Lighting Tips – Woodstock Lighting & Décor

Lighting Trends to Watch in 2022

And just like that, a new year is upon us!

After the whirlwind of 2020 and 2021, people have been seeking comfort within their homes. Which of course, has resulted in people taking more time and care into the design and function of their homes. We can’t wait to see more of these trends take hold as 2022 continues….

1 – Oversized Fixtures

Using an oversized lighting fixture as a design focus makes a bold statement. Oversized fixtures are also a great way to make a quick upgrade to your space without spending weeks (or months) on expensive (and disruptive) renovations.

2 – Linear Lighting

Fixtures that fall into the ‘linear lighting’ category often have simplified designs that exaggerate long lines. These fixtures are perfect for clients who are looking to keep things contemporary and minimalistic in their design.

Calumet Chandelier in Matte Black and Olde Brass

3 – Incorporate Whimsy

After the past few years, its no wonder why people are craving a little bit of fun in their homes. In lighting we are seeing this manifest as a few different trends. From incorporating more colour into design, swapping out shades for a little change of scenery and even swapping out traditional bulbs for more fun bulbs. These are all little ways to change up your lighting fixtures with little time and financial investment.

4 – Natural Textures

From rattan to wooden beads and natural textures – there has certainly been a call to bring natural textures indoors. Using natural textures in your home can create a calming and rejuvenating energy within your home.

5 – Symmetry

Symmetrical design is coming back. Symmetrical design creates a balanced look in your home. By balancing wall sconces or lamps across the fireplace, symmetrical design also helps to bring focus onto other design features in your home.

If you are looking to update your lighting please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Unexpected Places for Chandeliers

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Nov 18, 2021 bathroom lighting , bathtub , bedroom , bedroom lighting , chandelier , cleaning chandeliers , design , dimmer switches , home office , kids bedroom , office design , stay-at-home

There is nothing as timeless as a gorgeous chandelier hanging in a two-story foyer or over the dining room table. But that’s not the only place where chandeliers belong. Chandeliers can add a bit of glam to any space. Take a peek at three of our favourite places to hang a little extra sparkle nowadays:

1) Over the Bathtub

Bathrooms can be such an incredibly busy place in your home. Not only are they where you take care of business, but its also the place where you prepare for your day and wind down for a relaxing night.

Why not add a little glam to your retreat space with a chandelier over the tub. To give yourself the full spa experience make sure you add a dimmer switch so you can set the mood for your nightly soak!

Neutra Chandelier in Matte Black & Polished Nickel / Arrington Chandelier in Rubbed Bronze

2) In Your Home Office

Experts estimate that we will spend one third of our life working. If you are working from home, why not make your work space just as enjoyable and fun to be in as the rest of your home.

With more and more people working from home nowadays it’s no surprise that we have seen many clients wanting to refresh and jazz-up their work spaces. Try adding a chandelier as your overhead light or over your reading nook.

Datus Chandelier in Polished Nickel / Auge Chandelier in Chrome

3) The Bedroom

Adding a chandelier to your bedroom may be the perfect way to step up your bedroom design. Bedrooms are the place where doors close when company comes over. The lights in your bedrooms do not need to match or compliment any other lights in the house. If you love that crazy over the top chandelier but it would look out of place hanging over your dining room table, then have a little fun in your bedroom! After all, it’s the space in the house that should be 100% you!

Dealey Chandelier in Matte Black / Alito Chandelier in Polished Nickel

If you are looking to update your home’s lighting please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Using Wall Sconces

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Oct 29, 2021 ambiance , bedroom lighting , decor , design , dimmer switches , entrance lighting , front door lighting , front entry , guests , kids bedroom , living room , living room lighting , primary bedroom , wall sconces

Over the past year there has certainly been a push towards a more natural and ambient style of lighting while keeping the design aesthetic minimalist. Key to mastering this style of lighting is incorporating layers of lighting. One way designers are maximizing the layered lighting effect and keeping the look minimalistic is by incorporating wall sconces into the design.

Wall sconces are desirable because they don’t take up floor space or table space like a floor or table lamp, but still allow a focal point and layered light effect. This allows you to highlight a particular feature of your room like a painting or photograph, or to allow focused task lighting like a reading light by the bed without taking up space on the ever-full bedside table.

There are lots of different ways to incorporate wall sconces into your lighting design.

1) In the Bedroom

Adding wall sconces in the bedroom is the perfect way to add a little night time ambiance into your bedtime routine. By using wall sconces rather than overhead light, you can begin to adjust your lighting levels to help you get ready for sleep. You can even take it to the next level and put your wall sconces on a dimmer switch!

