The Carpeteria Blog

Are you drawn to light? Would you walk right up to that big window and ignore the darkened space to visit the view? Don’t do that or you would miss a beautiful room that knows how to use its shadows.

Despite the almost complete lack of color, this room has much to keep your interest. Look at the lines of the furniture. The chair with curved arms by the window echoes in the bench by the zebra rug. A candlestick’s spiral, dark against the left side of the window, shows up again in the spindle back of a dining chair.

Two elements make this room shine. One is the amazing wealth of light coming from one direction through the oversized window filling one wall. The second is the flooring that captures and reflects that light into the room with its glossy finish. Despite the floor’s natural dark tone, it serves as another source of light – banishing only some of the shadows.

There is a small surprise of color – the two orange stripes on the sofa’s arm. There may be more but we won’t know about it. Our eyes lose color in darkness thanks to their design. Yet despite the limited color this room has its own fascination. The interplay of light, shadow and line creates a strong design without drawing on color to do it.

Have you thought about how shadows can enrich and add mystery to your home’s design? Don’t be afraid of the dark.

Have you noticed that rooms in magazines have everything perfectly lighted? Special architectural photographers may spend an hour or more setting up a shot and lighting it, and then take dozens of shots from different angles to find the perfect way to show a decorated room at its best.

If we want our homes to look more like the magazines, we need to pay attention to lighting the way professional photographers do.

To start, notice that this photo-shoot combines lights with reflectors. In your home, walls, ceilings and floors can act as reflectors, and windows can serve as lights. You need your living area to look good both during the day and in the evenings. For good daylight in a room, choose window coverings that can open or be raised during the day and closed at night for privacy. If windows get full sun, you may want to consider one of the new adjustable translucent window coverings that can be positioned to bring in light while keeping glare to a minimum.

In the evening, use a combination of overhead lighting, lamps and ceiling spots to create an inviting mood. A plain overhead light may work from a task-lighting standpoint but doesn’t really contribute to the ambience of a room. Look for table lamps and up-lighting from torch lamps to create the look you want.

Mirrors can also distribute light. Positioned opposite a window, mirrors can increase natural light in a room. Choosing light walls or flooring will also brighten a space. Look for shiny or metallic surfaces to reflect light also.

Your home may not be able to match those well-staged photographs in lifestyle magazines, but you can use light and reflections to highlight your home’s best features and create the mood and style you want.

Have you noticed that rooms in magazines have everything perfectly lighted? Special architectural photographers may spend an hour or more setting up a shot and lighting it, and then take dozens of shots from different angles to find the perfect way to show a decorated room at its best.

If we want our homes to look more like the magazines, we need to pay attention to lighting the way professional photographers do.

To start, notice that this photo-shoot combines lights with reflectors. In your home, walls, ceilings and floors can act as reflectors, and windows can serve as lights. You need your living area to look good both during the day and in the evenings. For good daylight in a room, choose window coverings that can open or be raised during the day and closed at night for privacy. If windows get full sun, you may want to consider one of the new adjustable translucent window coverings that can be positioned to bring in light while keeping glare to a minimum.

In the evening, use a combination of overhead lighting, lamps and ceiling spots to create an inviting mood. A plain overhead light may work from a task-lighting standpoint but doesn’t really contribute to the ambience of a room. Look for table lamps and up-lighting from torch lamps to create the look you want.

Mirrors can also distribute light. Positioned opposite a window, mirrors can increase natural light in a room. Choosing light walls or flooring will also brighten a space. Look for shiny or metallic surfaces to reflect light also.

Your home may not be able to match those well-staged photographs in lifestyle magazines, but you can use light and reflections to highlight your home’s best features and create the mood and style you want.