Asian-inspired lighting is a difficult thing to define:  is it pagoda-shaped lights, is it rice-paper, is it colorful or muted, can you have an Asian-inspired look without changing all of your furniture?  Asian-inspired lighting is simple:  it is based on the idea that your home is a sanctuary. 

What Asian-inspired is not: The Asian-inspired home is not about placing Buddha statues all over the place and burning incense.  It is not about those little “lucky bamboo” plants (which are not actually bamboo, but most often a member of the Dracaena family—e.g., a tropical house plant).    It is not about fake “antique” Chinese lacquer chests full of old junk (a vendor once told me they beat the chests they import with chains before putting them out on the floor so they look more antique). 

What is Asian-inspired decor?  The Asian-inspired home is a place of peace and of prosperity.  Peace is a given: if Home is not peaceful, you simply will not be happy.  Prosperity is a more interesting word to look at.  Home is the center of life:  your prosperity is affected by the state of your home.  Think of prosperity as something beyond money alone:  prosperity is being thriving.  Your home should be the home of someone that is thriving—someone who is living well, thriving, and has peace.  By extension, the lighting used in Asian-inspired environments must be peaceful and inspiring of prosperity. 

 Now, the time for the shameless plug:  this is why I love our lights.  So many lights you find in stores are full of unnecessary doo-dads and distractions.  Our lights simply light —with a calm, simple peacefulness that makes you feel good.  I’ve put together a couple of looks that illustrate how you can bring in an Asian-inspired look with a light (see above).  Try these out to start with, and add you own special touches!