Illuminated Canvas Review

Reviewed by Gemma Ingham

When I was told I could choose a canvas from Illuminated Canvas I spent the best part of a day trying to decide what to pick. Each canvas picture is adorned with tiny LED lights; breaking the mould of a traditional canvas. There are a variety of choices ranging from traditional and subdued to bold, modern and everything inbetween. There is a fantastic children’s section, and I was particularly taken by the beautiful Cinderella canvas that would have been perfect in my daughter’s bedroom – it could also double as a low light for bedtime. A lot of the canvases can be personalized with names and dates that would be perfect for a wedding gift, and some designs allow you to have a choice of background colour.  There is also a seasonal section with a few types of Christmas canvases and it was from this section that I chose the Christmas Log Tree in the hope that it might be suitable to stay up all year around as it’s not overly Christmassy looking.

When my canvas arrived it was wrapped in thick plastic and packed inside a thick sturdy cardboard box with foam inserts so chances for damage in transit are minimal. The package also included an Operating Instructions leaflet advising how to install the batteries (which is as simple as unscrewing a cover and popping 2 AA batteries in) and general safety information.

The canvas is fairly weighty and is backed with a thin piece of wood that hides all the inner workings. The hanging fixtures are already attached to the back so all you need to do is hang the canvas from a suitable nail on the wall. The canvas material is thick, smooth and has a really good depth of colour. The 20 small LED fairy lights protrude slightly from the front and once switched on are brighter than I expected and a cozy warm yellow colour. I wouldn’t say the overall effect is the same as illustrated on the website. I perceived the result from the pictures provided on the site to be more of an allover glow emanating from the canvas, but in reality the 20 individual LED’s don’t quite create that effect.

The thing that has put me off illuminated canvases in the past is the ugliness of having a wire trailing from the canvas to the power source, never mind the safety aspect of trailing wires with children in the house. The magic of this canvas is that it is operated by a small discreet rocker switch located on the side of the canvas, and once mounted there are no cables or switches showing. The lights are brighter than I expected but are a lovely mellow yellow colour so can create a cozy atmosphere.

Overall I would recommend Illuminated Canvas for a unique gift or home décor accessory.

Rating: 4/5

Prices from £34.95 upwards

Available to buy from www.illuminatedcanvas.co.uk.