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Lighting design can be more creative than you probably ever imagined. The possibilities have never been more evident than now — when looking at the top lighting trends for 2024.
Lighting designers have given us an overwhelming array of choices to consider. Some are futuristic in style, and others are inspired by the past. Even styles reminiscent of the past are being shaped by visions of what lies ahead for the future. Stylish new sustainable and energy-efficient options are becoming increasingly important for contemporary environments, even when decorating retro-inspired homes.
Let’s explore 12 major lighting trends for 2024 and beyond.
1. Traditional Chandeliers and Other Traditional Light Fixtures
Pictured above is one of the spectacular light fixtures at America’s most famous home, the White House. Since Americans have always looked to our First Family for inspiration on how to decorate, dress, and entertain, I thought it would be appropriate to include some inspiration showing how the White House is currently lit. Isn’t that light fixture simply stunning? So if you’re decorating in a traditional style that transcends trends, a formal chandelier is a possibility that is unlikely to go out of style any time soon.
Popular interior designer and color expert, Maria Killam, recently noted that formality in lighting design is trending up in America. Killam formulated her 2023 lighting trend report after a trip to High Point Market. In that report, she observed,
“Overall lighting seems to be moving toward a more traditional look. Details like pleated shades and smaller, fluted pendants were highlighted everywhere.”
But, if you’d rather go in a more updated direction for your 2024 lighting scheme, that’s okay, too.
2. Light Fixtures Masquerading as Sculpture
3. Brushed Brass and Brushed Gold Light Fixtures
Warm metals are trendy for 2024, and they’re making appearances in many places throughout the home. Many lighting purveyors are getting in on the trend, offering a variety of lovely gold-colored pendant lights and various gold sconces and lamps.
4. Spherical, Globe and Bubble Light Fixtures
Spherical lights in many configurations are of interest right now. Vintage style globe lights and bubble lights are on-trend for decorating rooms that feature modern-style furnishings.
5. Two-Toned Light Fixtures: Brass Paired With Black
Mixed metals are a top trend seen throughout 2024 homes, and they’re especially evident in light fixtures. Many of today’s popular light fixtures incorporate a mix of two or three metal surfaces. If you’re decorating a traditional or transitional room, brass is a viable choice for the primary metal surface in your light fixture. Because black metal finishes are a top home decor trend right now, pairing the brass with a sharply contrasting black metal can ensure that your lighting appears current and on-trend rather than looking dated.
6. Twin Pendant Lights
Pendant lighting isn’t a new trend, but it remains in demand in 2024. In years past, we observed that people were often lighting their spaces with multiple pendant lights. Now it seems one of the au courant looks is to team up two large pendant lights over a kitchen island or dining room table.
Of course, plenty of people are also using pendant lights in the usual ways. Some current pendant lighting draws inspiration from the past, while other pendant lamp styles are uniquely contemporary in design.
Bowl pendants and drum pendants are both important silhouettes.
7. Wall Sconces
Wall sconces are adding extra light in rooms throughout the home, including bathrooms, bedrooms, and foyers.
8. Floor Lamps
Floor lamps are as poplar as ever in today’s bedrooms, but they’re also finding their way into other rooms throughout the home.
9. Pleated Lamp Shades, Reeded Glass, and Fluted Surfaces
Pleated, reeded, and fluted surfaces are showing up everywhere in home decor. You have bunches of interesting pleated and fluted lamp shades and light fixtures to choose from, and you can also pair these with reeded glass-front cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom, or with fluted bathroom tiles.
10. Lighting in the Shower
Shower lights have been popular in the bathroom, and they continue to remain relevant in 2024.
11. Lighting inside Drawers and Cabinets
Don’t you hate it when your cabinets or drawers are so dark that you can’t see the contents, and you can’t find what you need? Tired of using a flashlight when you need to venture into a dimly-lit space? Well, trendsetters these days have found elegant solutions to that problem: they’re adding lighting inside those formerly-dark spaces.
In many cases, when you open a drawer or cabinet, the light inside is triggered to instantly turn on.
12. Mid-Century Modern Lighting Elements
Mid-century modern design is a carryover trend that’s been relevant since the middle of last century. You would think it would go outdated at some point, but it hasn’t yet. This design style is still getting plenty of media coverage, and trendsetters all over the world are still incorporating lighting in this style in their decorating schemes. Both vintage and brand new lamps and light fixtures are available in this style.
13. Murano Glass Chandeliers
The folks over at Zillow monitor their home listings to obtain information about emerging home design trends. They’re reporting that recent mentions of colorful, enticing Murano glass chandeliers have recently risen by a dramatic 58%.
14. Brutalist Patinated Bronze Light Fixtures
Another hat tip to the folks over at Zillow for pointing out that Brutalist-inspired home design elements have been trending up, up, up in the recent past, with a 452% increase in the number of active listings that mentioned Brutalism-related keywords. Not all the elements they mentioned are light fixtures, but they pointed out a couple of light fixture styles to keep an eye out for. One is “jagged patinated bronze light fixtures,” and then they suggested “wrought iron candleholders” as an alternative to consider if the jagged bronze fixtures are too stark for your tastes.
So that’s the inside scoop on lighting trends for 2024 and the future beyond. Now that you’re updated, you can use this information to ensure that you choose lighting that’s both on trend right now and also suitable for your family’s style and preferences. We wish you a brightly illuminated, dazzling and prosperous 2024. Happy decorating!
References:
- At Maria Killam’s Website: 2023 Lighting Trends
- At the Furniture Lighting Decor Website: The Future Is In the Past
- At the Furniture Lighting Decor Website: LUTRON REPORT SHARES HOMEOWNERS LIGHTING PREFERENCES
- Trend Alert: Mixed Metal Accents to Light Every Room
- At the Farnsworth Group Website — “Healthy Home” Could Be the Next Big Housing Trend
- At the US Department of Energy Website: Top 8 Things You Didn’t Know About LEDs; Energy Department Announces New Investments to Drive Cost-Competitive Next Generation Efficient Lighting
- At the LEDs Magazine Website: Research assesses the value of human centric lighting
- At the Elle Décor Website — Flower Walls Are Out; Flower Chandeliers Are In
- At the Elle Décor Website — Mid-Century Modern Lighting
- At the American Lighting Association Website: Selecting the right chandelier
- At the Sebring Services website: Top Trends in Interior Lighting Design
- At the American Institute of Architects: Kitchens and Bathrooms Go Upscale. Article is by Kermit Baker, AIA Chief Economist.
- At the American Institute of Architects: With Upturn, Homes Are More Specialized and Technologically Savvy. Article is by Kermit Baker, AIA Chief Economist.
- At the PR Newswire Webite: Brutalism and Sensory Gardens Top Zillow’s 2024 Hottest Home Trends
- At the Creative Commons Website: One of the images on this website was made available under a creative commons license.
Learn More About Lighting
- 6 Ways Bedroom Floor Lamps Can Enhance Your Home Décor
- Stained Glass Lamp Decorating Ideas: Learn How to Decorate Around a Tiffany Lamp
- Make the Most of the Natural Light in Your Home by Choosing the Right Curtains
This page was last updated on 2-19-2024.
