If you’re looking to update the existing light fixtures in your home, but not compromise the style of your decor, you may want to stop and focus on the finishes rather than the actual style. In 2012, you’ll be surprised to find that warm metal finishes are slowly taking over and replacing silver-toned finishes. Here’s the low down on this lighting trend for 2012.

Aluminum Pendant Lights

Around the late 1990s and into the 2000s, lighter tones were considered the most contemporary or modern of finishes you could find for pendant lights. People were moving away from brassy tones and gold tones for a cleaner, more seemingly stylish look. As we roll into the second decade of the 2000s, many people are finding themselves drawn to light fixtures with warmer finishes.

Bronze Lighting Fixture

To start, bronze tones are among one of the biggest finishes to make a come back, not only with light fixtures, but also for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, such as faucets. This warm tone features an earthy look that compliments a variety of decors, making it easily blend in with a number of different spaces. With such a versatile color, what’s not to love? Plus, any light fixture you can find in a silver hue, you could just as easily find in a bronze hue.

Copper Ceiling Light Fixtures

The next finish that’s grown in popularity in the recent years is copper. Copper is not quite gold, not quite bronze. It’s a unique color that is super stylish and its warm tones compliment a variety of looks. However, unlike bronze, copper does not have an earthy undertone and its use must be very selective. It will not necessarily compliment every space in your home. When using copper, consider ceiling light fixtures such as a chandelier or flush mount ceiling light with subtle copper trim to add this trendy metal hue into your home.

Gold Light Fixtures

Finally and though the least popular of the three, gold is also returning to the scene. Historically, gold (and brass, a similar tone) were seen as overly gaudy and trashy. However, with many people recovering from the economy and looking for ways to add glamour to their home, gold is on the rise. After all, nothing such as ‘rich’ and ‘luxurious’ as much as gold does. Look for gold finished light fixtures such as table or floor lamps, or gold light fixtures with crystal accents, which add a touch of glamour to every space.

Metal Colored Pendant

Warm metals are all the rage for the 2010 decade. That being said, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re for everyone. Just because copper, bronze or gold are ‘in,’ doesn’t mean you have to bow down to the trend. Find what works best for your home and your space so that you’re pleased with how things look. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

You are already picturing your home with warm metal finishes? Get more ideas for your budget and have a look at the great selection of metal lighting fixtures at Arcadian Lighting!

Pendant lighting is light that hangs from overhead. Pendants are popular as kitchen lights, bathroom lights and can even be found hanging above nightstands in master bedrooms. Whether made of blown glass, porcelain or another material, lighting fixtures in general can be a work of art in itself. We found some pendant lights that are just that in fact:

Porcelain Pendant Light

These porcelain pendants have a striking design with an uncommon association of materials. The lamps with their beautiful bold colors express minimalism but with the soft touch of the wood in opposition to the cold touch of porcelain.

Glass Pendant Light

The glass on this pendant light is mesmerizing. Perhaps it is the shape of the light tube inside, or the uniqueness of the pendant itself, but this would be a wonderful lighting fixture, hanging in threes, above a kitchen counter. This pendant light could work in a classic traditional space, or one with a slightly modern edge.

Natural Looking Pendant Light

These amazing large pendant lights look natural and carefree. They are elegant, but not pretentious because of their natural color. Notice how the light, shining through the shade, casts beautiful shadows and light on the adjacent wall?

Wood Hanging Light

A great way to bring the outdoors in, without going overboard on the green, is through this hanging light fixture. In fact, this hanging lamp is actually made of 56 maple wood “scales” that cast a soft glow of light beneath. You might also consider wall sconce or wall lamps for a similar effect.

Paper Hanging Light

And this one, another DIY’ers dream, is made of paper. In fact, remember those little finger papers called “fortune tellers” you used to play with back in grade school? This lighting fixture could be made large-scale or small, depending on the space. Yes, another great hanging light fixture for almost anywhere. Images 1| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Now wouldn’t you like to get creative with innovative lighting fixtures to boost your home? No Problem! Arcadian Lighting has a great selection to explore.

The entryway of the home is perhaps one of the most important sections when it comes to lighting, especially for homeowners who entertain often. The entryway gives guests an idea of what to expect. If the entryway is warm and inviting with adequate lighting from the light fixtures, they’ll feel comfortable walking up to the home. If it’s not inviting, well, that could be a problem. If you’re not convinced your entryway may need some new outdoor lights, here are some of the many benefits to entryway lighting.

Safety

One of the biggest benefits of installing adequate lighting fixtures on the entryway of the home is the safety it adds to the space. Outdoor lights ward off intruders because it is more difficult to break into a home that is well lit on the exterior than it is to break into a home that has no outdoor lights on at all.

This is especially true if you have a family, as you wouldn’t want a burglar breaking in during the late night hours. Safety is important, whether you live alone or you’ve got a family.

Warm and Inviting

Another huge benefit of outdoor lights around the entryway is that it gives the appearance of a warm and welcoming home. This is especially important around the holiday season, especially if you have plenty of guests during this time.

A warm,  inviting outside should also lead to a warm, inviting inside. So, don’t forget to take a look at your interior lighting and update or add new light fixtures where needed. Lighting helps create a welcoming space.

Landscaping

Starting with entryway lights is a perfect way to dive headfirst into adding additional landscape lighting and outdoor lights to your home. Landscape lights help highlight the different landscaping and architectural features of the home. These light fixtures allow you to set a scene and improve the evening look of your home.

