LIGHT UP THE THINGS YOU DO AT HOME

The seasons are changing, so it’s time to rethink how we light our homes to create the right atmosphere for this time of year. In the Northern Hemisphere, when the nights draw in and we – all too often – have to rise before the sun does, getting our lighting right is suddenly a prime concern. But even in the Southern Hemisphere, as days get longer and lights tend to be switched off, rethinking specific task lighting and statement pieces can be a valuable undertaking.

SHOP LIGHTING COLLECTION

All over the world, we are spending more time at home due to the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic and so our spaces have to work harder – the kitchen table is has become somewhere to eat, work and play. Get the lighting right, and the same space can be transformed to support whatever you use it for. You can create the perfect interior, but it’s the lighting that sets the mood and brings our homes – and the people in them – to life.

DRIVEN BY LIGHT

Our internal body clocks are driven by light – the cold, blue morning light helps to wake us up, and the warm, yellow evening light, tells us it’s time to relax, wind down and eventually sleep . Bright lights make our emotions feel more intense, while lower light levels tend to dull them, as anyone who suffers from the winter blues – will tell you. Luckily, GUBI’s Danish heritage means first-hand experience in casting light into the dark shadows of long winter nights.

Winding down with Bestlite

Whether you’re waking up or winding down, choose a wall lamp above your nightstand that combines characterful design with high performance, such as the Bestlite by Robert Dudley Best. The Bestlite Wall Lamp, with its fully adjustable arm, has been focusing light where it’s needed for almost a century.

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Wake up with Gravity

Other nightstand options include the Gravity Bedside Wall Lamp and Table Lamp by Space Copenhagen, the diffused glow of which will rouse you gently from the sweetest dreams and ease you into your day.

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LIGHTING THE WAY

On a functional level, we also need sufficient ambient lighting. Think of your lighting scheme in layers. Start by applying an ambient layer of lighting for the entire room. Then add four or five other points of light throughout the room for different tasks or behaviors, and switch them on or off to create different moods.

Find focus with Gräshoppa

Add a layer of illumination with the Gräshoppa Table or Floor Lamp, designed by Greta M. Grossman, for those focused tasks we all have to find space for within our homes. Directional lighting will ensure you don’t strain your eyes – and you can zone a part-time desk, window seat, or simply one end of the dining table, into a focused space for activities such as writing birthday cards, paying bills, and working from home.

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Relax with Stemlite

You might also want to use lighting to denote spaces for more relaxed activities such as reading, knitting or curling up with a glass of wine and your favorite podcast. Pair an enveloping armchair with the Stemlite Pendant for a confidently curated relaxation zone within a larger room – or turn a breakfast table into the perfect spot for a game of cards with the Stemlite Table Lamp.

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LOOKING GOOD

Directional and accent lights are another way to layer lighting and can be used to highlight interior features or textures to bring depth to an interior scheme. Lamps can, of course, also be decorative objects themselves.

Decorate with Tynell

Paavo Tynell was known for characterful lighting. His 5321 Table Lamp, with its brass shell-like shade, and his 9602 Floor Lamp, with its unlikely pairing of rattan and brass, are show stealers in their own right.

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Bring balance with Gravity

The Gravity Collection, including table and floor lamps, brings a sculptural quality to your home with its poised balance between the heavy marble or steel bases and the delicate, airy shades.

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SOCIALIZING IN STYLE

For all its modern multifunctionality, sometimes you just want to dine on your dining table – and maybe even invite some guests to share it with you. Tidy away the children’s homework, get out your best china, and set the scene with a statement pendant.

Multi-task with the Multi-Lite

The Multi-Lite Pendant by Louis Weisdorf is the ultimate multi-tasker – it conveys a strong sense of identity even when turned off and offers the chance to play with light and shadow when switched on. Rotate its quarter-spherical shades down to flood the ceiling with ambient light, and when it’s time to eat, simply tip them up to focus attention on the food… or your work, or the children’s homework, or whatever comes after the plates have been cleared away.

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Gather under the Semi Pendant

Alternatively, the Semi Pendant’s bold design works brilliantly over a circular table, echoing its form for maximum impact. Designed by Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup, its distinctive arched profile was conceived by placing two crescent shapes back to back.

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