When you hear the term Aladdin Lamp your mind probably goes directly to genies and wishes This is certainly not something you would consider decorating with or is it Aladdin Lamps are much more common than one might think It may even be that you have one or two in your own home but just never knew the actual name for them bathroom light fixtures,bathroom lighting,ceiling fans,ceiling lighting,crystal lamps,desk lamp,discount lamps,discount lighting,fitting,floor lamps,fluorescent bulbs,garden lighting,interior lighting,lamp shades,led bulb,led lamps,led light,low voltage lighting,neon lights Once you know what an Aladdin Lamp is you may find yourself coming up with all kinds of ideas of how to incorporate them into your home décor
The lamps are so named for you guessed it the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp In the early 1900s the lamps inventor developed an alternative to the yellow flickery light of a coal lantern With a special material called a mantle they give off a steady white glow with no smoke or residual odor Their utility caught on almost immediately and their fixture in American decorating was not long to follow Today you can find them the original kerosene burning variety or an updated electric version in many different types of decorating themes
Though they vary vastly in material size shape and color the overall design of an Aladdin Lamp is fairly recognizable if you know what you are looking for Most of them look nothing like the lamp from the movie Aladdin or pictures you may have seen As a matter of fact to use another Hollywood reference many of them resemble Jeanies Bottle more than Aladdins Lamp Most will have a base made of metal or glass that is shaped like a cylinder with an opening at the top to allow for lighting and for heat to escape What goes on top can make an Aladdin Lamp very simple or extravagant Some are surrounded in an opaque glass globe with decorative designs on the outside Others have tops that are more like traditional lamp shades you may be more familiar with
Some of the most obvious placement for Aladdin Lamps is incorporated into Moroccan style decorating Large pillows on the floor in vibrant reds and orange colors accented by the unique design and gentle white glow given off by an Aladdin Lamp can make a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere Another perk to this type of lighting is the ability to control the level of brightness the lamp gives off All kerosene burning lamps are adjustable to control the amount of air that gets to the mantle which will increase or decrease the level of light produced However many electric styled lamps are fitted with this same ability think dimmerswitch but inside a lamp
Aladdin Lamps play a very large part in decorating when it comes to more Victorian style designs For example imagine a bedroom with an antique armoire a matching dresser and porcelain dolls perched on top of a lace comforter that adorns a four poster bed Matching lamps on either side of the bed complete the oldworld feel of the room It doesnt matter if they were made yesterday these lamps have an antique look and feel that cannot be ignored They can also be nice for a babys nursery and can be found with pink blue or other pastels to go with the décor Aladdin Lamps may not be the most contemporary design but that is a good thing if what you are looking for is traditional elegant and peaceful lighting to fill the room with comfort and warmth
Bedroom Lighting Advice
The bedroom should be the most comfortable room in the house after all the purpose of shelter as a basic human need is to provide a place to sleep and rejuvenate the body and mind For this reason home lighting fixtures and arrangements for the bedroom should be carefully considered Many people also use the bedroom to read books or write in journals and for this reason the bedroom should provide the right light for such activities while still creating a peaceful ambiance
One of the most common lighting mistakes that can through off the entire bedroom is using direct downward lighting over the bed This produces a large amount of glare and does not make reading more enjoyable However this does not mean you should depend on the overhead lighting in the room for reading light This type and quality of light is often bad for reading adding unnecessary strain on the eyes If you enjoy reading or writing in bed put a table lamp on the nightstand positioned slightly behind your head and closer to the wall A wall sconce may also be used in a similar position on the wall to prevent shadows If you sleep with a partner it is a good idea to test some fixtures that will keep the other side of the room relatively dark while you stay awake reading This is a simple courtesy that your partner will certainly appreciate When tackling the ambiance of the bedroom floor lighting or lighting directed through plants soften the room light very effectively However this sort of lighting should be secondary to a bright ceiling fixture with dimming capability
You need to be able to make the room as bright as you want when you need to find something but you also want the option of low soft light for resting If it seems like your room is too small the right lighting can make it seem more comfortable By keeping the room evenly lit the claustrophobic feeling will subside Along with overhead lighting there should be lighting at the head of the bed with the similar fixtures referred to before balanced with lights positioned in the opposite part of the room maybe a lamp on the dresser or a floor lamp in the corner After turning on all of the lights in the room look for areas that produce shadows then attempt to reposition the bedroom lighting so that the shadows are minimized
Lastly dont forget to put bright light fixtures in the closet that are well protected The closet is considered a utility area of the bedroom and should be treated this way in order to have the light needed for locating clothes or accessories By using durable fixtures the risk of damaging light fixtures from pulling something down from a higher shelf is reduced It is also important to be able to discern the true color of your clothes so that you dont show up to work wearing navy with black
Bedroom Lighting needs to be carefully thought out and planned because usually the bedroom tends to function as multiple rooms and can require effective task lighting for its various roles The bedroom can double up as a study or a television room or as a reading room and most usually as a dressing room and sometimes it has to function as all these rooms
Also the bedroom is the first room you see in the morning upon waking and is the last room you see at night before going to sleep Given that its main function is to be a room of rest tranquility and comfort this is one room where getting the lighting right is of paramount importance
The color scheme of a bedroom has a large role to play in the mood and ambience of the bedroom And the way in which lighting is used to great effect in a room will depend on the color of the walls and the furnishings in that room For instance bright colors such as orange and yellow are very popular for young childrens rooms pink tends to be more popular with girls blue is thought of as a cool and calming color No matter what color the room by using suitable lighting fixtures it is possible to change the effect and ambiance of the room by day and by night by simply using different types of lights An example would be having a blue room during the day this would come across as being calm and tranquil however by using colortinted lamps and warmcolored lighting and having bedside lamps with colored light bulbs the room can take on a more warm and welcoming appearance by night
As mentioned earlier effective task lighting is key to good bedroom lighting and can be provided through a variety of different ways Fixed fittings are one option but whilst they remove dangling wires and the risk of overturning table lamps etc they may confine the bed to a particular place in the room Portable lighting is the other option and effective task lighting in bedrooms can be easily achieved by using adjustable reading lamps near to the bed to facilitate reading or desk lamps for the dressing table areas It is also possible to use special clipon reading lights for the bedhead or spotlights clipped to a wall shelf or even use a floor standing uplighter at each end of the bed
If the room does not need to be brightly lit up then table lamps dotted around the bedroom are sufficient and can create a lowlit cosy and comfortable bedroom Usually two light fixtures at either side of the bed and a few table lamps placed on a desk or dressing table will suffice
It is possible to use the more familiar lighting effects commonly used in other rooms to great effect in the bedroom For example effective use of picture lights to create specific focus on portraits or paintings hung on walls as well as using uplighters under a bay window to highlight curtains these methods are just as effective in the bedroom as they would be in the living room or hallway areas
For more dramatic bedroom lighting effects consider placing a linear light underneath the bed itself this results in a beautiful warm glow and gives the appearance that the bed is almost floating The same sort of effect can be achieved by placing light fixtures under the bottom of shelves
