Lighting 101...

Lighting is a critical component in good design. Whether you are lighting a room, or a whole house. This is IMPORTANT. Consider how much time you spend in your kitchen, for example. Many hours every week, every month, and every year. The thing is this, if you had optimum lighting you would want to spend even more time cooking, chopping preparing and hanging out in your kitchen. Why? Easy. Task lighting, ambient lighting and general lighting all can work together as a team making it not only a joy to cook but wonderful to experience. Task lighting, for chopping, and seeing exactly what is you are doing utilizing a nice down-light ceiling can that illuminates your work space. Ambient lighting can be quiet sconces, that add to the mood. General lighting could be as simple as the illumination from your fan light. It is imperative that you use rheostat's (dimmers, they are easy to install, Lowes has all kinds of choices and sizes). Why? Simple, they will make your rooms sing with grace and beauty. You will have the ability to turn some of your lighting up and other portions down depending upon your mood and your needs.
At "Fantastic House by the Sea" the lighting is knock out gorgeous. The lighting designer really put his thinking cap on. He anticipated how people would inhabit and use the rooms. I particularly love the sweetly lit piece of Art over one of the Fireplaces. The unusual point is that it is lit from below. This changes how color is perceived and illuminates the Art from an unexpected angle.

Lighting is the magic component of a home that is truly exquisite. This house on the Outer Banks has many great components to enjoy, admire and study. Lighting is one of the pulls this residence together and when paired up with color, furnishings and the overall flow and design of this house the inspired lighting makes a huge difference.