Top Trends in Decorative Lighting

Who’d have thought that a pandemic would provide homeowners with lots of extra time to think about the things in their homes that need to be fixed or updated? But it has! Apparently, home improvement projects are way up, according to figures garnered from retailers such as hardware and home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot. That’s because home-bound individuals with time on their hands are either doing DIY projects around the house or hiring professionals to complete projects that they’ve been putting off for some time.

Specifically, many homeowners are tending to electric-related projects around the house, ranging from complex things such as installing new wiring systems or designing and installing landscape lighting to smaller tasks such as sprucing up the decorative lighting inside their homes.

The importance of good interior lighting

Interior lighting is more than just hanging a fixture above the dining room table or putting a few bulbs in that lamp you inherited from your grandmother. Interior lighting should be interesting and should serve to enhance your décor. It can remain consistent in style throughout your house or change from room to room to match various design styles.

Lighting can also dictate the mood or atmosphere of a room. You may want the kitchen to be bright and cheery and the bedrooms to be more subdued. You can accomplish that with the right light fixtures and bulbs. And, of course, lighting provides…well, um…light, which allows us to see clearly to do the tasks we perform in each room.

What’s new in decorative lighting?

Because lighting technology changes all the time and so do homeowner’s tastes (often influenced by pop culture), trends in lighting change as well. Here’s what’s happening in lighting in 2020!

• Vintage bulbs are in! – Have you ever seen photos of Thomas Edison and his first light bulb? If you have, you might remember that his bulbs look totally different than those we commonly see today. But a handful of manufacturers have brought back the “Edison bulb”, which is showing up in some super cool retro fixtures. Check ‘em out!
• It’s all about mid-century modern! – Décor from the 30s to the 70s has been quite popular over the last 5 years, but it took a while for lighting manufacturers to catch up. They’ve now jumped on the mid-century modern bandwagon to produce some matching fixtures featuring lovely clean lines and a unique balance of form and art. It’s fun but laid-back and tends not to be too pricey.
• Big fixtures are trending! – Bold is beautiful in today’s larger rooms. If you have a big kitchen or a large space for your dining room, for example, make the lighting fixture in those rooms the centerpiece by using an oversized chandelier, big pendant lights, or something else that will catch one’s eye as soon as they enter the room.
• Industrial is back! – If you’re searching for that warehouse look that’s plain and minimalist, you’ll be happy to know that industrial is back. While the emphasis is still on metals, rustic finishes, and neutral colors, the newest industrial fixtures seem to be a bit sleeker and more upscale in appearance. They’re especially great for the kitchen!
• Using “Smart” technology is wise! – More and more homeowners have also chosen to install smart systems that control their residential interior lighting. Why? It saves money and it’s pretty darn cool, too! Controlling your home lighting by setting fixtures to turn on and off at certain times or being able to control your lighting remotely when you’re not around certainly reduces your carbon footprint. You can connect with Google, Alexa, or Siri for voice commands or you can choose a system that doesn’t require WiFi or any of those apps, like Lutron’s Caseta system.

Love the new trends in decorative lighting? Ready to make some changes to your interior lighting? Stapleton Electric can help you with installations, wiring, and any of your electric needs, both inside and outside your home. Call us for a no-obligation free estimate and let us safely handle your electrical projects.