Mirror80

Reflecting on recent retro style

  • Home
  • About Mirror80
  • Contact

’80s Modern Lighting

March 28, 2016 by Kate Leave a Comment

Rainbow prism

Let’s kick off the week with a collection of 10 photos from the 1980s that celebrate dramatic lighting! I recently purchased The Lighting Book by Deyan Sudjic, and I highly recommend it. Published in 1985, the book is packed with design photos, as well as helpful info on ’80s modern lighting. Above we see a prismatic image that illustrates refraction. Ready for more?

Grand '80s room with columns that conceal light fittings

Above is the London home of architectural critic Charles Jencks. The room features classical-style columns that conceal light fittings. Not to mention, the ceiling showcases low-voltage downlighters set in reflective panels. So grand! A collection of bare bulbs decorates the ceiling of the ’80s bedroom below. By using low-wattage bulbs, a festive sparkle is created (rather than an overwhelming glare):

'80s bedroom with bare bulb lighting

There are no words for this ’30s-style lighting statement achieved with a series of uplighters hidden in custom cavities. Goodbye ordinary stairway!

Uplighting in a modern '80s stairway

What’s better than circular mirrors in an ’80s bathroom featuring checkered tile? Circular mirrors with a trio of built-in fittings that hold tungsten bulbs!

'80s bathroom with circular mirrors and tungsten bulbs

In yet another ’80s bathroom, we see tungsten bulbs over the sink, as well as recessed downlighters on the ceiling and a subtle neon strip around the top of the wall:

'80s bathroom with recessed and strip lighting

Oh, the magic of recessed downlighters featuring special reflectors. Why are they special? They direct the light toward the wall instead of straight down to the floor…

Downlighting in an '80s modern dining room

There’s nothing like a back-lit specialty wall in the dining room. Stellar style!

'80s dining room with speciality lighting

Custom lighting towers take center stage in this living area. Not only do they match the blue of the chairs on the bottom left, they feature stretched paper shades:

Custom tower lighting in an '80s modern living room

Suspended ceiling panels camouflage overhead lighting in this bedroom. And of course, concealed strip lighting on the steps and the bed platform make this sleeping space relaxing and swanky:

'80s bedroom with suspended and concealed lighting

Now who’s ready for an afternoon nap?! Sweet dreams…

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Related

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Mirror80 is a blog that celebrates the intersection of modern design and retro style. I'm Kate, and I enjoy exploring the look and feel of the "recent retro", with a focus on the late '70s through the early '90s. Welcome to Mirror80. Read More…

Categories

  • Art
  • DIY
  • Fashion
  • Film
  • Graphic Design
  • Interior Design
  • Interviews
  • Playlists
  • Reflections
  • Retro Foodie
  • Still Life
  • Television
  • Video Picks

Mirror80 Email List

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a weekly email featuring our latest posts. [ninja_forms_display_form id=2]

Popular Posts

Recent Posts

  • Pastabilities
  • A Magical Fall
  • DIY Frosted Pumpkins
  • “Physical”, Working Out and Womanhood
  • An ’80s-Style Dining Room Makeover

Archives

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

FEATURED POSTS

Embracing Color

7 Easy Ways to Bring ’80s Style Home

Top Gun Style: A Tropical Patio

Retro Architecture at the Beach

Holographic Style

Teatime, Retro-Style

A Memphis-Meets-Deco Home Tour

Dead Malls, Childhood Memories and ’80s Style

An ’80s Fashion Photo Shoot!

1980s Interior Design Styles

Copyright © 2023 · Dynamik-Gen on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.