Embrace darker evenings with beautiful lighting. To mark the launch of the new smocked lampshade collection from edit58 x Smock London, edit58’s founder Lisa Mehydene shares her tips for choosing the right lights to create the perfect cosy atmosphere
EDIT58 FOUNDER LISA MEHYDENE AT HOME IN THE COTSWOLDS
Lisa Mehydene is one of those people who just knows instinctively how to dress a room. The founder of interiors platform edit58, she sources rare antique rugs and designs collections of whimsical homewares, often in collaboration with small independent brands, which inevitably go on to become cult pieces.
Now Lisa has turned her attention to lighting, collaborating with Smock London to create a collection of beautiful hand-embroidered lampshade skirts. The delightful pieces feature smocked ‘waistbands’ which hold the soft skirted fabric in place over the Munro & Kerr card lampshade base. Hand-pleated and sewn by artisans, the three fabrics in the collection have their own intricate smocking design and come in two sizes.
We love the feelings of surprise and nostalgia the collection conjures up, and the softness each piece brings to a room. Here, Lisa shares her advice for creating a lighting scheme in your home which is both cosy and welcoming.
For welcoming kitchens…
Lighting each ‘area’ of the kitchen differently will mean that tasks can be carried out safely in a well-lit space whilst ensuring that the room doesn’t feel too cold and functional when you are spending time in it as a family, or hosting long lunches and dinner parties.
Use spotlights sparingly and only where the extra light is really needed. Instead, think about introducing wall lights, pendant lighting and countertop lamps for a gentler, more welcoming effect. Think about adding dimmers so that you can dial the intensity of light up or down as needed and always use LED bulbs – they last longer and are more environmentally friendly.
I often opt for fabric lamp-shades – especially in kitchens – they diffuse the light so well, and being fabric they soften the space. In case of any splashes our Smock London x edit58 ones are super easy to whip off and can be popped into the wash.
For ‘unclinical’ bathrooms…
Bad bathroom lighting does no one any favours when looking in the mirror! Of course bathroom lighting needs to follow safety regulations, but these too can be dressed up and softened with pretty fabric shades instead of glass which can often add to a more clinical feeling space. Again, think about using dimmers to alter the strength of lighting to suit.
For cosy bedrooms & living spaces…
I’ve never been a fan of having the ‘main beam’ on in my home. So much so, that when I renovated our Cotswold barn I did away with the central light fitting in the living room, because I realised we never used it.
Instead I prefer to layer lighting to achieve a warmer, cosier, more homely glow. The more lights you can fit in the better, I say. Mix sizes, heights and lampshade styles and materials for added texture and interest – at home I have a huge mix including vintage sari shades, cotton shades, card shades and brass shades.
Ensure key areas have sufficient lighting – you want your favourite reading spot to be well lit – for example, bedside lamps and a floor light over a favourite reading chair (Jim Lawrence does a great reading light) are crucial.
Plug-in wall lights have really improved in recent times – we have the Original BTC lights above our children’s beds. So look to these if you don’t have room for a bedside light or you don’t want to have to go to the hassle of damaging walls to install one.
For adaptable, place-anywhere lighting…
I would encourage everyone to get a portable rechargeable lamp – they are brilliant. You simply move it around as required (Pooky does a great one). So whilst ours lives in the pantry, I move it onto the zinc central table when I want to create more of a dining table vibe. In summer it gets taken outside for alfresco dinners and drinks and makes the space feel magical. I also love having a portable table lamp on the living room ottoman – it helps to light my evening TV snacks and makes the room feel more chic!
The Elsie collection by edit58 x Smock London is available to buy from edit58.com
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