Choosing the Right Lighting
As the founder and principal of Chad James Group, Chad is a purveyor of meticulous detail and the mark of his reputation manifests when the graphite touches paper. From initial client meeting to the moment clients walk through their doors, Chad crafts tailored spaces that encapsulate a fine balance of technique and personality. Chad leads his talented team in articulating the architecture and interiors to live their best moment.
With a rich portfolio, Chad James Group works to create custom residential and commercial construction including bespoke boutique hotels, refined restaurants, and perfectly appointed homes. The internationally recognized firm has been published in The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Traditional Home, and Billboard Magazine to name a few. Award-winning designer Chad James was honored as a 2017 Rising Star of Design by Traditional Home.
Lighting is essential to every design whether you are thinking about ambient lighting or accent lighting. Lighting is not only important but can add an artistic element to a room. It’s important to find the belle of the ball lighting piece that really says something about the room and features itself. Mixing styles in your home can keep things fresh and alleviates a flat, one-dimensional look, you can use lighting to achieve this whether you want to create a subtle or dramatic design. Below I’m sharing some of my tips for choosing the right lighting for your space and sharing some of my favorite lighting pieces from brands you will see on my tour through the C&D Building on Sunday, April 7 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. I hope to see you there!
Kitchen & Bathrooms
Kitchens and Bathrooms require ambient lighting, which can be found from overhead fixtures and recessed lighting including pendants and flush mounts. I like to add large-scale lighting fixtures or two pendant fixtures above a kitchen island. Don’t be afraid to add additional lighting to these spaces with sconces and table lamps, especially when there is limited natural light. If you need to project more light in the bathroom install lighting fixture that reflects into the mirror and back on the face. Sconces look great near the sink or a table lamp in the corner of the counter to add both lighting and a decorative element, just be careful not to overwhelm a space. In this vacation home bathroom, I used the Hicks Large Pendant Bronze and Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort (Visual Comfort has taken over the entire second floor of the C&D Building).
Photography by Alyssa Rosenheck
Bedroom
Bedrooms are an ideal place for the task and accent lighting, whether you want to create lighting for nighttime reading or make a bedroom feel intimate and cozy no matter the size. The Brooks French Wired Table Lamp from Visual Comfort adds easy access to reading light while in bed and the clear base keeps the side table from feeling too cluttered.
Photography by Alyssa Rosenheck
Living Areas
Create focal points with statement-making pieces in living areas where you will not need as much ambient lighting as bathrooms and kitchens. Mixing styles to keeps things fresh and alleviates a flat, one-dimensional look. Lighting is not only essential but it can be the artwork in the room. In the sitting room below, I added Arteriors Harding Chandelier with its bold lines juxtaposing with the soft textures and curves creating a balance of masculine and feminine features.
Photography by Alyssa Rosenheck
Table lamps are great way to add visual interest and accessorize a tabletop such as this Snail Shell Lamp by Arteriors (in the background).
Photography by Alyssa Rosenheck
Don’t be afraid to blanket a room in a dark color or a room with little to no natural light. Simply add ample light - Use a lampshade that produces a crisper quality of light. A silk or linen shade will do that trick and always use incandescent bulbs. In a larger room painting the ceiling a bright white, then the illumination from lighting will reflect off the ceiling and project more light into the room.
Last but not least, add your own personal touch when adding lighting for a room.
Photography by Alan Berry
