Lighting should focus on more than individual tasks.
Story by Tracy Dickinson
Photography Courtesy Hinkley
Featured in November/December 2022
When it comes to building or remodeling a home, the list of decisions can be overwhelming. Selecting lighting can be low on the priority list, limited to a key piece or two and restricting the rest to task or can lights with little attention to style. But that shouldn’t be the case.
“Light fixtures are like jewelry for your home,” says Erin Huisman of Echo Lighting Gallery in Ankeny. “The right selections can add the finishing touch to your design or decor, just like the right jewelry does for an outfit.”
The same techniques you employ at the jewelry store can provide the tools you need to choose the best light fixtures to accessorize your home.
What’s the occasion?
Different fixtures are appropriate for different settings, so begin by asking yourself where and how the fixture will be used.
As Huisman says, “Most of the fixture selections we’re seeing are following the trends. Homeowners aren’t necessarily worried about whether something is timeless or not. Designers and homeowners have a look they’re trying to achieve, and they want a fixture that fits that look.”
“I always ask for inspiration photos or a Pinterest page from homeowners,” says designer Amy Kalkwarf of Echo Lighting Gallery. “That way I can get an idea of what they like for fixtures as well as for an entire space because that helps us understand what they’re aiming for in their home.”
Those choices can relate to personal style, architectural style, and the latest trends or a combination of those elements.
“We talk with them about where the fixture will go, how they use that space, if there will be other light sources in the room, what type of wiring is available,” says Kalkwarf.
“We’re seeing lighting everywhere and decorative fixtures in spaces where we never used to see them,” says Huisman. “Sconces are back, too. We’re seeing them in the kitchen, over windows and sinks, in hall nooks, vanity areas. They’re definitely a decorative feature, not a primary light source.”
The Echo Lighting Gallery team says chandeliers are also popular, and they’re showing up in rooms that didn’t typically incorporate lighting as a design element. “Chandeliers in the bedroom, the bathroom, even the master closet are all really trendy right now,” says Huisman.
How does color play into your design?
New construction used to focus on product families, implementing numerous pieces from one product line throughout the home. That’s no longer the case.
“No one seems to be going with entirely matching families of fixtures,” Huisman says. “Every room is different, with different finishes, sometimes even in the same room.”
Echo Lighting Gallery’s Kim Shore says, “Black is still popular, especially with the modern farmhouse look. But we’re seeing a trend going toward modern, and we’re seeing more gold, with a variety of shades from soft gold to bright gold.”
“Chandeliers in the bedroom, the bathroom, even the master closet are all really trendy right now.”
Erin Huisman, Echo Lighting Gallery
“Soft brass is also popular, especially as designers are using more earth tones,” says Huisman. “Those soft brass finishes work really well with neutrals.”
Kalkwarf adds, “You never used to see a mix of metals, but that’s not true anymore. It’s not just OK to mix them. It’s actually preferred for a lot of homeowners these days.”
Mixing metal finishes can be an advantage, too, when choosing fixtures from different product lines or coordinating elements like mirrors and plumbing fixtures.“Matching gold finishes is really hard,” Shore says. Like matching white paint, “there are so many shades of gold, it can be difficult to combine them well.”
Even in small spaces like bathrooms, designers are often choosing to mix finishes such as chrome and black or chrome and brass, creating a more eclectic and less formal look.
What’s your style?
In addition to setting and color, your personal style—and the style of your home as well—will play the largest role in your lighting choices.
Huisman says, “Knowing what a customer doesn’t like is as important as knowing what they do. How do they feel about the look of bare bulbs? Do they prefer shades—fabric or frosted glass? Do they like contemporary or more traditional designs?”
Overscale fixtures are definitely a trend, especially with open designs, which means they’re suitable in a wider variety of installations. “Floor plans are so much more open these days, you can use larger fixtures and they don’t overwhelm a space,” Huisman says.
Shore explains, “The height of the ceiling is probably the biggest factor in understanding whether a fixture will work in a room or not. If the ceilings are only 8 feet, a flush-mount light is really the best option. Taller ceilings will allow for bigger fixtures.”
She says those Pinterest pages and magazine photos can be helpful in assessing a homeowner’s style, but they can also be misleading. “It’s hard sometimes to relate what you see in a photo to your own space. There are so many more factors to consider besides just the style of the fixture.”
“There are so many questions that most homeowners don’t think to ask because they don’t do this every day,” Huisman says. “It’s second nature to us. That’s what we do.”
As a wholesaler, Echo Lighting Gallery works with homeowners through their builder or contractor. The gallery staff can come alongside the rest of the team in selecting the best products for the budget and the design.
With all the decisions that go into building or remodeling a home, choosing the lighting fixtures should be like picking just the right accessories to finish off your look. You may not use a personal shopper to select your jewelry, but having the skills of an experienced lighting professional is crucial when it comes to your home. •
Resources
- Erin Huisman Echo Lighting Gallery
- Amy Kalkwarf Echo Lighting Gallery
- Kim Shore Echo Lighting Gallery
