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Lighting art in your home

WORDS: HALLAM TWEDDELL

Explore how to best light art in your home and ensure everything, from your favourite print to your gallery wall, is beautifully illuminated.

One of the final considerations when dressing any space is artwork; you curate a striking display of art on the wall, and you would be forgiven for thinking the task was complete. However, we would recommend installing the perfect lighting during your project to really make your art shine. How you choose to light a piece can vary, from hanging it in a well-lit space to providing direct functional light, there are many ways to best highlight your artwork. Read on to discover our experts' recommendations...

Picture Lighting

A classic choice for lighting art, the picture frame light is a practical choice, and can be mounted to the wall or the frames of artwork. Our Mondrian collection offers a versatile LED picture light, which is available in both wall and mounted configurations for convenience. Both versions offer up to 40-degree light adjustment to ensure you can minimise any glare on glass-fronted frames. Lighting artwork using a picture light can truly add to the decorative feel of the room; however, it is important to consider if your frame is suitable for a mounted light. Some materials will not be suitable for applying the light to, so a wall mounted picture light would be preferable.

Astro's Mondrian picture light

Photography: Luca Madani | Architect: Hauvette & Madani

Ceiling Accent Lighting

A subtle lighting choice to ensure sole focus is on your artwork; an adjustable downlight is an efficient way to project light on to your wall with precision. Whether recessed or surface-mounted, a light like our Pinhole Slimline Round, will wash light over your artwork. Designed to be plastered into the ceiling to ensure a seamless appearance in your space, this fire-resistant downlight can be adjusted to direct light to your art, whether wall mounted or displayed on shelving. We recommend mounting the light at a distance that allows the beam to aim at around a 30-degree angle to the centre of your artwork, ensuring an even light distribution and minimal shadow.

Track Lighting Systems

Our track lighting system offers minimalist design with versatility in mind. The perfect choice for a constantly changing art display, a track lighting system can be configured with spotlights, pendants, and other lamps to ensure your space is well lit, however it may change. Unlike a recessed light, which is more difficult to re-position, a track lighting system can easily be adjusted to suit your space. Using a simple twist and lock mechanism, you can re-position and introduce new lighting, such as our Ascoli Track Spot, which can be easily directed to light your artwork. For ease, you can explore our Track Lighting Configuration tool online, to assist in planning your system design.

Wall Lighting

Distribution of light throughout your room is an essential consideration when choosing your lighting. A wall light is a flexible choice which can be used to create a brightly lit wall to display artwork, whilst also flooding illumination into your space. Our Hashira wall light is a striking design, with a neoclassical appearance, it is the perfect choice for those wanting to display their collection in a contemporary way. Displaying artwork around a cluster of wall lights also allows you the flexibility to change your art in the future, as the lights will continue to deliver a rich wash of light across your wall even as your curation changes.

Astro's Kymi interior wall lights

Photography: Modus

Whether you choose to light your artwork with a Picture Light or Track Lighting System, it is crucial that you consider the bulb being used to do so. "We would recommend using LED bulbs so that you can minimise any potential damage to your artwork through exposure to heat," explains Astro's Head of Design, Riley Sanders. "UV light can also cause damage to your artwork, so refrain from using halogen bulbs, and keep your artwork out of direct sunlight. Investing in the right lighting for your artwork will ensure that you are able to enjoy the piece for much longer," Riley adds.

You can discover our full range of indoor lighting online now at astrolighting.com

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