There is, after all, a reason that many of us are drawn to the romance of candle-lit rooms, their soft flickering light bathing everyone and everything in a gentle, warm and becoming light. And whilst illuminating the home with candles is far from a practical in a contemporary setting, we can still mimic that same gentle glow courtesy of the right lighting.
First, the basics. Harsh or overly bright lighting, especially in overhead lights, is best avoided in the pursuit of winter warmth. Cool bulbs give out overtones of blue, as opposed the infinitely softer yellow tones of a warm bulb, which is far closer to the traditional incandescent bulb.
However, using overhead lights in isolation, even when installed with a warmer bulb, can be tricky if you’re trying to imbue a room with a snug atmosphere or to create the cosseting kind of cosy corner that we all crave in the wintertime. To achieve ambient lighting, it is important to layer it in, which means using the right pendant ceiling light in conjunction with warm lamps dotted about the room to create glowing pockets or corners. In fact, if the lamps are working well, it can be best to dispense with ceiling lights altogether. Meanwhile, accent lighting allows you to keep a room atmospheric and dark while illuminating selected aspects of you interior, which in turn lends a drama to the whole scheme.
Lights.co.uk is one of the premier online destination shops for lighting, its 40,000-strong selection offering solutions for every conceivable interior taste, as well as for every room – from the garden studio to outdoor lighting right through to Christmas lights. Its expertise, then, on how to create warmth and ambience is second-to-none. For anyone considering how to make their house warm and cosy using lighting choices, these are the lamp options to know about. And the true joy is in how instantly transformational they can be; the addition of the right lamps and lighting can lift a space or change an atmosphere in the seconds it takes to flick a switch.
Seasonal Offers
For those who wish to cosy up their home in time for Christmas, do note that Lights.co.uk is offering some excellent discounts for Black Friday, starting in its run-up on 15th November and concluding on 6th December. These are as follows:-
Pre Black Friday Sale: from 15th – 18th November, with 10% off all orders over £80.
Black Week: from 19th – 28th November, with 10% off all orders over £100; 12% off orders over £150; 15% off orders over £250; and 17% off orders over £450.
Cyber Week: from 29th November – 6th December, with 10% off orders over £100 and 14% off orders over £200. Happy cosying for Christmas one and all!
Reading Lamps
Whether you’re a devourer of books, or you simply want to illuminate the space where you work, there are many more options for creating a cosy space than those supplied by the standard desk lamp. After all, as the hours of darkness begin to outnumber those of daylight, who wouldn’t want a snug atmospheric retreat, whether to work in or to unwind with a good book? From table lamps to wall lamps to those for your bedside, we take our pick of Lights.co.uk selection, all of which are guaranteed to deliver warmth, comfort and joy.
Lindby Tonja Spotlight With Wood, One-Bulb, £19.90
Get lost for joyful hours while reading under the illumination of the Lindby Tonja Spotlight. We love its natural materials; the soft wood adds to the sense of warmth and rusticity, while the black swivel lamp head ensures it is also smart and contemporary. Buy it here.
Lucande Kalinda Wall Light, Concrete And Wood, £39.90
Cosiness needs not connote old-world. The simplicity of this concrete and wood wall lamp is hard to resist, while the soft light it bestows is perfect for illuminating a reading corner. Buy it here.
GUBI 5321 Table Lamp With Rattan Rod, Brass, £517.90
The Finnish designer Paavo Tynell (1890 - 1973) had a keen interest in the natural world. This 1938 design, modelled on a shell, is a classic, the warmth of its golden hues complemented by the tactile rattan frame. A sensational bedside lamp. Buy it here.
Beautiful Belle Epoque Table Lamp, £289.90
Capture the glamour, drama and atmosphere of the turn of the twentieth-century with the dim light of this Belle Epoque table lamp. Conjuring the glorious spirit of Eltham Palace, it gives the softest of soft glows under which to bask. Buy it here.
Floor Lamp Alfred With Storage Space, Matt Black, £816.90
Is there anything cosier than a lamp that lends a soft gentle light to read by whilst also providing storage for said reading material? We couldn’t love this Stefano Bizzarri and Claudio Cinti-designed beauty any more than we do. Buy it here.
Tilting Plano S LED Floor Lamp Brass, £621.90
Is this the perfect reading light? We think it’s a contender. Its dimmable light makes it ideal for emitting just enough of a glow to read by, while allowing you to keep the rest of the room atmospherically dusky. Meanwhile the satin-finish brass adds warmth to the room. Buy it here.
Paper Lamps
If, when you conjure to mind paper lamps, you immediately think of the ubiquitous glowing balls of the 1970s and 80s, then think again. Paper lamps have come a long way. And what’s more, the natural fibres tend to soften light and they are a sustainable option too, since many use recycled cardboard and paper. This is our pick.
LE KLINT Snowdrop M – Paper Hanging Lamp, Black, £330
This hand-pleated shade ticks both the style and cosiness boxes with dash. Made by a Danish manufacturer, the company launched in the 1940s when architect, P. V. Jensen-Klint, pleated a shade for a paraffin lamp. Eighty years later, they are still being made by hand – and still emitting a wonderfully soft light. Buy it here.
Beautiful Floor Lamp Bolino, £665.90
This beechwood beauty is perfect in its simplicity. It also makes an ideal reading lamp and has the power to transform any nook into a cosy haven in an instant. The height is adjustable, the lampshade pivots, and the light can be dimmed. What more can one ask? Buy it here.
Foscarini Kurage Table Lamp, Washi Paper, £523.90
In Japanese, Kurage means ‘jellyfish’, and this table lamp, designed by Luca Nichetto and Oki Sato, pays homage to that sea creature with style. Its mulberry fibres create a warm, gentle light, meanwhile. Just the thing for nestling up with a book and a cup of tea. Buy it here.
Tolomeo Basculante Designer Table Lamp, £303.90
Designed and developed by architecture and design duo Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide in the late 1980s, this elegant lamp gives a soft light, whether you want to illuminate a corner of a room, or even create warmth in the kitchen. Buy it here.
By Nancy Alsop
November 2021
Created in partnership with Lights.co.uk
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