Picture Lights

Picture lights are like the perfect backing vocals on your favourite song. They might not be the main attraction but they make the main draw so much better with their own charm and capacity to create harmony. They bring your special piece of wall art or photograph the attention you know it deserves without upstaging it or creating a conflict. Picture lights are also a good choice above large decorative mirrors or wall hangings.

Picture lighting is a classic form of task lighting, keeping the focal point where you want it. The lights make sure that your beautiful piece is the central feature you want it to be. The fact that the picture light is designed to accentuate another item means that it doesn’t just need to fit with the overall scheme of the room, it also needs to complement the art.

There is no precise formula to follow when finding the right picture light but it helps to consider the height of the artwork you want to highlight, the size of the picture you want them to complement and the orientation of the wall art. The size and thickness of the picture frame can also be important in getting the perfect match.

For a picture that has a portrait orientation you often want a relatively wide picture light that covers the middle half of the full width of the picture. For a landscape format picture, you can get away with between half and a third of the width of the picture depending on the features of your wall art. For an oversized piece, go with your instinct but you may want to err on the side of a longer picture light.

For the perfect support act to your objet d’art or masterpiece on show, you won’t want a bombastic light fixture. You want clean lines and understated charm. The tone of the picture light is important and you may want to choose a matching or similar to the colours in a painting or wall hanging to make sure that it ties in seamlessly. A brass fitting can look good with golden or burnt orange tones or warm yellow scheme. A silver fitting might look best with a piece of work that features grey tones, blue or white.

Picture lamps are naturally an object that receives attention, they signpost an area of the room which is meant to draw attention. There are some low key style choices that make a difference to the sophistication of the end effect. You have the choice of picture lights: a circular wall mount, a square wall mount or a long oblong that mimics the length of your light.

For a traditional painting, you may want to choose a picture light that includes just a little bit more flourish in your picture wall lights. A vintage stick switch on a gold-tone fitting, or curved edges for a modern painting to suit a 1920s art deco look. A bevelled edge could give a sense of luxury where a minimal square fixture might fit better with modern minimalism.

The width of the beam of your picture light is another good feature to suit to the piece you are illuminating. The light will need to reach all over your painting or artwork. A beam that exceeds the sides of your painting will act as more general accent lighting whereas a beam the same width as your picture will make sure that your painting or print is the focus of attention.

Picture lights are lovely with sculptures, paintings, photographs and portraits. They help art work live up to its full potential and allow your design to flourish.