DIFFUSED LIGHT OF LAMPS FAVOURED AGAIN

Southland Times, Issue 23634, 8 October 1938, Page 17

DIFFUSED LIGHT OF LAMPS FAVOURED AGAIN

With the discovery of electric light and subsequently its general use, lamps went completely out of favour. That is hardly to be wondered at, considering that somebody had to do the trimming and filling—an unenviable job. But, unfortunately, the first electricians were unimaginative people, and their ideas of Ijght was to suspend a globe from the centre of every ceiling. These in turn have been covered with a variety of shades ranging from wire shapes, covered with silk and beads (once so fashionable!) to indirect alabaster light bowls.

Indirect lighting was the first step towards comfort, but today, after much thought on the part of architects, the whole idea of lighting the home has been revolutionized. Centre fixtures, if they do and must exist, are supplemented by lights for reading or sewing, or softly diffused light over a room where people forgather to sit and talk. Lamps have again come into their own! But what a change—not only in the light itself, which flicks to life at the press of a switch in the lamps themselves. Everything imaginable seems to have been called into service to create lovely, modern lamps—wood, chromium, pottery, metals, glass. MANY MATERIALS USED Chromium is used quite extensively, and looks well in modem settings. It is sometimes allied to enamelled or polished wood, and quite often used alone. Some lamps are fantastic rather than beautiful, and as novelties might please for a time. Most people, however, prefer something of lasting beauty and value. Particularly well suited to their purpose are the chromium cylindrical lamps, which are made to be affixed to bed heads. A soft light shining through coloured frosted glass is thrown on to the book of the inveterate reader in bed, who, without any effort, puts out the light just before falling asleep —a perfect arrangement. Pottery lamps today are really lovely, and their variety is infinite, ranging from the plainest of plain bowls to elaborate figures. Then there are antique lamps—restful and pleasing in design and colouring, and very easy to live with for a long time. Standard lamps of wood and of metal are as modem as tomorrow or, on the other hand, are finished in antique - brass and harmonize perfectly with period settings. Shades are equally varied in material and design—plaids and spots, stars and floral motifs vie with plain parchment, pleated parchment or unique handpainted or stencilled designs. Some of them—both standard and table lamps —are made for bedrooms in delightful pastel colourings. Delicately enamelled wood makes pleasing floor lamps, and white of pastel pottery bedside lamps. Men are catered for with simple desk lamps in chromium, or standard lamps, combining ash trays,' to stand by arm chairs.

There is, in fact, a lamp to fit into any colour scheme and any setting, to enhance the attraction of the home and to eliminate glare and harmful eye strain. ~