Not long ago, living in a loft was a privilege that only people living in extremely massive metropolitan areas, like New York, Paris, or London, could utilize. Today, times have changed; people in cities all over the world are reestablishing a culture of loft living that goes much further than just a shared type of living space. Lofts aren’t all cut from the same cloth, but one characteristic that they do share is that of space. Which then begs the question, “How do I make the most out of my space?”
One area that makes a major difference with space is your loft’s lighting. Many lofts rely on natural lighting around the perimeter, but once you start venturing into some of the inside areas, it becomes important to incorporate artificial lighting. Modern light fixtures have become a staple in the trendiest of lofts. Serge Mouille offers a few different options for lighting that will not only impress your guests but give your loft the partitioned feel that is difficult to achieve when tackling a one room space.
The most popular for lofts is a standing floor lamp to accompany your bedside or complement your sleek sofa. This is a divorce from the popularity of ceiling lamps, namely because lofts are known to have higher ceilings. Another elegant option is a desk lamp to pair with your office or work area desk which uses light to create a calming work space. Once you decide to take the plunge into loft-style living, make sure your lighting is not only complementing your space but making it.
Having an interior that meshes well through and through is not only hard to find but hard to pull off. With older living spaces it is very difficult to completely match old interior designs with modern aesthetics. But for those lucky enough to live in newer homes and apartments, your options are much greater and easier to pull off.
Many apartments built in the last few years were designed for the modern dweller in mind, which means techies, young folk, and the hip. They appreciate form as much as function, which is why a simple standing floor lamp that looks out of date just will not cut it anymore. What they want in their decorations and furniture is the seamless melding of the two. It helps that Serge Mouille’s lamps are not only functional, but sleek and very stylish. Built for a new generation of homeowners and tenants, the combination of adequate illumination and attractive design is one that many people have come to appreciate and want in their living spaces.
From floor lamps to wall sconces, you have at your disposal a number of lighting options you can use to decorate your home as well as give it character. Check out our light fixtures today.
Is it possible to overestimate how many metal light fixtures you need in a single space? Although we all look for homes and apartments with ample natural lighting, combining natural light and several modern light fixtures can be a bit overwhelming for our senses.
Having too many lights can cause a number of health-related problems you might not have been aware of. For example, did you know being exposed to too much artificial lighting can decrease melatonin? This substance is important because it controls the human body’s circadian rhythms which regulates our waking and resting periods. When our physiological and mental systems go out of whack, it creates health problems: these include poor sleeping habits, problems regulating blood pressure and glucose levels, hormonal imbalances, and the ability to focus and think.
All of these factors combined can lead to depression. One would think sitting around at night, alone in the dark can make a person even more depressed, but the imbalance caused by having too many lights on at night has an even greater effect.
So before you order modern light fixtures, be sure not to stick too many of them in a single place. And if you’re worried you have too many lights, you can always opt for a lower bulb wattage.
Most reception rooms–whether they are for a medical practice or for a business–tend to be mundane at best. If you don’t even enjoy spending a few moments in your office space, it is time to change it at once! No visitor likes sitting in a reception area for long, and having an area that is not up to snuff can only make the wait seem that much longer. Take a step back, look closely at your reception room and see what you need to change. Here are our suggestions:
- Reception Desk: Make sure the desk you buy is in line with the overall decor of the office, and it is the first thing people see. A circular desk is more inviting, but see what works best with the other office furniture.
- Chairs: Besides style, the most important feature is comfort. Guests never know how long the wait will be, so new, comfy chairs and couches that match the decor is a good investment. While you are at it, add a coffee table piled with magazines related to your field or business. Make sure these are current subscriptions.
- Lighting: Replace old lights with modern light fixtures. A ceiling lamp, standing floor lamp, and a light for the reception desk are key.
After finally finding an apartment to call home, you have to furnish it. But what do you do when space is limited? While you cannot live in a barren apartment, you also cannot have too many pieces of furniture that will cram up the space. Here is what we recommend.
- A Loveseat: Buy a couch that can fit two people comfortably. Any larger and you will fill up the space too quickly before you placed the other furniture. Your best bet: buy a couch that can fold out into a bed for guests.
- Small Table: You can use this table to do work as well as dine on. Purchasing any furniture with multiple purposes is always a smart buy when space is limited.
- Lamp: Invest in a standing floor lamp. A lamp with one to three heads will provide ample light while taking up little space. The head will swivel allowing you to shine as much light as you can in the area. You can buy a smaller desk lamp for your bedroom or sleeping area.
