Lighting can change the mood of a house

For someone like me who loathes knick-knacks and flower vases (especially with plastic flowers), the idea of decorating a house with functional pieces is more appealing. Lighting fixtures serve a dual purpose. They illuminate the house and serve as ornaments too.

If you can patiently scour shops and home depots, finding the lighting fixtures with the right price and specifications is not impossible. If you’re concerned about power consumption, look for lighting fixtures that can hold energy-saving lights.

The light on the front door is ceramic. P999.00 from Wilcon Builders, Libis, Quezon City. The pendant lights on the staircase (I don’t like chandeliers) is textured and frosted glass with wrought iron frames. P4,200.00 from In Style Lighting Center, Ortigas cor. Meralco Ave., Quezon City.

Above, the lights with frosted glass domed housing over the kitchen island. Forgot where I bought this but am sure it was one of the shops from MC Home Depot in Ortigas. P3,800.00

The girls’ bathrooms each have one of these ceramic pendant lights. P999.00 from Wilcon Builders, really inexpensive but the effect is just marvelous. The shaped holes on the housing allow specks of light to escape casting patterns on the ceiling.

Above, the frosted globe lights that were meant for the staircase is now in the corner between two windows in the study cum office. P4,200.00 from Lightworld, SM Megamall. The longest cable is too short for the staircase and the overall effect was that the lights looked dwarfish. Hence, they were moved to the study.

One tip when buying pendant lights: Measure the height of the ceiling and how high or how low you want the lights. The standard length of a pendant light’s electric cable is one meter only. Of course, extending the cable is possible but joints will show. So, if the ceiling is quite high, consider a pendant light with an elongated or large housing.

In the archive

• Ceiling-mounted light fixtures and chandeliers
• Me, dreaming
• Peaches, no cream
• Lights, scents and home accessories
• Housekeeping
• Should I replace my granite kitchen countertops?
• Matching floor and table lamps
• Kitchen renovation: the whole story in photos
• The beautiful pendant lamp is a magnet for antflies
• Kitchen renovation