With January and February’s long nights, we notice the lighting design in our homes more than at any other time of the year.

It’s the perfect time to think about refreshing our light fittings.

If you’re looking to shed a little light on the interior trends for 2017, here are our top tips for the fashionable items in our homes this year:

Light fittings inspired by nature

We’ll be seeing chandeliers shaped like calla lilies, light fittings inspired by leaves, twigs, and feathers.

Influences from the flowing lines of Art Nouveau inspired by grasses, flowers, and other plants, will be seen throughout interior design this year.

Geometric chandeliers

They’ve been bubbling under the radar for the past few years, but 2017 is going to see the trend become widespread.

Some will be inspired by Art Deco, 1930s Hollywood movies, and glitz.

Others will take 1950s and 1960s shapes like the Newton chandelier by Boca do Lobo.

Gold-finished lamps

There’s be a glamorous look to interiors in 2017. Alongside sheepskin rugs, silk throws, and rich jewel colours, there will be a trend towards burnished, gold decorations on objects like lamps.

Watch out for gold leaf embossed lamp bases, both round and stick shaped.

Naked bulbs caged in metals

Naked bulbs have been a trend in recent years. This year, we’ll see more of them in metallic cages, especially copper, steel, and distressed, aged metals.

Lights with cork details

Yes, we did say cork! Not since the 1970s has cork been so popular in interior designs – on floors and walls.

Designers have been combining it with other natural materials to create a look devoid of cork’s naff Seventies history.

2017 will see lights with cork detailing becoming very fashionable.

Sculptural floor lamps

Many will be geometric in design, taking their inspiration from modern art. Expect to see corner lamps features 1960s-style pods attached to a single metal pole. Groovy!

It’s also a great time to ensure the safety of your lights and switches.

If you need help revamping your lighting – with design, installation, or maintenance – we’re here for you!

Call our friendly team on 0845 003 6856. See what we can do for your home here: /domestic-services/.

Are you a gadget king or queen?

For tech-heads and gadget obsessives, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.

So, we’ve put together our list of the top 7 electrical gadgets you’ll want to see under your tree.

1.      iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 sparked queues when it was released and it’s bound to be a popular present this Christmas with all members of the family.

Alongside all the usual iPhone functions, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus have excellent cameras, stereo speakers, and they’re waterproof.

You can get an iPhone 7 with zero up front cost and £44.50 monthly contract.

2.      Anki Cozmo robot

The cutest robot on the block. Cozmo has a sophisticated neural network, recognises its owner, is ready to play games, and expresses feelings on its display.

A developer platform can be used to add more features to your favourite bot, making it a user-friendly way to learn about robotics.

It’s a sophisticated machine with four motors allowing it to move around and a VGA camera to help it see its surroundings. It’s available online now and expected to be widely available in UK stores in 2017.

Available online from £316.

3.      Apple Watch series 2

Apple has made some serious improvements to the latest watch – including making it waterproof, readable in direct sunlight, and giving it GPS.

It has all the functions of the first Apple Watch, too.

Available from £338.

4.      360 fly 4k action camera

If you want crystal clear 360-degree footage, this is the camera for you. It has a 240-degree fish-eye lens, so this camera means you don’t need to stitch content together.

It has a resolution of 2,800 pixels by 2,800 pixels, 64GB of memory, a built-in gyroscope, smartphone app controls, an accelerometer, and a GPS antenna.

It has a shockproof and waterproof body and can be connected to via wi-fi and Bluetooth.

From £599.

5.      SteelSeries Arctis gaming headphones

Great for gamers – whatever their age – or those who love to listen to loud music.

Their sound quality is excellent, they’re comfortable, and the microphone is sensitive enough for in-game talk and making Skype calls.

From £89.

6.      Amazon Echo dot

Powered by Amazon’s Alexa smart home platform, this gadget connects to your speakers and take voice commands.

It’s an affordable way to dip your toes into the water when it comes to smart home products.

From £50.

7.      DJI Phantom 4 drone

This drone can capture 4K video – and its footage is excellent quality – and HD images in slow motion.

It can track moving objects, automatically avoid obstacles, and its top speed is 44mph.

It has up to 28 minutes of time in the air and a range of 3.1 miles.

From £950 with beginner’s pack.

Need help from a professional to fix or upgrade your home electrics? Check out our services for householders here: http://www.sonikelectrical.co.uk/domestic-services/.