lamps | Color Calling

High/low Great Lamps

One of my favorite recent projects has been helping my young adult daughter with her very first apartment.

I am loving these Chris-Spitz look-alikes from Overstock:

Can you tell which, above, is the

Christopher Spitzmiller Aurora Double Gourd Marbleized Lamp
$2,665.00 (EACH!!!)

and which is from Overstock.com ($144.99 per pair)?

Ellen

April 1, 2015 | Categories: Chinoiserie, lamps, Residential styling | Tags: accessories, Chinoiserie, lamps | Leave a comment

Are lamps out of style?

Judging by the last few issues of the design magazines I regularly read, the answer would be yes. There are certainly a very few table lamps in sight.

But, get real!

Overhead-only lighting –especially when viewed at night — is one of the real decorating “don’ts.” Fortunately, beautiful lamps and sconces are readily available at a variety of price points.

And, if I have any magazine editors reading today, please give us a little more real life and a little less photographic perfection.

A perfect fire-lit room, gorgeous upholstery and carpet, beautiful drapery and …..no lamps, just a few pot-lights on the ceiling?

Here is a room properly lighted, see how there is lamp or sconce lighting on each side of the room? So pretty and warm.

Source: housebeautiful.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Out of the current pictures on the living room page of the House Beautiful website, look at all these living rooms with few or no lamps:

Source: housebeautiful.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Dear Editors: Please show us rooms which are both beautiful AND properly lighted!

October 3, 2012 | Categories: lamps, Residential styling | Tags: lamps, lighting | 1 Comment

As a color expert, sometimes what is perceived to be a paint issue turns out to be a lighting issue. When possible, I like to have light available in each corner of a room. There is nothing like a nice lamp with the correct shade to enhance everything else about the room, and to cast a warm glow which makes moods, complexions, and everything about the room look right. My personal favorite style of lampshade is an English silk pleated shade which has a tonal stripe look when lighted.

Source: antiquelampshop.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Sometimes you can break the rules and have a fabulous space. Look here, I can’t really explain why this works, but it does. It looks like the designer did a great job with using a lot of pinky-beige undertones in the carpet and wall-covering, which really ramp up and enhance the clean strong purples. Great floor lamp! (the smaller lamp doesn’t work, though, it’s way too small and looks like an afterthought)