Seeing as the sun has graced us with a bit more each day, let’s talk lighting this month. With the lack of light in the winter, most of us turn to sugar, caffeine or shopping to get us through the dull, grey days. But what if I told you that just investing in some gorgeous lighting would affect your mood far more than any of those fixes? It’s true.

If I had to name the one thing that clients neglect but which makes a colossal difference in any space, it would be lamps. Low, structured, opulent lamp light acts like the frame on an artful corner. Or, it can create a corner in the middle of nothing with its tender blush of light. Allow the luminescence to pull you into a  chair and melt into its soft hum. And while I adore gorgeous chandeliers and pendants, they do not come close to offering the same intimacy gradient that every well planned space needs to feel welcoming. Lighting from chandeliers and pendants shout one thing, lamps whisper another. Sconce lights are breathy punctuation but that’s another blog.

Now let’s talk beauty. Don’t just reuse your mother’s old lamps unless she happens to be my mother. And don’t think you can go out and buy one or two generic lamps for $30 each and feel inspired. Lamps should be works of art from the base to the shade and you need groupings not one per room.  And please, throw away anything other than a silk shade. You deserve nothing less in the sanctuary you call home. Considering they are a lifetime possession for most of us, invest in something you LOVE.