Contemporary Lighting

Plan one light source per use rather than a single ceiling light: a pendant above the table, a wall light on the living room wall, a table lamp beside the bed. Contemporary lighting is recognisable by its simple lines, its ball or tube shapes and its materials, metal, glass, wood or aluminium, most often paired with an LED bulb in an E27, E14 or G9 base.

In this guide: style definition, choosing a pendant, dining room and kitchen, living room, bedroom, hallway, corridor and toilet, technical criteria, installation and buying, frequently asked questions.

What is contemporary lighting?

Contemporary lighting is recognisable here by its materials, metal, glass, wood, rattan, acrylic or aluminium, by its E27, E14 or G9 bases and by its IP20 or IP65 ratings. This selection brings together pendants, wall lights and table lamps in black, white, gold, beige or brown, in warm, neutral or cool white.

Designer contemporary lighting

Metal dominates: it provides the structure, the finesse and often the black colour. Glass is added to diffuse the light, wood to warm the room, aluminium for a lighter matt finish. The volumes stay simple, ball, round, tube or oval, and it is this restrained design that makes a light decorative without overloading the wall or ceiling. To see all the available families, browse our lighting universe. Models with an integrated module are grouped in LED lights.

Decorative contemporary lighting: what makes the difference

Contemporary means today's design: clean shapes, honest materials, little ornament. The modern style stays more graphic, the minimalist removes even more material, the industrial shows its screws and tubes, the Nordic pairs pale wood with white. A designer light is spotted by a construction detail, an offset ball, a ribbed glass, a slim base, more than by its size.

Contemporary pendant lighting: how to choose your pendant?

A contemporary pendant is chosen first according to the height of the room and the length of the table or worktop. The models in this selection work with E27, E14 or G9 bases, in metal, wood or glass, and come in one or several lights, to be used alone or in a group.

Pendant with one light or several lights?

A table seating four to six needs only one source: the Rowen one-light pendant in wood and metal lights a square top without breaking it up. Beyond that, three to five light points spread the light and avoid shadow areas. Clear glass lets the bulb show and lightens the silhouette, amber glass tints the light and makes it warmer. All the ceiling pendants fall into these two families.

How to space several pendants above a table

Align the light points on the axis of the table, at equal distance from the edge, and hang the group between 70 and 80 cm above the top: low enough for the light to fall on the plates, high enough for no one to bump into it. Above a worktop, 30 to 40 cm is usually enough. A three-light composition such as the Rowen three-light pendant is adjusted cable by cable during installation. For a bolder design, compare with the pendants with a crafted design.

Which contemporary light for the dining room and kitchen?

Above the table, an amber glass pendant or a multi-light wooden pendant lights the plates without dazzling. In the kitchen, a one or multi-light model in metal and glass, with an E27 or G9 base, goes above an island or a worktop.

The models in this collection form families: Rowen, Gigi, Ibor, Torin, Gentor, Liana, Bobi, Rian, LuminoCercle, Fusion Élégante and Model 4. The Designix selection includes no Ikea light and no Leroy Merlin light, as the references shown are specific to the shop.

Pendant or ceiling light above the table?

A pendant concentrates the light on the top: it is the choice for high tables and rooms with a high ceiling. A ceiling light suits small rooms and low ceilings, where a hanging cable would get in the way. Dining room lighting covers both. The Gigi five-light pendant in amber glass, with an E14 base, gives that filtered light associated with long tables.

Which light for a kitchen island?

Above a worktop, the light must fall straight onto the preparation: one or several aligned sources, in metal and glass, with an E27 or G9 base. The four-light pendant in glass and metal works with G9 over an open kitchen, and some models accept a dimmer, useful for switching from a working light to a dining light. The rest of the selection is filed under kitchen lighting, and the glass pendants answer the rooms where you want to see the bulb.

Which light for a contemporary living room?

In a living room, a contemporary wall light in acrylic and metal casts indirect light above the sofa, while a dark pendant or ceiling light structures the room. The models in this selection blend with metal, glass and wood, in white, black or gold.

Pendant, wall light or ceiling light: what to choose in the living room?

If the ceiling already carries a source, add a wall light above the sofa, about 1.80 m from the floor, and a table lamp near an armchair: three different levels remove dark areas. The Rian wall light in acrylic and metal works with G9, accepts a dimmer and comes in black, white and gold. The living room lighting catalogue groups pendants, ceiling lights and wall lights.

