Show us the color! New hues in lighting

DALLAS — Lighting needs to be timeless but a little color wouldn’t hurt, said one lighting retailer during an ASID panel discussion about trends during Lightovation.

“Every shelter magazine is screaming color and our industry has never had less color,” said Kristen Recce of Black Whale Home in Encinitas, Calif.

Soft whites were the dominant look in showrooms in Dallas earlier this month, but we did spot a few examples of beautiful color here and there.

Crystorama is showcasing art glass in many of its new pieces, including the Esme chandelier, a sphere comprised of handblown glass blooms in pale blue, pale green, smoked or white (it earned a HAT tag, or editor’s pick, during the show.) It also debuted Ollie, a tiered pendant of teardrop-shaped colored glass, including a pale pink and an icy blue. Its existing Xavier collection of matte-finished cone-shaped pendants continues to grow; its black and gold combination is the number-one choice among buyers, followed by a blue and gold version, according to National Sales Director Ben Tuminello. And its new Jori sconce, a slim-profile design with a half shade with a doorknocker-style loop below, comes in multiple soft colors.

In the International Pavilion, color and texture worked together for eye-catching entries: the Uplight Group featured the Knitted Drop pendant, which resembles a tennis ball dropped into the toe of a loose-knit sock. It is designed by Israeli Ariel Zuckerman who used polyethylene and acrylic fiber in several color options (turquoise, mustard, red, purple, pale blue or light gray). Alongside that was a series of bulbous lanterns from Uplight Group Essentials made from strips of narrow velvet ribbon that compose the frame of the lighting piece that appears rigid at first glance but is soft and pliable when you touch it.

Color is a big story at Kuzco. “We hadn’t done color in a big way until now,” said Brand Director Ashlen Haslam. It wanted color with a neutral undertone so that it could harmonize with wood floors and furnishings in homes, she said, and complement a modern house without being overwhelming. Its new Regent (classic half-dome) and Kirby (wavey-edge dome) pendants are available in burgundy, cerulean, peach and pine green. Its Atlas liner pendant is shaped like a caterpillar and also comes in a variety of shades.