Date Published 06 December 2017
Lighting is often overlooked, even at the planning stage of the build. Optimising the use of natural light and complementing it with the right artificial light, both inside and outside the home, is one of the most important elements of good interior design.
I quite often despair at the number of badly designed lighting systems I see in Jersey homes, largely through the lack of proper planning, but also because of changing needs and functions of each room and the challenge faced by the limited choice available locally.
I have made quite a few changes to the lighting in my own home; I can only think that the architect was away the day the lighting system was designed and again when it was installed! The lack of choice in Jersey has often meant compromise in the past, but no longer thanks to the World Wide Web!
Lighting is the finishing touch to any interior and exterior scheme; it not only creates ambience and comfort, but is needed for safety and has to be thought through to the finest details. I am a determined person and was not to be beaten by the lack of choice, the poor design of my house and the fairly tight budget I was working to, so I sourced and sourced and found some amazing online stores who deliver quickly and efficiently to Jersey.
Here are my top three, and whatever my needs, one of these always has the perfect solution:
www.jim-lawrence.co.uk – a family run business, born out of a farm forge making candlesticks for friends. Their designer quality lights are stunning and offer timeless elegant lighting options. The staff are super friendly and very helpful.
www.pooky.com – have quirky and an amazing variety of very affordable lighting. They are inspiring and have a great blog for some tips and ideas. I am always impressed how speedily they arrive!
www.dowsingandreynolds.com – I like them for their industrial style, caged and vintage lights as well as lighting components to make up your own lighting, plus all sorts of bulbs, shades and other hip hardware. They have a very useful source of vintage filament bulbs in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Very reasonably priced and they offer quick delivery too.
