Artful Lighting Fixtures That Make a Bold Statement
Today’s fixtures can be striking works of art, transforming a room with bold forms, playful designs, and creative materials. Thanks to designers and modern LED technology, the options for artful lighting are more exciting than ever. Whether you want a subtle statement or a dramatic centerpiece, there’s no need to settle for ordinary. Here are some standout pieces that prove lighting can be just as artistic as it is functional.
Light and Leafy
This lighting fixture is by porcelain artist Andreea Braescu and is comprised of hundreds of individually crafted porcelain Ginko leaves. The massive fixture is ideal over a long dining table because it spans the full length and it forms a focal point of great interest. It is lighted to not only provide illumination but to play on light and shadow that falls across the sculptural piece.
Lighting as Accessory
The geometric patterns in these round lights from Contardi are reminiscent of bespoke tweeds and retro textiles. Called the Babu, the fixture is part of the company’s outdoor collection and uses an LED light source to highlight the decorative waterproof fabrics. A round steel frame is stylish as well as durable.
Modern Medieval
This is a vintage Torciere della Cultura Ceiling Light from the Converso Gallery, designed by architect and artist Sami El-Khazim for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. It was originally created as the centerpiece for the Lebanese Pavilion, produced by Arredoluce. After the fair, the Shah of Iran purchased the lamp for his palace dining room. It was later sent to the Arredoluce factory in Monza, Italy, where it was reconfigured into this smaller version. This piece is a strong example of how vintage design can be integrated into modern interiors.
Futuristic
A bit like a fantastical living plant, this light fixture almost seems like it will start moving. Designed by Daniel Arsham for Friedman Benda, it is big, beautiful and highly unusual. This type of fixture is bold and brave, not for the traditional. From the curving base to the bud-like shade, it is a futuristic design that can’t help but dominate a room.
Modern Wall Sconces
Galerie Kreo presented these chic wall sconces that are definitely out of the ordinary. With a feeling of both vintage glamor and modern quirkiness, they are more glass art than a simple light fixture. Actually, they provide a nice amount of ambient light and are a great choice for brightening up a darker corner or corridor.
Sculpted Light
Turkish designer Naz Yologlu’s wall-mounted light sculptures have a mysterious air, created equally by the shapes, light elements and materials. All together, they form very intriguing fixtures that are a focal poo9nt wherever they are installed. Her Naaz Studio creates pieces for those who “are searching for an emotional element, who are excited about new forms and textures that stimulates the senses.” Totally unexpected in form and design, these light sculptures certainly fit the bill. They are presented by Galerie Scene Overte of Paris.
Ghostly Waves
Originally formed as oversized sheets of light, Partisan’s Gweilo light is a fixture that entirely changes the nature of light. The sheet of plastic is heated and then hand-manipulated in an industrial oven. No two are alike because of the organic nature of the process. Once the sheet is formed, a thin metal strip of LED lights is attached to the edge, sending the light through the material and creating a beautiful, fluid illuminated form. Although the concept was born as a larger light sculpture, it has now been downsized into smaller sheets that are assembled into a stunning chandelier.
An Organic Stack
Rather than opting for the typical mini-pendant, try a more unconventional shape like the Cairn Pendant from Hubbardton Forge. The varied stack of organic glass discs was inspired by the stone sculptures that can be found across the globe. In between the glass forms, stone shapes that have been cast from steel add visual interest. Although the light source is at the top of the fixture, illumination spills through all the layers, creating an appealing glow.
Artful and Avant-Garde
In a combination of can’t miss hot pink and vibrant orange, these cactus light fixtures by Jonathan Trayte are not for the timid. The artist is known for combining natural forms with completely unnatural colors and finishes in an oddly appealing mish-mash of function and absurdity. Called the Hot Pink Solar Buzzer, this floor lamp brings up visions of Dr. Seuss from childhood, which is likely at the root of its immense charm.
Geometric Style
Reminiscent of a Calder mobile, the lighting fixtures by French architect Odile Decq have fresh appeal as a wall sculpture. Decq is known as “a creative powerhouse, spirited breaker of rules and advocate of equality.” Moreover, she has advanced the stature of women in architecture. So, it’s no surprise that her geometric lighting designs are highly architectural, different, and highly ingenious. Black metal forms the stark lines of this fixture, which is punctuated by the spare lighted shapes.
Retro Glass in a Modern Design
The term Pyrex conjures up images of grandma’s old plates and ovenproof dishes, but in this dramatic fixture, it is the main material. Designed by Bethan Laura Wood, the Criss Cross Kite ceiling light is hand-blown pyrex in both clear and amber colors. The bell ends hold LED lights that — at least from a distance — resemble eyeballs. The inventive piece was designed for Nilufar Gallery, with whom Wood works closely for limited edition and one-off designs.
Morphing Bubbles
An assemblage of hand-blown glass pendants creates the feeling of organically shaped liquid bubbles floating in the air. The “Crumpled” pendants by artist Jeff Zimmerman, are representative of his designs in glass, which the R and Company Gallery says hover “between liquid and solid states, its reflectivity and tactile qualities, its habit of moving constantly while still molten.”
Brutalist Modular Design
The Sharp Diamond Light by Brooklyn-based Talbot & Yoon is a customizable, modular wall sculpture inspired by Louis Kahn’s brutalist design for the Yale Art Gallery ceiling. Light emits from behind folded metal forms, creating a warm glow and dynamic shadows. Made from satin brass with an aluminum back pane housing the LEDs, the components can be used individually or grouped into larger installations
Perfectly Peculiar
Brecht Wright Gander’s Archon Lamp, shown by Todd Merrill Gallery, is a spiny, sculptural floor lamp named after the Greek word for “ruler.” Made from steel, plaster wrap, metal leaf, and wire mesh with a pearlescent paint glaze, the lamp features a striking, organic form with a fleshy pink interior. Gander describes the base element as a “vulnerable pupa” supplying power to the piece.
Modern Flora
Galls fixtures by artist Tracy Glover are always stunning and this chandelier is no exception. The smoky gray-green glass is blown into organic cup shapes that when mounted with the bulbs, resemble open flowers along a branch. This type of fixture is very artistic and stands out, but is elegant and serene enough for homeowners who might not be game to invest in some of the bolder fixtures we’ve shown here.