Q: I have a few large Blenko glass vases in vibrant jewel tones and want to display them on a floating shelf. I would like to illuminate the vases to give them a rich 'glow' ... what lights and configuration would be best? Rope lighting from behind? Puck lights from behind or below? Spotlights from above? Or one of those plexiglass illuminated shelves they use in bars to display liquor bottles? Help me see the light!
Sent by Tracey
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LED Light strip along the back maybe. You can even the any colour ones.. that could be fun.
I have a collection of dark blue wine bottles and illuminate them with a simple string of white Christmas lights. I just drape the lights between the bottles, and stick a few lights down the necks of the bottles too. Works like a charm.
My husband is a glass blower and when we photograph his glass, the best lighting set-ups are lit from below, behind and from the side. The most important lights are the ones below and behind to really make the glass "glow."
I think the illuminated bar shelf is your best bet, with maybe some led lighting behind the back like Silverfire4200 mentioned if you think it needs more light.
This shelf looks really cool and I'm sure you could build one.
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Bar-Lighting-Lighted-Display/dp/B006KWQJAM
In fact I bet you could make it for IkeaHacker by getting their hollow floating shelf, putting some puck lights inside and putting a frosted glass top on by routing the edges of the top hole. BAM!
So what could be good would be:
- 2 narrow beam spotlights from above (possibly halogen) that point to the opposite corner of the shelf to give the glass a nice rich sparkle
- and to give them kind of a rimlight - something like wallwashers from the side wall mounted (behind and on the side of the shelf) would be a good idea - but i guess you could also get the effect with 2 led strips you put on the side of the shelf an put kind of a shade in front of it (metal strips) so you don't get direct glare when you stand in front of the shelf (you would have to play with it a bit to get the right angle)
- combine that with a matte wood shelf (low reflections) and a dark or rich colored (contrast color of glass) wall (so the wall doesn't reflect the indirect light and let the vase stand out) and I think you should be fine
cheers tom
a certain swedish furniture store sells a floating shelf w/ a glass top raised above it, into which lights might be placed, also a floating shelf that might get a cut out into which one can drop in a piece of obscured (frosted) glass and put lights in it, or it is a cheap diy. who did the pic? b/c that is well-lit.