As the nights draw in further this month, we look at ways to illuminate our living spaces for maximum cosiness. Whether ceiling-hung or standalone, thoughtful lighting adds all-important warmth – and puts us in the mood for staying in.
Hallway
With first impressions at stake, the hallway’s the place for a big impact chandelier. Set the mood with bold lighting and your guests will immediately clock your beautiful home before they’ve so much as stepped inside. There’s a wealth of contemporary pieces to choose from, alongside the conventional, so plump for a chandelier to suit your interiors style. For inspiration of the truly aspirational kind, the Hanna chandelier from Essential Home is dripping in drama. With its 25 pendants in black and gold, suspended on black cord cables, it’s one seriously stylish (and warm) welcome. Talk about wow-factor.
From €11,710 (essentialhome.eu)
Living room
Think carefully about illuminating your living space and you can create a wonderfully relaxing room you’ll want to spend quality time in. Zone areas with standard lamps and table lights for evening ambience (choose multiple light sources but go low on wattage), and if you have a favourite armchair, pair it with a floor lamp overhead for the ultimate in snuggliness. Pooky’s floor lamp offering is modern yet timeless with stands as attractive as their craft-driven printed shades. The Frinky floor lamp in hammered bronze, teamed with the ikat printed black and white linen shade would work beautifully in a warm living space.
Base £166 and shade £121 (pooky.com)
Kitchen
The contemporary open-plan kitchen is all about sociability. If yours boasts a large central island you can zone this entertaining space with clever lighting, keeping it separate from the more functional part of the kitchen. Dimmable lighting awards you the flexibility of creating a relaxed dining room feel that brings the family together once you’ve served up your culinary masterpiece. Opt for a row of evenly spaced low-hung pendants for an intimate feel. We love Delightfull’s Ike pendants for their glamorous metallics and slender form – ideal for adding warmth to an otherwise sleek and minimal modern kitchen.
From £477 (shop.delightfull.eu)
Bathroom
Don’t be afraid to go playful with lighting in the bathroom. A grid of recessed ceiling lights might look clean-lined and contemporary, but if you really want to embrace the cosy, choose an imposing pendant that gives the room a focal point, just as you would in a living room set up. Industrial style lighting works well in bathrooms, especially those with a charmingly vintage aesthetic. Davey Lighting offers a range of utilitarian pendants designed for bathroom use. Their extra large quad pendant is our autumnal favourite. The dimmable light, in weathered brass and glass, mimics an antique gas streetlamp.
£945 (uk.originalbtc.com)
Bedroom
Good bedroom lighting is not to be underestimated. It sets us up for a proper wind-down, ensuring a good night’s kip. Forget the overhead – soft lighting from multiple sources is key if you want to achieve that ambient glow – perfect for snuggling up with a bedtime book. The metallics trend is one that keeps on giving, and it’s perfect for autumn/winter, bringing a welcome touch of modern glamour to chilly evenings. Hurn & Hurn’s gold goblet tripod table lamp, with its brass plated steel base that supports a large globular gold-hued shade, will turn your bedroom into a homely sanctuary in an instant.
£120 (hurnandhurn.com)