Rio de Janeiro, the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics, is about to welcome athletes from 206 countries around the world to compete for 4,924 medals across 42 sports. All in the space of 17 days! The Olympics kick off on the 5th August, followed by the Paralympics on 7th September. Team GB is sending 366 athletes to compete in the Olympics and 260 to the Paralympics.
You may not be ‘Flying Down to Rio’ to support Team GB, but you can still watch all the action in the comfort of your own home. All of us here at Bespoke Lights wish our athletes well in their quest for gold.
Using gold in our interiors has never really gone out of fashion and interior designers have long known that we associate gold furnishings, fabrics and lighting with luxurious comfort and hospitality. The many shades of gold and brass create a comforting warmth and their metallic surfaces reflect light around a room in a pleasing way. Select one of two well-chosen accent pieces that appeal to your individual style rather than going for a totally ‘bling’ look.
Lighting, along with almost everything design based, goes in cycles with trends and preferences changing every decade or so. Warm bronzes and coppers were popular in the 1970’s and 80’s. Cool, clean chrome dominated the modern minimalist look of the 1990’s and into the beginning of the new millennium. But now we are seeing things turn around again with the current trend back toward brass and warm gold tones. Copper, bronze and rose-coloured golds are now firmly in the spotlight.
Here are a few ideas for adding a golden touch.
Black and gold is a marriage made in heaven.
This dramatic Basket table lamp from our Artisan Lighting Collection sits on a dark slate base and has a nest of gold twigs that form a basket like arrangement. The dramatic effect is completed by the 100% black silk shade. Suits both traditional and contemporary interiors.
Classic elegance sums up the traditional Carlton double wall light with black candle shades. Hand crafted in solid brass with a polished gold finish. Designed to replicate antique wall lights from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The candle shades are lined in gold too to create a lovely warm ambience.
More contemporary black and gold ceiling pendants that are just perfect for accent lighting over dining tables, kitchen islands and for hospitality lighting in coffee shops, cafes and restaurants. Black on gold or gold on black, have it whichever way around you prefer. The Malabo pendants are hand made in Ireland from solid brass and can be used individually or hung in groups for lighting larger spaces or over bigger dining tables.
A fabulous mix of bronze and gold metals are combined in these British made light fittings. They feature traditionally forged frames with scroll arms, gold oak leaf detailing and gold candle sleeves. Our image shows the large 15 light Amarilli chandelier in the foreground with the slightly smaller 10 light versions behind and matching twin wall lights on the right hand wall.
To complete our black and gold selection how about this stunning ceramic ginger jar table lamp. The Morris lamp is from our Empire Table Lamp Collection and simply exudes style and class. It has an intricate gold leaf pattern with small gold chevron detailing on a glazed black background.
Simply as Good as Gold
A trio of modern design ceiling pendant lights in a vintage industrial style ideal for today’s contemporary open plan living spaces. They all feature open rose gold wire frame shades and have a long 1.5 metre drop. The bulbs are designed to be seen with these light fittings and look wonderful teamed with Edison filament bulbs.
The stylish Aegean collection includes a range of different size ceiling lights with matching wall lights and table lamps in a choice of aged brass, polished brass or polished nickel finishes. The 8 light candle style chandelier shown here features hand forged scrolls with cut glass droplets and sconces and looks just perfect in this traditional gold themed drawing room.
Both the Ormolu and Zambia double gold wall lights are designed and made in the UK for our quality Artisan Lighting Collection. The Ormolu is typical of the elegant lighting of the Rococo period with its use of acanthus leaves and foliage whilst the Zambia elephant head wall light is ideally suited to African or Oriental themed rooms.
This neutral off-white kitchen is illuminated by three charming ceiling pendants from our New Orleans Lighting Collection. Distinctive light fittings designed by Paul Gruer and manufactured in the USA. They have an opulent feel and feature cylindrical gold leaf glazed metal shades with attractive patterning and are topped by decorative fragment silhouette finials. They have diffusers fitted to the bottom of the shades to eliminate any glare creating a warm relaxed atmosphere for dining.