Lighting too often an afterthought, designers say
Most people give priority to furniture when designing their homes but lighting should be top of the list, experts say
Chandeliers are almost always too small for a space, oil-rubbed shades on a lamp can cast the most appealing light and dimmers are vastly under-rated.
Top lighting experts agree that for many homeowners and apartment dwellers, lighting - the location and intensity of it -has traditionally been an afterthought, with the design aspect of lighting only coming into play after the couches and carpets have been picked.
But that is slowly changing, with lighting becoming statement pieces and as designers increasingly educate their clients about the ambience-enhancing value of a strategically placed floor lamp.
"The technical aspects of lighting should be considered from the very beginning - say, if there will be recessed lighting," said Thomas Fuchs, a New York-based designer and founder of high-end lighting and accessory brand Otium, who has created lighting for the Venetian and Bellagio hotels in Las Vegas.
"But the truth of the matter is, I have no problem - other than if I am custom-making something - with lighting being decided at the last minute. I consider it as kind of the jewellery of the project, an accessory."
Still, Fuchs - who also designs barware and other home accessories that are retailed through Amo Eno at the IFC mall in Hong Kong - says that many people in the throes of designing their spaces go into "almost like crisis mode" when the time comes to figure out the lighting.