Using a wall sconce as your bedside lighting source, rather than a table light, helps to save precious table space on your already crowded bedside table. Between that stack of books you’ve been meaning to read, your glasses and your nighttime glass of water – there is a lot going on for that piece of real estate.

2) In Your Living Room

Wall sconces in your living room can help to provide focus on a prized piece of decor, anchor your fireplace or just provide a little extra light by your favourite reading nook.

Living rooms are another great spot to add a dimmer switch to your wall sconces. This will help you to adjust your lighting levels to better set the mood for whatever activity is happening in the living room. From a bright game day, to dimming the lights for movie night!

3) In the Entry

Wall sconces in your front entry are the perfect way to greet guests! These lights help keep pathways clear for the busy entrance and exit of your home. They are also the perfect light to leave on when you know you will be coming home late to a dark house.

If you are interested in including wall sconces into your lighting design, please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

3 Must-Know Lighting Tips

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Aug 30, 2021 bathroom lighting , design , hardware finishes , kitchen lighting , layering lighting , layers , mix and match , natural lighting , office design , overhead lighting , style , task lighting

Lighting design is often one of those design elements that feels overwhelming. Let us help take some stress off with some of the most important lighting tips and tricks to embrace…

1 – Mix & Match Across Finishes

Gone are the days where your lighting fixtures need to match perfectly to the hardware of your kitchen cabinet hardware or bathroom taps. Nowadays mixing finishes is all the rage. Be bold and experiment with complimentary finishes in the kitchen and bathroom. If you have chrome taps, try out a vanity light finished in matte black for a bold statement.

2 – Layers, Layers, and More Layers

Finding the perfect combination of lighting for your home can be tricky, but let us help you with breaking down the most important tip for lighting your home – layering your light sources!

Within each room of your home there are many different types of tasks that need to be accomplished. For example, think of all the things you do in your home office – working on the computer, reading, talking on the phone, video calls, holding meetings, etc. Each of these tasks would benefit from a different style of lighting which all layer together to create the perfect home office!

When layering your lighting it is important to consider three types of light:natural light (windows), overhead lighting (flush mount, chandeliers, pendants, etc) and task lighting (under cabinet lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, etc). Combining these three types of lighting will illuminate your home to perfection!

3 – Style

And finally, it all comes back to style! Your personal style as well as the character of your home should inform your design choices across your home. Take some time and think about the feeling you want to create in each room. Do you want your front foyer to be welcoming, to dazzle, to relax, or maybe to excite! Do you want your living room to feel cozy or to have an air of sophistication? The options are endless!

If you are looking to update your home’s lighting please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Summer Lighting Trends

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Aug 6, 2021 2021 , home office , kids , kids bedroom , kids lighting , lighting tips , lighting trends , office , office design , outdoor lighting , stay-at-home , summer

Needless to say, it’s been quite the summer for 2021. We are excited to be beginning to see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and have enjoyed getting to reopen our doors this summer.

Since everyone has been spending more than the usual amount of time at home over the past year, it has been so interesting to see where our clients have been focusing their renovation energy on in their homes. Kitchen and bathroom renovations are still a main area of focus of course, but lots of clients have also been paying extra careful attention to the design of other areas of their home…

1 – The Home Office

With more and more companies moving to a permanent work-from-home situation, it’s no surprise that home offices are becoming a focus. So what are people doing with their lighting in their home office?

Well we’ve found that people are really working towards using the natural light in their offices, adding functional task lighting and topping off the look with some statement overhead lighting pieces. People are really wanting to add a punch of personality into their home offices, a perk that many did not have before when working in-office. We have seen everything from crystal chandeliers, to geometric pendants and super modern flush mounts enter office spaces over the past few months!

2 – Outdoor Lighting

Summer is the season to be outside and enjoy the sunshine here in Southwestern Ontario. With vacationing and travelling limited for another summer, we have seen so many families transforming their backyards into their own tropical paradise! From adding new gardens, putting in the pool they’ve been dreaming of, to finally updating the 15-year-old patio furniture – it’s no secret that Ontarians have been making magic happen in their backyards.

As for lighting outdoors, we have seen families focusing on two main areas – the front door and the back porch. Our clients have been wanting to make their front and back porches more welcoming for the neighbourhood crew.

3 – Kids Rooms

The last area we have seen clients focusing on this summer is their kids’ rooms! This one seemed a little surprising to us at first but those preteens and teens have been stuck inside for a very long time and need a little refresh in their space too! Lots of kids’ rooms were not only their bedrooms this past year, but also their schoolroom, their sports training room and their safe space.

Interested in updating your kids’ rooms? Check out our post on Kid’s Bedroom Lighting to get inspired!

