Peter's Picks!

Peter's Favorites

Lighting Consultant

5 years with Lightstyle of Orlando

Peter came to us from New York and Los Angeles where he was involved in celebrity lighting design for clients including Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. He specializes in contemporary transitional design and has worked with international lighting companies based in Italy, England, and Spain. He enjoys unusual spaces such as A-frame homes and really enjoys the challege of the College Park mid century homes with square rooms and low ceilings. Count on Peter when you need to think outside the box for your lighting needs!

5lt Square Pendant w/ Dichroic Glass

"Think 1960's Barbie dream house! Amazing shaded glass that has a different color tone from every vantage point. Punched up by using vintage style Edison filament lightbulbs make for a breathtaking piece of art!"

"This fixture can be custom painted to any metal finish under the rainbow. There are six glass options but my favorite has gold dust blown into it for an amazing glow! The wrapped funnel shape means you will never see the lightbulb. My favorite application was suspended over a grand piano!"

"These pendants come to us from Oggetti Lighting. Oggetti was born as an Italian furniture company that aquired a murano glass factory The Fantasia Belle pendant is made from a mouth blown glass. Each square is fused together. Amazing warm light is available in halogen, fluorescent, and incadescent options."

"Ultimate minimal design gives clear sightline to outdoor views. The aircraft cable strings visually disappear from a distance. For fun let the center electric wire hang loose for it appears to hover over your table!"

Come in and see Peter today about these lighting options and more!!

One of a Kind Furniture Collections Have Arrived!

I am excited to share with you three one of a kind furniture collections we just unloaded off the truck today! Guildmaster is a company made up of 400 artisans who individually handcraft each piece. In cleaning out their warehouse recently they discovered about 100 mahogany pieces that were built and ready for finishing. A lot of these pieces were prototypes and first run furniture that never got completed! Guildmaster handed these pieces over to their artisans and gave them complete artistic freedom to create a stunning piece of art! Below are the pieces we were able to get and are so happy to be able to share them with you!

****NOTE: Each piece will be sold individually****

Collection #1

Accent Table Details

Collection #2

Desk Top Details

Collection #3

Dresser Top Details

Side Table Top Details

Patsy's Lighting Picks

We have such a great sales team here at Lightstyle of Orlando! We have had the same group of people working together now for about 4 years! Most of our salepeople have been here for over 6 years and there are even a handful who have been here 20+!! Because there is so much knowledge and expertise between them I figured I would share with you some of their lighting and furniture recommendations. Be sure to subscribe to the blog to get the next set of staff picks sent directly to your email!

Name: Patsy

Position: Custom Builder Sales

Years with Lightstyle of Orlando: 31 Years

"This piece is not just contemporary, it fits into many different environments"

Cost: $663.75

"This is a fun fixture for lots of rooms! It would work in a little girls room that would grow with her!"

Cost: $162.87

" It's just the right fixture for a Master Bedroom. It adds romance!"

Cost: $618.75

"This is a great piece for an island! It fills the space with a lantern but even better. This fixture gives you a lot more for the price!

Cost: $1484.59

"Contemporary yet elegant piece to update your traditional space."

Cost: $3600.00

Come in and see Patsy today about these lighting fixtures as well as the many others we have here at the store! Our salespeople are always available to help you. Whether its a technical question about a rail lighting system or if you just want to know what would look good in your space we are always here to assist you!

Vendor Spotlight: Kalco Lighting

Kalco Lighting offers a hand-forged product varying from contemporary to traditional to everything in between! Artisans in their Las Vegas, Nevada factory hand paint each fixture using various layering techniques. These unique finishes have become Kalco's hallmark! Each piece is handcrafted making it truly a work of art. 

One of the really great things about Kalco is their use of natural materials in their shades. They use materials such as buddha leaf, iridescent shell, penshell, and calcite. Like many of our other vendors who offer a handcrafted product, Kalco offer its customers the ability to order custom fixtures.

This Tribecca fixture is a beautiful example of the incredible ironwork done by this company. You can see their use of penshell in the glass!

This piece is an example of what the buddha leaf glass looks like! 

