To boldly glow

Soft Dome pendant lights from Habitat

After a decade of studding the kitchen ceiling with hundreds of halogen spots, the pendant light is back. And this time around it’s not alone.

Since the kitchen became the multi-faceted hub of the home and morphed itself into the dining room, creating atmospheric zoned areas has become more important. By combing multiple light sources, a well-planned lighting scheme can provide suitable ambience for a number of scenarios – from preparing a Sunday lunch for friends to a low-lit dinner for two.

In the dining area, make a statement with oversized pendant lights slung low over the table. During the day they create a focal point. In the evening, simply switch off all the other lights in the kitchen to bring intimacy to the area. Grouping adds impact – odd numbers will always give a relaxed feel, while even numbers will appear more architectural.

Habitat’s Soft Dome pendant lights are made from rubberised aluminium, feature and old gold interior and come in a choice of black or stone. For a more formal space choose the Clavius collection from Axo Light. Featuring an internal diffuser and a chrome-plated frame wrapped with silken threads, the range is offered in three colours – ivory white, black or tobacco. Or choose Foscarini’s Twiggy lamp – two sizes are available in a Mondrianesque palette of black, white, yellow and red.

March 2008