Illumination, the Art of Painting with Light

Designers spend a lot of time choosing the perfect sofa, chairs and even paint color for their living room walls, but many forget about the importance of proper lighting. Regardless if the room is for watching TV, read books, play games and entertain guests, the right lighting serves an important purpose in both the function and look of the room. "Lighting is important because of the intimacy it creates," says Liz Wenrer, especially for living rooms considering they are usually one of the first rooms you walk into when you enter a home. It inevitably sets the tone for the rest of the house.

A properly engineered lighting scheme should use different kinds of light, set at different levels, that work together to make the space warm and attractive. The use of dimmers for example will allow you to control the level of light to suit the activities that take place in the space, and by doing so will make people want to linger and enjoy the setting longer.

LIVING ROOM LIGHTING DESIGNS

Lighting options on the market today offer the homeowner and designer an array of choices, most of which are now much more energy-efficient lighting solutions then they were just a few years ago. Halogen fixtures, and LEDs are definitely one of the newest options, all of which are available in exciting and innovative designs. Here are four popular lighting strategies Liz uses when designing an interior space with a client.

ACCENT

When Liz wants to highlight certain features in a living room, like a fireplace, textured walls or a painting, she'll use adjustable lights directed to points of interest or decorative lights on a surface to highlights selected objects or spaces. "Lighting adds a pleasing variation of brightness by drawing attention and putting more light on an architectural feature." The rule she employs to properly draw attention to an area, is to supply about five times as much light on the focal point as the surrounding general light.

 AMBIENT

Stylish chandeliers, ceiling lights, wall-mounted fixtures or table lamps can provide wonderful ambiance by casting a warm glow in your living room. Controlling illumination in the room will make it feel comfortable and inviting. “As a designer, when I control the ambient light I control the emotions generated in that room” says Liz, who likes to use ambient light to illuminate surfaces, textures and colors in the room.

 DECORATIVE

When you want to create interest and add sparkle to your living room, table lamps, hanging pendants and chandeliers can provide the decorative light that adds coziness and intimacy. "It completely personalizes a space," says Liz, by creating areas of interest that reflect the owners tastes and personality. An experienced designer will use light much like a painter uses color. Light is emotion.

Narciso by Bracci

Narciso by Bracci is a lightweight design with a strong visual impact. This model is characterized by a handmade sophisticated topstitching that offers a surprising touch of elegance. In addition, the seat and back is composed of memory foam and the extreme soft seating comfort perfectly adapts to the body.

Built in a state a of the art factory in Southern Italy, Bracci specializes in the manufacturing of high-end contemporary and modern leather furniture. The process starts with new and trend setting designs from top Italian Designers. Then the designs are brought to life by highly skilled artisans, who have learned their craft from past generations. This combination of high tech building methods and materials with old world craftsmanship allows Bracci to proudly offer an exclusive 100% Made in Italy product, brought to Furniture Market at value prices.

Bringing Life-Like Greenery Indoors

Robert and Liz Werner have owned and operated Furniture Market for over ten years now, bringing the most prestigious furniture brands the world has to offer to Las Vegas.  Although few people may know the furniture industry better than this dynamic duo, Roberts real training (and passion) was in the floral business. 

Before Furniture Market was the premium location for luxury furniture, it was the ‘Flower Market’ operated by Robert and his father, Robert Sr.  It was here that Robert developed his skills in creating floral works of art, many of which were displayed throughout in almost every major casino-resort in Las Vegas.

Robert carries on that tradition and passion today with one-of-a-kind artificial floral arrangements that can only be found at Furniture Market.  These floral artworks range in size from small pieces that would fit perfectly on a fireplace mantel or side table to large floor displays that climb to over twelve feet tall.  Examples of which can be seen throughout our 48,000 square foot showroom, in almost every furniture vignette onsite. 

