24
May 2019

Lighting Tips for Fall

Q. As darker days approach, how can we adjust our lighting to keep our home comfortable and well-lit?

Light fixtures and bulbs can have a huge impact on your mood, productivity, and the coziness of your living space. This is true all year long. But during the transition from summer to fall, lighting issues are particularly noticeable. Walkways and interiors can suddenly feel dramatically dimmer. And you may feel like you’re constantly chasing the illumination you need to cook, work, help with homework, or put on makeup. With some smart changes, however, you can brighten your home — and your outlook.

 

Start Outside. Adjust any timers on your exterior lights to accommodate the changes in daylight. If your walkways feel tough to navigate even when porch lights and lamp posts are on, consider incorporating path lighting — either 18-inch-tall posts or fixtures recessed into the pathway or its environs — to help you get safely in and out of the house. Remember that a little light goes a long way outdoors; 40-watt-equivalent bulbs typically work best. Anything brighter can actually make it harder to see.

Layer your light. A room needs a mix of light sources at different levels to create a warm glow and ensure you can see what you’re doing. These layers include ambient illumination from decorative fixtures such as a chandelier, pendants, or flush-mounts, as well as accent and task lighting — typically some combination of recessed or track fixtures, sconces, under-cabinet units, cove lights, and table or floor lamps. At this time of year, you may need to beef up your task lighting, bringing in an extra reading lamp or adding a fixture in a spot where you sew or do puzzles. When only one light source is used, as is sometimes the case with recessed fixtures, you get pockets of light and darkness that make the area difficult to navigate — and impossible to read in.

Assess lampshades. Consider swapping dark fabric shades, or older white ones that have yellowed, for crisp new ivory or white shades to bring more ambient illumination into your rooms. If you favor colored-glass shades, you may want to supplement with an extra fixture to brighten up your space. Clear-glass shades, meantime, can allow too much light to escape, causing glare and making a room feel shadowy, if not paired with proper bulbs — no more than 40-watt-equivalents on a dimmer are best.

Turn up the temp. Light bulb boxes indicate a color temperature, labeled K for Kelvin temperature. In general, but particularly at this time of year, opt for bulbs with a 2700K or 3,000K  rating, which provide a universally flattering, warm-white light. Anything higher is going to have a cooler, bluish-white cast that can make your home feel as chilly as a feebly lit landscape on a winter’s day.

 

Fogg Lighting, Hubbardton Forge New Town
Hubbardton Forge, New Town

17
May 2019

Light Imitating Art

Q: I’m looking for fixtures with a wow-factor to enliven my rooms. What do you suggest?

A: Many lights on the market today are, quite literally, works of art. Expertly designed and skillfully executed by metalsmiths and glassworkers, these fixtures read like sculptures in a room. Turning them on heightens the drama, as partially shielded, diffused, or angled beams create intriguing shadows in your space. When selecting a form-over-function fixture, just be sure to supplement with layers of task and accent lightingto produce even illumination in the room and ensure you can see what you’re doing. As for my favorite statement makers, I’ll let these images do (most) of the talking.

Crescent Pendant

Down-lit arcs of heat-textured steel studded with decorative cuffs crisscross in a Calderesque feat of asymmetry and balance. Choose from eight finishes for the canopy and cuffs.

Hubbardton Forge Crescent Pendent Fogg Lighting
Hubbardton Forge

Duet Pendant

Inspired by ikebana, a Japanese form of flower arranging that emphasizes minimalism and stems and leaves as much as blossoms, this fixture has interwoven steel strands emanating from bud vase-like domes. Choose from eight canopy finishes and platinum or gold for the ball accents.

Hubbardton Forge Duet Pendent Fogg Lighting
Hubbardton Forge

Icarus Pendant

The Greek myth of Icarus — the boy who flew too close to sun on wax-and-feather wings — sparked this fanciful avian design. Choose from eight canopy finishes and “spun frost” (shown) or “cork” for the shades.

Hubbardton Forge Icarus Pendant Fogg Lighting
Hubbardton Forge

Theta LED Pendant

A sculptural textured-steel and polished-aluminum ring, fairly levitating in its lighted base, effects an abstract sunrise. Choose from eight canopy finishes and platinum or gold for the textured accents.

Hubbardton Forge Theta LED Pendant Fogg Lighting
Hubbardton Forge

Celesse Sconces

These streamlined steel fixtures (literally) turn classic candle sconce forms on their heads. Rotate the bases and rings to alter the positioning and look. Choose from eight canopy finishes and platinum or gold for the rings.

