Shining a light on retro-industrial lighting Posted on 3 Oct 00:00

Claire currently works for Edinburgh College of Art, UK and has recently been inspired to share her love of beauty, fashion, lifestyle and travel through a new, creative blog project called There Goes Claire.

 Shining a light on retro-industrial lighting within the coffee industry

Everywhere I look lately, an emerging pattern is clear.  Somehow we finally recognised that the devil lurked in the detail all along and decided to cut it loose.

In any leading city around the world you will find a plethora of coffee shops resultant of the “third wave” explosion in the artisan foodie scene.  From Belfast to Berlin and even on my own Scottish home soil in Edinburgh, I have witnessed a commitment to rustic interior with an industrial edge and distinctive stripped-back aesthetic.  An interior designer’s dream, one might assume, as decorators cut the clutter in favour of minimalistic chic.  That being said, with fewer accents and details to distract the consumer, careful selection of furnishing and fittings is all the more paramount.  With retrofit lighting currently “in vogue” I wanted to reflect a moment on this trend.  It would seem that all manner of ornate accessories are out and filament light fittings are in.

But why the change? What sparked the desire to go back to basics?

I don’t know whether one moment acted as a catalyst for this paradigm shift, but the ripple effects are being felt throughout European coffee culture and beyond.  Sparse interiors. Reclaimed wood. Exposed brick work.  Long communal benches that serve as a transitional working space for that budding “start-up”.  And, of course, the naked squirrel cage light bulb complete with zig-zag filament which feeds my own Instagram obsession.

As a matter of taste, I find visual appeal in a bare bulb.   It adds a warm, incandescent glow to any shop space and captures that social cosiness and sense of “hygge” [2] reminiscent of my travels in Scandinavia.  Lighting goes a long way to create a more personal touch and almost incites customers and coffee lovers alike to gather together to soak up the ambience with latte in hand.  It contributes to an overarching sense of experience rather than cold transactional encounter.  Where else would you crave atmosphere but in your favourite caffeine haunt?  Whether leafing through the pages of a novel on a lazy weekend, working on-the-move, catching up with friends or the setting of your first date; without this effect it is essentially dead space. Never before has the phrase “mood lighting” been more appropriate or indeed thought provoking.

What if I told you, that there was a brand that could simultaneously offer the promise of vintage chic with a light carbon footprint to ease both pocket and conscience?

Enter Bright Goods. Launching at the start of 2015, this fledgling brand, founded by leading LED manufacturer LED Eco Lights,  are infinitely more than a bright idea.  With a blinding selection of forms, shapes and designs, you can bring the past to the present and find the perfect fit for your space.   They illuminate the path for a better way.  Fully dimmable LED bulbs with a long lifespan, recycled packaging with no compromise on quality or style, this range is a fusion of modern technology with a welcome throwback to the “good old days” that leaves us all aglow.



Pop over to Claire's blog, There Goes Claire, to get the latest tips on lifestyle, style, travel and more. Show your appreciation and give Claire a follow on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Thank you Claire for the photographs.