The greenery that Robert uses comes from artisan shops all over the world, many of which are individually hand-made using only the finest materials available.  The difference between the greenery that Robert uses and what can be found at local craft stores is without comparison.  Even at close examination it hard to tell that they are not real living plants.   In fact, the flowers and greenery are so life-like that visitors to Furniture Market can often be found ‘leaning into the arrangements to smell their exotic scents’.

The incredible realism of these beautiful floral arrangements makes it possible to add color, texture, shapes and ‘life’ to a room without the need of direct sunlight, plant food or water.  Based on his experience Robert says that “real plants and trees require a lot of work to keep them live and healthy.  Depending on the room where they’ll reside, sometimes it’s even impossible.  Not to mention that unlike real plants, these amazing arrangements will last many years and require only a simple dusting from time to time. 

Having an ‘in-house’ floral designer of Robert’s caliber makes the job of our Design Consultants that much easier and often allows them to add the perfect finishing touch to a room or home design project. 

Furniture & Design Trends We’ll see in 2019

With 2019 upon us, it’s time to examine the furniture and design trends that are shaping the look of home décor. A few 2018 styles will stay with us through 2019 and remain strong, while many design trends we’ve see in past decades are returning as more designers look to infuse the personality of their clients into their living areas.

But through it all, modern-contemporary designs continue to grow in popularity and promise to be with us for some time to come.  Here are a few trends that I believe are worth watching for 2019.

 Natural Materials

While high-tech designs were big in 2018, many of our clients have been seeking more natural looking materials in their homes. Stone, wood and even concrete are all on-trend in 2019.

Retro Chic

We’ve seeing a return to retro colors and shapes, particularly those from the ’1960s and ’70s.  Some of this retro styling is showing up in the form of low, curved throwback furniture and fabrics that are rich in texture and detail.  ‘Boho Chic’ remains quite popular and fits in perfectly with emerging retro trends.

 Multi-functional Furniture

With the rise in Millennial’s seeking-out urban living so has the demand for flexible furniture that serves more than one purpose, takes up less space and is easy to move.   Expandable tables, fold-out movable bars and modular sofas are just a few of the furniture pieces whose popularity will continue to grow in the coming months. These are perfect solutions for those with small apartments or tight living quarters.  It also appeals to people embracing minimalism and clean lines in smaller, more affordable homes.

Art Deco

Despite a move toward smaller living spaces, many people still enjoy the look of luxury and glamour in their homes and apartments. This has created a renewed interest in Art Deco design, which I believe will become quite popular in 2019.

 More Metal

Metal of all types and colors will continue to be a prominent feature in 2019 interiors, especially in fixtures, furniture, and accent pieces. The primary difference this year will be an increase in the use of copper, brass, and blackened metals although polished nickel and stainless steel will likely remain as tried and true favorites.

 Cozy, Comfortable Beds

I can say with complete confidence that a great many of my clients list their bed among their favorite furniture items in their home. More than just a place to sleep, a bed provides a sense of comfort and safety, thus creating the ultimate oasis for relaxation. At Furniture Market we continue to see more beds featuring plush headboards and footboards covered in comfortable upholstery. Canopy beds which were the rage just a few years ago in the ‘Tuscan-era’, have been growing in popularity again as the trend toward cozier bedrooms continues to grow.  Gone are the massive wood posts and chunky ornate headboards, being replaced with modern sleeker materials such as clear acrylics and finished metals.

Bold Colors

Although light blushes and timeless black and white furnishings are still in style, many furniture designers, including the prestigious European manufacturers are getting more adventurous with their color choices.  In 2019 we’ll see greater use of more bold colors such as deep greens, striking yellows, brunt orange and tonal reds. 

Long-term Durability

In the last decade the demand for more eco-friendly and sustainable products has emerged in many industries, including home furnishings.  Buyers are looking to see the products they purchase last longer and less ‘use and dispose’.  This concept makes quality high-end furniture more attractive and more long-term affordable than it did in the past.