la villa

these photographs were taken from the la villa restaurant in paris.  this photograph shows the bar and the shelving system behind it. i like how the structural column is illuminated by the large pendant light over the bar but what really captures my eye is how the shelves are glowing in the background.  the light emanating from the shelves is soft, but gives the items on the shelves a presence.





this photograph shows the main dining area of the restaurant.  the direct spot lights above illuminate the white corner banquet and make it pop even more against the interior finishes.

bubbles

this photograph is the interior of a residence.  i really like how the pendant lamp adds a soft light and focal point above the table, but also how it creates a gentle glow against the wall behind the banquet. you can tell the lamp does not add too much light to the space, but it acts as an architectural feature as well as a textural addition to the space both in lighting effect and decor.  much of the furniture is very linear and structured and the lamp is a bit whimsical.

halo

i have several dropped ceilings in my coffee shop   and the lighting effect above the dropped ceiling here in this photograph is dramatic yet soft.  the light emphasizes the overall height of the space by bringing your eyes to the ceiling.  it also creates an outline of the kitchen/bar space.  the light defines the space in this photograph.  this will be useful in my space because of the dropped ceilings, but it will also provide me with a way to define spaces without using walls.  my coffee shop is very open and by defining spaces with light, i believe i will be able to achieve many intimate spaces within one large space.

serendipity

this photograph is from serendipity in florida.  i really like how the lights in this space create a pattern on the ceiling.  the lights softly illuminate the space but also create more more direct light along the ceiling which creates a textured light throughout the space. the lamps on the ceiling are placed in a somewhat random fashion and seem to mimic the tables below.

contemporary chic

i love the soft light cascading along the sofa from the windows.  this natural light combined with the small spot lights behind the sofa create a wonderful ambiance.  the back lit shelf behind the sofa draws your eyes further into the space and helps to direct attention to the main focal area of the space.

space, light and trendy spaces

the hotel sierra at short pump offers a bit of luxury and city chic to richmond.  it is a chain hotel that has taken the elements of boutique properties and formularized it.  

my visit to hotel sierra was mid morning on a sunny day.  light was streaming in the large windows surrounding the large loft-like lobby space giving the entire space a diffused glow.  the floor material is polished painted concrete which allows the light to reflect and illuminate the space.  various dropped ceilings throughout the space allow for light to reflect off, combined with the light reflecting off the floor gives the space a very well lit feel.  there are also lots of pendant lamps which hang from the dropped ceilings to give more direct light in certain areas.  the small bar area pictured to the right has a mirrored wall which reflects the light from the windows into the space.


   

the lobby seating areas like the conversation pit pictured to the left, are open and have lower seating elements to give it a loft-like feel.  there are exposed elements along the ceiling, including metal pipes, which add to the nyc loft feeling but also allow the light to be reflected into the space and a long the pipes.  the walls are light colored paint which help give a warm colored glow to the space.

 the restaurant is located on the eastern side of the building and sees daylight during most of the day.  the large windows allow ample daylight to enter the space.  as you can see from the photograph to the left, there is a lot of glare from the light.  there are large draperies which hang from the ceiling, these can provide relief from the sun if need be and also serve to separate the dining area from the lobby during meal times.

let the sunshine in

the darden school of business at the university of virginia in charlottesville, va.  this photographs below include the main building, saunders hall and the classroom space.

when you walk into saunders hall, you enter a rotunda like space called the pepsico forum.  at the top of the space is an occular window which allows daylight to enter and fill the space (as pictured to the right and below).

this photograph shows how the light from the cupola above is diffused throughout the forum space to provide a bright area for gathering.  the lighter paint colors allow warm light to illuminate off of the walls as it filters from the ceiling to the floor.

down the hall from the forum is the main classroom hallway.  this hallway is where all of the case classrooms are located off of.  it is light in color and lit by large pendant lights as well as ample windows which allow daylight into the hallway to keep it bright. 

this is a typical case classroom.  there are no windows and no natural light enters the room unless the doors are propped open.  in this photograph, the only light used are the overhead lights.  all things considered the space is well lit, but it is a cool diffused light and not the warmer glowing light provided by natural sunlight.