This piece is made using the calcite material. Until I saw it in person a few years ago I never knew how cool this really was! This calcite is actually a mineral mined in Utah. When made into this shade it has somewhat of a candle like appearance. When the fixture is lit it gives off an incredibly warm glow! 

The Windsor collection is fairly new to to Kalco Lighting. The stained Mica shades are amazing and really make the fixtures! We have a few pieces from this collection in stock. Come see for yourself what i'm talking about!

This cirrus collection has always been incredibly popular! There are 3 colors of glass to choose from, clear, bronze and smoke. The bubble glass is very unique and is sure to get some attention!

If you are looking for a lighting fixture with amazing natural beauty come in today and ask about Kalco Lighting! We just put up a sample chandelier this week to show off all of Kalcos gorgeous glass options.  You won't be disappointed!

What's Your Lighting Style?

Picking out lighting for you home can be a more difficult task than you think! There are so many different kinds of lighting that it helps if you start by understanding your style. Are you traditional and enjoy warm colors and antique furniture? Do you feel inspired by nature and like decorating with a cool color palette of greens and blues? Are clean lines and simplicity in your surroundings important to you? For each of these types there is a corresponding lighting style.
Traditional:

Traditional lighting is very non-jarring and predictable. Most fixtures are made of darker metals with understated details. Like the traditional rooms that they are placed in, they are very comfortable and add to the overall homey feel. Often traditional lights are reproductions. Neutral and plainly decorated shades are often used in traditional lighting.

Contemporary:

You could say that contemporary lighting is the complete opposite of Traditional. Bright chrome finishes replace the traditional black and bronze. Bright colors accent most pieces and there is nothing understated about it! Contemporary lights are eye catching and are often the center piece of a contemporary space. Clean lines and simplicity are characteristic of most contemporary spaces and the lights often reflect the same!

Transitional:

The term transitional is fairly new in the lighting world. It is used to define a place somewhere between traditional and contemporary lighting. If you say to yourself, "I love the clean lines of contemporary but the chrome is just too much for me!" or "If they just removed the crystals and ivory shades from that chandelier it would be perfect!” than transitional just may be your style. Also referred to as "Bronze Contemporary," transitional lighting is often very clean and simple but of a darker finish. Transitional lighting also tends to stay away from the colorful accents that many contemporary fixtures boast but still preserves its clean simplicity.

Mission/Arts and Crafts:

Many companies who manufacture their products here in the US exemplify this style! Most are handmade/forged using natural elements such as iron and wood. Mission style lights usually showcase patina and worn finishes giving them a very rustic and heirloom look. Mica and art glass are often used in this style of fixture. Their design also showcases a pronounced geometry.


French Country:

This is a popular decorating style especially in the south. Wood furniture and floral accents are used as well as rustic materials such as stone and brick. Basic fabrics of plaids, checks, and stripes are often used in shades for lamps and chandeliers. French country lighting often uses white or ivory finishes and may even be decorated with roosters, flowers, or fruit.

Hopefully this has helped you to at least begin thinking about your lighting style! Decorating your home or office can sometimes be challenging on your own. Don't be afraid to come in to our store and get the help from one of our great salespeople! They're here to help you navigate all of the many different styles of lighting to find one that you truly love!

Made in America

Today is Memorial Day and I am feeling very patriotic! I thought it was only fitting that I highlight a few lighting companies who manufacture right here in the U.S.

"Since the late 1980's, Arroyo Craftsman has provided the finest in Arts & Crafts inspired lighting; honoring this tradition of elegant simplicity and quality craftsmanship." They hand-craft each piece individually out of raw brass. Their naturally oxidized finishes sometimes take days to cure! Their lights can be found in many historical landmarks such as The Grove Inn and many of Frank Lloyd Wrights homes. What is really great about American handmade lights are that they are almost always fully customizable! From glass to finishes to even the size of your fixture you can choose it all.

Framburg is another lighting company that makes its products right here in the States. In 1905 Framburg was founded by Henry Alfred Framburg in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout its history Framburg has been a great support in many of our Wars. During World War I Framburg made searchlights for the Armed Services and during World War II Framburg manufactured ship recognition models to train our forces to be able to recognize Allied versus Axis ships. Framburg has a reputation for high quality, commercial grade lighting fixtures that are also very beautiful!