If you are looking for some summer inspiration please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Making a Grand Entrance

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Jul 29, 2021 chandelier , decor , design , entrance lighting , flush mount , foyer lighting , front door lighting , indoor lighting , lighting tips , pendant lights , semi-flush mount , woodstock lighting

Like it or not, first impressions matter. When guests visit your home there are a few key spots to put a little extra love and attention on. Your foyer is one of those places! Lighting for a foyer can be tricky to get right. There are a lot of different perspectives to consider. So let us help you with a few of those considerations.

1 – Scale and Sizing

Depending on the build of your home, you may have a one storey or two storey foyer. The amount of space you have will ultimately determine what type of light you may be looking for. People with two-storey foyers are often able to use larger chandeliers or pendant fixtures to fill their space. While people with one-storey foyers will need to focus on a flush or semi flush mount fixture. In either case you want to make sure that you keep approximately a 7 foot clearance between the floor and the bottom of your light. This will certainly make your life easier when moving furniture in or out of the house, hockey sticks are flying about or super tall Uncle Dawn comes to visit!

2- Position of The Light Box and The Door

Another measurement to keep in mind is the distance between the light box and any doors in the space. Be mindful of the width or diameter of your light and ensure that you will be able to open and close any nearby doors without any interference.

3 – Sight Lines

When looking for your foyer lighting be aware that this is a high traffic area and an intersection point in the house. Take a look from the front door, down the hallway, dining room, etc and check to see what you can see within those different sight lines. You may want to choose a light for your foyer that compliments or contrasts the other elements within the space.

4 – Style

And finally, it all comes back to style! Your personal style as well as the character of your home should inform your design choice in this space. Take some time and think about the feeling you want to create when opening your home to guests. Do you want your front foyer to be welcoming, to dazzle, to relax, or maybe to excite! The options are endless!

If you are looking to update your foyer lighting please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Kids’ Bedroom Lighting

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Jul 16, 2021 bedroom , bedroom lighting , design , fun , functionality , kids , kids bedroom , kids lighting , lighting tips , purpose , style , themed lighting , woodstock lighting

Oftentimes bedroom lighting is overlooked. And the kids’ bedrooms – even more so. But what people don’t realize is that these are the perfect rooms to play with your lighting design. Bedrooms are the one area of the house where you want the ability for the room to be completely dark, completely bright, and somewhere in between all within the same 24 hours. Luckily for you, we can help you make that happen!

When shopping for your kids bedroom lighting consider these three tips:

1) Think About the Purpose of Each Area of the Room

Depending on the age of your kids the purpose of their room may alter throughout the years. WIth young kids you may want to incorporate a small toy area, or cozy reading nook to cuddle up together in. While older kids may need a desk for school work and a reading light next to the bed. When looking at the layout of their room consider your options for layering your lighting. Maybe a desk light is needed. Or some bedside scones or hanging pendants would be neat! Or even the perfect floor lamp to complete your cozy reading nook and armchair. Remember – All of your light does not need to come from one source!

2) To Theme or Not to Theme

As we all know, kids change their mind more than Mother Nature changes the weather. As badly as your little one may need a Frozen themed room, or may love Thomas the Tank Engine, they probably won’t love them for the next 10 years. And as much as we would love it if everyone changed their lighting fixtures every 1-2 years, you probably don’t want to do that! So if you want to theme your child’s room, we recommend opting to theme items that are easy to swap out like bedspreads, small table lamps, etc. While your overhead lighting should remain a little more fluid through the whims of your children. That’s not to say that every room should have a boring flush mount round fixture, but rather think through the possibilities for your fixture. For example if your child loves outer space, look around for some of our more modern designs that have that space-age look when surrounded by planets and stars on the ceiling, but will also age with them into their teen years as a piece of sleek decor (once the glow-in-the-dark star stickers are peeled off the ceiling.)

3) Have Fun!

Bedrooms are the place where doors close when company comes over. The lights in your bedrooms do not need to match or compliment any other lights in the house. If you love that crazy over the top chandelier but it would look out of place hanging over your dining room table, then have a little fun in your bedroom!

If you are looking to update your kids bedroom lighting please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Lighting Your Table | Woodstock Lighting

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Jun 24, 2021 chandelier , decor , dining room , kitchen lighting , lighting tips , pendant lights , quick fix , sizing your light to your table , style , table , woodstock lighting

Kitchen tables are no longer just the place where we eat. Kitchen tables are now part of our at-home office, the homework help center, the transition land of all lost items and the place where the family might eat if the game isn’t on. Lighting your kitchen table can be difficult while you keep the many functions of your table in mind.

Let us help with a few quick tips:

1. Position of Your Light

A good rule of thumb when positioning your table is to aim to have your electrical box centered to your table. It’s important to remember that the purpose of this light fixture is to light your table, not necessarily your entire room.

