Loire Design Lab - Chapter 8: See the Light

The entire lighting scheme for Loire Design Lab was built off a concept of female heroines from 1960s cinema from the sophisticated Italian seductress, to the carefree, chic and playful French femme fatale, to the minimalistic, discreet and refined Japanese lady. Each one inspires the lighting theme in this traditional home on the banks of the Loire River, where the attached homes on either side demanded extra thoughtfulness around natural light scarcity.

We really wanted to put some of our main lighting principles to the test. First and foremost, avoiding recessed lighting; we are not fans of can lights, which flatten texture, create harsh shadows, and ignore wellness by disrupting circadian flow. Next, we wanted to prioritize European-made (even better, French-designed) fixtures and treat them as pieces of art and not afterthoughts.

Renovating in France means excellent access to incredibly designed European lighting from nearby ateliers, making it a dream for wellness-forward installs. Instead of recessed cans, we focused on specific smart, seamless European task lighting where necessary; we played with innovation through 3D-printed lights, beautiful ceramic-based designs, paper lantern glows, and handcrafted glass bulbs, all with adjustable dimmers for comfort and mood control, weaving biophilic wellness into every beam while the next phase of full layering (sconces, lamps for ambient) awaits completion.

Ditching Recessed Cans for Smart Task Precision

Recessed cans rule too many renos, especially in traditional American design, where they deliver institutional glare that kills material depth and human comfort, particularly consequential by ignoring how light should adapt to our rhythms. We avoid them as much as possible, opting instead for smart, seamless European task designs: motion-sensor backlights over kitchen workspaces activate hands-free for glare-free prep (reducing eye strain during long sessions), while adjustable flush-mounted lights provide focused drama. Dimmers on most fixtures let us fine-tune from crisp mornings to soft transitions, supporting wellness by mimicking natural light shifts in this enclosed home.

Innovation in Materials: 3D-Printed, Ceramic, Paper, and Glass

Playtime ruled our experiments: 3D-printed lights bring custom, forward-thinking forms that feel lightweight yet sculptural, blending seamlessly with heritage vibes. Beautiful ceramic-based fixtures add tactile warmth, their low-VOC, non-toxic glazes ensuring indoor air purity (unlike plastic-heavy cans that off-gas phthalates). Paper lanterns diffuse whimsy on the French floor, evoking soft-filtered sunlight with natural, breathable fibers, a perfect demonstration of biophilic design. Glass bulbs handpicked for elegance offer refined refraction, turning light into poetic layers. Most of the fixtures are European-sourced (and assembled) creating a lower carbon footprint, which was a key factor for us with the Lab. These nuances push boundaries while honoring cinema icons, ultimately resulting in no flat cans, just artful statements aging gracefully.

Biophilia and Wellness as Lighting’s North Star

Wellness anchors everything: in a light-shy attached structure, biophilic touches like triple kitchen skylights are a bold choice that frame sky views for ventilation and nature connection, which also reduces stress during high-use moments, proven to align circadian rhythms. Dimmers and tunable elements mimic daylight curves, while non-toxic ceramics, paper, and glass prioritize clean air, all of which are essential for us in our projects. Our carefully sourced Moroccan light fixture, more sculpture than source, spotlights treasures with subtle accent, fostering calm wonder. Task-focused lighting compensate scarce daylight, promoting circadian health through adjustable, human-scale glow.

Floor-by-Floor Heroine Expressions

A breakdown of the thought process behind this theme…

Ground Floor: Italian Seductress

Sultry opaque glass-bulbs with dramatic veining, delicate and elegant cotton pleated shades, solid ceramic fixtures that come together to highlight a showstopper: an oversized, perfectly circular, and carefully floating powder-coated aluminum pendant.

Main Level: Playful-Chic French Femme Fatale

3D-printed fixtures sparkle with playful chic on this level through unique and geometric silhouettes, leading to the unexpected Memphis-design inspired moment in the bathroom where the colors that inspired the movement and the angularity that defined it are on full display.

Upper Level: Japanese Refinement

A work-in-progress as we pull together the last floor of the Lab, where selections are in full swing! A paper lantern has inspired the future of this space, and our deep appreciation for Wabi-Sabi design is at the center of it all…

What’s next for the Loire Design Lab?

More to come, including:

Ambient layers (sconces, lamps as “cozy blankets” of each space) are next, and we’ll share full results in the coming months.

Continue following our journey as we bring new life to this space along the banks of the Loire River. We’ll keep moving through each design layer, sharing the process, inspiration, and the challenges that we are encountering along the way! You don’t want to miss it!