As homeowner Stacey Rogers recently found out, proper lighting can add depth and warmth to a space. No one knows this better than Ashton Harrison of Shades of Light, who shares tips on how to maximize your home lighting.
As homeowner Stacey Rogers recently found out, proper lighting can add depth and warmth to a space. No one knows this better than Ashton Harrison of Shades of Light, who shares tips on how to maximize your home lighting.
We have been chatting about holiday entertaining and it is time to get the party in high gear! A tantalizing layout of food makes for the best memories. To make the perfect presentation be sure you have great lighting to let the goodies shine.
Gold is the trendy color in home décor; makes us think of prosperous times to come.

Our Gold Trendsational Chandelier is a hip way to show off the table
Kick it up a notch with our custom chandelier in an ample size with classic and modern lines. Distressed gold leaf with umber aging dresses it up just enough. 6 lights. Iron.

Hang it over our Gold Mirrored Round Top Table which looks fab sitting over Grand Manoir Rug (available in round)



Don’t forget the table top!
Check out Hostess With The Mostess for all the latest ideas.

The right food is a must here! This week we will end with some “delish” appetizer ideas from who else but Delish!


Step back & let the compliments flow! Next week; the main course!
©Shades of Light 2008
Believe it or not chilly weather is just around the bend!
We love to “dine in” during the shorter days and longer, cozier nights. Plan now for that special intimate gathering of good friends, good wine & lighting that will set the perfect mood.

Cast Iron Rusty Brown Rectangle Doormat Rug
Our Iron Gate Door Grate is the perfect welcome mat. In foul weather your guest can leave the dirt behind with this sturdy grate.

Personalized Vineyard Table Lamp
Set our personalized Vineyard Table Lamp right at the entrance for your guest to feel welcome & start the fun! Even if you’re not entertaining, this travertine marble tile lamp will remind you of family and friends. Personalize with your family name, favorite wine label or farm name (up to 12 characters). Hammered oxidized copper shade gives off just the perfect light for entertaining.
Even if you don’t have a wine cellar, a magnificent wood chandelier will command center stage! This handsome chandelier features 8 steel arms that gracefully extend from a handcarved center column, constructed of sustainable mango wood, which is scrubbed and polished to achieve a sleek, smooth finish. The perfect choice from traditional home to a downtown loft!
A party wouldn’t be complete without the perfect cozy floor covering. We recommend throwing out a couple of sheepskin rugs! You will want to wrap yourself up in the plush comfort of these plush wool sheepskin rugs. Choose from Champagne, Chocolate Brown or White.
Have fun! For some great menu ideas check out these great fall meal ideas from Tyler Florence at the Food Network.
Bob Schultz, New York sent a great way to use our Colored Seeded Glass Pendant. He sent pictures and background on his weekend getaway where he positioned the pendants right in front of a window with a great view outside. He also included a little background on the building materials and such below…


“My original Stuga was prefabricated in Sweden (in Sweden Stuga is a name for a bungalow) the carpenter came along with the Stuga parts and put it together on a mountain top in Kent, Connecticut. Since then we have added two more rooms (with Brian Wilson a local builder who can find and do everything with a taste level)… all with vintage barn wood, a wood cook stove, and quite a bit of coziness…
hi…you are a very nice company…i thank you.
Strange, i first saw the lights at the design district in Miami…expensive…you have the identical at a better price…
thank you. Bob”
Check out Keeping Up With Keith who is our own “Project Guy.” Keith has plenty of talent, lots of energy & a house full of Shades of Light Products!
Schonbek Traditional Crystal Chandelier
Polished Bright Oval Chandelier
Handsome, Handknot Soumack Rugs.
It seems like winter will never end, but we can’t stop dreaming of spring and our fresh assortment of new products is just what we needed to get us in the mood! The forecast for spring is color, color and more color. Our patterns are playful and graphic and our colors are sunny and bright! Sunshine yellows, grass greens, aqua blues and crisp whites top our list of favorite spring palettes and we hope that they inspire you to embrace the essence of spring too.
(A) Thomas Paul’s explosive rug designs are both sophisticated & enticing. His bold over scaled damask rug comes in 3 trendy colors; black, chocolate or spa blue on a warm cream ground. (B) We were captivated by the coral design done in a dhurri weave; great texture and reversibility makes these a great buy. Choose from a classic coral and a rich expresso on a warm beige ground.
Jonathan Adler Colored Glass Pendant
We’re highlighting a selection of our customer’s favorite items and where one might use them.
Designs By Gollum’s Michael Lee’s elegantly appointed home is a treasure of detail & mastery of design.
Her use of a crystal chandelier in the boudoir can be replicated using our European Crystal Elegance Chandelier.

