Lighting Journal

Clear or Opal Glass Chandelier? Choose by the View and the Drop

Clear and opal glass change what you see in daylight and after dark. Compare the whole fixture, its bulb view and its installed...

A foyer pendant has to look right from the doorway and leave room to walk under it. Start with clearance, then choose the diame...

A mounting range is a useful starting point. The real fit test is the full fixture outline, door swing and the route people walk.

Warm light can be useful in an evening bedroom, but a Kelvin label alone cannot guarantee better sleep. Here is a practical, ev...

A sculptural lamp should work when it is off and when it is on. Start with the surface, seated sightline and bulb before choosi...

As evenings grow darker, a living room needs more than one switch. Use a simple three-layer plan to place light where you sit, ...

A woven shade changes the room by day and after dark. Here is how to judge its scale above a dining table before choosing a siz...

A dedicated picture light can make art easier to see, but it adds exposure. The useful question is how to manage intensity and ...

A picture light should relate to the artwork beneath it, but the familiar half-width rule is only a first sketch. Here is how t...

A wall sconce can have a switch on the fixture, a plug-in cord control, or a separate wall switch. The right choice starts with...

“Soft white” and “warm white” are packaging words. The Kelvin number tells you more about the bulb’s color appearance; lumens t...

A plug-in wall sconce can bring light closer to a chair or bedside without adding a junction box. Here is what to check before ...