I need to create a table for the Dining By Design event that seats twenty… I don’t think that I have ever been to a sit down dinner where twenty people were seated at the same table. For starters, where can I get twenty chairs? I want them to match and I would like them to either add to what I am doing or go away complete… I think I need to sit down.

With the choice of light fixtures for my Dining By Design table made, my mind is now on the floor. The 11 x 24 feet of floor space will create a profound impact that cannot be taken lightly. I keep wanting to bring up something with the majesty of moonlight, beautiful and dramatic. Naturally our new partner Brintons and their Timourous Beasties Rug Collection comes to mind… the rest will remain a surprise, but I will say that I am very excited!

With the Shift light fixture not being a possibility for the Dining By Design event, I am trying to find a fixture that will be really special. What can I pull out of my hat that most people around here have not seen? Well… the answer is simple, Melograno blu. With only 14 distributors in the US and Lunaria being the only distributor on the West coast, I am thrilled to announce that we will be putting together a beautiful display of these magical fixtures. What a coup!

The Shift light fixture made its way across the atlantic, well at least the drawings and materials did. Baga, the manufacturer, liked it but it is just too much to put together in time for the Dining By Design event. Hopefully when they’re done with their new collection we can discuss putting the fixture together in partnership… so now what?

I designed a light fixture, which I am calling the Shift. The fixture can be described as a very dressy drum. There remains one major question… Can I get it made in time for the Dining By Design event?

It came to me in the middle of the night…looking through my skylight and experiencing the magic of the moonlight. The drama of simplicity when scale is exaggerated, a couple entranced in their own dance, a moonlight sonata. This shall serve as the inspiration for my Dining By Design project.

I spent all weekend thinking as big as I could, ignoring all boundaries in deciding what I want my Dining By Design table to represent. My first difficult decision was deciding whether I should start with the resources I currently have and work backwards or start with a big concept and build around it?

Hold the presses…. Great news for Alia Meyer and the Jessica Hall Associates design team. Meyer has been chosen to design the San Francisco Design Center’s table for this years Dining By Design event! Where to start?… Where to start?

With the sofas confirmed for my Dining By Design table, I only have to seat everyone else… This has proven to be a true challenge but I think Janus et Cie will be a perfect fit. They have worked with the San Francisco Design Center before and are more likely than most to have the number of chairs that I need.

In response to the increased popularity of reading lamps in the hospitality industry, the residential market is opening itself up to the variety of options generated by consumer interest.  Reading lamps typically utilize LED technology with the standard offering being 1 watt of power.  This standard level of power is usually adequate due to the small size of the lamp and its lack of heat production but beware of the fact that all light fixtures are not created equal regardless of whether or not they carry the same wattage.

There are few things worse than grabbing a metal shade and burning your fingers.  An occurrence that can result from using a typical “incandescent or low voltage” powered fixture.  Characteristics such as the size of light lens and the opacity of the glass used play a major role in determining how hot a fixture will become and should be taken into consideration when determining what fixture is right for you.

Below are a two fixtures that I feel take into account all of the necessities of good reading light design as well as one fixture that needs some improvement:
http://www.globallighting.com/product.htm?c=1&p=268

The Adriana Flex W by Global Lighting is a perfect solution when a space requires different levels of lighting as you have both the directive reading light and the ambiance of a traditional sconce.

The Hose light from Italamp offers a distinctively forward look and a clear glass lens versus an opaque one.  But keep in mind, as with most reading lamps, it is designed to direct light onto a page and not for use as an overall light source.

The 2141 from Baga is a great example of a beautiful light that just doesn’t offer enough light to read by. I purchased this fixture only to find out that the opacity of the glass lens diffused the light to the point where it lost its functionality. I’ve recommended to the manufacturer they rethink the fixture’s design for the American market so that people can actually use the light.

When considering reading lights, my overall recommendation to the consumer is to have realistic expectations regarding what the term “reading light” means.  If you want the look – and who wouldn’t – then incorporate recessed lighting into your design as a secondary light source.  With the inclusion of a dimmer for control of light intensity, the added recessed lighting will provide adequate light fill and have you successfully reading in bed at the end of a long day!