Lighting

Buying guide:How many lumens per m²? Lighting room by room, from bulb to floor lamp

modern, from the ceiling lamp to the designer lampshades

Passionate about design The Cool Republic, we are also passionate about design lighting.

Utterly convinced of the importance of light and the way it is brought into a space, we have deliberately chosen to offer you the widest possible range. Floor lamps, pendant lights and designer wall lights… are also complemented by lampshades, garlands and bulbs with a resolutely vintage look, so many ways to create – whether as accent light or more general illumination – the lighting that perfectly suits your needs.

We have selected our products from the greatest design brands: Seletti, House Doctor, Muuto, Pani Jurek. Whether baroque creations or contemporary lighting, whatever original design you choose, light is an integral part of your interior décor.

Perhaps you are drawn to airy shapes that bring lightness and a harmonious blend of the on-trend and the vintage? Market Set has designed the Screen collection for you, combining modern shapes with natural materials, such as rattan cane or paper, resembling polished pebbles that cling to your walls, as wall lights or pendant lights.

For an even more modern design, inspired by the helicopter-like ceiling fans of hotels, you can choose from a range of colours for your Vertigo pendant light, by the French brand Petite Friture. With its beautifully rounded shape and its spokes casting subtle shadows, this light comes in a wide range of colours and sizes to give your lighting real character. If it is a bedside table you wish to illuminate, you can create a charming atmosphere, minimalist in spirit, with the Lumio book lamp. This book-shaped lamp, wonderfully portable, boasts outstanding technology, with USB charging that also lets it act as a charger for your devices, along with a truly poetic design! Inspired by open books, it can also be mounted on the wall thanks to its ultra-resistant cover. What is more, the Mini Lumio lamp goes wherever you go!

If all this is a little too serious for you, here is one last example of a truly unique lamp, one that will appeal to all ages and every interior style: the Memory designer glass ceiling light by Brokis. Made from blown glass and available in a variety of colours, it also comes in several sizes so it can sit in perfect harmony with any room. Its “floating balloon” effect will make you want to return to childhood for a moment, to dream a little and gaze up at the sky!

Frequently asked questions

How do you light each room in the home properly?

Every room has its own specific lighting needs. The living room calls for a combination of 3 sources: general lighting (a pendant or ceiling light), ambient lighting (a floor lamp or table lamp) and task lighting for reading. Opt for 2700-3000K (warm white) and a CRI of ≥ 90. The kitchen needs more powerful, whiter light: 3000-4000K, with spotlights or a track above the worktop and a pendant above the island. The bedroom wants soft, warm light (2400-2700K), with dimmed general lighting and individual reading lights on either side of the bed. The bathroom requires IP44-rated fittings as a minimum, with even lighting around the mirror (avoid shadows) and general lighting on the ceiling. The home office needs light focused on the work surface (an adjustable lamp), complemented by general lighting to avoid tiring contrasts. General rule: multiply your light sources so you can fine-tune the mood, and choose dimmable LEDs to vary the intensity according to the time of day.

Pendant, floor lamp or wall light: how do you choose?

Each type of light fitting has its preferred use. A pendant is ideal for defining a spot (dining table, kitchen island, reading corner) or for visually structuring a large room. Allow 75-90 cm between the bottom of the pendant and the dining table top for optimal lighting without obstructing the view. A floor lamp provides powerful ambient lighting, perfect for a corner of the living room, beside a sofa or for a reading nook. Typical height: 150-200 cm. Arc floor lamps (such as the Arco by Castiglioni) allow you to position the light well away from the socket. The wall light is versatile: it frees up floor space and surfaces, and suits hallways, bedheads, staircases and bathrooms. Installation height depends on use: 1.40-1.60 m for reading, 1.65-1.85 m for ambience, 2 m+ for directional light. In practice: a successful living room combines at least one pendant + one floor lamp + one or two table lamps or wall lights. Layering sources in this way creates depth and lets you adapt the mood to the moment.

What is the difference between Scandinavian and Italian lighting?

