Lighting is an important but often overlooked aspect of interior design, and it is understandable why because one would assume the main point of having a light in the room is to brighten up the space, correct? Wrong! There are many different forms of lighting and they are all used to achieve different results, from functional lighting for utilitarian spaces like the study or kitchen, to ambient lighting, for when you need to create the right mood and atmosphere in a living room corner. Here’s a look at how lighting specialist Sol Luminaire transformed this typical apartment unit into a stylish home filled with plenty of character.

When homeowner Tan Wei Jie was renovating his condominium apartment — which he shares with his fiancée Stephanie and their seven-year-old exotic shorthair cat Bozo Meatball — he wanted the design to be a mix of the minimalist and contemporary style, to complement the many designer furniture and art pieces he was going to display at home.

So the interiors were kept pared down with stucco lime plaster coat, which was made up of layers of plaster painted over one another and sand-blasted to create a natural texture that is unlike usual painted walls.

Another element that stood out in the home was the careful curation of various lighting types that helped complement and highlight the many unique furnishings in the home. With his experience in the retail industry — Wei Jie is the co-founder of Supplies & Co., a designer menswear retail brand that has a brick-and-mortar store located in Mandarin Gallery — Wei Jie understood the importance of lighting within a space.

To complement the palette in the home, a majority of the lighting fixtures chosen were from Sol Luminaire’s Thea collection, which comprise pieces made from liquid concrete and have a raw, organic look. Each piece is made through a process of hand pouring into individual moulds and is truly one-of-a-kind, resulting in a porous yet smooth textured detail.

The Thea collection includes Thea, a recessed 10W downlight; Thea Exposed, 4W surface mounted downlight; and Thea Trimless, which was extensively used in Wei Jie’s home, but is now completely sold out in stores.

Here are some lighting strategies employed during the home renovation, thanks to the advice from Sol Luminaire:

Creative lighting plans

Taking note of areas in the home where Wei Jie wanted to highlight, lighting fixtures were chosen to create a narrow beam angle. The Thea Trimless light has a narrow beam angle due to the further recessed LED chip. Installing them in clusters helps create a contrasting light illumination for a more dramatic effect.

For example, he chose to have two Thea Trimless lights to create a focal spot lighting in the entrance foyer and individual fixtures on either side of the ceilings that are then tilted to focus on the centre of paintings mounted on the wall for.

As Thea Trimless comes with a concave mounting kit, it worked seamlessly with the stucco lime plaster coating that Wei Jie used, to create the illusion of light escaping from the crevice in the ceiling.

Experimenting with wide beam angles

For the rooms, Sol Luminaire recommended the use of the Line series, which is a collection of recessed lights that has a wider beam angle for a softer illumination perfect to create a relaxing ambience.

Lighting tip: For bedrooms, Sol Luminaire suggests the use of two to four downlights with a beam angle ranging from 28 to 38 degrees to create a shadow effect while ensuring there is sufficient illumination.

The walkways leading to the rooms feature the use of Line 6, which is also great as a night light as it sufficiently illuminates without casting unnecessary glare.

Getting the colour temperature right

What does colour temperature mean? It is the colour of the light appearance, more commonly described as warm or cool lighting. When shopping for lights, take note of the colour temperature (which is measured in the Kelvin (K) metrics) and how they will create different effects in the home:

  • 2700K: Soothing colour temperature that creates a cosy atmosphere. It is ideal for areas of lounging and rest. But due to the large contrast this colour brings to the space, your vision might be a little strained. This can be described as warm lighting.
  • 3000K: A colour temperature that is at the tip of warm white – incorporating the functional usage of tasking with the warmth of a home interior. This is the ideal colour temperature you should go for.
  • 4000K: Most frequently used in commercial locations or tasking areas, this colour temperature is visually cleaner and whiter with its close to neutral colour temperature.
  • 5000K: A colour temperature that is closest to daylight (5600K) and is used mainly to create a focused or somber atmosphere. This colour temperature is therefore not suitable for home settings.

Head on down to Sol Luminaire to find out more about incorporating their various lighting options to suit the aesthetics and usage in your home!

Visit Sol Luminaire at 395 Guillemard Road and speak to one of their lighting specialists, and follow the brand on their Facebook and Instagram for more lighting inspirations.

Brought to you by Sol Luminaire.