Light & Bright
Everything I've learned about lighting a coastal home, warm bulbs, layered light, pendants, sconces, and the small choices that make a room glow.
The Best Glass Wall Sconces for a Light, Coastal Room: Clear, Seeded, Opal and Hand-Blown, From $75
The best glass wall sconce for a light, coastal room is a simple globe or shade in clear or softly frosted glass that lets the wall stay bright and airy.
The Best Rattan Pendant Lights for a Coastal Home: Weave, Size and Where to Hang Them, From $72
The best rattan pendant for most coastal rooms is a tightly woven shade around 16 to 24 inches across, hung where its patterned shadows can fall on a white ceiling and wall.
The Best Ceiling Fans With Lights for a Hot, Humid Coastal Home: Airflow, Damp Ratings and Light That Isn't Harsh
The best ceiling fan with a light for a hot, humid coastal home moves a lot of air quietly, is damp rated if it goes near the porch or bathroom, and has a warm, dimmable light that does not flood the room.
Why Warm Light Is the Secret to Coastal Rooms
You can buy the most beautiful fixture in the world and ruin it with the wrong bulb. Here's the color of coastal light.
Pendant Lights That Feel Like the Coast
Not every pendant reads coastal. Here's what to look for in shape, material, and finish. And where to hang each one.
Layering Light in a Whitewashed Room
A single overhead light flattens a room. The secret to a glowing coastal space is layering three kinds of light.
The Case for Wall Sconces in Every Room
Sconces are the most underused fixture in most homes. Eye-level light changes a room more than any ceiling fixture can.
How to Choose the Right Bulb for a Coastal Home
Bulbs are confusing on purpose. Here's everything you actually need to know to make your fixtures glow.
Glass, Rattan, or Linen? Choosing a Pendant Shade
Glass glows, rattan textures, linen softens. Here's how to pick the right pendant shade material for each room.
Bedside Sconces: The Upgrade I Recommend Most
If you make one lighting change this year, make it this one. Bedside sconces changed every bedroom in our house.
Dimmers, Warmth, and the Charleston Evening
A dimmer is the cheapest luxury you can add to a room. Here's why I put one on almost every light in our house.
Plug-In Sconces for Renters and Old Houses
You don't need to rewire a 1920s house to get beautiful sconces. Plug-in versions look hardwired when you do them right.
Lighting a North-Facing Room Without Making It Cold
North-facing rooms get cool, flat light all day. Here's how I warm one up without losing the brightness.