As the days get colder and shorter, it’s important to make your home feel homey, especially with lighting. Wendy Thayer, an interior designer at Baker Court Interiors, says there are simple changes you can make to create a cozy living environment.
Use a combination of table lamps and floor lamps to light three of the four corners of the room. If you have an object placed in one of those corners, such as a chair, plant or artwork, focus one of those lights on that object for interest.
Be sure to use a combination of down-lighting and up-lighting to reflect light off horizontal and vertical surfaces, which in turn creates additional lighting and glow.
Create multiple seating areas for reading by providing lamps on three-way switches and put your overhead light on a dimmer switch.
Thayer says you don’t always have to use electricity when lighting a room. “Candles are always a good way to add a little sparkle and bring in warmth and ambience,” she says. As for the kitchen, Thayer recommends considering oversized pendants instead of the typical mini pendants. “It’s a fun, unexpected look and makes for a great focal point.”
-Baker Court Interiors was founded in 1983 by Gary Mandel and Shelley Carr, who met in an eighth-grade art class. The company is located in the historic Baker Court School in Saint Paul, where they have worked with clients for generations.
