Shopfront: The quickest way to make your home look like you're really following furniture trends is to buy a Tom Dixon sphere light from Habitat like those at right. It's got the shape but more importantly the material of the moment - mirror.
In fact the globes aren't actually mirror but Perspex with a metallic chrome -like finish. The globes come in two sizes - they're 50cm or 40 cm in diameter - and cost €300 or €400. They can be used in three ways: hung as a pendant light from the ceiling, sitting on the floor or, with the addition of a stand (€125), and as a standard lamp. The front of the globe is clear so you can see the bulb inside. The light is void of colour and almost disappears, reflecting its surroundings.
There's something 1960s space age-ish about the lights but they fit into almost any modern interior. And it's likely to hold its own in years to come: Dixon is one of the most influential designers since the 1980s and is now creative director at Habitat.
Habitat, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2. Tel 01 6771433
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