You flipped open your Macbook to check a few emails, and 2 hours slipped by. Got friends coming in an hour, need to get ready.
Shove your laptop in the drawer. Better feed Hector and take him for a trot round the block.
You get back, Hector’s happy and settled in his basket. The wine’s breathing, nibbles in the oven, and the Sonos is playing. Ready just in time.
You dim the lights, and flumph on the sofa. But it doesn’t quite have the right feel. Like the sumptuous hotel you stayed at in Buenos Aires.
How do you transform your daytime living space, into a warm relaxed evening ambience?
It’s all about the lighting, and side lamps are the perfect choice.
Create the ambience
To create a relaxed evening feel, you could turn down the overhead lights. This’ll give you a low light level, but it’s flat and uniform. There’s no atmosphere.
For a laid-back mood you need separate lights that can be individually controlled. Side and table lamps are perfect for this.
Designed in 1978 and reminiscent of architectural columns is Lari, an iconic table lamp made from a single piece of mouth blown glass mounted on a black lacquered base. Karakter
Placed on any flat surface they create pools of light across a room. Choose ones without shades to give a soft glow with no hard shadows.
A concealed LED in the wooden base of Pigreco is diffused by the frosted glass sphere. Place the sphere in any orientation to change the light's projection. One of many innovative designs from Davide Groppi
The golden rule
And it’s not just about having side lamps you can turn on or off. You want versatility to vary light levels across the room. Brighter where guests are sitting, with moody low lit areas in between.
Blurring the boundaries between art and design is Say My Name from the Norwegian brand Northern. Each is uniquely created by master glassblowers in Venice. Available in matte white and glossy or matte smoked grey.
The golden rule to create this effect? Every light must be dimmable. The more flexibility the better.
Inspired by autumn days hunting for mushrooms, the Karl-Johan lamp makes you want to curl up with a book beside it's soft glow. Also available with a black marquina base and smoked glass from New Works
Make it warm
Ever popped into a mini-mart on holiday? You step from sun drenched Greek island into what feels like the North Pole. And it’s not just the air con. The lights are cold white and searingly bright.
If you’ve heard of warm and cold light, here’s how it works.
Rest lamp makes you want to do just that. Sitting on a ring of marble it emits an ambient light, bringing a gentle glow to your room. Ferm Living
The lights in your home emit white light, but it isn’t pure. Like a Little Greene paint chart there’s everything from yellow white to blue white. This is called it’s temperature.
Yellow white lights are a warm light but are classed as low temperature. Blue white lights are a cold light but are classed as high temperature. Confusing as you’d imagine it the other way round. A great example’s white Christmas lights. They can look warm and yellow or icy and blue.
The Danish brand Le Klint bring us the elegant Cylinder lamp with a hand pleated shade attached to a contrasting black oak base. The small version is ideal for shelves, windowsills and side tables.
In your home you want to be relaxed. You don’t want cold light. Nobody wants to feel like they’re at the dentist! So choose bulbs at the warm end of the spectrum.
How do you know which bulbs are right? Look for the K number. Not to get too technical but every light has a temperature rating measured in Kelvin. The lower the number the warmer the light. Anything under 3000K is warm and perfect for your home.
Two half spheres of blown opal glass are joined by a metal ring to make Palma. This dimmable lamp just radiates warm golden light. Vibia
Position
You’ve a selection of lights, but where do you put them? Don’t let the electric socket dictate the position of the light. It should be the other way round.
At Studio Hazeldean we carefully plan where side and table lamps go to create the right mood. Then place sockets appropriately.
Knot, a strikingly original series of lamps from the Czech brand Brokis. The coarse rope appears to pull the glass inwards and casts interesting shadows when placed in different positions.
Positioning your lights in certain places creates different effects.
Out in the open on a coffee table, gives a general light with no shadows. Next to a pale wall reflects light into the room and increases it’s intensity. A dark wall absorbs light to create a moody atmosphere.
You can also create focal points by accenting interesting objects or architecture. For example, uplighting a plant or casting light across an archway.
A soft form inspired by the segments of a fruit, Persimon emits an even glow in all directions. Perfect for low level light across a wide area. Fogia
Ultimate versatility
For total flexibility you can now get cable free table lamps. This makes them fully portable.
Nox wins for innovation. Placed on any Qi compatible pad it charges by induction and lasts 15 hours. No need for wires, ever. Carry it anywhere, indoors or outdoors, and adjust the illumination with the concealed touch dimmer at the top. A lantern for the 21st Century. Astep
Place them anywhere and create unlimited layouts. Move then between rooms or even outside.
Capturing the golden glow of the Tuscan city of Lucca, this elegant lamp can be used indoors or outdoors for up to 12 hours. Charged via a USB cable and available in maroon, moss or black metal from &Tradition
Charge them in the day and they’ll last a whole night. Perfect for late evening soirées.
With a brushed brass base, elegant light column and no cable, Bugia is ideal for placing away from the wall on a small table. Charged via a micro-USB it lasts 9 hours. Davide Groppi
Creating a relaxed evening ambience is all about the right lighting, and side lamps are the perfect option.
They give soft pools of light exactly where you want them, with moody low lit areas in between.
Choose ones with warm bulbs and without shades to give you a glow with no hard shadows. And always make sure they’re dimmable to achieve the right balance.
So invest in stylish side lamps and create that warm relaxed mood in your home.
