Directly next door to Houseworks, behind Holles Street Hospital, is National Lighting's showroom, where there's a sale running until the end of August, with a minimum of 25% off all stock.
Apart from task lighting (illumination for preparing food) and accent lighting (fixtures positioned inside glass-front cabinets to illuminate glassware), it's also nice to have some decorative lighting in a kitchen, such as lamps and pendants. The fashion for pendants shows no sign of fading and hanging them provides general lighting that doubles as a centrepiece. Pendants hung at different heights will create depth and dimension.
The Flos Fuscia Pendant has hand-blown glass conical diffusers with sandblasted edges and a gloss white, powder-coated steel body. It was designed by lighting icon Achille Castiglioni. These pendants look best when grouped together three in a row over a table or breakfast bar. At National Lighting they are currently reduced from €259 to €195. Also from Flos, the Miss K range, designed by Philippe Starck, has a transparent body and provides a soft, diffused light. They can also be grouped over a breakfast bar. They were selling for €334 and are now €250. The Lucente Amber Pinko Pendant is made from brushed nickel metal. It works well as a single fitting, highlighting a feature area, and it costs €154. National Lighting, 11-15 Upper Erne Street, Dublin 2; Western Retail Park, Nangor Road, Dublin 12; 01-7099070; www.nationallighting.ie.