TABLE & FLOOR LAMPS
Make a Design Statement with Table Lamps
Upgrading lighting is one of the easiest ways to instantly update your home decor. And the most effortless way to change your lighting is by using table lamps. All you need to do is put a plug in an outlet and, voila, instant ambiance.
Gary Taylor, president of Living Ligthing, says, "We've got probably the most diverse level of design and variety of styles that I have ever seen in the lighting industry and I think it's reflective of the general public's willingness to look at design as a main part of their life." People are more conscious of how they can improve their space, he believes, thanks in part to the popularity of shows such as those on HGTV.
As the public has become more design savvy, says Taylor, it's given the green light for manufacturers to look at table lamps in a new way "which has created a tremendous explosion in designs. The beauty of lamps today is just the extraordinary variety of style, shapes, forms, textures."
Metal finishes are "really coming on strong in the marketplace," continues Taylor, citing the variety of finishes from "very polished, brilliant finishes like polished steel to very, very subtle shades like bronze and pewter." Finishes tend to be more textured which, he says, gives lamps "a lot of personality and a lot of soul, so to speak."
TABLE & FLOOR LAMPS
Having recently attended the Lighting Market at the World Trade Centre in Dallas TX, Taylor noticed several key trends. "The most obvious, which has gone on for at least three shows, and is most clearly here to stay, is the use of color." The two most popular color palettes at the moment are Caribbean-inspired with pale orange and aqua hues; and earth tones like burnt orange, olive green, and eggplant.
"What we're seeing is a lot of color, particularly brighter colors, particularly iridescent-y kind of things. People are looking for color to give them that brighter look." The other trend Taylor observed is that "after years of being inundated with very ornate, embellished, fancy, over-adorned resin product that the industry has been pushing, the buyers have made it very clear that they want natural materials and simpler looks."
Lampshades are getting more adventurous and whimsical, both in their shape and in the use of color. Years ago it was almost impossible to sell a shade that wasn't white or cream. Today darker shades are more popular, especially when used as accent lighting. There's a lot of freshness in the shapes.
Taylor notes that 60s style drum shades are "hot." "People are becoming more interested in shades," he says. "They're looking for variety, different treatments, and different fabrics." While table lamps can be used for task lighting, there has been an increase of "very, very small lamps" used for accent lighting and to "add ambiance." Their diminutive size allows them to be placed on non-traditional places like bookshelves and windowsills.
TABLE & FLOOR LAMPS
However, some manufacturers have taken the opposite tack when it comes to size, providing lamps that are a little over scaled, perhaps in response to today's homes which are getting progressively larger.
In the past people bought lamps and used them forever. Today, more people are routinely buying lamps to update their decor much like one would buy a new set of bed linens or pillows.
As Taylor notes, "The price of lamps hasn't gone up, it's gone down." That affordability has made it easier than ever for people to switch out their lamps periodically. It's not economically feasible for most people to keep up with the latest design trends by switching out high-ticket items like sofas, but by changing something like pillows and lamps one can instantly change the whole look of a room.
The first thing people notice when they walk into a space, says Taylor, is the quality of the light. "Lighting affects us in so many ways... When you flick on a light your eye automatically goes to it because it's brighter than anything else in that space." There's even a formula by which one can determine how much lighting a room needs which is roughly two watts per square foot, so a 12 by 12 room would need approximately 300 watts -- or four lamps with 75-watt bulbs. "As a minimum you should have three lamps per room," asserts Taylor, "because that really creates this nice triangle of light in the space."
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