Can we talk lighting?

I'm going to admit it right off....I am obsessed with lighting.  I think it's so important.   When I walk into my house with just the right lights on I get an immediate feeling of calm.  Isn't this the way we are supposed to feel in our own homes?  A few weeks ago the Thursday Home section of the NY Times had a great article about it.  Apparently Bunny Williams is stocking up on light bulbs and not the twisty kind we are supposed to be buying.  I am one of those people that take a 4-pack of 25 watt light bulbs when I travel.  I can't relax under the the cool blue of an LED.  When building a house there a lot of decisions.  I actually like the process, but one mistake I made was actually agreeing to overhead lighting.  I despise overhead lighting.  You know the movie "The Devil Wears Prada?"  The part where Meryl Streep's character says "If I see one Freesia?....Well that's how I feel about recessed overhead lighting.  


I can't help but notice on every page of my favorite shelter magazines that the only hard wired  lighting used even in kitchens and baths are pendants, chandeliers and wall sconces.


This is how I used lighting throughout my house and I try to ignore all the recessed lighting.   I would love to know. . . What are your lighting tricks?  How do you feel about recessed lighting?  On a scale of one to 10, how important is the lighting in your home?  For me, it's an 11.

Our outdoor lights are from Bevelo.  We used smaller ones on the side and back of house, same look and style.

I love sconces.  These are from Circa Lighting.

Adore candle light.  Mys sister gave me this years ago.  It's by  Jan Barboglio  and holds a single religious candle that you can buy at just about any grocery store for about $1.50.  I always travel with one.  I wrap a sweater around it and can use it in my hotel and then leave it behind on my return.

I have a lot of Jamie Young lamps and love the soft glow with the raffia shades.  All were purchased at Dovecoat in Westport, CT and Juxtaposition in Newport Beach, CA.

I light candles at dusk every night of the week.

This is the first light I see as I enter...I knew I had to find a spot for it in our new home.  I had this little 1/4 round shelf built just for this lamp.  I love the little black plate with a gold key.  I found it at Old Navy years ago...for 50 cents.

I know I'm not very green, but even during the day I like to have my wall sconces on.  We have a lot of June gloom and it makes the house so much more cozy and cheerful on a gray day.  All the sconces are on dimmers and are very low.

I love this soft light in the powder room.

Even in the kitchen...I like soft lighting.

A little light in my daughter's room.

and another little light in the cubby beside her bed.

A tiny sconce in her room.

Upstairs hallway.

These are from Circa Lighting and match the bathroom sconces, but the bathroom has glass shades.

My son got this right before we moved after attending Opening Day at the new Yankee Stadium, so I was sure we added an outlet.  The sconces are from Pottery Barn.