The Best Lighting for Historic Mountain Homes

The Rock Crystal Oval Starburst Chandelier, from Hamerton Studio, hung in an old historic home.

Lighting can make or break a space, which is why we sat down with the experts at Hammerton Studio to glean insight about how to choose the best lighting options for your home.

Hammerton Studio is a handcrafted, custom-lighting brand designed by skilled craftspeople using old world artisan craftsmanship and modern manufacturing methods in a 50,000 square-foot manufacturing facility out of Salt Lake City, Utah.  Each collection has been inspired by custom work brought to life by the Hammerton design team in collaboration with leading interior design professionals over the years.

From modern chandeliers to traditional sconces, the right lighting can elevate your space. All across the nation, even in more remote mountain areas, beautiful historic homes are in need of some updating. Decorative lighting can provide a stunning refresh to these historic spaces.

We had the chance to speak with Paul Verbecky, General Manager at Hammerton, about the install process for choosing the right light, and how to design around a historic home.

What makes historic homes challenging in the lighting department?

Homes, even 30 years ago, have much lower ceilings than those we see in construction today. Make sure the light you select will not sit too low once installed. Will it clear doors that are swinging open? Will the fixture sit too low in the room or will it look awkward in the space because the body of the fixture has to be pulled so close to the ceiling that it unintentionally makes the space feel crowded?

What’s your best advice when choosing decorative lighting for a home?

“In my opinion, be bold! Don’t be afraid to select lights that do not necessarily fit in with the time period of the home. The light should draw you into the space, and while it obviously should provide light, it should also draw your eye up and/or out.

Half the design interest in older homes is on the ceilings and walls. Select lighting that draws your eyes towards those things so you can celebrate the craftsmanship and detail.

What should we consider when choosing modern lighting in an older home?

Modern lighting often uses LED technology which presents with it a couple of items that must be addressed.

What type of switch are you using to turn the light on and off? Modern lighting often requires very specific light switches to allow the light to function and dim properly. Always work with manufacturers to understand what is required.

Many modern lights have LED drivers that are intended to be contained within the junction box that the light connects to or the canopy of the fixture. Make sure the product you are selecting will work with the junction box in the home. Is the junction box large enough to house the LED driver or is the junction box strong enough to support the weight of the fixture? If not, can the ceiling support the new lighting fixture?

For more information about the one-of-a-kind lighting options from Hammerton Studio, visit www.studio.hammerton.com.