathroom set. There’s a combination of luxuriousness and quirkiness about the colour that creates an overall refreshing look.

‘Carnival Oro’ from Fired Earth

If a solid block colour is a little too much for your taste, or your home, going for something a little sweeter and more minimal might do the trick. This Atlas design by Neisha Crosland for Fired Earth has a rustic, farmhouse vibe, but with a little exotic twist to keep things interesting. It’s an ideal design if you want to have a traditional looking kitchen, but with a touch artistic individuality to it.

‘Atlas by Neisha Crosland’ from Fired Earth

To make an interesting statement in your home, you don’t just have to save yellow for the larger features, in fact adding small accents of the colour to a room can give it some vitality, or reinvent an interior without changing too much. Contemporary interiors are often neutral walls with the inclusion of furniture pieces in modern wood types, and adding a dash of yellow into the mix can create an up-to-date look without taking away the original essence of the room. Margaret Howell created some fantastic designs for Anglepoise, and though I’d happily have any of the three colours in my home, the Yellow Ochre edition is stunning.

‘Type 75 Desk Lamp by Margret Howell in Yellow Ochre’ from Anglepoise

This chair with a yellow seat from Gubi is rather special, it’s an ultra-contemporary design that’ll look gracious and cool in a modern home. The design also comes with a white seat, so you could mix-match the two colours around the dining table, or save the yellow for the head of the table to give the whole look a pop of colour.

‘Mategot Nagasaki Chair’ from Gubi

A striking yellow rug can really transform a room in one fell swoop, to keep things feeling light and not making the room look too dense, a patterned rug is a great way to add some yellow without swamping the room. The Sellarsbrook design created by Suzanna Sharp for The Rug Company, has a sophisticated geometric pattern that adds a timeless depth to the rug.

‘Sellarsbrook in Yellow by Suzanne Sharp’ from The Rug Company

This rich, crisp yellow velvet sofa really packs a punch, that’ll give your living room some vivacious character. The chesterfield design is given an alternative look, creating a piece that can be mixed into both contemporary and traditional interiors.

‘Balmoral 2 Seater Sofa in Varese Velvet Alchemilla fabric’ from Heal’s

For a sweet touch to a traditional bedroom, these rustic, French style bedside tables in a dusty yellow could be a great way to frame a bed in a similar style. The piece from Out There Interiors has some fetching ironwork detailing, which will give a room some extra style in a simple way.

‘Two Drawer Beside in Yellow’ from Out There Interiors

These lemony plates and dishes from Habitat are a refreshing way to give your dining table an updated look, the ombre effect means that they aren’t too outlandish, and will gently show off the zesty colour. Place them on a blue tablecloth or next to some coloured glassware for a really stylish look.

‘Atkinson 12 Piece Yellow Dinnerware Set’ from Habitat

Lastly, this gorgeous glass pendant from Rockett St George is an absolute beauty! The moody yellow shade combined with the irregular shape gives the whole look an understated, glamourous feel. This pendant would be the perfect addition to a dark, moody room, giving it that hint of colour it needs to keep it from looking drab and dingy.

‘Hand Blown Glass Pendant Lighting in Yellow Ochre by Curiousa & Curiousa’ from Rockett St George

Though it can be quite a daring and brave decision to add a bold shade of yellow into your interior (and may take a little more persuading for some), it’s a decision that will result in some fabulous and sophisticated homes! Whether you’re already in love with colour, or prefer your interiors more neutral, you’ll see how diverse a colour like yellow can be and how easily it will suit all kinds of styles.

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Room for Improvement – Workspaces within the Home

This week at Angel + Blume we’re taking a look at the various kinds of workspaces in the home. No matter what space you have to work with, be it a whole room dedicated to the cause, or just a little corner of the room, it’s vital to make sure that the space is well executed. Whether you’re running an entire business out of your home or organising a hectic family life, the space you work in has to be just right. We’ve put together a little guide together of what we think makes a great study or workspace, and a few examples of some previous spaces that Angel + Blume have created for a little inspiration!

