Last week I wrote an 'Observing Life' piece for The National's Arts and Life section about my love of lamps (or, more accurately, soft lighting).
Does anyone else have a similar interiors obsession?
I never spend a lot on a lamp (scented candles are another matter). That way, I can justify adding to the collection at no great cost.
Ikea's Fillsta lamp, for example, (right) cost just Dh59 each www.ikea.com. I have five of these - three in orange, two in white - and with the colours mixed together on some shelves, they look great. Even if they take ages to put together.
Take me to a furniture store and I'll be drawn, moth-like, to the lighting department - gazing and cooing while enjoying the warmth from the mass of bulbs. And when I can't justify another purchase for myself, I've been known to buy lamps for friends, in my mind placing them in the room where I think they'll work well. If it gets any worse, I'll probably keep one in my bag, ready to plug in during visits should the "big light" prove too much.
Like rose-tinted glasses, I think life is better observed in low light. I like the way a lamp can warm the cold white walls of a rented apartment, enveloping you in a soft, comforting glow. Give a room some good ambient lighting and you've made a house a home. And honestly? You probably only need one lamp to do it.
