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Trends in light fixtures


Lighting trends 2022: the latest lighting designs and trends

(Image credit: Paul Massey / Simon Brown / Chris Snook)

Lighting trends ranging from overhead pendants, elegant sculptural shapes and styles and bespoke fittings, these are just some of the lighting trends our experts have predicted will set the design world alight for 2022.

Lighting is an essential component to a successful design scheme yet is so much more important in wintertime, when the days are shorter and we spend far more time indoors than usual. 

Thanks to the pandemic, our focus has been drawn into our homes and we're acutely aware of how important it is for our homes to be both comfortable and beautiful. So while everything – including lighting – needs to have a purpose, it also needs to look good. 

Lighting trends 2022

We asked a panel of lighting experts and interior design insiders on what they expect the biggest lighting trends to be in 2022. So read on to discover what is set to brighten our lives next year and beyond. ..

Haring brass LED ceiling light, Habitat

(Image credit: Jan Baldwin)

'2022 will see dining and living room ceiling lighting ideas becoming the focus of rooms rather than being merely functional. There will be elegant and extravagant light fittings coming through for every style, from contemporary to cottagecore,' explains Valentina Gori, the lighting expert at Smart Lighting Industries, lighting expert at Smart Lighting Industries. 

'Thoughtfully placed, cleverly designed and carefully crafted ceiling lights will transform rooms. Lighting will become a starting point for design rather than being left until last.'

“Don’t be afraid to go bold with your ceiling lighting,' Valentina continues, 'larger spaces can take more daring pieces but don’t shy away from unconventional light fittings in smaller spaces, especially if you dial back some other design elements.'

Room by Elicyon; taken from the Andrew Martin Interior Designer Review Vol. 24

(Image credit: Elicyon/Andrew Martin Interior Designer Review Vol.24)

'Table lamps with sculptural shapes and bold designs turn your lamps into pieces of art, providing interest even when the lamp is turned off,' continues Martin Waller. 

'Use pairs of lamps to accentuate a beautiful sideboard or console table, or frame a larger piece of furniture such as a sofa or bed. 

'Floor lamps are dutiful and elegant and can be placed next to an armchair or sofa to create a comfortable reading spot. Or light up that dark, forgotten corner of your hallway with a statement design to breathe new life into your home.'

3. Opt for artful ceiling lights

Chandelier, floor lamp and table lamp, all Pooky

(Image credit: Pooky)

'You don't light for the light, you light for shadows,' says Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin. 'As the darker evenings draw in, it’s time to look for new ways of lighting the corners of our homes that have become accustomed to the lingering sunlight of the warmer months.  

'Artful ceiling lights and thoughtfully placed lamps can transform a room into a cozy sanctuary in which to hibernate through the winter. Ceiling lights create a focal point in a space, while metallic details will reflect and bounce the light around the room to dazzling effect.'

Kelly Wearstler Linen table lamp, Andrew Martin

(Image credit: Davide Lovati)

'Choose bold designs featuring sculptural shapes, interesting texture or colored glass to make as style statement, even when the light is switched off,' concludes Martin Waller. 

'Think of your lamp as an art piece or sculpture, like a design-led finishing touch. A light is a good way to throw surprise in a room, to merge modern with traditional.'

5. Take a symmetrical approach

Lamp and lampshade, both Pooky

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

Symmetry is an interior design trick used to create smart-looking rooms – and it's perfect for lighting trends. 

For a classic look, try taking a symmetrical approach to lighting. ‘A great way to achieve this is to place two lamps either side of a mirror or a piece of art,’ says Louise Wicksteed, design director for Sims Hilditch. ‘The resulting aesthetic is one of well-distributed elegance.’

6. Light up your space with color 

Concrete and brass table lamp by Graham & Green

(Image credit: Simon Brown / Kit Kemp)

Color is back in a big way for lighting trends in 2022. For a colorful look, follow the lead of Kit Kemp, creative director of Firmdale Hotels. Her well-honed eye for cleverly mixing unexpected yet uplifting hues and folk art patterns follows through to her lighting choices, which embrace pairings and mismatched bases.

