Decorate with lighting

Different lighting for different purposes

“I know of nothing that contributes so much to a certain mood as the right lighting. A harsh, cold ceiling light dulls the mood, makes the eyes smart, and takes away much of the picturesque atmosphere of home life. Warm lighting at a height that is sufficient to provide a concentrated light on the table paraphernalia – the flowers, the fruit or the appetising sandwich table – is something you should get, if you haven’t already done so.”

– Estrid Ericson

Lighting is essential to give your interior design the right feeling. But how do you get it right? A few points stemming from Svenskt Tenn’s interior design philosophy are particularly important to consider. The first is that the lighting should be customised to your specific needs. Directed light such as a reading lamp provides a concentrated source of light, while diffused light creates a warm atmosphere in the room. To get the right feeling, you need to balance and mix different types of lights. Secondly, the lighting should be flexible; adjustable and easy to move. Then you can move it around the room according to your wishes, needs and the season.

Svenskt Tenn’s lighting philosophy

Some tips and advice when decorating with lighting:

• Placing the lamps at different levels generates an exciting and dynamic interior.
• Use different types of lighting in different parts of the room – at least five light sources in each room.
• A beautiful lamp can also work as a sculpture.
• Don’t pick lampshades with trendy colours. Rely instead on your own taste and preferences.A beautiful lamp can also work as a sculpture.
• Josef Frank’s fixtures are often made so the bulb holder will be visible. These should therefore not be covered by lampshades.
• Ceiling lamps without shades highlight the bulb as an aesthetic feature.

Table lamps

Table lamps are practical, useful and beautiful to look at. Place them at different levels in the room: on tables and dressers, on shelves and windows. Choose a brass table lamp or one with a painted base for a warmer tone, or create a cooler feel with silver tones and a table lamp in pewter or nickel-plated brass.

Floor lamps

“The lamp of our time – our electric time – is called the floor lamp, the movable, portable floor lamp.” Estrid Ericson wrote this in her Interior Design Catechism, and we can’t help but agree today. The floor lamp is versatile and can be used both as functional lighting and mood lighting depending on how it is designed and placed. Svenskt Tenn’s floor lamps are available in materials such as wood and brass, and with elegant leather features. In addition to the wide range of classic floor lamps designed by Josef Frank, Svenskt Tenn also sells the works of contemporary designers.

Ceiling lamps

The ceiling light fulfils an important function, both as general lighting in the room, but also from an aesthetic perspective. Here too, you should make sure that the lamp you choose fits the needs of the room. Over the dining table, it can be a good idea to have a lamp with the light directed downwards to illuminate the table setting and food on the table. Also decide whether you prefer a ceiling light with a shade that gives a more diffused light, or a ceiling light with bare bulbs providing a different aesthetic.

Lampshades

Josef Frank was meticulous about every detail in his designing. For each lamp model he created, and there were quite a few over the years, he also designed a unique lampshade with the same model number. Originally, they were all made of white fabric, but Estrid Ericson soon began producing them in Josef Frank’s many colourful patterns. Today, there is a wide variety of lampshades in the range, which makes it easy to refresh and vary your lighting according to the season.