One of our favorite custom lighting vendors recently held a contest for Best Lighting Application. We knew we had to enter, and decided that Bricco Trattoria in Glastonbury, CT was the design that would take home the gold; and now we are excited to announce that we WON!
When designing a lighting scheme you first want to consider the practical uses for a space. A restaurant is similar to a residential dining room or family room in the sense that you don’t need bright lighting; it is more about creating ambiance than anything else. Lighting that is too harsh, that would be more appropriate in a home office or kitchen, makes it hard to relax and get in the mood that you are trying to create in the space.
Light fixtures are also a great way to set the style for the room. If you are going for a romantic look in a bedroom, than an ornate, crystal chandelier is perfection. For a modern kitchen, sleek pendant lights not only provide excellent task lighting but simple lines will add to the minimalist look. And for an Old World style family room? Think ornate and over the top, with gold shades, intricate iron work, and lots of scroll work.
Lastly, light fixtures often can bring texture, as well as light, into a space. As seen at Bricco Trattoria, we’ve mixed chandeliers with a rope detail, cylinders in a metal cage design, sleek, oversized pendants, and chandeliers with clusters of metal caged globes. What you get is a mix of textures that adds to the design scheme. It is also important to use a variety of fixtures in a space. Rather than repeating one fixture over and over in either a home or a restaurant, it is better design to choose several fixtures with similar characteristics, and mix them to keep things interesting.
View pictures from our award winning lighting design below!
