This is Part II of Joe and Lulu’s Richmond house renovation. In last week’s post they explained their plan for lighting and how they intended to incorporate principles of feng shui into the design; this week they show how they brought that plan to life.
When ELLE DECOR asked interior designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz what mattered most when decorating a home, he answered, “Light is the magical ingredient that makes or breaks a space. It’s one of the most important elements in all my interiors.” With that in mind and after our feng shui session, we settled on five key elements for the lighting upgrade and renovation:
1. Adding recessed lights in the corners of three rooms, including the master bedroom and the living/TV room.
2. Installing chandeliers and pendant lighting: a chandelier in the master bedroom, a chandelier in the front parlor, and a hanging lamp in the living/TV room to create layered focal points.
3. Upgrading outlets to modern USB-capable receptacles with two outlets and two USB ports for charging phones and tablets.
4. Replacing old switches with dimmers to control light levels and mood.
5. Activating the “marriage, relationships and partnerships” corner of the house by adding recessed TREX deck lights to the outside deck. These transformed a dim, neglected deck into an outdoor parlor adjacent to the dining room and cast dramatic light onto the neighboring brick wall.
Rediscovering the fireplace
While planning the lighting improvements, we discovered that behind the buckling plaster on the far interior wall—now the master bedroom—there was a hidden fireplace. To complement our lighting plan, the contractors removed the damaged plaster and exposed the fireplace. They repaired the masonry, sealed the chimney to prevent animals from entering, and applied a sealer to the bricks and mortar. An old roof leak near the chimney had previously caused water damage that loosened the plaster.
With the hearth restored and the chimney secured, the interior bedroom was ready to be a true master suite. We placed scented pine candles in the decommissioned fireplace to provide a gentle flicker and a natural aroma that warms the room without using the chimney.
Results: Storage rooms reborn
After cleaning up, repainting, moving furniture back in, reorganizing, and hanging art, the lighting changes turned previously unloved spaces into favorites:
- What had been a storage room (the interior bedroom) is now our master bedroom, anchored by a beautiful chandelier and the restored fireplace that draws the eye and raises the room’s energy.
- The living/TV room became our preferred space for entertaining now that it’s well lit and comfortable for guests to sit and converse.
- The TREX deck lights, together with three outdoor hanging lamps, converted the back deck—formerly a place to store recycling—into an inviting outdoor parlor for pre-dinner drinks.
Small details made a big difference. As furniture designer Charles Eames put it, “The details are not the details. They make the design.” The TREX recessed deck lights provided a simple, functional way to transform the side deck: each one-inch light sits flush with the deck boards and illuminates the red brick wall’s texture and color. Eight lights gave us both needed illumination and a refined finishing touch. An added benefit is energy efficiency—these recessed LED-style deck lights use significantly less energy than traditional incandescent fixtures, helping keep energy use down.
Here’s the TREX lighting remote
Our electrician had a minor learning curve with the TREX product on his first install. One light began flickering, but a prompt return visit resolved the issue at no extra charge. Overall, we’ve been very pleased with the result.
Conclusion: Give light
The Spanish phrase “dar a luz” literally means “to give light,” and figuratively it means “to give birth.” We’re thrilled to share that we expect our own little one to arrive in March 2015.
Whether or not you follow feng shui, creating positive energy in your home with thoughtful, layered light can welcome guests, inspire new projects, and even signal new beginnings.
What we learned
We learned a great deal during this renovation. Walt Disney’s observation rings true: “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Lulu led the design and coordinated the team who turned the vision into reality. Our thanks go to:
- Steven Phillips from TREX for supplying the eight deck lights that helped create our new outdoor gathering space.
- Restoration Builders of Virginia for managing and executing the project.
- Timothy Dahl, founder of Charles & Hudson, for inviting us to share these guest posts about renovating our Richmond home.
- My brother Andrew Kutchera for helping reconfigure furniture and artwork and for adding ambient floor and table lights—those final touches made the design come together.
If you have questions, feel free to contact me at joe {at} kutchera . net
“To love beauty is to see light,” Victor Hugo
[Disclaimer: I received eight deck lights from TREX in exchange for reviewing them in this unpaid blog post.]