Often we find ourselves having to double up a room’s function, and so a study may also need to be a spare room as well. Less is always more in these situations and what can look amazing is a beautiful antique writing desk, placed nicely in the corner of a room, making it not just a functional piece of furniture, but decorative as well.

 

 

If your style is more contemporary and an antique desk doesn’t meet the bar, there are heaps of stylish, modern desks out there. A few of my favourites on the market at the moment come from Gillmore Space and Lombok.

 

‘The Walnut Gerrit Writing Desk’ from Gillmore Space

 

This desk Gillmore Space is a beautiful, strong design, making it the perfect piece for the focal point of a whole study, or as a singular piece in a multi-functional room; it offers functionality whilst still maintaining style.

If you wanted something with a more industrial look to it, this Artisan desk by Lombok would make a great feature piece in any room, and has a minimalist, no clutter kind of feel to it.

 

‘Artisan Honeycomb Desk’ from Lombok

 

If you’re carrying out professional work in your home then it’s essential to make sure that your surroundings can accommodate your needs, from storage to additional seating, everything plays a key role in making you as work-productive as possible but also evoking the right setting for visitors (be it clients or business partners).

Anglepoise lamps are an iconic design in the world of lighting, and they won’t be bested when it comes to those late night work sessions. This season Anglepoise teamed up with designer Paul Smith to create some ultra sleek designs. There a great addition to any study to keep morale levels high and add a little retro style to your surroundings.

 

‘Type 75 Desk Lamp – Edition 2 by Paul Smith’ from Anglepoise

 

When creating an office inside of a home having a flexible seating arrangement is great for accommodating extra bodies when need be. Depending on the level of formality needed, armchairs and sofas can make the space look fantastic.

Angel + Blume created this space for a client to work as both a media room and as an office.

 

 

Armchairs from Gotham were used to make a comfortable, yet professional setting so that the room can easily transfer between its functions. Gotham has some absolutely stunning designs that can work in both a professional and relaxed setting.

 

‘The Ulysse Armchair’ from Gotham

 

‘The Calaf Armchair’ from Gotham

 

For extreme glamour and sleekness, Bolier is an absolute must! Their designs are real timeless, classic style pieces that will last a lifetime. My favourite design in their collection at the moment is the Domicile Curved Back Lounge Chair.

 

    

‘Domicile Curved Back Armchair’ from Bolier

 

Below is a perfect example of how to create a workspace within a living area. When you don’t need a focused atmosphere and are looking for something a little more social, incorporating the computer into a lively part of the house is a great idea. In a space like this you could add a few interchangeable home accessories to work with the space.

 

 

 

For a more relaxed arrangement in your workspace, adding a few cushions into the mix will make your work seem a lot less strenuous. Everything Matthew Williamson does for Osborne & Little is outstanding and his cushions are no exception!

 

‘Sunbird’ from Matthew Williamson at Osborne & Little

A great piece from Rockett St George is this gorgeous embossed brass cabinet, which is perfect for containing all your files whilst still looking beautiful.

 

‘Embossed Brass Cabinet’ from Rockett St George

Or for a contemporary alternative, check out Chaplins, who create some stunning designs, including this elegant cabinet.

‘Lochness Cabinet’ from Chaplins

 

It’s always important to give yourself a little treat when you’re working hard, and this may take the form of a little bit of artwork to gaze at every so often and have a sneaky daydream. Byard Art always has great pieces by amazing artists, and with quite a diverse range everyone is likely to find something to take their fancy. One of my favourites is this ‘Running Cheetah’ by Lucy Kinsella, perfect for placing on the end of your desk.

 

‘Running Cheetah’ by Lucy Kinsella from Byard Art

 

Another favourite is this dreamy landscape piece by Felicity Keefe, which will be a great little detox for the mind in times of stress!

 

‘The Brooding Sky’ by Felicity Keefe from Byard Art

However big or small, or how much it’s used, crafting the perfect workspace in your home will make all that work seem just a little bit easier, and maybe a little bit more fun!

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