A Basic Human Need

Natural light is a basic human need. It is key to our physical and psychological wellbeing. Natural light is a crucial consideration when it comes to architecture. Lighting design is equally crucial when it comes to interiors as there is no point in developing a room layout, beautiful finishes, furniture, art pieces, etc. if they are not properly lit!

No Lonely Pendant

Good lighting design will have a huge impact on the mood and energy of the room. I often see rooms with one lonely pendant that is meant to light the whole room. This is a serious design mistake, especially when the said pendant has a drum shade and a sad little bulb washing the room in an indiscriminate glare of light. The lonely pendant is not only ineffective in lighting the room, it makes it feel drab...The pendant ALWAYS needs to be accompanied by other layers of light.

Good Lighting is Layered

Lighting is about layering. In your lighting design, you will need a mix of task, mood and feature lighting. Task lighting is the type of light you need when performing a task such as cooking, chopping vegetables, studying, reading etc. Mood lighting is a light that will often bounce from the walls such as wall sconces or LED strip lighting in cabinetry or a floor lamp. Then you have feature lighting which will generally be highly decorative and will drive the eye of the person in the room. The type of light will have a wow effect and bring the whole decorative scheme together. It can be a chandelier or wall light either side of the fire place or pendants above the kitchen island.

In order to achieve a layered lighting design, you will need to use a savvy mix of architectural lights such as downlights, uplighter, LED strips etc. so lights that are fitted in the architecture and decorative lights such as pendants, wall lights, floor and table lamps.

Follow the Light

You can use the lighting to orchestrate the circulation within a space and lead people through the room, facilitate the tasks to be undertaken within the space such as cooking or reading etc. And you can bring people's attention to the best features of the room, which can be a piece of art, a beautiful mantle piece or a gorgeous view. When a view is worth highlighting, I like to mini-uplighter in the window sill, which has for effect to frame the window and the view.

The lighting design goes hand-in-hand with your floorplan and furniture layout. This is determined in the design phase of a renovation project and documented in a Reflective Ceiling Plan, which will show all the electric points and circuits including sockets, light switches and all small power equipment.

About Studio Sidika

Studio Sidika is a full-service interior architecture and design studio led by Sidika Owen d’Hauteville and established in 2015. Sidika has a mixed background being half Turkish and half British, was born in Brazil and brought up in Provence. This diverse heritage has served her well, opening her eyes up to different cultures, architecture, textiles and furnishings from an early age and giving her unique insights into contemporary design. Originally working as an investment banker in the luxury goods sector, her corporate background underpins a rigorous approach when it comes to budgeting, financial planning and project co-ordination. Passionate about sourcing contemporary art and antiques from various artists, galleries and countries, she is driven by an appreciation for the beauty in everyday life. Her studio designs timeless and inspiring spaces that make living easy.

Contact Us

Our clients are discerning homeowners and residential developers who value the blend of beauty, function and comfort.

To discuss your project with us, however small, book a consultation at www.studiosidika.com or email us hello@studiosidika.com