FOUNDED IN 1935, Willie Duggan Lighting is renowned for innovation and design. The founder’s son, Willie Duggan inherited the business – developing it whilst playing rugby for Ireland and for the Lions – and now third generation siblings Monica and Willie Duggan continue to innovate and to challenge convention. 

Cima by Lodes at Willie Duggan Lighting.

1. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: 

Over-lighting is one of the most common mistakes in home design. Instead, focus lighting where it’s truly needed for example kitchen units for prepping, wardrobes or in bathrooms. Focus more on soft lighting in the rest of the home.

“What we see all the time is that people are afraid that they won’t have enough light, so they pepper their ceilings with fittings,” says Monica. “In a typical kitchen, for example, you might see six to eight downlights, which has somehow become the standard even though it’s not necessary.” 

Monica says that the solution is to install fewer downlights but ones of better quality: “Quality over quantity is key. Choose downlights with good glare control, higher efficiency and longer lifespan. You’ll use fewer, the space will feel calmer and you’ll save on your energy bills.” 

In the kitchen, focus light where it is needed most – over kitchen units and over work surfaces where you’re preparing food. “A good quality downlight will give you a generous spread – roughly 1.5 metres in diameter,” advises Monica. “Once you understand the quality and spread of light you’re getting, you’ll realise you need far fewer lights. The number of fittings should always come after you’ve decided on the light quality and your task areas.” 

New Wave by LZF Lamps at Willie Duggan Lighting. LZF Lamps. LZF Lamps.

2. AMBIENT LIGHTING:

Ambience makes a house a home and layered lighting can really contribute to the feeling in a home. Try to avoid relying on light sources that are obvious or in-your-face. Think floor lamps, table lamps, hidden lighting in bookshelves or behind your television. It’s about creating a warm inviting atmosphere. 

“Ambient lighting is what gives us softness and comfort in our homes – especially in living rooms, bedrooms and open plan areas,” says Monica. “Just think about your own sitting room and how often you actually turn on the centre light in the ceiling? Most of us don’t turn it on – it’s the sidelights we gravitate towards. They’re what help us to wind down in the evenings and help us to prepare for rest.” 

While trying to create ambiance, Monica advises readers to create atmosphere with table lamps, floor lamps and other key sources such as in bookshelves or TV units. “People often try to use ambient lighting by adding LED strips under kitchen wall units for example but this doesn’t always work the way they hope it will,” she says. “Instead of creating atmosphere, it can highlight any mess or clutter which is not what you want when you’re trying to relax after dinner. The goal should be to draw the eye down and to reduce the intensity of light in the space – when the light level comes down so do your stress levels.” 

A residential lighting project by Willie Duggan Lighting.

3. COLOUR TEMPERATURE:

Warm up your colour temperatures for the perfect cosy vibe. If you want to create a soft, golden glow in your home in which you can feel truly calm and cocooned, opt for even warmer colour temperatures than you usually do when it comes to the bulbs you choose. 

“Most people are familiar with 2700K bulbs and think of them as being ‘warm white’,” says Monica. “But in our view they are still on the cooler side. We always advise clients to opt for bulbs that are between 1800K to 2400K.”

“In my own home, we originally used 2700K in the sitting room. Later, we added a TV unit and fitted it with 2400K lighting and the difference was immediately obvious so now I’m swapping out the 2700K to match. In another room, we used 1800K, and suddenly the 2400K felt too cool – I guess we’ll be changing those out too!”   

A Tube Nano by Lodes at Willie Duggan Lighting.

4. DIMMABLE LIGHTING:

Bringing lighting levels down in the evening helps to lower cortisol and prepare our bodies for rest so if you’re investing in ambient lighting make sure it’s dimmable.  Swapping your existing lights for dimmable ones is a small change with a big impact on wellbeing. 

“Dimming is so important and really worth the investment but if cost is a factor just focus your dimming on ambient lighting,” advises Monica. “Functional lighting just needs to switch on and off but when it comes to ambient lighting, we want the flexibility to have our lighting brighter earlier in the evening and dimmed down as we wind down later on.” 

In Monica’s own home she has the ability to dim some of her lights down to just 2% of their output: “It’s a subtle shift, but it really helps calm the nervous system. Lower light levels support our circadian rhythm, reduce cortisol and help us transition into sleep,” she says. 

Monica Duggan (pictured here) and her brother Willie Duggan are the third generation of the Duggan family involved in the lighting business.

5. TRENDS: 

Personalisation

“Systems such as Alexa and Matter are being used more widely in residential settings,” she says. “On our projects, we work with more complex systems like KNX, which gives huge flexibility and control, but even the simpler systems are helping people personalise their lighting these days.” 

Sleek Design

“When it comes to design, the move in the industry is towards less clutter and closer consideration of where to place hero pieces such as a statement pendant over a dining table or a sleek linear light fitting over a kitchen island. In living rooms and bedrooms, we’re seeing less use of ceiling pendants giving us the chance to design more interesting, layered spaces.” 

Human-centred lighting: 

“I’m really passionate about human-centred lighting and the conversation is really starting to shift in this area. For over 20 years, people have been using LEDs without fully understanding the impact on their health. We spend 90% of our lives indoors and, if the lighting we’re using is poor, it affects our mood, our sleep, our energy levels and our overall health. Now is the time to rethink how we light spaces for the people who actually live and work in them and to guide them towards healthier, more supportive lighting solutions.” 

Participants of a recent lighting masterclass presented by the Willie Duggan team at their HQ in Kilkenny.

Willie Duggan Lighting offers a wide range of lighting services from focused one hour sessions with their lighting consultants to end-to-end lighting design and installation services. They also offer a range of courses and masterclasses which blend creativity with technical expertise. Find out more at willieduggan.com and @willie_duggan on Instagram.