You can install these outdoor lights behind bushes, in front of windows or around a flag pole to create visual interest in the space. You can also install them to point upward into trees to help highlight the tree and take it from looking flat to looking more dimensional in the dark.

Interior Elegance

Entryway lighting can also refer to the lighting just inside your home, in the entryway or foyer of the house. To light this space, you can use wall sconces, a chandelier or even a simple overhead ceiling light depending on the size of the space. Remember, you want the entryway of your home to be inviting both inside and out!

In short, entryway lighting can have a number of benefits. It can dramatically change the exterior of your home, making it warm and inviting. You should always carry this feeling inside and apply this to the light fixtures on the interior entryway as well. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Want even more entryway and outdoor lighting fixture ideas? Then check out some of these amazing hanging lanterns!

Good interior design will go to waste if it’s not properly lit. That being said, it can be difficult to find all of the right light fixtures if you’re not even sure what a proper lighting scheme is to begin with. This guide will help you determine what light fixtures are necessary based on the types of lighting that every room should have.

General Lighting

It is inevitable that every room will have general lighting, which is typically seen as a general overhead ceiling light. This works for most rooms, as ceiling lights can be used in bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, foyers, dining rooms and kitchens. However, the vast majority of living rooms do not have an overhead light fixture.

If an overhead ceiling light is not present, other fixtures must compensate for the lack of the overhead light.

Task Lighting

The secondary source of light in a room should be some type of task lighting. In a kitchen, this often means pendant lights, recessed lights, track lights, or under cabinet lights. In a bedroom, living room or home office, this means light fixtures such as table lamps or desk lamps.

In short, task lights are easy to incorporate into a lighting scheme because they are lights you would use to complete tasks: reading on the sofa, paperwork on your office desk or chopping vegetables on the countertop.

Ambient Lighting

Among the most commonly forgotten part of a good lighting scheme is the use of ambient lighting. Ambient lighting is lighting that is used to produce a warm glow in the room. Ambient lighting can be done using a number of light fixtures, which can make it tricky.

For example, light fixtures that can produce ambient light include ceiling lights, recessed lights, wall sconces, track lights, and so forth.

Accent Lighting

Another commonly forgotten portion of a good lighting scheme: accent lighting. Fortunately, accent lighting is easy to create. In short, this type of light is meant to accent a specific element of the home. This could mean an architectural element, such as an arched doorway or a fireplace. It could also mean a piece of artwork such as a painting or even a sculptural piece.

Accent lighting should be dramatic. It should draw attention to an area, to highlight it.

Decorative Lighting

Last but not least, decorative lighting serves no purpose other than to be decorative. It is a part of the overall design scheme of the room, rather than part of the lighting scheme. Despite this, decorative light fixtures still play an important role in interior design and in the lighting world.

Decorative lighting may not give off any useable light, but draw attention to themselves or make a dramatic statement. Decorative lighting can also refer to the light fixture itself, such as an overly ornate chandelier or pair of wall sconces that provide little light and are there rather for looks than for adequate lighting. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Hopefully this guide helps you create amazing lighting schemes for every room in your home. Apply these tips to enhance your living spaces and explore other lighting fixture options!

When you’re decorating your home, whether it’s for the first time or you’re updating the look and feel of the place, the foyer is probably one of the last places you think about. Unfortunately, it’s typically also one of the first places your guests see when they enter the home. That means you should probably reconsider the rooms you’ve deemed as a priority, especially if you’re looking to update light fixtures throughout your home. Here are a few tips and tricks on foyer lighting.

Create Artistic Lighting

The foyer is the entryway to your home and you should treat it as a blank canvas. You need to choose light fixtures that make a statement, as you typically have limited space in a foyer for other decorative pieces such as furniture. Therefore, it’s important to choose light fixtures that draw attention to themselves. This helps you create a space that is visually appealing and well-lit.

Create Focal Points

With foyer lighting, you can easily create focal points in the space that help point guests in a certain direction. For example, if you choose to use track lights in your foyer, you can point the track lights down through the entryway, thus creating focal points and directing your guests in a specific direction.

This can also be done using pendant lights in foyers with taller ceilings or recessed lights, no matter what height the ceiling is. Depending on the size of your foyer, you may be able to create a focal point using a chandelier. Remember that chandeliers do come in all sizes, including smaller chandelette versions, so don’t feel that you absolutely must have a large foyer in order to use a dramatic light fixture such as a chandelier.

Consider Style and Design

Since there is typically very little decor that goes into the average home foyer, aside from perhaps a few pieces of wall art or a small accent table, it’s important to put a great deal of focus on the specific style and design of the light fixtures in this space.

If you have a consistent style throughout your home, such as contemporary or traditional, then you should reflect this in your light fixture choices for the foyer. Keep in mind that light fixtures aren’t just limited to overhead ceiling fixtures, either. There are wall sconces, track lights, recessed lights and more.

Also, keep in mind that it typically takes multiple light fixtures to properly light a space. Don’t be afraid to include multiple fixtures: wall sconces, an overhead ceiling light or even floor lamps if the space calls for it.

Though you may have multiple light fixtures in this single space, remember to stay consistent! Very rarely can you mix and match different styles, you may love that pair of modern wall sconces with the brushed finish and etched glass, but they will look completely out of place if your home is styled in cottage or rustic decor. Keep this in mind as you sift through the thousands of light fixtures available. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

We hope this guide helped inspire some lighting ideas for you. For more tips and tricks check out all that  Arcadian Lighting has to offer –  from bathroom lighting fixtures to kitchen lights and much more!