2. Sizing Your Light to Your Table

When picking out your over-the-table light, you want to keep three important dimensions in mind:

Ceiling Height
Height of your Table
Length of Your Table

These three measurements will be incredibly important when finding the right size of light for your table.

Knowing the height of your ceiling and table will allow our lighting experts to ensure that there is enough clearance from the top of the table to the bottom of the light, so that no one is bopping their heads when passing the buns.

The length of your table will determine the size of lights you can consider. Many tables may be able to add extra leaves into them for those bigger family gatherings, but you want to size your light for how your table will look 90% of the time.

3. Style

Of course, everything comes back to your own signature style! To get the most out of your visit, feel free to bring in pictures of your space and table (with your measurements, of course).

Some people prefer a light with shades, while others prefer the easier cleaning of fixtures with no shades.

Tired of your light, but love it too much and want a cheap, easy fix? You can always change up the look of your light just by changing the shape or colour of your bulbs.

And most importantly, remember that not everything has to be matchy-matchy! You can be complimentary with your design choices to the rest of your living space.

If you are looking to give your dining lighting fixture a refresh please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

Updating Your Bathroom Lighting?

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Jun 18, 2021 bathroom lighting , functionality , hardware finishes , mirror , over the mirror light , vanity light , vanity size , woodstock lighting

Bathrooms can be such an incredibly busy place in your home. Not only are they where you take care of business, but its also the place where you prepare for your day and wind down for a relaxing night. It might be the place where a new parent can find a moment of peace and quiet, or your teen starts to experiment with make-up and their identity. No matter what stage of life you are in, some things remain true – death, taxes and the need to go to the bathroom.

When coming into our showroom to update your bathroom lighting make sure you know:

1)The Function of Your Bathroom

Bathroom lighting always comes back to the purpose and function of the particular bathroom you are updating. If you are updating a powder room the purpose of the room is a quick in and out. Or if you are updating your master ensuite the purpose of the room may include make-up application and/or shaving, which is going to need much brighter, more purposeful light. Or maybe this bathroom is supposed to be Mom’s special retreat space. In that case lets glam it up with a cute chandelier over the tub!

2) Colour of Your Hardware

Gone are the days where your lighting fixtures need to match perfectly to the hardware of your taps. Nowadays mixing finishes is all the rage. Be bold and experiment with complimentary finishes in the bathroom. If you have chrome taps, try out a vanity light finished in matte black for a bold statement.

3) Size of Your Mirror

Sizing is where a lot of people get tripped up. Bringing in the dimensions of your mirror will help our lighting experts find a new fixture that is perfect for your bathroom. For vanity lighting, your new lighting fixture should be proportionate to the size of your mirror. For example if you have a mirror that is 24” wide, your new lighting fixture should be between 18-24”. If you are not a strong visual thinker, please bring your dimensions in and feel free to bring pictures in. (We promise we won’t judge the sticky toothpaste holder!)

If you are looking to give your bathroom a refresh please feel free to contact us.

Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!

3 Quick Tips for Your Kitchen Lighting – Woodstock Lighting

Posted by: The Lighting Lady Posted on: Oct 25, 2018 decor , kitchen lighting , lighting tips , pendant lights

Kitchen lighting can be a tricky subject. Where should you choose to go big? Where do you add that important task lighting? How do you let your lights match without being too “matchy-matchy”? There are so many aspects to this vital room in your house. But don’t fear, we are here to help you through it all! With our 3 best lighting tips your kitchen lighting will be perfect!

Make a Plan

Ensuring that your kitchen is well-lit should be your number one concern. Think of all of the work that happens in a kitchen. Not only is your kitchen lighting a décor factor for your home but it’s also a safety concern as well! The key to creating a great lighting plan for your kitchen is to incorporate all kinds of lighting from ambient overall lighting, to task lighting over your sink and accent/decorative lighting to add the style. And don’t forget about your natural sources of light too.

Think About All the Elements

Lighting in your kitchen should be a reflection of your style and taste. Kitchen lighting should work together with your other décor choices to create a functional and fun work space for you and your family. The number of fixtures and placement of fixtures will greatly depend on your other décor choices. For example, taller ceilings and darker finishes will call for more light. Whereas a kitchen with white cabinets and white counter tops will help to bounce the light around the room allowing you to choose to use less fixtures or lower wattages in your fixtures.

The Easy Refresh Button

The easiest (and most inexpensive) way to give your kitchen a quick pick me up is to change out your pendant lighting over your island. This area of lighting should be where you can take a risk and bring out a little bit more personality to your kitchen. Whether that be something a little bit more vintage-inspired or something bright and bold. You can easily switch out these pendant lights when needing a refresh for your kitchen lighting.

If you are looking to give your kitchen a refresh please feel free to contact us. Or better yet, come in for a visit to our showroom!