Contemporary lighting styles and their features. Part 2

10/2022

Art deco

This style is present not only in design and architecture but also in art. It first appeared in the 1930s due to the mixing of popular classical and Western techniques with various styles of the East and exotic countries. In the Art deco interior, you will see a lot of expensive glass and crystals, massive chandeliers and a combination of different types of lighting.

Art deco is a fantastic combination of a whole series of different styles and directions, but most of its characteristics Art deco drew from Empire and Cubism. Lighting designers usually install elegant and sophisticated massive light equipment. In such an interior, the lighting should be particularly presentable and exciting and play a vital role in the stylization of the room.

Specialists choose lamps in white, gray, silver, sand-beige, chocolate, and graphite-black colors. Designers also quite often use chrome elements or even gilding. Lamps made of artificial materials are not suitable for the art deco style. It is allowed to install light sources made of metal, glass of various degrees of transparency (in particular Murano glass), wood, and expensive fabrics.

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Preview photo by Krystal Black on Unsplash
Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Minimalism

Minimalism is one of the trendiest styles of recent years and continues to gain followers worldwide. The fundamental ideas of the concept of this style are environmental friendliness and minimization of consumption. In this style pattern and temperature of the light create a picture of the design.

At the same time, the number of lighting devices should not be too large so as not to oversaturate the space with light. That is why hidden lighting is quite common: lamps for stairs, points, led strips, etc. Thanks to the proper lighting, you can visually enlarge a small room, shift the focus to the most attractive places, change the composition of the space and highlight the chosen lighting style.

Lamps in the style of minimalism can be not only multifunctional but also decorative. Although this style does not involve any extra elements, it is sometimes difficult to do without decor, as the space, in this case, looks pretty empty. So the best option is to use lamps of unusual shapes, attracting attention and becoming a highlight of the interior.

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Photo by Marina Podrez on Unsplash
Photo by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Country

This variant of interior design originated in the 1970s in the United States. Still, its history probably spans a much extended period because it is a traditional rural interior characterized by coziness, simplicity and functionality. Country-style lighting has the same features, and it should complement the stylish filling of the room and maintain a mood of peace, relaxation, rural coziness and harmony with nature. Even in a city apartment, such an interior design should create the impression of the comfort of a country house. Similar styles are Provence, English, Ethnic and others. 

The essential thing in the country style is always the functionality of the lighting. At the same time, lamps can be quite extravagant and extraordinary. Usually, the bases are made of wood, metal or bone and often have forged elements. Fixture materials can have a lot of unevenness and roughness, giving the impression that they are handmade. 

One of the most popular elements is lampshades of various shapes and sizes, for their creation are fabric, sackcloth, lace, and vine. Designers often use fringe, glass, lace or clay pendants, metal chains, and imitation candles as decor. 

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Photo 1 by Olga Kravets
Photo 2 by Freepik

Functionalism

Functionalism was a consequence of the industrialization of the 1920s in Germany. The basis of this style is convenience, functionality and rational use of space, which is why this lighting style will be ideal for small apartments. 

Such design ideas are easy to implement in the environment of typical city buildings. Light tones of the interior inspire a feeling of freedom and uncluttered space — a minimum of decorations and an almost complete absence of decor. 

Functionalism's key features are:

• Straightness

• Purity of forms and shades

• Lack of excesses and a kind of industrial charm

Lighting in such an interior plays a unique role, so designers must carefully consider how windows and artificial light sources will look. Light white curtains, sometimes blinds, are hung on the large windows to ensure sufficient natural lighting. 

If there is still insufficient natural light in the room, it is compensated by a small number of artificial lighting elements. Lamps can be installed above mirrors and near the bed, on the walls or floor, but they should be genuinely functional, not decorative. 

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Photo by dit26978 on Freepik