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5 Trends That Were Hard to Miss at Lightovation (Part 1)
There were plenty of fresh designs at Lightovation last month as manufacturers experimented with new finishes, natural materials, and created fixtures specifically to meet the requests from customers.
Trend #1: There’s No Such Thing as Too Large
“That looks great, but can you make it bigger?” For years, new homes in Texas were famously enormous – with multiple-story foyers and great rooms with soaring ceilings – but eventually builders nationwide got the memo that new homeowners today are in love with big scale. (Side note: this does not hold true for the Canadian market.)
Over the past several Lightovations, a typical conversation I had with manufacturers in their showrooms went like this, “So we brought out a larger version of our XYZ fixture,” and they would point to a style that had just come out the previous market and had been their largest size to date. I would ask, “Wow, what made you go even bigger? It was already huge.” Without exception, the answer was the same, “Well, our showrooms and reps are saying people want their fixtures even larger these days.”
The most popular styles are ones with large diameters, but without a heavy silhouette. In other words, wagon wheels on Ozempic. Whether these fixtures have one, two, or three tiers, the frame is incredibly slim so that it appears to float weightlessly below the ceiling while softly casting light below.
One category where this supersize mentality has taken hold is the exterior entry, flanking the front door. Both Hubbardton Forge and Eurofase displayed sculptural fixtures that look distinctly elegant (and completely different from each other in aesthetics) and measured five and six feet high. These entry fixtures clearly make a design statement that is noticeable from quite a distance away.
Trend #2: Outdoor Lighting Goes Upscale
Speaking of the outdoors, there were more new exterior lighting choices that provided a feeling of luxury, whether it was through the use of materials such as marble, alabaster, and travertine (as seen on the outdoor lighting intros from new company Alteck) or by using sculptural forms and elegant finishes.
I heard the term “Dark Sky-friendly” mentioned multiple times in different showrooms, although in each case it was pointed out that the fixtures are not officially Dark Sky-certified because the Dark Sky certification process is both lengthy and costly. There is more awareness among consumers, I was told, regarding limiting light pollution and preserving dark skies for environmental reasons.
In addition, marine-grade finishes – once only available on a few select styles from a manufacturer, if at all – are now more widely available on multiple collections and covered by a five-year warranty. Let’s face it, Mother Nature has been harsh in all parts of the country lately, so finishes that can stand up to the effects of rain and wind are beneficial.
Trend # 3: That Sure Doesn’t Look Like a Chandelier
Now that consumers have gotten comfortable with LED as a light source replacement for incandescent, lighting manufacturers have been pushing the boundaries of what lighting fixtures can look like, debuting unique designs that wouldn’t be possible with larger, less-efficient legacy light sources.
Kuzco’s Corda rope-like lighting fixture, which can be dramatically draped from one point on the ceiling to another, is just one example.
SATCO/Nuvo presented multiple series of edge-lit wall sconces, ceiling fixtures, and vanity lights with a ghost-like, transparent quality that takes full advantage of LEDs’ properties while offering a unique aesthetic.
Hubbardton Forge’s SNAPS collection, created by the design team’s Andy Morter, showcased ingenuity in a truly novel way. The design is distinguished by premium leather straps (enclosing concealed electrical wires) that can be easily fastened together to form ceiling fixtures, floor lamps, and sconces in a variety of shapes and dimensions. Illumination comes from two-sided alabaster spheres lit with LED that are fastened along the straps.
Ingenious designs with luxury materials are, not surprisingly, on the high end of the price scale, but the upscale/luxury market has consistently proven to be one that continues to thrive regardless of the stock market and interest rates.
Trend #4: It’s Made of What?
At the January edition of Lightovation, attendees saw glass used in intriguing ways with atypical shapes and qualities. Relative newcomer SDQ Lighting presented glass accents that had a swirled, cloud-like appearance, dangling from chandeliers as well as glass orbs with metallic-like etching.
At Hubbardton Forge, glass was draped Salvador Dali-like over metal frames for an almost surreal effect. And at Oxygen, textured glass cuffs reminiscent of ice melting hung from the brackets of sconces.
Avenue Lighting’s vertical ribbed glass pendants and sconces in soft colors have proven so popular that the company debuted linear fixture versions to hang over dining tables and kitchen islands.
Among Kalco Lighting’s new designs were fixtures featuring porcelain and bone china for a beautifully delicate look that spans coastal and contemporary décor or offers a feminine flourish.
Wood beads, coconut shells, water hyacinth, alabaster, and natural shells are some of the natural materials used on award-winning interior designer and TV host Breegan Jane’s line for Savoy House.
Alabaster was the medium of choice for many new introductions at Lightovation from a variety of manufacturers. Instead of the more traditional ways we saw alabaster used in lighting during the 1990s and early 2000s, this time alabaster is showing up in asymmetrical shapes, sometimes with dramatic veining, and other times deliberately with no veining apparent in order to present a very uniform glow.
Spanish alabaster even made an appearance on ceiling fans, as Alex Ostrovsky of Modern Forms pointed out to me. One of the new styles that debuted at Lightovation used alabaster on the light kit for an elegant touch.
Travertine and basalt stone were also focal points on Modern Forms’ Caviar cylindrical pendant series.
Trend #5: Ceiling Fans Get Decorative
Ceiling fans are no longer taking a back seat when it comes to room décor. As evidenced at Lightovation, this category is having a moment and attracting more interior designers than in years past.
Before Lightovation, Matthews Fan Company exhibited its line at BDNY in New York City. The BDNY show is a must-see event among interior designers and up until now, ceiling fans were not a category on display as designers prefer installing a lighting fixture instead of a ceiling fan in main living spaces. However, this year was the first time that Matthews Fan decided to exhibit, and the reaction to the ceiling fans (especially one shown in a bold Bordeaux color) was so impressive that president Joel Maldonado realized that designers are finally ready to set aside their past reluctance to use ceiling fans and embrace the latest styles.
Maldonado mentioned that the new Ariella fan (named in honor of his daughter) received a great reception at Lightovation, particularly in the 64-inch size, which he says is the sweet spot regarding the perfect size for many rooms.
The new styles that Modern Forms unveiled at Lightovation featured higher-end aesthetics such as carved wood blades, an alabaster light kit, and a more modern silhouette for the flushmount versions.
Fanimation appealed to designers and fashionable consumers with its new pleated fan blade style, developed by president Nathan Frampton. Available in several finishes, it’s a fresh take on both Coastal looks and a relaxed tropical theme. And speaking of tropical, Fanimation customers were thrilled to find that their favorite Islander model (one of the company’s iconic styles) is now offered in a DC motor version.
Other touches that received raves at Fanimation were CCT-selectable light kits and a larger-diameter light kit to provide more ambient light.
Do you want to see more trends and outstanding products from Lightovation? Stay tuned next week when Part 2 is covered in the next Lighting News Now newsletter arriving in your inbox!
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