7. Increase your interest in bedroom lighting

(Image credit: Future/Jan Baldwin)

With the trend for spaces to relax and unwind in becoming more prominent and important in interiors post-pandemic, ambience is key with lighting playing a crucial role in helping to set the mood and surrounding atmosphere.

To this end, lighting for bedrooms is taking a more important role, with eye-catching central pendants a focal point in themselves, even unlit, and shapely bedside lamps creating the perfect, low-lit atmosphere.

8. Layer lighting in your home office

(Image credit: Jim Lawrence)

With more of us than ever working from home, more thought is being given to how we light our home offices and work spaces – and one trend to emerge for lighting in 2022 is a new-found love of traditional workmanship and styles. 

This Abercrombie table lamp (above) by Jim Lawrence is a case in point. It has been designed with a heritage look and is as handsome when it is turned off as when it is switched on. 

The traditional spun brass shade and base are matched with a contemporary steel stem and exposed braided cable to create an eclectic effect. Perhaps you picked it up at a French flea market? No one need ever know. 

'If you are working from your living space, use different types of lamps to create the right environment,' advises Will Law, Partner & Home Design Stylist at John Lewis. 'In the day, opt for LED task lighting, which is bright and white – and you could even supplement this with a SAD lamp on darker days.'

'In the evening,' continues Will, 'turn these off and transition to diffused lighting – either shaded lamps, or designs that have warm, frosted bulbs, as these will give a cosy glow to the room.'

9. Show of wall art with light fixtures

(Image credit: Paul Massey)

High-value (be it in real terms or personal) art needs to be treated with careful consideration when it comes to lighting – especially if the aim is to make it a standout feature of the room. ‘Lighting a picture has the double advantage of showing off the work and reflecting light back into the room,’ says interior decorator 

Nicola Harding, who designed this scheme. She chose a wall color with a lacquer finish to reflect natural light; the artificial light above stands in place during darker hours. ‘That reflected light is more atmospheric than something that lights the whole room. I also enjoy playing around with wall lights that weren’t specifically designed as picture lights. Anything with an articulated arm can work.’

10. Plan to perfect for a bespoke option

(Image credit: Chris Snook)

2022 will be the year for bespoke and commissioned lighting schemes. 

When commissioning bespoke joinery, ask the carpenter to make allowances for internal wiring from the start. This will allow for some lights to be built into the unit, removing the need for trailing wires from standalone lamps or wall lights, resulting in a cleaner finish. 

Interior decorator Sarah Brown commissioned this pretty bespoke shelving painted in a pale pink gloss and with tongue and groove detailing for a sitting room in London. ‘An interesting room is made up of many layers that allows the eye to travel,’ she says. Sarah added decorative flourishes to the lighting by using patterned lampshades on the sconce and the mantelpiece lamp.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

8 Lighting Trends That Will Be Everywhere in 2022

By

Melissa Epifano

Melissa Epifano

Melissa is a news writer for The Spruce. She covers a wide range of topics including trends, decor ideas, and design tips.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Published on 12/28/21

For something so integral to our homes, lighting is often not talked about in the same way decor or other foundational elements of a room are, and in some cases, it's altogether neglected. The fixtures a house or apartment comes with might suffice, but it's hard to argue that a sleek pendant or an on-theme chandelier can't beat the infamous flush-mounted ceiling lights or basic recessed lights found in most homes.

In 2022, lighting trends are looking more brilliant than ever and there is something for everyone and every room, from flashy, in-your-face chandeliers to subtle lamps and bulbs that gently envelop a room in light. Here is how experts are visualizing these trends and key takeaways for actually incorporating them into your own space.

Oversized and the Center of Attention

Jessica Harris, designer and manager of production design at Living Spaces, believes that lighting is a surefire way to make a space feel new again. "One fun way to do this in 2022 would be to add an oversized chandelier," she explains. "This is a great, affordable refresh to a room or entryway that will be noticed by guests right away.”

This speaks to the point, too, that chandeliers are no longer just reserved for dining rooms or for hovering over a foyer—there can be a space for them in a variety of different settings. It's just a matter of picking out a fitting selection.

