Supposed you wanted to describe the motif/style of your home or a particular room within your home to someone who never entered your humble abode, where would you begin, possibly by describing the color of the walls or explaining the type of material used to finish the floors. Maybe you would share the type of tile or stone used to create your kitchen counters. The architecture and design of a home tell you about the era in which it was constructed, but these details tell you little about the people who live within, their taste, style, and personality.
Another example you may provide is recessed can lights brightly glowing above your kitchen, living room, or extended hallway areas; a perfectly carved out hole in your ceiling with its beam of bright light, concentrating in a downward direction. A focused light so bright that if you looked up for a moment, immediate blindness might follow due to their intense, concentrated glow. None the less these modern fixtures serve an essential but fundamental function, much like the rest of your household appliances. The objects that inject charm and personality or culture and charisma into your home will be those you will not find on a convenient trip to your local neighborhood Home Depot. Rather it is the creative and well-thought-out ambient lighting that provides the personality, comforts our soul, and intrigues our guests.
01. The Bishop pendant lights complement this sophisticated dining room/kitchen setting perfectly. This home's open floor plan and vaulted ceiling allowed for a cluster of 14 Bishop pendants to hang above the dining table, providing a chandelier effect compliments of the custom iron ceiling canopy 6'ft in diameter. This custom suspended ceiling canopy was thoughtfully crafted to both combine and hide all 14 individual electrical cables. | 02. This cluster of 3 different Mediterra Pendants shows how three dramatically different lighting designs in 3 different handblown glass colors can group together marvelously. Each pendant's unique shape and individual glass color imbibe the various accents, color tones, and elements displayed in the room. | 03. A threesome of Granada Pendants suspended over a kitchen island. The pendant's vintage fishing buoy inspirational design and aqua-colored glass emanate a coastal style throughout this contemporary home. A few details come to mind, A) decorative pendant lighting transcends various decor styles, rustic or vintage lighting in a modern or contemporary designed home in fact might look and feel better than a modern LED lighting. B) You can have a little "coastal style" even if you live nowhere near the coast, as with this home located outside of Phoenix AZ. C) Lighting can be as intriguing as an expensive piece of art.
Like great restaurant design, hopefully, many of us will soon be making reservations in the not too distant future. Apart from the wonderfully crafted and prepared dishes our favorite restaurants provide, we love these well-presented dinners for the authentic experience, an escape from our immediate realities. The key to delivering these momentary escapes is a minor detail called, ambiance. Ambiance is not created necessarily by the tables that we eat, drink and socialize over, often covered with white linen. It is not the dinnerware, martini glasses, nor the silverware. Still, a collection of many well-chosen details that, when combined, result in a 5-star experience. Ambiance is the combination of the curated collection of artwork on the walls, the fountain in the center of the room, the live piano or acoustic guitarist playing in the background. It's the impressive chandelier that greets you upon entry, and yes, it's that stunning artisan-made pendant light hanging perfectly over a table for two on a wonderful night out. Ambiance is all of the little nuanced elements perfectly arranged to set the mood, and "Great Ambiance" will be what you remember.
01. A beautiful open-air restaurant in Queretaro, Mexico. There are a number of awe-inspiring courtyard restaurants and boutique hotels sprinkled throughout Central and Southern Mexico. Within the massive Cantera stone columns and archways are wonderfully decorated tables, beautiful, well-manicured live foliage, and vibrant flowers everywhere with a large carved stone fountain. | 02. The lobby of the Rosewood Hotel in San Miguel de Allende with approximately 30 Hunter Pendants, suspended downward 30'ft from the ceiling above. | 03. Hand-blown glass pendant lights delightfully suspended in a beautifully simplistic upscale restaurant in Oaxaca historic city center. The free form shape mixed with the frosted/matte finish of these colorful glass pendants provides an effect as if they are placemats floating effortlessly above the tables.
Lighting and other interesting fixtures are at the heart of creating great ambiance in restaurants and some exclusive hotels also can beincorporated into our homes. The artisans and craftspeople of today who design and create these amazing objects of ambiance by virtue of their talents taught by one generation to the next and can be traced back to one group of people who existed at the time of Christ. A nomadic tribe that traveled throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa conquering designing and spreading their culture along the way. This ancient peoples abilities were so profound that they spanned halfway around the world. This story is based on historical facts, early architecture / design; it is also story of culture and what it means to be a true artisan. It inspired our Mediterra Lighting Collection and we hope you will read part 2 of this blog series where we share this interesting story.