Fine Art Lamps is a company who produces just that, Fine Art! When the company first began, the finest designers, sculptors, artisans, and decorative artists were assembled to make up it's creative team. The company developed an artistic standard that has come to symbolize the Fine Art Lamps name today.

 They made a "pledge to manufacture in the United States of America, based on the belief that this insures design integrity, quality control, reliable delivery, and personal service." As with the other American companies I mentioned, all of their fixtures are handmade which allow them to be customizable!

Last but not least is Hubbardton Forge!! This is a really neat company we brought in fairly recently. They are based out of Vermont and just like there name states each piece is hand-forged. When we first brought in Hubbardton we learned all about their manufacturing process and how their company works. Their passion for what they do is evident in not only their products but in their employess as well!!  They are the oldest and largest commercial forge in the country with a team of over 200 people creating functional works of art from raw metal.

Feeling the Love!

We received a really nice Thank You from one of our great design teams we work with here at Lightstyle that I wanted to share with you!

Dear Gang
We just wanted to take a minute to let you ALL know how much we appreciate you. Design is not ALL about the designers. It's about everyone that helps the designers achieve the best of what they do. You are an invaluable part of our team. The support you give us at C and L Studio, Inc. is truly appreciated!
Thanks again for everything!
Best, Jose and Cynthia

You can check out C and L Studios and some of the projects we've worked on with them at:

http://www.clstudioinc.com/

Art Glass Lighting

From handblown to recycled our showroom is FULL of beautiful glass fixtures!! I was taking a few photos of our store the other day and snapped these shots below.

This purple chandelier from Cyan Design is covered with blown glass orbs and crystals.

The Fascination Collection from Varaluz uses recycled steel and glass to make it's fixtures!

The Oggetti Luce Bolle 60 Suspension is handmade in Murano, Italy, by

glass artist L. Ferro. Bolle.

(P.S. I'm in love with this fixture :)

Come by the store and see all the other beautiful Art Glass we have today! From pendants to chandeliers to sconces, we're sure to have something you love!

Pink Lightbulbs: A surprising way to cozy up a space!!

In honor of our Visual Merchandiser John, I am writing a post on Pink Lightbulbs. He is always telling us how great pink lightbulbs are and that they make you beautiful! Well we have always been skeptical until he found this article backing up his claim. I havent switched my lights out to pink bulbs yet but after reading this article I just may!!!

"Lighting transforms a space. A room can feel small and cramped or it can feel warm and cozy depending on how it is lit. There are many aspects to creating good lighting, but changing the light bulbs you use is one of the simplest things you can do.
Most people are aware that fluorescent light bulbs leave a cold, bare feeling in a room. They can even make us feel stressed when we aren’t worried or strained otherwise. Incandescent bulbs and full-spectrum are better. But even better yet, are pink incandescent bulbs.
Sylvania and GE both make 60 watt and 3 way bulbs that emit an amazing glow. They are better than any other bulb to warm up a room. Basic white, incandescent bulbs and full-spectrum bulbs tend to create shadows and give a stark feel to a room. They cast a blue tone in the room that can detract from warm wall colors rather than accentuate them.
Pink bulbs, on the other hand, emit just as much light as standard bulbs and produce a warm, cozy feel. They are also easier to read by because you have less glare and starkness against the page. They are also easier on the eyes.
Many of my clients try these and end up exclusively using pink bulbs in their homes. One client needed to make a windowless, basement room an inspiring office. The first thing he did was to switch to pink light bulbs. It made a huge difference.
Many designers use these bulbs because the warm tones make peoples skin tones more attractive and alive looking. Restaurants and hospitals wanting to create a friendly, calming atmosphere put pink bulbs throughout thier buildings. Everyone looks better in this light. Plants, color on the walls, art, furniture, rugs, even the lamp the pink bulbs are in all look better with these transforming bulbs.
Don’t let the pink package fool you. Many people see the package and think of them as party bulbs, not for everyday use. Essentially these bulbs are only tinted; they are not pink. Putting them in your home or office, no one would detect you have put a different color bulb in your space. They would only detect that your home your home feels inviting and comfortable. But in truth these are only bulbs you need in your home.

Citation: http://www.qi-journal.com/fengshui.asp