Take a LIGHTING trip around the world with me.
Are you up for quick trip around the world?
I have a plan. Let’s travel for free.
RIGHT NOW.
No need to pack a bag, and hustle to the airport.
No need to scramble and find your passport.
You can chill, grab a cup o’ java, and take a world tour right before your eyes.
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Mykonos, Greece
It has only been a few moments and already we traveled from Copenhagen to Mykonos AND we are about to land in Amsterdam.
Landing….
Marriott Hotel, Amsterdam
~In my eyes~
Travel is synonymous to Design.
I see an idea here, I see another one there, and I gather all the pieces together to inspire design spaces.
This next photo is truly LIGHTING.
{ Although you may not be able to tell from first glance }
It’s a full WALL cut out, layered in faux fur with blue glass backdrop and then back-lit…..
Marriott Hotel, Amsterdam
Anyone who has followed my blog in the past will notice that travel truly inspires my design life.
I also travel so I can gather stamps in my passport :).
Yup, I am weird like that.
Milan, Italy
I have no idea why my heart beats a million times per second in a customs line.
I scare MYSELF with my thoughts.
I am usually innocent.
I pack dangerous interesting goods in my luggage.
Like bathroom faucets.
And push button lighting switches.
No kiddin’.
Either way, if I am going to put myself through such fright in a customs line, I want a stamp in my passport to prove I did it.
Kinda like getting a gold star from a primary school teacher. Clearly, I was deprived of gold stars as a child. :)
Chandelier Photo shot with the Cartoonatic App on my phone
So, since I took one for the team by putting those travel miles on and sweating it out at customs…
It is only fair that we should all benefit from the lighting treasures from around the world.
Avignon, France
My nerves in a custom line, clearly means that I would never make a great drug dealer.
Guilt would be written all over my face.
Thankfully that equals = I was meant to be a designer.
Drug free I might note; Mr. Customs dude.
Dear Mr. Customs officer :
Be nice to me, I just want to travel and take design pictures.
You’re a jerk face. You scare the bejesus outta me. Just sayin’.
I have a funny feeling I am going to be searched on my next travel adventure.
Maybe strip searched.
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Jokes, jokes.
Now I am really sweating.
Four Seasons Hotel, Florence, Italy
Travel opens our minds & hearts to different ideas and a different outlook.
It can inspire so many avenues in our lives.
One of which is
LIGHTING
Lighting can make or break a room.
I forgot where I took this photo ! Old age ?! or what ?!
Another important aspect of the lighting fixture is the BULB. Poor bulbs, they are often forgotten. They are the little detail that make the big difference.
If I grow a wild hair and want a splurge….
My SPLURGE in light bulbs is the Edison Bulb.
The filament of that bulb makes my mind run wild in excitement.
The Edison Bulbs are FAB in a light fixture where your bulb is a focal point.
If you see that bulb, make it a beauty.
I currently have my eye on these puppies at West Elm….
West Elm pendant lights with Edison Bulbs
I also have an appreciation for lighting that is “outside the box”.
An item, used differently …AS A LIGHT.
Creative thinking.
I would want to make sure that this particular style of light was seriously SECURED to the wall.
Winery in France
Kudos to the winery in France for using their tools of the trade to create their lighting. Don’tcha think?
Chateauneuf de Pape Winery in France
They get bonus points for thinking creatively with their lighting.
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{pretend that is a gold star}
There are some pretty cool sites out there that can teach you how to create lighting from funky items.
Ikea Hackers is a neat site where you can see Ikea items repurposed into different uses.
Turn a pot upside down, and VOILA…you have a light.
An innovative idea from Ikea Hackers ~ Sweden
The beauty of lighting is also the ambience.
Lighting can invoke so many emotions/ feelings. Like this next photo :
Well…maybe our feelings were invoked by the copious bottles of Champagne that we drank on New Years Eve.
I can’t remember.
* Hiccup * Hiccup *
New Years Eve in Thailand
Oh, and the romance is dripping from this one…
Bali Cafe, Bali, Indonesia
Again, Kudos to Robert Nollet {lighting designer} for creating a light from chains. Every single time I set foot in the Bali Cafe, I can’t help but spend most of my time staring at the light fixtures.
Uhhm, and sipping beer. The beer helps to keep my focus.
Bali Cafe, Bali, Indonesia
Outdoor lighting can also make or break a space.
Often, the lighting can be the one element that catches our eye.
From a retail store perspective, a focal point of lighting can be what draws a customer in.
Florence, Italy
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Florence, Italy
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Even the simplest of designs can be ‘ attention getters ‘
Lucca, Italy
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Florence, Italy
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Avignon, France
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Florence, Italy
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Avignon, France
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Paris, France
The surprising fact is that lighting if often overlooked and sometimes a last-minute add on.
Maybe because we are all worn out from our reno ?!
Hang in there, and make that lighting work for your space.
It is worth it. I promise.
JK Hotel, Florence, Italy
Every style of lighting has its place.
Industrial style lighting can be so simply stated, and works in clean lined areas for a snappy effect.
Jamie Oliver Restaurant, London, England
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Jamie Oliver Restaurant, London, England
Think about how the lighting makes you FEEL when you walk in a space.
Remember how the natural light of a space made you feel, and try to mirror that feeling.
Dubai, UAE
Warmth and comfort….mirrored….
Westin Excelsoir, Florence, Italy
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A room is like a stage. If you see it without lighting, it can be the coldest place in the world~ Paul Lynde
Merry Ho Ho Season to everyone.
I’m off to place some twinkle lights all over our home.
It will be like the Griswald’s here shortly.
Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
Cheers!
Lynne
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