Illuminating New Trends in Lighting Design

By Rob Fanjoy
HTVPro.com The Site for Home Building Professionals

The latest trend in home design is a move toward personal style and away from ... well, trends. People are opting for more self-expression in their residential interiors, which can mean anything goes. That can make it hard for construction pros to stay on top of consumer demands.
This is especially true in residential lighting design, where product options and combinations for general, accent, task, decorative and architectural lighting abound. "Using a lighting designer is itself a growing trend," says Stefan Graf, principal of Illuminart Lighting Consultation and Design in Ypsilanti, Mich. He says that it can be very difficult to stay on top of the many new product options and technological advances if you're not researching and working with them every day. And that type of knowledge is a big factor in meeting client expectations.
"Without a lighting designer, who takes responsibility for that aspect of the project?" Stefan asks. "If the lighting doesn't meet a client's expectations, do they go to the contractor, architect or interior designer to make changes?"
This is not to say that lighting design is outside the talent realm of most contractors, architects or designers, just that a professional dedicated to lighting design can help ensure a cohesive relationship between lighting, architecture and decor.
Lighting has a larger decorative value today than it did even a few short years ago, and consumers are now choosing lighting products as an important accessory to their overall home design. According to Stefan and experts at the American Lighting Association (http://www.americanlightingassoc.com/), there are some general design trends emerging across the country.
Three Major Movements. Most of today's design choices fall under one of three definite categories: casual elegance, with fixtures a bit more upscale in design that still create warm, relaxed and cozy environments; simplified traditional that removes the ornate by such methods as stripping down solid brass fixtures and applying an antique patina; and soft contemporary that is still clean, modern and simple, but no longer "cold."

• Larger Fixtures: As the average size of homes in this country have increased, so have the design elements that go into them. Larger interior volumes need larger lights, and energy-efficient compact-fluorescent lamps (CFLs) often need larger fixtures than their incandescent predecessors.
• Layers of Light: Rooms need multiple sources of light to get the best balance of light in a room. Especially in areas such as kitchens and eating areas, a simple overhead light is only the beginning. Well-placed task and accent lighting is a must to brighten the perimeter and fill the background.
• Energy Efficiency: Consumers are looking to save energy when they can, and lighting is an obvious place to cut back consumption. Dimmer switches and whole-house control systems allow for more precise usage, conserve energy and extend lamp life. Low-voltage bulbs continue to grow in popularity and use, as CFLs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) offer a higher quality, warmer light than just a short time ago. Also, many contractors are fitting recessed fixtures more tightly, which cuts down on conditioned-air loss through ceilings.

"People approach lighting design in much the same way they approach buying pieces of art," says Stefan. "They either have nothing hanging on their walls, or they may go to a retail store and buy some inexpensive prints, or they seek out and purchase pieces of fine art. Fortunately, there are enough lighting options out there to suit every client's taste.