Get switched on to the latest interior lighting trends, set to light up your life through the 2020s.
Lighting truly is the quickest way to transform the feel of your home without lifting a paint brush. Whether you’re wanting to cast a cosy glow or looking to dazzle, we ask the leading lights in interior design to shed some light on how to orchestrate the mood of any room…
Industrial Strength
The last decade has ushered in a number of breakthrough lighting trends. As pared-back industrial styles have taken over bars, hotels and restaurants, Paul Garner, commercial and marketing director at Manchester lighting supplier Ultra LEDs, expects this to follow into domestic spaces: “We’ve already seen growth in neon lighting throughout 2019; expect this to continue as new industrial designs come to the market, such as simple recessed lights surrounded by concrete, wood or brickwork.”
Julian Page, head of design at the revived British Home Stores agrees the industrial trend will be hanging around our homes for the foreseeable: “The look continues to loom large in lighting design, creating a statement with its use of weathered materials, visible production methods and exposed filaments. It speaks to a rise in urban living and an appreciation of architectural detail, seen clearly in lighting with the use of exposed wires.”
Green Lit
As sustainability continues to prove an important cultural consideration, Julian believes lighting design will shift towards eco-friendly materials and organic forms: “Consumers and designers are exploring eco-friendly materials and pursuing manufacturing options that have a low impact on the environment and speak of artisanal innovation, shown in the popularity of natural weaves on shades and surfaces.”
Chris Jordan, managing director at luxury lighting brand Christopher Wray sees this shift towards natural materials manifesting in an emerging rustic, organic aesthetic: “As structurally paredback and simplistic forms become more prevalent, woods such as jute, cork and bamboo highlight the increasing momentum towards natural materials that will be heavily featured in all types of homeware in the future.”
We Need to Talk About Kelvin
The kelvin scale is used to measure colour temperature – the lower the number, the more warmth and yellow tint to the light. Following the Europe-wide halogen ban in 2016, the cosy yellow hue of old school bulbs made way for the ubiquitous cold white glow of the kelvin-starved LED, illuminating our interiors with all the warmth of a crime scene.
But now with an emerging breed of dimmable and coloured energy-saving bulbs, we no longer need to choose between efficiency and beauty. Many even mimic the old-fashioned filament style bulbs for that retro look with a warm, welcoming glow. Plus, the rise of smart bulbs means that we have more control than ever over our ambience. Sync them with your mobile device or smart voice assistant to tune everything from brightness to colour temperature, with timer settings set up to suit your daily routine, all without getting off the sofa.
More and more lamps and light fittings are now working with LED technology and according to Julian, ever increasing smart functionality means LED is here to stay: “Integral LED light sources emit light in every direction and are far more energy efficient than bulbs of the past, so as awareness of eco-issues continue to rise, so will the demand for LED.”
Guiding Light
Discover that lightbulb moment with our pick of lighting accessories to inspire your new look…
Philips Hue White and Colour Ambience Starter Kit
Lasting over 25,000 hours and adjustable to over 16 million colours and shades, you can program these LED smart bulbs in the Philips Hue app to create specific moods, as well as set schedules, routines and timers so you never come home to a dark house.
Meethue.com
Innr Smart Filament Bulb
With Innr’s modern take on vintage filament bulbs, expect old school glow combined with cutting edge wireless dimming control – but bear in mind they don’t offer the same colour adjustment as regular white LEDs, as they’re designed to stay warm for that retro feel.
Innr.com
Swan Neck Wire Cage Wall Light
Industville’s vintage brass wire wall light evokes early 20th-century industrial lighting, retaining the classic lines and exposed fixtures designed to showcase the warmth of Edison-style filament bulbs.
Industville.co.uk
Alderbury Suspension Pendant
Classically inspired, Christopher Wray’s three light suspension pendant features weathered brass shades with industrial detail, arranged along a decorative bar, complete with frosted glass diffusers.
Christopherwray.com
