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I have spoken before of my love of lighting. It thrills me, inspires me, and it is one of the first elements in a home that I notice. Great lighting lifts your gaze upward and crowns a room in glory. Bad lighting, on the other hand, drags a house down with its paltry illumination and lacklustre appeal. Lighting is also one of the least expensive ways to refresh a room if you root out the best deals. You can even refurbish a vintage or previously loved light fixture with minimal skill and some good advice from a how-to book or electrician (do restore with future safety in mind...).
Although it is a fairly easy change to incorporate into your space, anyone who has ever installed a light fixture themselves (or lived through a grumbling husband's efforts) also knows it is not something to do on a whim, without forethought to the selection of the fixture, especially if you have to pay an electrician to do so. Thus, should we follow the trends, or stick with classic lighting choices??
I recently installed a rather trendy light fixture in my own dining room, which some of you liked, and some of you didn't. I must confess, despite my desire to have a more unique fixture in my home, I did pause once it was installed and felt that heated flush go up my neck as I wondered, "Did I do the right thing??" It wasn't that I didn't like the fixture, it was just that I questioned whether it was better then my previous chandelier. Well, I'm still not sure it is better, but it certainly is different, and trendier... and therein lies the dilemma. 
I am not one to quickly fling myself on board with trends in decorating. Although I certainly follow them to a degree (think...my blue bedroom with touches of brown), I do have a qualifying factor for following along with the crowd. The trend in question has to be beautiful (to me) and sustainable...in other words, it has to appeal to me... for as long as my attention span typically allows. Because I prefer a cooler palette in my own home, I don't tire easily of my paint choices. Because I change my accessories seasonally, I feel that I refresh my look enough to quell my restlessness. However, I could change lighting like some people change their throw pillows!! I but what I love, without worrying too much about what is in or out. I tend to have a visceral reaction to lighting. I either love it or hate it and for everything in between, I dismiss it as too boring. Already, I look around my living room and think about purchasing some new lamps to add a little edge, and less restraint.
So, without further adieu, here are some trendier models to walk the lighting catwalk as of late...the question is, are they so in they're out?? I"m not going to give my opinion on this one...some are modern classics to me...I want to hear what you think!! Oh, and do be kind...many of us likely have some of the featured lights!!
(all photos below: www.dwr.com )
This light is for a good friend, who definitely doesn't care what others think of it!!!
disclaimer: As I do not strive to be a design blog, and do not lay claim to be the lighting authority of the decorating world, this is only a random sampling of various lights that have emerged lately, or have been around a long time... or long enough to be getting a bit stale for some folks. Enjoy it for what it is, and give me your feedback!!
