See how interior stylist Ellen Søhoel turned this Emirates Hills villa from dark to bright with creative lighting
When interior designer Ellen Søhoel and her team at XBD Collective were assigned this 1,208 sq. m Emirates Hills Dubai villa, it was dark; the living space had lots of wooden features along with black doors and heavy curtains that blocked the light.
In order to achieve the glamorous feel that the client wanted, Ellen knew that opening and lighting the space was key.
To create a flow from the entrance to the living space, Ellen and the team demolished the original ceiling, replaced the bulky doors with pocket doors and relocated the A/C grill.
To create a high-end ambience, the team put in a stunning crystal glass chandelier that draws the eye up.
The dark wood wall paneling wall was replaced with cream leather cladding and metal dividing lines were added for a luxe look. The pocket doors were covered in mirrors to visually expand the room.
Creating even more light the walls were backlit. As a statement, one wall was crafted from a combination of dark grey mirror, clear glass mirror, satin mirror with backlit crushed glass to create a magical illusion.
The clients existing elegant furniture was swapped around and added to, so that it didn’t block the view of the swimming pool outside and to create a sense of symmetry and balance – flowing from the inside to the out.
As as result, the homeowner said: “This is truly a one-of-a-kind design – we were handed over a stunning residence that exceeded our expectations.”
Ellen Søhoel on how to create your own bright living space
It’s all about layers
When designing your interior lighting scheme, always remember the three main layers: ambient for overall room illumination; task, which is targeted light for specific function; and accent to highlight and draw attention to a single object. Each layer has its own individual function but all three work together, creating the perfect lighting solution.
Select the right temperature
When choosing your architectural lighting (spotlights and LED contour strips) for any space, make sure you choose the correct colour temperature in order to achieve a warm yet natural ambiance.
Highlight your art work
Use wall washers (which should normally be placed half a metre from the wall) to highlight various objects, artwork and/or feature walls.
Use a mixture of up and down lighting
Flip it! Don’t limit yourself to downlighting; consider uplight techniques to create a soft and creative vibe.
Things to keep in mind
Always make sure that the interior designer/lighting consultant you are working with keeps all technical specs in mind. Also, be sure to consider the size of room, height of ceiling, scale of fixture and fixing detail of the ceiling when choosing a chandelier.
Want to add a touch of luxe to your home? See how bringing brass into your interior design can add an opulent feel.