Consumers express individuality

The tour started at a display of cage-like fixtures with the look of worn, industrial metal and fitted with 19th century-inspired Edison light bulbs, then continued just a few feet away at the “glam” section, where it was all about mirrored surfaces and crystal baubles. And, as the tour wound down, there were the curvy, Crayon-bright glass lamps with patterned shades, a cooler, revved-up take on grandma’s ’50s-era version.

All the while, terms such as “modern glam,” “vintage chic” and “eclectic fusion” playfully tumbled into one another and you got the feeling that today’s tastes in anything that dresses up a light bulb are all over the place.

As Murphy explained, since the economic slump, customers have become more interested in expressing their individuality. They are burrowing in and surrounding themselves with furnishings that reflect their personalities as opposed to buying into trends that will help them sell their homes for more money.

It’s also as if consumers are picking up on something designers have known for years.

“In design, if you just pick things out that you love, it’s going to work for you. … What I find as a designer is that people innately know what to do, they just need the validation,” Murphy said.

Local interior designer Andrea Miranda-Hall of Inspired Designs refers to lighting as the “jewelry of the design,” a way to accentuate a room’s decor and add some personality — whether it means a playful metal arc lamp in the living room or a vanity light that looks like a collection of perfume bottles. The beauty of it all is that it doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money, she said.

Manufacturers are pushing the envelope, she added, finding more ways to turn lighting into something that can tell a story.

She recently had a ceiling fixture that looks like an abacus installed in the home of a client who is a banker. For another client, a chemist, she found an accent light from a company called Restoration Hardware made of glass flasks and tubes encased in a blown-glass cloche.

“I think everybody is really looking for a way to express themselves, I think that’s probably the main trend. People don’t want the same thing that they see everywhere anymore,” she said.

Shawn McNeace, owner of SRI Design Group and the Design Salon director at Las Vegas Design Center at World Market, said she sees customers searching for lighting in a range of prices and styles these days — from high-end designers to popular retailers.

“As a designer, I love it because you’re not stuck in one genre, where back in the early 2000s, the Tuscany design was the big thing; now that’s completely gone,” she said.

Eclectic tastes seem to be going hand in hand with the need for comfort, McNeace added. Over the years, she has seen interior design turn toward softer, more feminine lines when the economy is shaky, and that’s what is happening now. There may be more technology in the home but the furnishings are all about a sense of ease, or the feeling of “being back at mom’s and mom is taking care of you,” she said.

When someone wants to add drama, McNeace added, they are often doing it in a way that is more laid back. Lighting manufacturers, for example, are toning down chandeliers by making simpler, more streamlined designs, and using materials such as metal or wood. McNeace also points to the popularity of tripod floor lamps like the ones in Ralph Lauren’s Montauk series, which look like searchlights you would find out at sea. Again, the drama is there but in a fun way.

Designers are also using lamp diffusers and “wall washing” spaces with diffused uplighting as opposed to harsh overhead fixtures, she said. There is also a turn toward accenting with warmer tones.

Inside the Lamps Plus showroom, for example, there are lampshades with gold-foil linings and finishes such as antique brass and oil-rubbed bronze. One of the most popular styles right now is the industrial look with its sturdy, metal hardware and old-fashioned light bulbs.

“What I see a lot of that for me, especially, I think is really unique and different is where they’re taking the industrial look and putting more traditional finishes on them and using those Edison lights. I just think those are the coolest things in the whole world,” McNeace said.

Finally, with individuality comes a dash of resourcefulness. Rather than hiring someone to hard-wire an overhead light, for example, some consumers are using those arc lamps that bend over chairs and couches, or sconces that plug directly into the wall outlet, Miranda-Hall said. More people are renting now, “so they want things that can be taken with you” and they like the idea that they are buying pieces they will enjoy for a long time.