An Affordable Lighting Upgrade For The Bobby Berk Office
There’s no question that lighting is crucial in each and every space – including at Bobby’s new office. Lighting not only makes space look better, but it can also add a whole lot of function. When looking for a way to brighten up our space, we found an affordable lighting upgrade that is impactful, easy to install – and will look good anywhere!
A few months ago, the Bobby Berk team moved to a brand new office – and said goodbye to our gorgeous former HQ! While we all love our new loft space, there was one major issue we needed to remedy: the lighting. This wasn’t a straightforward solution either, and fixing this issue would also require a creative design solution. First, the unit has a handful of large windows, but unfortunately, doesn’t receive any direct sunlight. And when the sun sets (which, as we all know, is quite early in the winter) the space gets even darker – and we have to rely on the cool white recessed lights that aren’t ideal or flattering. On top of this, since this space is a rental, we can’t add any hardwired lighting.
Luckily, we love a design challenge – and we figured out a way to brighten things up easily and affordably!
bobby berk office
Affordable Lighting Upgrade
Our solution? Install lightweight and light-diffusing paper lanterns. Originating in Japan, paper lanterns have been made by hand and used for centuries. They gained increased popularity in the 1950s when Japanese American designer Isamu Noguchi began producing his own lanterns, which he dubbed Akari Light Sculptures. Since then, the paper lantern has become an easy and elegant option that is timeless and adaptable for just about any space or style.
There are super affordable paper lanterns in tons of sizes, shapes, and colors, and Bobby headed to LA’s Chinatown to find the perfect option for the office.
After checking out the different options, Bobby opted for three 30-inch lanterns that would hang over the desks. We already had two electrical outlets on the ceiling, so we simply plugged in the cord kits and attached them to the lanterns. (If you don’t have an outlet on the ceiling, you could get an extra long cord kit with a switch and plug-in on the wall.) Since the outlets were not positioned exactly where we wanted the lanterns to hang, we also used swag hooks to suspend the cord and place the lanterns in the right spots. The final touch was to add a soft white LED bulb – and light up our office in style!
Keep scrolling to shop the lanterns – and all the items we used to get the look!