Recreate the perfect ambient lighting effects seen in her dining room for your next soiree using our beaded Old Hollywood Regency Chandelier, Old Hollywood Sconce & Starburst Candlestick Lamp.

The high design impact of mirrored furniture reflected here makes quite the statement. We have an array of styles and finishes.

Classic furnishings with the dramatic impact of the black zebra in Designs By Gollums’ sophisticated living room. Our stenciled zebra skins are available in black or chocolate.

Visit Designs by Gollum for our Princess Basket Wall Sconce Giveaway!

Michael is busy penning her next novel; a trilogy that revolves around a Charleston “cake lady” named Teeny. The first book in the series is titled Gone with a Handsomer Man. Visit Michael Lee West for all the details of her enchanting and charming novels.
Hope our inspiration helps you to make your home your haven.
Tweet, Tweet…make your nest complete! The bird craze is all about bringing the outdoors in with rich, graphic and traditional bird patterns! Birds of a feather flock to everything home!
Image from Decorating Magazine
We’ve got your feathers covered…






Love Birds Rug, High Gloss White Bird Lamp, Birdcage Ceiling Light, Porcelain Bird Wall Sconce, Birds on a Branch Outdoor Light, Vintage Cream Bird Sconce, Blue Bird Hooked Rug, Vintage Bird Chandelier, Favorite Italian Wall Sconce
The resurgence to the past may have something to do with the explosion of the comfort trend & all things home. There is definitely a nostalgia craze buzzing about and we want to give you some design tips so you can execute this trend properly. One thing to know anything goes & the hip thing to do is mix old & new for a true eclectic design mix.
Featured below are both Antique & Antique Reproductions…
A not so fussy crystal chandelier, found in Veranda, adds to this eclectic mix…
Photo courtesy of Things that Inspire
Our version at ShadesofLight.com…
Our Antique Reproduction Oushaks Rugs are virtually indistinguishable from authentic antiques. The washed quality leaves gorgeous color gives an antique finish while blending nicely into rooms that are already decorated.
No matter what; enjoy your decorating projects; break the rules! We think there are no rules; just use your own personal taste for your creative indulgence.

Pantone, the world renowned authority on color, recently selected their color of the year, Mimosa. The invigurating color is popping up everywhere.
“The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.”
Images & Copy courtesy of Pantone & Colourlovers
Thanks so much to beach bungalow 8 for featuring us - here’s the link!
The Drum Shade…who knew it could be so versatile and trendy! We’re seeing it used more and more as a pendant or chandelier.
This photo from Living Etc
Organza Shade & Crystal Chandelier - Round
Convert your favorite lamp shade into a convenient pendant over a study space, casual dining area or even above your bed! No electrician needed! Use a simple cotton drum shade or add a “fun” fabric lampshade.

Patterned Fabric Shade, Damask Drum Shade, Coral Branch Cotton Floor Lamp Shade, Swag Pendant Converter with Cord and Plug
Molly and Lange Meem from Richmond VA sought out our design team to transform the home they moved into 10 years earlier & never got around to decorating. Before, this dining room lacked pop & the Meem’s were ready for a fresh new look. The room was full of hand-me-down furniture and white walls - it was time to update! The couple was a lot of fun to work with and chose pieces from our popular mirrored furniture collection to transform and make it appear larger. With a little space planning, paint, hip furnishings, as well as a new rug & chandelier, we transformed this underwhelming room into a fresh & inviting space.

Where: Available in every decorative style, chandeliers add both presence and weight to a room. Whether hung above a dining room or kitchen table, or used as general lighting in foyers, powder rooms, bedrooms, etc., they bring the glow of candlelight to any setting. We offer many ways to customize your chandelier…decorative painting and coordinating shades to name a few.
Size: The size of the chandelier depends on both the size of the room and the size of the table. To determine the size of a chandelier for a dining room based on the room size, add the length and width of the room in feet and substitute inches for feet, giving you the width of an appropriately-sized chandelier for the room. (A 10′x13′ dining room, for example, would take approximately a 23″ wide fixture.) For determining the size of a chandelier based on your table size, the chandelier should be at least 12″ smaller in width than the width of the dining table. The perfect chandelier will be a happy medium between these two measurements. Hanging fixtures can be smaller in scale when used in hallways and other rooms for general lighting.
Placement: Below a diagram for placement of chandeliers. In dining rooms with 8′ ceilings, hang chandeliers about 30″ above the table. (Add 3″ for each foot of ceiling height over 8′.) Remember to order extra chain for higher ceilings.

Wattage: Most people don’t realize that the wattage maximum of a chandelier is determined by the lampshades used on it! Smaller shades limit maximum wattage. The mood and intensity of a chandelier is best controlled by a dimmer.
Shades: Shades add 2″ to 4″ to the total width of the chandelier. Chandelier shades reduce glare and help to direct light down where needed.
