At the studio, we have an unwritten rule: the success of a renovation is never judged at midday under full sunlight. It is judged at eight in the evening. That is the moment when the general lights are switched off, and you discover how a room truly feels.
It continually surprises me how often lighting is left to the end of a project, treated more as an afterthought rather than an architectural core. Yet, a room with a single central ceiling source feels either in darkness or flooded by a single, clinical light that feels like an operating room, far from a sanctuary.
Good lighting isn’t about flooding a room with brightness; it’s about creating contrast. It is the soft warmth over a reading armchair while the rest of the space quietly recedes. As Ilse Crawford wisely put it, we shouldn’t design to light spaces—we light people and human experience. Finding the exact fixture to achieve that balance of proportion, material, and atmosphere is an art. We don’t specify lamps merely to finish a room; we curate them to shape how you feel inside it when the sun goes down.
Currently in our studio, we are turning to two distinct lighting houses that balance technical precision with exquisite character: Astro Lighting and Hudson Valley Lighting.
Astro Lighting
For years, finding a bathroom light that felt cozy, elegant, and elevated was an uphill battle. Astro changed that. They created IP-rated sconces that bring a soft, inviting atmosphere to a space typically dominated by harsh lighting.
Having installed Astro fixtures in my own house as well as in many of our client homes, I constantly return to their quiet sophistication. From hallway plaster sconces that melt into the background, to reading lights that integrate seamlessly into headboards and joinery, Astro brings a sense of British poise and timeless restraint to everyday spaces.
Hudson Valley Lighting
We turn to Hudson Valley when a space demands a feature—a focal point over a kitchen island, a statement dining pendant, or a reading corner that needs a touch of classic warmth. Their pieces carry an unmistakable presence: heavy cast brass, hand-blown glass, tailored linen shades, and finishes that age gracefully over time.
It is the antidote to cold minimalism. Incorporating a Hudson Valley piece into a modern classic space instantly injects a sense of heritage and permanence.
Layering the Space
Whether working on a coastal renovation or a modern apartment, we treat lighting fixtures as essential elements of our material palette. We pair warm brass sconces with natural textiles to introduce character, while using beautiful recessed fixtures to subtly sculpt pathways. A space only truly comes alive when these layers work in harmony.
We have curated our favorite, go-to fixtures from both Astro and Hudson Valley—the exact pieces we prescribe in our interior architecture projects—now available directly through our online boutique.
Whether you are mid-renovation or simply looking to replace an uncomfortable light source with a warmer glow, you can explore our studio selections.
