Material Monday: Restless Design reviews a different material weekly & discusses its virtues.
Light up your life.
Natural light is the most precious thing you can have in any space. Never underestimate its power, every effort should be made to maximise natural light.
Interiors by RESTLESS DESIGN_
Light & Window treatments
- Always consider what you need your window treatments to do. Is it to provide privacy? Then opt for a sheer, this shields you from the outside world but allows light through in an elegant fashion. Avoid fussy details; light flowing in is your main accessory. If you find your windows don’t provide you with the natural light you crave then it might be time to replace them! Here is all you need to know about replacement windows if this is something you would consider doing.
- Do you require shade from intense light? You may want to consider slatted blinds. Be aware of the overall impact blinds like this will have on your space, if they are timber for example, you will be blocking a significant proportion of light across your windows. You may think that something as straightforward as how much light you want your room to have doesn’t need much thought, but you’d be surprised. It can make all of the difference, especially when it comes to finding the best window blinds for your space. That’s why you need to think about how much light you want your room to have, and once you have done so, it could make picking your blinds a lot easier. Note: louvres angled slightly downwards towards the floor allow the most light in! Keep in mind that the colour of the louvres will reflect into your room so be conscious of this impact.
Light & Colour
- Paler colours will bounce the light. This doesn’t have to be beige or cream, try a pale lemon on the ceiling for example, or hues of warm grey.
- Darker colours will absorb the light- This is not something to be afraid of, you just need to decide (or get advice on) whether it is appropriate for your space
- Bright colours will reflect in a space. Choose one wall for a statement colour, use a neutral colour elsewhere. This causes an illusion due to reflection, the neutral coloured walls look like a lighter version of the accent colour.
Light & Materials
- Light can be maximised through clever use of materials. Mirror as an obvious choice will always create an illusion of more light. Our advice here? Be careful with mirrors; they should always reflect something pretty or interesting. So try to place them in front of windows, artwork, open spaces etc.
- Have a look at other reflective materials, maybe wallpaper? Steer clear of metallic papers, they will date your home quickly; instead try something with a sheen.
Light & Light
- Try not to over light your space; always use the lowest wattage that feels comfortable.
- Do your research on energy saving bulbs; the technology has advanced greatly in recent years. Older bulbs have a cold light that is both unflattering to spaces & people. Always remember, daylight reveals colour; artificial light drains it, so make sure your artificial light brings warmth & ambience to your space.
- Know your bulbs!
Fluorescent lighting is for task lighting, casting very little shadows it can give a washed out feeling if not used correctly.
Warm white light LED & low voltage lighting is currently the closest we get to natural light. This type of lighting in key areas is what will make your interiors pop & sparkle.
Use different lighting to accent different spaces & create moods in various zones. If you aren’t too sure about what lights to get then a range of modern floor lamps can be found online here to give you a better idea of what you could get.
For example: feature floor lamps, pendant lighting clusters above dining areas, under cabinet lighting in kitchen, beautiful desk lighting…..
Interiors by RESTLESS DESIGN_
Written by Aoife Rhattigan, Creative Director at RESTLESS DESIGN_ & Presenter of RTE’s Design Doctors.
RESTLESS DESIGN_ can help you with your refurbishment project.
Please contact our team at 01-430955 or email: [email protected] to discuss your requirements with us