See the Light, not the fixtures! Less is More!

I know how I feel when I am faced with a ceiling full of recessed lighting fixtures and it is not pleasant. Especially when the fixtures are the tradiitonal builder-style 5 or 6 inch cans. To me, this looks like a ceiling that is suffering from "lighting acne."

Recessed lighing (aka hi - hats) is a wonderful general or ambient lighting solution. Recessed light fixtures can also serve as a source of accent lighting to illuminate artwork or wash a wall with light. They can be fixed or adjustable. We can discuss this more in another posting.

I urge all of you to work with your own Designer and/or electrician to carefully lay out recessed lighting. I would also like to recommend that you specify 3.5" diameter fixtures, rather than the traditional larger diameter cans you find at the home improvement store. Use less, rather than more fixtures. Low voltage fixtures emit powerful clean beams of light. This type of light also uses less energy! A bonus!

Please remember that general or overall illumination is just one layer of lighting. Use only what you need to move through the space. Then, add other layers such as accent lighting and task lighting in the form of table lamps, floor lamps, uplights or sconces. This will create a well-balanced feeling in the space.

I would also recommend that you place all fixtures on dimmers so that you can control the amount of light and the mood that the various lighting solutions will create.

Then--enjoy!

The Power of Design

Hello Everyone and welcome to my blog!

As an Interior Designer and a Professor at FIT, I am constantly surprised, energized, awed and challenged by the world around me.

Living in New York presents a wealth of opportunities for both the Professional Designer and the Design Enthusiast in all of you! I am sure that some of you are aware of the building boom occurring here in our City. Many of the world renowned architects and designers of the 20th and 21st Century have been very busy over the last few years designing and constructing both iconic office and residential buildings. While some of them have certainly created controversy, all have raised the awareness of the public to the power of design and architecture.

Last Christmas, my husband and I were driving on the West Side Highway, heading back home after his Business Christmas Party. He was driving so I had the distinct pleasure of gazing at the water on one side and all of the new construction on the other. Right before my eyes, the most incredible building materialized. An organic, glass curtain wall that changed shape as it climbed the building. I had read that he had finished the IAC Headquarters (Barry Diller's Media Company) on the West Side and having studied the work of this architect, I knew that it was Frank Gehry's work the moment I laid eyes on it. I was literally blown away by the undulating curves and the milky white glass curtain facade. Then the surprise----the glass began to change from white to green to orange.....the whole lobby was flooded in color.

Design and architecture can pack a powerful punch. Expertly executed, it can evoke emotions, questions and a sense of awe in the viewer and the user of the space. Whether one likes the style of the building or design, the more you have seen and learned, the more you will appreciate the genius, creativity and originality of a great design.

I happen to love Gehry's work. Not everyone will. However, to appreciate his innovative use of materials, color, texture, light and other elements of design, you can understand the genius behind his work. He has created a brand. His mark, his style, and you can easily recognize his work all over the world including Bilbao, Spain; Los Angeles, CA; and now in New York City.

If you want to see some images and read more about the building process, click on the link below:

http://www.realestatejournal.com/propertyreport/office/20060113-silver.html

Stay tuned for more design stories and commentary!