Feature Article /
Mar 30, 2016

The 12 Hottest New Light Fixtures You Should Know Now for 2016

Luke Lamp

Luke Lamp Co.’s Langhorne line blurs the line between light fixture and art. 

At the 2016 AD Show, 40 brands demonstrated lighting’s versatility with decorative fixtures that covered the gamut in shape, style, scale, and materials. Whether it’s for a new house or remodel, these 12 are sure to impress your clients.

“Lighting continues to grow as a platform for experimentation and expression,” says Aaron Shoon, founder and creative director of Pletz, a lighting studio in Brooklyn, N.Y. “New technologies encourage new forms,” as well as fresh takes on timeless ones.

SA Baxter Sconce 2503 BURNISHED BRASS SILHOUETTE

Door and cabinet hardware manufacturer SA Baxter has expanded into lighting with a new collection of sconces in transitional and contemporary designs. Modern Wall Sconce 2503 puts an elegant, industrial spin on a torch with a clear glass shade, clean cylindrical forms and a burnished brass finish. The fixture is lit with an Edison-type incandescent or LED lamp and can also be specified in Dark Antique Brass.

 

Of the 40, half of the brands showed in Made, a carefully curated section dedicated to independent makers of furniture, home accessories, lighting, and more. The show organizers selected exhibitors based not only on product design but also on the quality of their website, branding, and graphic design.

“I figure if you can brand yourself nicely on the Internet, you can probably brand yourself nicely in the real world because at the end of the day, the show is about presentation,” Made producer Julia Haney notes.

On this front, decorative lighting manufacturers had an edge. By definition, their products trade on their looks and besides, who isn’t naturally attracted to bright and shiny objects?

Here are 12 designs that did more than just present well—they made statements: 

 

Bower C Light double ceiling pendant lit

Bower’s C Light Collection features thin brass metal tubing end-capped with white glass globes. Suspended on adjustable stems, each C shape measures 20½ inches by 16¼ inches and comes in polished brass, blackened brass or white or black powder-coat. The fixture takes E12 40-watt incandescent lamps and can be specified in a variety of configurations, including a double pendant (shown) and floor lamps.

 

 

Ben and Aja Barrel Pendant

Providence, R.I.-based Ben and Aja Blanc showed twin minimalist Barrel pendants lit with Edison-type E26 A19 LED bulbs encased in clear glass. Each fixture measures 21 inches by 6 inches, weighs 4.5 pounds, and can be specified in brass or blackened steel.

 

 

Cartwright Sconce

Cartwright New York’s new Ciaro e Scuro sconce marries natural brushed brass hardware with an alabaster glass shade embellished with 18k gold foil wrap. To create the lace effect, the foil is applied to the glass when hot and then blown out, says Carolyn Cartwright, principal and chief designer for the company.

 

 

HaikuLight Satin Nickel

Big Ass Fans’ Haiku Designers Series does more than just look good. The LED-based fixture allows users to adjust color temperature from 2,200K to 5,000K, while sensors automatically turn the light on when someone enters the room and shuts it off when they leave. A future feature will dim the light if it detects bright sunlight.

 

 

Hubbardton Forge Theta sil 0

That Ori Goldberg, one of the designers at Hubbardton Forge, is a former jeweler comes as no surprise. According to Jeanne-Marie, vice president of marketing, he brings a “unique perspective” to lighting evident in pieces, such as the Theta pendant, which was inspired by a bracelet. Made of textured steel and polished aluminum, the pendant is lit with a 48-watt LED light guide.

 

 

Luke Lamp

Luke Lamp Co.’s Langhorne 1 and 2 blur the line between light fixture and art. Comprising a woven nylon diffuser and a flexible LED core, the pendants incorporate custom machined connectors that can be adjusted to create a variety of forms.

 

 

Otis and Otis Concentric Powdercoated

Concentric Light from Otis and Otis creates a sense of intrigue with a blast-finished convex mirror diffuser that casts LED light on a metal reflector. The reflector is available in a 16-inch hemisphere or a 28-inch flattened hemisphere design with a powder-coated or etched finish. Etched reflectors come in nickel, copper or steel. Fixtures can be corded or hardwired.

 

 

PLETZ Nomen

Inspired by traditional hanging lanterns, the Nomen pendant by Pletz features paired nested shades in natural linen and a signature diffuser designed with a radial pattern to cast a dappled shadow when lit. Two E26 72-watt clear halogen lamps provide illumination.

 

 

Studio Endo Hira

Available in a 26- or 38-inch diameter, Studio Endo’s HIRA is an LED copper pendant with a pressed pattern inspired by the carved interiors of Japanese Taiko drums. A matte clear coat seals the sandblasted interior of the shade, preserving its radiance, while the exterior is finished in graphite patina, matte black patina, matte white, or natural copper.

 

 

Tracy Glover Teardrop Chandelier

Tracy Glover Studio’s Teardrop chandelier suspends shapely glass diffusers from a single ceiling canopy. The diffusers vary in height from 9 inches to 14 inches and can be specified in clear glass or with a pattern and color overlay. The fixture accommodates 2-watt LED Edison-style bulbs. Single pendants and a sconce are also available.

Alice Liao

Alice Liao is a freelance writer and the former Executive Editor of K+BB Magazine.

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