Wednesday: Designer Tip

"Movie stars have known this for decades. Looking good isn't just about the body or face you have; it's all about presentation. The setting, the pose, but most importantly, it's all about the lighting."

Lighting is an element of design that is often overlooked and under-purchased. That light that hooks to your ceiling in the middle of your room is NOT your only light source!

Do you recognized how pretty you look in the Anthropologie dressing rooms? Do you feel hideous like I do in a TJ Maxx dressing room? I don't know if I have ever bought something I tried on in that store! It's all because of the lighting. Light coming from the ceiling is not flattering (fluorescents)! In Anthropologie, two eye level sconces are placed next to the full length mirror. They are blushy tones and make you look incredible because there are no shadows on your face. Also, good hair salons have great lighting because it's at eye level.

Renters usually can't put lights on dimmers so here are a few tips:

1. Soften the lamps (design term for light bulbs) by buying pale pink bulbs and mixing them with regular bulbs throughout the house.  They flatter all skin types. I usually buy 75 w bulbs and 25 w for smaller fixtures that I barely want any light coming from. But always think about what the purpose is for each fixture and buy the bulb accordingly. 

2. Choose lighting from a mixture of sources, including table lamps next to the bed, wall sconces, or chandeliers over a seating area.

3. Use candles. They are very romantic and extremely flattering.  Have dinner some nights with just candles!

4. One last thing to consider is where the light is coming from. Level with your face is ideal, so a table or standing lamp will serve your purpose well. You may want to consider using several points of light to even out the shadows and to provide a soft glow throughout the room.

I personally love table and floor lamps and think they should be all over the house! And IF we use ceiling lights (besides chandeliers) they should be on dimmers or very low watts.