Everything Is Illuminated: What's Trending in Home Lighting

The overall trend in décor is toward the use of sustainable and natural materials. This is also the case for interior lighting. Until now, natural materials such as wood, glass, bamboo, fabric, seagrass, leather and even paper have been popular choices in lighting design. You can expect to see even more use of twine, rope, burlap and wooden beads. Beaded chandeliers, pendants formed of rope and natural stone, and fixtures shaped like trees accented with leaves are some other expressions of this natural trend in lighting.

What are some of the key trends in lighting? Here is a sample of what may inspire your next lighting choices:

Back to nature – Interior designers and homeowners are keenly aware of the importance of bringing outdoor elements into our homes. Natural materials in our furnishings can boost our physical and mental well-being. As one leading lighting designer put it, light fixtures inspired by the natural world "infuse indoor spaces with organic beauty, creating a tranquil and serene ambience." One such design is the urchin fixture. Like its namesake, which is the sea urchin, this fixture has metal "barbs" surrounding the body that hide the light inside. Designs using environmentally friendly materials are an important part of this trend. Look for lighting incorporating rattan, seagrass and bamboo, all of which are fast-growing sustainable natural materials.

Minimalist design – The trend toward minimalist interiors is a way for us to pare back our spaces to what is essential. With such unadorned spaces, sculptural lighting design helps create a strong visual element to add character and definition to the room. Expect to see lighting with bold, interesting shapes constructed out of artistic materials. Table lamps with exotic wood bases made from teak or acacia have natural curves that soften the spare minimalistic aesthetic.

Back to the future – The very latest in lighting has the look and character of 1950s vintage lighting. Coming back into vogue are milk glass fixtures, industrial-looking Edison bulbs and vintage filament bulbs. Sputnik lighting fixtures with their multiple clusters of globe-shaped lights were popular space-age imaginings of the 1950s. This iconic look is trending and gaining popularity once again.

Lighting fixtures will become the center of attention. Designers are looking up at the ceiling and seeing a large, blank decorative space. In addition to the traditional crystal chandeliers, lighting fixtures are getting grander in scale. Some examples are linear chandeliers and linear pendants, with glass bubble hanging spheres and urchin lights among the more unusual entries in the field.

Thanks in no small part to the creativity and imagination of today's lighting designers, homeowners have a vast array of lighting options to choose from. While all the traditional choices are still available, why not seek something that uniquely expresses your personality and aesthetic? Contact us for more ways to light up your life.