Scandinavian lighting (Louis Poulsen, &Tradition, HAY, Hubsch, Muuto) favours functionality and warm light. The designs are understated and geometric, with particular attention paid to light diffusion (the PH5 by Poul Henningsen, the Flowerpot by Verner Panton). Common materials: lacquered metal, blown opal glass, pale wood. The lighting is generally indirect and very comfortable visually (glare-free). Italian lighting (Flos, Artemide, Foscarini, Kartell, Vibia, Driade) is more sculptural and expressive. It plays with volume, fine materials (Murano blown glass, marble, brass) and dramatic lighting effects. Iconic pieces such as the Arco by Castiglioni (Flos), Artemide's Tolomeo or Kartell's Bourgie are as much sculptures as they are light sources. How to choose: Scandinavian for a cosy living room, a bedroom or a study (visual comfort first); Italian for a decorative statement, a dining room or an entrance hall (effect first). The two can be mixed: a Scandinavian pendant above the table, an Italian floor lamp in a corner of the living room. At The Cool Republic, you'll find both worlds.

Which colour temperature (Kelvin) should you choose for which room?

The colour temperature of LEDs is expressed in Kelvin (K) and determines the quality of the light. 2400-2700K (very warm white): a cosy, relaxing atmosphere, ideal for the bedroom, the living room in the evening and cocooning moods. This is the temperature of a candle flame or a classic incandescent bulb. 2700-3000K (warm white): the most widely used temperature in the home. Ideal for the living room, dining room and hallways. Creates a warm atmosphere without excessively reddening colours. 3000-4000K (neutral white): for the kitchen, bathroom and work spaces. More stimulating than 2700K and more accurate for detail. 4000-5000K (cool white): technical uses or workshops. Not really suited to living spaces. Above 5500K: equivalent to daylight, tiring indoors. CRI (Colour Rendering Index): aim for ≥ 90 for faithful colours, essential in a kitchen or bathroom. The best lighting brands (Louis Poulsen, Flos, Artemide) use LEDs with a CRI of > 95. Tip: use several dimmable bulbs so you can vary the intensity (though not the colour) according to the time of day.

How do you install a ceiling light safely?

Installing a ceiling light always follows the same steps. First, switch off the power at the consumer unit (use a multimeter to check the circuit is genuinely dead before doing anything else). Unscrew the existing fitting and identify the wires: live (red, brown or black), neutral (blue) and earth (green/yellow, compulsory for metal fittings). For the ceiling, check the material: on plasterboard, use expansion fixings of the Molly type (supporting 5-15 kg depending on the model). On concrete, drill with a masonry bit and use a Spit or Fischer plug. For a heavy pendant (3 kg+), plan for a through-fixing point or a dedicated bracket. Wiring: connect live to live, neutral to neutral, earth to earth. Use terminal blocks or Wago connectors for a reliable connection. Check that no bare wire is exposed. For pendants above a table: the cable length must allow a height of 75-90 cm between the fitting and the table top. Allow at least 30 cm between the ceiling and the top of the fitting for visual balance. If you have any doubts (old wiring, fragile ceiling, heavy fitting), call in a certified electrician: that's your guarantee of an installation that meets the regulations (NF C 15-100).

Who are the most iconic lighting designers?

A handful of designers have shaped the history of lighting. Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) with his PH5 lamp (1958) for Louis Poulsen, still produced exactly as it was. Verner Panton and his Flowerpot (1968) for &Tradition. Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002) and his Arco arc floor lamp for Flos (1962), still iconic today. Gino Sarfatti and his modular pendants for Arteluce. Joe Colombo, Tobia Scarpa and Vico Magistretti, all major Italian designers of the 1960s and 70s working with Flos, Artemide and Cassina. More recently, Tom Dixon with his copper pendants, Michael Anastassiades with his minimalist lines for Flos, Lee Broom with his crystalline pieces, Inga Sempé with her Vapeur for Cinna, and Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec with their collaborations for Vitra and Flos. Among contemporary names: Sebastian Herkner for ClassiCon and Sabine Marcelis with her resin forms. At The Cool Republic, you'll find many pieces designed by these names, notably from HAY, &Tradition and Muuto. Iconic pieces are a long-term investment: they never go out of fashion and hold their value.

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