- A Two-Sided Grill: By this we mean the famous George Foreman Grill. If you are not in the mood to cook a traditional meal with the oven, the grill can cook a number of meats and vegetables in a short amount of time. It is also quite portable.
Most people either forgot or do not realize modern lighting is an important part of how your living space looks and feels. In fact, lighting can either accentuate or diminish the color scheme of the room. It all depends on how you use them. Here are a few things to keep in mind when using light fixtures.
You want to have multiple light sources, especially in larger spaces like the living room. A single light source is not enough to light the whole room since the light will dissipate exponentially, creating uneven illumination that is unattractive. However, a single light source can work if you have a fireplace or you are using a ceiling lamp with several heads. Otherwise, at least two light fixtures should be considered.
The size and number of lights should always be factors. For example, larger lights are best used for larger gatherings of people, and really opens up the space. To make a room more intimate, use smaller fixtures like table lamps. Even the types of bulbs you use make a difference. Use “cooler” light bulbs to make the space feel as if it is more spacious. “Warmer” bulbs create a cozy atmosphere that is more inviting.
If you have a large house with a number of long hallways, you know how hard it is to light them properly. Floor lamps will not work because the bigger the hallway, the less light will reach the farthest corner of the space. Ceiling lamps could work but can make for uneven lighting with one section of the hallway getting more lighting than the others. This can be quite jarring and unappealing to the eye. What is your best option? Use wall sconces along the hallway.
Since wall sconces are small and its illumination is much more limited than other types of lights, you will want to use more than one along the wall. Attach the lights to switches on both ends of the hall. If you have high ceilings, 12 feet or higher, you want to install your sconces no lower than 7 feet. But if your ceilings are not that high, you can go as low as 5-1/2 feet from the floor. Wall sconces should not be placed more than 8 feet from each other unless you are going for a very ornate or specific look. If you have archways or similar entryways interspersed in the hall, you can place a sconce at the center point, just as long as you follow the previous rules about spacing.
Natural lighting can be hard to come by, especially if you live in an apartment and not a house. The less natural light, the tougher it is to compensate in the room. However, the addition of ample modern light fixtures can more than make up for the loss.
For a room with only two windows that sees direct sunlight, a single standing floor lamp should provide enough light. Place the floor lamp in the corner; a lamp with a single bulb illuminates the room adequately enough. The arm is accentuated, meaning you can move it around and customize the lighting as you see fit. You could add a desk lamp for use as a reading lamp, which will come in handy at night.
But for rooms with only one window, two lamps are ideal. You can combine a floor lamp with a desk or table lamp, a desk lamp with a ceiling lamp, or a ceiling lamp with a floor lamp. You might be able to pull off just a floor lamp, provided it has three arms.
For rooms with no windows, using two lights is recommended. Use a standing floor lamp as the main source of lighting with a desk or ceiling lamp to accentuate it.
Serge Mouille’s lighting designs are regarded as mid-century modern classics; striking yet refined, crisply rendered in shapes and lines that are most often described as sculptural. As such, they are often the highlight of the modern interior. But what about other interiors? As you can see in the photos below, the very qualities that make the lamps modern classics also make them classic in a general sense, and thus suited to being paired with a surprising range of styles.
Photos: Palm Beach Condo designed by Bob Patino and Vincente Wolf in the late 90′s. Photos Courtesy of James Butler
Having a den in your home can imbue any homeowner with a measure of pride, so why not give it some ambiance that welcomes everyone who enters it?
Dens tend not to have access to natural lighting when compared to the other rooms in the home, so budget for at least two modern light fixtures. Place a floor lamp at the corner of a room to allow illumination to spread throughout the whole space. For end tables next to chairs and shelves, you can add table lamps and desk lamps to either accentuate or provide additional lighting to the room on a smaller scale.
If you want more centralized lighting in your den, we recommend a ceiling lamp connected to a dimmer. The dimmer will allow you to control how much light is being used in the room; you can use high illumination to entertain guests, or low illumination for movie nights. If you have a bar area in your den, wall sconces, also connected to a dimmer, will add a lot of character to the area.
Serge Mouille has a variety of modern light fixtures to not only provide adequate lighting to the den, but style as well. With modern lighting, customers can enjoy more space thanks to smaller designs and fixtures that resemble artwork rather than drab accessories.
