Five Home Lighting Trends for 2015

The New Year has officially begun, and you know what that means: new year, new you. For some, this entails getting a daring new haircut or a flashy new wardrobe, but for others, it means making some much-needed improvements to their home. Unbeknownst to most, one way to make a big difference when updating the look of a space is changing the lighting. Lighting design can be much more creative than most people think, and this is more evident than ever when looking at the major home lighting trends experts forecast for 2015.

1. LED Lighting

While upgrading to LED lights is not a new idea, it is predicted to become more commonplace in 2015. This is mainly due to steadily decreasing prices, wider awareness of the benefits of LEDs, and late technological advances that have resulted in more reliable products. According to research published by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2014, residential architects have reported a notable upswing in the demand for LED lights in kitchens and bathrooms, with LED under-cabinet lighting and LED strip lighting at the top of the list for hot products. Other AIA findings show that there is a significant interest in LED outdoor lighting for patios, porches and driveways as many consumers have been focusing on improving their outdoor living areas. Regardless of the particular space or LED product, these trends show a clear move toward efficient and modern technology in the home.

2. Lighting Controls

With an increasing dependence on technology in the economy, it’s not surprising that homeowners also desire more technological advances in their homes. Systems and technologies currently growing in popularity are designed to enhance entertainment, energy-management, security, or simply convenience. While it might be a little early for smart light bulbs to become household staples, lighting controls such as motion sensors, timers, photocells, and dimmers are currently in high demand. These lighting controls allow you to automate or adjust some aspect of your lighting without requiring you to change out the bulbs you already have. Just be sure to pick a control that is rated to operate with your lights, whether they are incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, or LED. You can learn more about how lighting controls can save you money and their various applications on our blog.

3. Antique Light Bulbs

You may have already noticed the beautiful winding filaments of antique light bulbs glowing in the dining area of your favorite restaurant or in the lobby of a luxury hotel. But antique light bulbs are actually making a comeback in both retro and industrial style fixtures throughout the home, too. This may or may not have something to do with the fact that despite some of their higher wattages, antique bulbs are exempt from the EISA light bulb ban due to their classification as specialty bulbs. Going just by aesthetics, we’re glad antique bulbs get to stick around—however, they remain expensive to operate and there is no guarantee they will remain unbanned down the road. LED Edison bulbs, on the other hand, provide the look and feel of classic antique bulbs but with the benefits of LED energy savings. And we don’t see them becoming extinct any time soon.

4. Pendant Lights

Whether you’re browsing Pinterest online or walking around home décor stores like IKEA, it’s hard not to notice the sweeping popularity of pendant lights. Lately, these versatile light fixtures are appearing in more areas than just their traditional places over kitchen islands or counter tops, debuting above front entryways, dining room tables, night stands, and bathroom vanities among other places. But the fixture itself is not the only new trend—the way pendant lighting is being installed is also new, as clusters of pendants are often grouped together to create one, dramatic overhead light fixture, or multiple pendants are hung spread out at varying heights. Pendant lights are even popular for dedicated DIYers, as it’s fairly simple to create your own pendant swag light using colored wires, antique bulbs, light sockets, and plugs, such as in our YouTube video below.

5. Lighting in Small Spaces

I think we would all agree that it is irritating to use a flashlight to sift through drawers, pantries, closets and other small, dark storage places to find an item. These places have been left off of most home lighting plans since they tend to be too small for the average light fixture and because some of these spaces aren’t accessed frequently. Luckily, recent innovations like LED strip lights, rope lights, and under-cabinet lights are not your average light fixtures. They are specifically designed to add light to these hard-to-access areas—and even more recently, for decorative purposes such as accent lighting or backlighting. Although some of these fixtures are relatively new to the market, they are already being seen for these purposes at great frequency in commercial settings like restaurants and bars. So, we predict it won’t be long before these lighting innovations become more popular in homes as well.

As you can see, many of the home lighting trends for 2015 show a clear move toward cutting edge products—even those inspired by the past are offered in stylish new energy-efficient options. So whether your style is traditional, retro, industrial, or modern, you can light your home your way while conserving valuable energy. Let us know what you think of this year’s lighting trends below in the comments or on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Instagram!