Upgrading lighting is one of the easiest ways to instantly update your home decor. And the most effortless way to change your lamp moulding for car lighting is by using table lamps.All you need to do is put a plug in an outlet and, voila, instant ambiance.Joe Rey-Barreau, educational consultant for the American Lighting Association and professor of interior design at the University of Kentucky, 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 to shows such as those on HGTV. One way for people to improve their spaces are through different lamp options.As the public has become more design savvy, says Rey-Barreau, it's given the green light for manufacturers to look at table lamps in a new way "which has created a tremendous explosion in design. The beauty of lamps today is just the extraordinary variety of style - shapes, forms, textures."Metal finishes are "really exploding in the marketplace," continues Rey-Barreau, 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."Todd Langner, president of Kenroy-Hunter Lighting Group, a lighting manufacturer based in Jacksonville, FL, recently attended the High Point Furniture Show where he 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." When speaking of colorful lamps 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.Dave Director, CLC, president of Connecticut Lighting Center, a Hartford-based retailer, agrees. "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." Colorful lamps can be used to draw the eye to certain design elements or pieces of furniture in a given space. The other trend Langner observed is that "after years of being inundated with very goopy, drippy, 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." Consequently, Kenroy-Hunter has been focusing on manufacturing lamps in wood, ceramic, brass, and slate.Dave McKee, COO of Seattle Lighting, a retailer with showrooms in the Pacific Northwest, says that rich bronze tones and rich colors like reds are selling well as are natural materials like iron and marble.
