Trend Alert: Picture Lights

For any regular readers or followers here, you’ll know that I’m super passionate about lighting. Lighting really can make or break any design! I create bespoke lighting plans for each project, and one important thing is having plenty of accent lighting to supplement main ceiling lights. This is where Picture Lights come in! Picture Lights are a type of accent lighting that I love to use in projects, which is why I’m featuring them in this Trend Alert. Let’s take a closer look!

Why we love it!

Picture lights are an important type of accent lighting if you have artwork or picture frames hung on your walls. These lights are designed specifically to light the area below, making them ideal for highlighting specific wall-hung pieces. There are different finishes available for picture lights which is another reason why we love them! Choose from slim profiles with a black or white finish or go all out with a brass or nickel finish.

How to use picture lights. 

It’s super straight forward to use picture lights in your home. Any piece of artwork or group of frames should have a picture light above to make sure they are highlights and adequately lit in the evening and nighttime.

What to watch for.

As with anything new you add into your home, there are some considerations to take into account when thinking of using picture lights in your home…

First is the size of the light. You don’t want a light that takes over the wall, and you equally don’t want one that is too small for the artwork below. There is a general rule you can follow: for portrait pieces, the picture light should be about half the width of the picture, while landscape pieces should have a picture light that is between one third and a half of the width.

There are many different picture light designs on the market, some of which are better than others of course! The most important thing is that the picture light should highlight the piece below, so anything that is too large or overwhelming in design will be distracting. This is why I love to stick with simple yet stylish picture lights – they look great when off but highlight artwork without being distracting.

Ways to make picture lights last in your home

Picture lights can last many years in your home!

The first step for ensuring your picture lights last a lifetime, is to choose a finish that relates to the space where they are being installed. Have you already got a hardware finish here that you could use? This is a great place to start when shopping for picture lights.

The most important thing when choosing a picture light is to ensure the sizing is right for its placement/artwork underneath and that the overall design is fully illuminated.

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(Click on the image to purchase.)