As we trudge along the dreary path in the month of March, I am reminded of the power of light. I have complained to you before that Cleveland ranks in the top 10 cities with the most cloud cover in the US. I think many of you understand how the cold, grey skies pull us down and how a bright sunny day can pull us up.
Similarly, artificial lighting can greatly enhance a mood. Annie and I love to watch David Tutera create magic in unusual spaces – often enhanced by creative lighting strategies. If I attend a party or a wedding in a social space, I prefer that the lighting be soft and dim. Who likes to dance under fluorescent lights?
In the home, with an unlimited budget, I would create a sophisticated look with recessed lighting and indirect lighting. In the days when I pored over architecture and home design magazines, I loved the looks created by good lighting design.
In fact, if I was 17 again and on the brink of college and a career, I would love to be a lighting designer. Most of you know that I have a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering. This was a promising field, particularly for bright, young women in the early 80’s. I pursued it with the idea that I might also enter med school. I changed my mind about medical school and wasn’t all that crazy about engineering, but there was no turning back.
I began my working life at GE Lighting. I started in a training program in which I completed my M.S. degree and also worked in various departments. At the time, GE was doing some very public lighting projects: the Lincoln Memorial, the Golden Gate bridge, Mount Rushmore and buildings all around the country. I wanted that job and pursued an assignment in the technical marketing department. I didn’t get to design anything but I did begin teaching classes in a state-of-the art customer center in which we demonstrated various lighting techniques. In particular, I taught a fun class about the science of color and light! My interest was brimming so after my M.S. degree I took classes in Interior Design. I was eventually pulled back to the engineering departments but given the opportunity to continue teaching customer groups that came through.
Ultimately, a career path in lighting design would have been possible for me to achieve, but it would have been a long road requiring relocation. As I was building a new life with my husband at the time, I tucked my dream away and sealed it up even tighter with the birth of my oldest son.
I think lighting design would have been an ideal career for me because it combines technical issues with artistic issues. Perhaps I could have studied interior design or architecture. It’s not easy to look into the future when you are a young high school student, which is why I empathize with my own children experiencing these decisions.
Even though I admired gorgeous interiors with beautiful lighting, my house did not have creative lighting design. When we remodeled, we added some recessed lighting in the kitchen and dimmers on many of our lights. Recessed lighting helps put the focus on the room, not on the fixture or the wires.
I enjoy having parties – and even dinner parties – in which I use soft lighting and candle light. It helps to create a cozy, intimate environment.
Do you have any creative ways that you use lighting design in your home or workplace? Share them with me! If you leave me a comment AND you are a follower, you will be entered in a drawing to win $45 from CSN Stores. You can choose any item from any of their stores.
This contest is open to US and Canadian residents and will close on Saturday, March 19th, at 12 Noon EST. Please be sure I have contact information!
Hi Jane- I loved reading this post. It’s find it interesting that although you couldn’t pursue a career as a lighting designer you still ended up working with light as an engineer. I love using unusual lamps and pendants in our house. I also enjoy using various colors of light to create mood. Great giveaway, thanks for the chance to win!
I admit that I’m not at all creative with light or lighting design at our house. I was happy to receive an old-fashioned adjustable floor desk lamp for my birthday one year. I use that at my desk with a daylight bulb in hopes to curb SAD. I knit and crochet at my desk a lot, so that helps.
What a wonderful post, Jane. It was so interesting to learn more about you. I never knew that designing lighting can be a career path.
I’m not very creative with lighting and try to avoid bright lights at all costs. I really like track lighting, but living in an apartment I am limited in what I can do to the ceiling.
It’s been a long time. Love your banner! I am a candle girl through and through. The light that they cast is always lovely.
We love candle light for intimate moments: conversations, dinners, or otherwise. I also throw scarves over lights to change their intensity.
lovelydomesticdiva (at) gmail (dot) com
I have to be honest, I’m just starting to think about lighting in our home. It really does make a difference. My son had one lonely lamp on his bedside table. I just moved it to his dresser and added a old-fashioned curved reading floor lamp by his bed. Now, his room is much more inviting.
We have some cool light stick/strip type things that we use behind the TV to add to the picture quality and it’s just a neat place to have light 🙂
I also follow via GFC
danielleaknapp at gmail dot com
I’m a gfc follower. I use sconces in my bathroom to give it a relaxing and spa like feel.
hewella1 at gmail dot com
I follow you on GFC through my twitter account :). I don’t have any really creative ways I use lighting in my house – I’ve been investigating pretty outdoor lighting recently though 😉 Thanks for the chance at this fun giveaway!
sarah at yesteachercrafts dot com
My best friend majored in interior design and architecture, and I got to follow along with her lighting class- it was really interesting! We don’t really design lighting at our house, but we do prefer table lamps with lower watt bulbs. I like the light to be a little subdued. I feel like I’m being interrogated when I’m around overhead lighting!
totally agree about light!! fact: musicians tend to play on the flat side when it’s overcast outside. thought you might enjoy that 😛
I have such issues with the lighting in my home. We only get sun in the rear of our apartment during mid afternoon. That’s the only time we ever get light.
My sons broke 2 lamps on us already. We have recessed lighting but the dimmer switches don’t work and since we rent we just haven’t gotten around to fixing it. I HATE bright lights. I have strategically figured out a way to put the kitchen light (the dimmer works out there!0 the hallway light, and the light by my front door on so my house has lights on but it’s not too much. I drive my husband crazy with which lights we’re allowed to turn on! 😉
My house is very boaring when it comes to lighting…I like to leave the light on over the kitchen sink and every time DH goes in there he shuts it off and then of course I turn it back on and that is how it goes every day…I have a certain kind of small lamps that I bought for night stands in master bed room and they are perfect for reading when in bed.
I don’t know if this counts for an entry for the give away but that is the only lighting I do in my house 🙂
I follow google connect “anash”
I love candle lit dinners…I love the home ideas on your blog- alot of attention to the “details”..love it
anashct [at] yahoo [dot] com
Just found your blog and am now a follower. Lvoe the candlelit table setting.
I have a himilayan salt lamp that provides gorgeous amber colored light at night-time. It is almost candle-like without the flame. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com
ohh, i love soft lighting as well. no fancy lighting to speak of at school-just good old fashioned flourescent lighting and when the lights are off, the kids freak!