Brexton Cole Interiors

Unexpected Matches

Some styles, no matter how different, are a harmonious match when paired together. Amy Leferink of Interior Impressions gives the example of more timeless silhouettes being created with modern finishes and materials when it comes to lighting trends in 2022. This is even a great solution for indecisive decorators who can't choose between two (or more) looks.

"I love the idea of taking an old-world design element like a chandelier, and modernizing it, the way that you see here in this wood bead chandelier," Leferink says. "It is the perfect contrast between traditional and modern, and creates a unique spin on a classic."

Interior Impressions

Linear Lighting

Long lines and simplified silhouettes will be replacing more intricate and complicated designs in the new year. Though ornate chandeliers and bolder options still have their place, this simplified look is a refreshing change that many may be searching out.

"Linear lighting fixtures skew more contemporary in their design," explain Oshri Adri and Jillian Dahlman Bhatia, co-founders of Adri + Dahlman Interiors. "Linear lighting also offers the perfect scale for dining rooms with rectangular tables or kitchen islands with one pendant light. In addition, linear lights provide a more seamless look as they require one lighting fixture to complete a space.

Leclair Decor

Fun Little Touches

Jamie King from JLK Interiors predicts that "unique and fun finishes" will be popular in terms of lighting come 2022: "My personal favorite style is a metal, whether it be bronze or gold or nickel—it adds an elegant yet industrial component to the room," she says. "I also think having fun with the light bulbs is a great way to change the look of the fixture.”

Spiral filament, flame tip, or even colored bulbs are a fun way to spice up lighting fixtures you may not want to replace fully. This is a fantastic solution, too, for adapting the same lamp or chandelier to different rooms' themes.

JLK Interiors

Subtle and Gentle Lighting

On one end of the spectrum sits statement lights, but on the other are those gentle fixtures that blend into a room, diffusing it with a subtle light that still makes a drastic difference in the atmosphere and overall look.

Designers from ALine Studio predict lights that "melt" into spaces will reign in 2022. "Light, open, and airy is how we want to live now, and having a great light fixture is the way to accomplish that—but one that almost disappears into the space to make way for other important design elements, like art or textiles."

ALine Studio

Room-Specific Lighting

Jennifer Markowitz of JNR Designs understands that lighting can be difficult to get right, but she says the trick is going room by room. Compartmentalizing rooms makes it easier to shop for lighting and allows a place like the living room or guest bedroom to be outfitted with light fixtures that match their respective color palettes or themes.

"I think in 2022 you will see a lot of seamless integration of lighting that works well with the design of each room," explains Markowitz. "For instance, if you have a coastal vibe going, then perhaps a rattan lamp or simple glass pendants will be the best fit, vs if you have a more traditional space, then you might want to go with sconces or flush mounts. The most important thing is to have fun with it, and make it your own.”

JNR Designs

Natural and Raw Textures

Calming spaces more often than not feature some kind of natural texture or theme running through them, and it makes sense. Nature and outdoor areas can be the most rejuvenating places to spend time in, and who wouldn't want their space to reflect that serene energy? Even lighting will be taking part in that concept this year.

"Organic, rattan, wooden beads, wood materials, and natural textures are a trend that give the room a boho chic look," says Jen Pinto, senior designer at Jackson Design and Remodeling. "We can incorporate these types of fixtures in almost any room, including kitchens entryways, living spaces, bathrooms, and more."

Chelius House of Design

Layering Lights

Rather than relying on one source of light, 2022 will be about bringing back the look of layered lighting and will see a resurgence of incorporating multiple fixtures in a room. And while it may sound like a lot of lights, it's a perfect layout for large spaces like living rooms where lamps and overhead lights play important roles for different situations.

"For instance, the chandelier may be the accent lighting in a space, but adding layers of various lighting sources to allow versatility will add depth," explains Jennifer Harris from Allied ASID and Design Lines Signature, who predicts this trend. "This can include recessed lighting, directional art lighting, wall sconces, and accent lamps. Installing dimmer switches and separate controls for each source can allow for a wide variety of moods. ”

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