Hubbardton Forge Celesse Sconces Fogg Lighting
Hubbardton Forge

Crystal Bakehouse Sconces

Handcrafted crystal “river stones” are baked and annealed in massive seeded-glass blocks that create a glowing gallery effect on your wall. Choose from interior and exterior fixtures in silver and bronze finishes.

Fine Art Lamps Crystal Bakehouse Sconces Fogg Lighting
Fine Art Lamps

Constellation Chandelier

Transform your room into a skyscape with a futuristic satin-nickel fixture available in “Aquila Major” (shown), “Aquila Minor,” “Ursa Major,” and “Ursa Minor” configurations. LEDs radiate through smooth white domes or sparkle through multi-faceted diffusers (your choice).

Sonneman Light Constellation Chandelier Fogg Lighting
Sonneman Light

Dickinson Floor Lamp

Comprised of a brass stem and filaments bejeweled with glass accents, this glam allium-like lamp blooms wherever its marble base is planted.

Visual Comfort Dickinson Floor Lamp Fogg Lighting
Visual Comfort & Co.

Sierra Buffet Lamp

Rustic meets refined in this organic lamp, composed of a polished metal base that resembles petrified wood crowned with a paper shade. Choose from “gild” (shown), “burnished silver-leaf” and “plaster-white” finishes.

Visual Comfort Sierra Buffet Lamp
Visual Comfort & Co.

Convector Table Lamp

Fringed edges give this classic silhouette, rendered in an antique zinc finish, a kinetic quality. A rectangular paper shade underscores the artful geometry.

Visual Comfort Convector Table Lamp Fogg Lighting
Visual Comfort & Co.

Triptic Pendant

Traditional lantern forms are reimagined in steel trapezoidal shapes with cutouts that conjure sections of stained glass. Downlights brighten the edges of the frames, bringing depth to the composition.

Hubbardton Forge Triptic Pendant Fogg Lighting
Hubbardton Forge

10
May 2019

Fogg Lighting Style Guide

“When I walk into a lighting store and look at fixtures online, I am literally dazzled by the options. How do I zero in on the best styles for my home?”

Lighting provides an obvious and important function in the home, and we spend a lot of time advising clients on the proper size and placement of fixturesthe best-performing bulbs, and how to combine different types of lights to create a flattering glow while ensuring you can see what you’re doing. But as anyone who has ever marveled at a chandelier like the one above knows, lighting can also be a heck of a lot of fun. Designers frequently refer to pendants, sconces, and lamps as the “jewelry” in a space. Like a statement necklace or pair of glittery earrings, an eye-catching fixture can transform your ensemble. As for which accessories your rooms should “wear,” we’ve pulled together looks to suit a range of tastes.

Transitional

Bridging the gap between classic and contemporary, transitional fixtures match familiar materials and forms with a streamlined sensibility that works with any decor.

Modern Farmhouse

Simple shapes paired with a vintage and/or an industrial vibe — think hand-blown glass and matte metal — are the hallmarks of the popular modern farmhouse look.

Contemporary

Sleek and unexpected are the watchwords when it comes to this sky’s-the-limit style, which encompasses silhouettes ranging from organic to futuristic.

 

3
May 2019

Surface Lighting Strategies

Q: What’s the appropriate size and height for fixtures that will hang over tables and countertops?

A: The size of your room and your personal taste are the primary factors that determine fixture size. Some lights that are minimalist and small might look lost in a large, cathedral-ceilinged space, while those that have a strong presence may appear overbearing in a compact room with standard eight-foot-high (or lower) ceilings. Often your best strategy is to have a companion hold a fixture, or a cardboard mockup of one, over the surface, then stand back and see how the pairing looks to you. The following recommendations are to help you along the way.

Typically, kitchen and dining room fixtures should be adjusted so that their bottom edges hover 30 to 36 inches above the countertop or table. The taller the ceiling, the higher they can hang. Make sure the fixtures are high enough so that you can see under them and won’t bump your head on them. The size of your kitchen island will determine the number and size of pendants to use. Odd numbers look more balanced than even numbers, but a small island might only need two pendants. In a dining room, opt for a fixture that’s about one-half to three-quarters the width of the table.

The best lighting for a bathroom is a pair (or row) of sconces mounted at about head height beside the mirror(s) — generally 68 to 70 inches above the floor. The next best choice is a sconce above the mirror. Your goal is to illuminate the face and minimize shadows under the eyes and chin.

Keep in mind the result you want to achieve when selecting your lights. Minimal glare is always desirable. You can also supplement decorative fixtures with task or accent lighting. Layers of light produce even illumination in a space, while providing lighting for essential tasks.

Here’s a sampling of some of our favorite fixtures for lighting tables and counter tops: