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/.

Here’s one thing many office workers hate with a passion: fluorescent strip lights.

The light they give off is harsh and feels unnatural.

It can seemingly take an age for them to turn on.

When something goes wrong, they flicker and buzz annoyingly.

There’s a recognition in light manufacturing that fluorescent strip lighting is loathed by many.

General Electric’s GE Lighting division stopped manufacturing fluorescent bulbs at the end of 2016, concentrating on LEDs and halogens.

Its Chief Operating Officer John Strainic told reporters a fluorescent bulb had become “the light bulb that everybody loves to hate”.

Mr Strainic said they had become crowded out of the marketplace by incandescent bulbs and LED lightbulbs as LED technology becomes cheaper.

There are now several LED strip bulb alternatives like the GE Bright Stik and some LED alternatives can mimic daylight.

Industry insiders are waiting to see if other major manufacturers follow GE’s lead.

So, if you still have fluorescent tubes in your office, what can you do?

Research the cost of replacing them. LED replacements will cost more to buy than fluorescent bulbs, but they are cheaper to run, last longer, and will be a good investment in the long term.

Look at the lighting design in your office – could your lighting be used better?

You can design offices to create distinct spaces even within an open-plan environment, and one of the key ways you can do that is by using effective lighting in different areas.

A conference area might benefit from targeted downlighters or a central feature light, a kitchen area will need brighter lighting than an informal rest area.

Fluorescent lighting can also cause glare problems for people using equipment like computers or light boxes – could your new design diffuse the light for those workers?

Looking for bright ideas for your office lighting design? We can help – we design, install, and maintain commercial lighting in South Wales and beyond. Have a chat with our friendly team on 0845 003 6856 and check out our services for commercial clients: /commercial-services/.

Well-designed lighting can help your shop attract customers and keep them in store.

Ultimately, it can help you make sales.

Poorly-designed lighting can end up fighting against all the other good work being done in your shop to make it attractive to customers.

Here are our tips to getting your shop lighting to work for you:

Create product spotlights

If you have showpiece items which are likely to bring people into your store or keep them interested in staying in it, you could create a product spotlight area.

Clever lighting can highlight your showpiece product while dimming the lights slightly around it.

You could use overhead lighting, up lighting, or side lighting to give your items impact.

Your go-to item will really pop when your customers see it.

Create a route through your shop

You don’t have to draw arrows on the flooring to get your customers to follow the path you’d like through your shop.

There are several techniques savvy shopkeepers use to keep people in their shop longer – giving them the best chance of making a sale. Lighting can be a big part of that.

Make your threshold light and bright – it’s your first impression.

Retailers know that 90% of people will instinctively turn to the right when going into a shop, so it’s best not to fight this. Create your most impressive display there and light it well.

Create a clear walking path from that point around the store. Light the path more slightly more brightly than other areas to help people follow it, ensuring they can still see your products clearly.

Even subtle differences in brightness will make a subconscious difference.

Segment your shop into different areas

You could do this with the brightness of your lights and different colours to create areas with different moods.

You could dim lights to make people more relaxed in certain areas – especially useful if you have products in that area which enhance relaxation, like aromatic oils or candles.

You could create a light bright play area which would attract children to toys or books aimed at them.

Don’t over-highlight counter areas

Keeping counter areas to a minimum and getting employees to walk around the store helps to make it look busy and breaks down the ‘us’ and ‘them’ barriers between staff and customers.

Don’t spoil that effect by having a huge spotlight over your counter areas.

While you want people to know where to pay and get help, it would be better to make them a key destination on your shop walking route.

Whether you’re in fashion, electronics, arts and crafts, or food retailing, great lighting could help your customers have a lightbulb moment and make that purchase!

If you’d like experienced electricians who can help you design your shop lighting in Cardiff, South Wales, and further afield, call us on 0645 003 6856. Discover our services for retailers here: /commercial-services/.

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/.