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A Glimmer of Hope: The Lighting Doctor Visits LIGHT!

Furniture, Lighting & Decor's Lighting Doctor assesses what's on the horizon in the lighting industry. 

10/09/2023
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LIGHT! San Francisco
These innovative pendants were shown at LIGHT! in San Fransisco.

I was fortunate to attend the LIGHT! conference in San Francisco. It is not as gigantic as a LightFair or Lightovation, but it is in my backyard which is really convenient. I don’t have to fly anywhere, and I don’t have to pack anything. 

 

This is where people in the industry get to see new products from both national and international manufacturers. The show is held for only one day. I am amazed and grateful for the manufacturers who come from far away for a 10 hour conference.

It is always a treat to see what is new and interesting. Usually there might be four or five items that call out to me. This time though, there were 10 products that caught my attention and I want to share them with you. 

 

Intriguing Pendants and more from LIGHT!

 

pendant bulb light
This Pendant light by MP Lighting (mplighting.com) mimics the look of a traditional light bulb. It is a step up from the filament LED Edison lamps because you don’t see the filament, which can be glary if not diffused by shade or a lens. Here the light source is hidden within the base and travels out through the solid resin bulb.

 

series of pendant lights
This series of pendant fixtures is manufactured by Intra Lighting (intra-lighting.us). The one I particularly like is the one in the upper lefthand corner. It is part of the Dawn Series It is shallow dome, kind of shaped like a hub cap. LED lighting runs along the inner edge, hidden by a lip. The light flows seamlessly along the inside of the dome, producing a rich, warm illumination. It is a source of both ambient and decorative at the same time. It comes in numerous sizes, finishes and lumen outputs.

 

retro modern lanterns

These charming lanterns are, to me, a modern twist on the Isamu Noguchi designed lanterns of the 1960’s. These are called the Alubat Basket. They are rated for both interior and exterior environments. The aluminum structures come in different finishes, including Black and Dark Olive as well as different sizes. They are made by a company called Santa Cole (santacole.com) out of Spain.

 

Uplight Group Blossom Series Pendants

These deceivingly simple pendant fixtures give the feel of volume and weightlessness at the same time. The ribs are made of French velvet. The center cylinders offer a diffuse illumination which lights up the ribs from behind. They are manufactured by a company called Uplight Group (uplightgroup.com). These are part of their Blossom Series, which also includes table lamps.

 

 

LZF Lights
I am a big fan of the LZF lighting line (lzf-lamps.com). They use wood veneers from a variety of tree species to create luminous shade material. One of their most popular pendants, shown here, is now available as a floor lamp.

 

 

randall lux illuminati

These Halcyon Series pendant lights by LUX Illuminaire (luxilluminaire.com) have two functions: They offer a downlight and they provide sound dampening for spaces with hard surfaces. They have a strong midcentury modern look. Each style comes in three sizes and four color temperatures. Personally, I would love it if there were a translucent cylinder that ran the length of the fixture so that the fins glowed at night.

 

Infinity Line

Edison Price (epl.com) has been around forever. It was a nice surprise that they have ventured out into some pretty interesting stuff. A standout is their Infinity Line. It is a super thick rope-like product that has very even light distribution and offers a warm/dim option down to 2000 degrees Kelvin.

 

 

Foscarini Spokes 3
This luminous and airy pendant is made by Foscarini (foscarini.com). It is called Spokes 3. The LED source is located at the base of the luminaire, which projects light upwards, creating a luminous effect and providing fill light for the space. It looks like a ribbed bubble.

Randall Whitehead headshot

Randall Whitehead is an educator and author on the subject of lighting design. His work has been featured in many magazines, including Architectural Digest, Home & Garden and Esquire. He has appeared as a guest expert on HGTV, Discovery, CNN and Martha Stewart Living Radio.

His Latest book Beautiful Light outlines how to create successful and subtly beautiful LED lighting designs for homes and gardens. Available through Amazon and Rutledge Books.

You can see his entertaining 1-minute instructional videos at furniturelightingdecor.com. And you can follow him on Instagram:  @randall.whitehead

 

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