Original living room lighting: playing a strong piece

An original living room light is played on a single piece, not the whole wall: a large glass ball, a multi-light composition, a slim metal base. The rest of the living room stays understated so the eye stops there. The matt black models blend into a light interior and draw a clean line, where the pieces with a bold design take the place of a decorative object.

Which contemporary light for the bedroom?

For a bedroom, you want a soft, directed light: a wall light at headboard height, a low pendant on each side of the bed, or a metal table lamp on a chest of drawers. Warm white, around 2700 to 3500 K, suits this room, and some models accept a dimmer.

Table lamp or wall light on each side of the bed?

Two table lamps are more flexible: you move them, switch them off separately, change the bulb without tools. The Orba II table lamp in metal and plastic with an E27 base fits on a narrow bedside table. A wall light frees up the surface of the furniture and is fixed to the wall. As for volumes, the ball lights slip onto a chest of drawers without catching the eye.

Which light for a child's bedroom?

In a child's bedroom, keep a low source and avoid light falling straight into the eyes from the bed. The Bobi one-light black pendant, in metal with an E27 base, is placed away from the bed and the bulb is easy to change. The bedroom lighting catalogue covers both uses, child and adult, with the same shapes and different temperatures.

Which light for the hallway, corridor and toilet?

In a hallway or corridor, a contemporary wall light dresses the wall and lights the way, and an IP65 outdoor wall light suits a porch. In the toilet, a small IP20 light with an E27 or E14 base is enough to light the room without cluttering it.

Which light for a windowless toilet?

Without daylight, the room needs a clear but not aggressive light, controlled from the door. A small ceiling light or a wall light in IP20 is enough, as the room is dry. An E27 or E14 base lets you choose the bulb, and a shallow model avoids bumping into it. Hallway lighting works on the same principle. For long circulation areas, see corridors and passage rooms, where a low pendant punctuates the way.

Contemporary outdoor wall light: which IP rating?

IP20 indicates dry indoor use. IP44 withstands water splashes and IP65 resists rain and jets: this is the rating to aim for under a porch or against a facade. The round IP65 outdoor wall light works with LED, in warm, neutral or cool white depending on the module.

Material, colour, base and IP rating: how to find your way?

Metal is the most common material, often paired with glass or wood, with ball and round shapes in black, white or beige. As for the bulb, the E27 base is the most common, ahead of G9 and E14; most models are IP20, a minority are IP44 or IP65 for outdoor use.

Metal, glass or wood: which material for which room?

Black metal structures a living room or dining room and goes with everything. Glass suits rooms where you want soft light and a visible volume, such as above a table. Wood and rattan warm up a bedroom or a corridor. Metal structures remain the simplest base to match. If you are looking for a brighter shade, the gold finishes play on a warm contrast.

Warm white, neutral white or cool white: which temperature to choose?

Below 3500 K, the light is called warm white: this is the shade for relaxing rooms, bedroom, living room and dining room. Between 3500 and 4500 K, neutral white suits a kitchen or a hallway. Above 4500 K, cool white lights an outdoor area or a garage. The shade is chosen with the bulb, not with the light: keep the compatible base in mind when buying.

How to install, maintain and buy your contemporary light?

Most models are fixed to the ceiling or wall on a mounting plate, with standard electrical wiring, and pendants hang from the provided hook. A soft cloth is enough for metal, glass and wood. Buying is done online, delivered anywhere in France, Lyon included.

How to make a hanging light yourself?

DIY assembly involves electricity: you need a solid support in the ceiling, a socket suited to the bulb base and correctly protected wiring. A Liana pendant in rattan and wood, with an E27 base, accepts a dimmer and is fitted in a few minutes on an existing mounting plate. The detour is mainly worth it for a size you cannot find elsewhere.

Where to find contemporary lighting if you live in Lyon?

Designix is an online shop: the selection leaves our warehouse and arrives anywhere in France, Lyon and its region included, with secure payment, tracked delivery and returns. Searches for a Lyon lighting shop or Lyon lighting clearance therefore lead to the same models as anywhere else, with no store to visit. A specific need is handled by customer service.

If budget guides the choice, first compare the most affordable models. Then note the dimensions of your room, the base you want and the light temperature, and add one model per use to the basket: this is the surest way to get consistent lighting without overloading. See also what sets a good lighting shop apart.

• Secure payment
• Tracked delivery
• Returns
• Designix customer service

Frequently asked questions about contemporary lighting