Maybe you are already familiar with the latest lighting trends. The shapes are more geometric, while the materials are a bit more earthy and less opulent than in years past. But those are just the design elements, not the innovations behind them. What’s new in terms of lighting technology?
The industry has transformed significantly since the original Edison light bulb with smart technology translating into absolutely brilliant lighting options. The best is yet to come. While upgraded iterations of the classic vintage bulb are noteworthy, there are several other lighting innovations on the horizon that may very well transform your home. Let’s peek into the future and see what’s in store.
The Future of Lighting
Think about your daily life essentials: your shower, toothbrush, cellphone, refrigerator, vehicle, computer, and maybe even your home treadmill. These things have all become high-tech in the 21st century, offering many more bells and whistles than anyone could have imagined two decades ago.
Cars can practically drive themselves (and some do), refrigerators can tell you they’re low on milk and cellphones can do just about anything – from stream live television to scan important documents. These devices have become smarter to make your life easier.
Since lighting is another essential component of your daily life, it, too, has advanced for the sake of simplicity and convenience. Lighting hardware and software solutions have developed to support consumer demands. On the hardware front, you have Bluetooth and WiFi integrated into the light bulbs themselves, creating the widely popular “smart bulb.”
Of course, those integrations are virtually useless without the software to support them. With the sudden influx of IoT devices, consumers can connect remotely to their home appliances and light fixtures from a mobile application. “The software allows users to control the intensity of lamps and luminaires as per the infrastructure, ambiance, and intensity of the light,” explains Global Market Insights. In other words, you have complete control over your lighting even if you aren’t at home.
The Lighting Control Association predicts this type of automation will propel the industry forward on a global scale, especially with the modernization of residential, commercial and industrial infrastructure. In fact, the association reported that the smart lighting market will grow so much as to exceed $24 billion by 2024 in the U.S. alone.
With all that said, it’s easy to see the future of lighting is not only bright but is absolutely brilliant!
4 Lighting Innovations You Need to Know
Smart lighting solutions are showing up in all sorts of ways. Of course, it’s hard to predict exactly what’s to come in the next five, 10 or 15 years. But right now, the most exciting lighting innovations are ones you’ll want in your house immediately. Look for these when you shop for lighting:
1. Smart Bulbs
The idea:
Many fixtures on the market today are LED-ready, meaning they are compatible with LED light bulbs. If a fixture is LED-ready, you can swap out an incandescent bulb for a more energy-efficient LED globe, provided the wattage and sizing matches up.
These “smart bulbs,” as they’re called, are compatible with smart home technology. If you’ve read all about Bulbrite, you know that their smart bulbs connect to your smartphone or voice-enabled device. Through the Bulbrite Solana mobile app, you can set a lighting schedule, control the bulb’s temperature, dim the lights or even turn them off completely.
The examples:
Bulbrite Solana has a full collection of light bulb styles. For a warm, vintage charm, you might choose one of the filament designs, like the 5.5 Watt 2200K LED Light Bulb. Any of the bulb shapes would look trendy exposed and hanging from a single piece of cable.
For a more traditional bulb, go with the 8 Watt 2200K LED Light Bulb by Bulbrite Solana. It has a frosted finish to tone down the LED lighting and lend a more natural feel to your room. This one would be perfect screwed into a lamp on your nightstand or end table.
2. Integrated LED Lighting
The idea:
Since stand-alone light bulbs still have some limitations, the industry pushed the needle further with integrated LED lighting.
Integrated LED lighting is just as it sounds. The LED diodes are built right into the fixture. This all-in-one design eliminates any bulb sizing issues and actually extends the life of the light.
The technology behind integrated LEDs allows manufacturers to create new lighting designs. They are no longer limited by the bulkiness of halogen bulbs or fluorescent tubes. LEDs are small diodes that can be incorporated into countless shapes, sizes and styles.
From the consumers’ perspective, integrated LED lights expand their interior design options while reducing their electric bill. These unique light fixtures have a long lifespan and are remarkably energy efficient.
The examples:
Jazz Notes Outdoor Wall Light by Sonneman
One elongated strip of LED lighting is broken up into rhythmic sections. Some are soft and thin, while other bars are broad and boisterous. This wall light would surely be a lively addition to an outdoor patio or long hallway.
Ola Pendant by Sonneman
Your dining room design will soar to new heights with the Ola pendant propelling overhead. Unlike an actual propeller, this three-prong fixture won’t make a clamor. The warm, integrated LED lighting and smooth white finish make for a soft landing.
Triform by Sonneman
Most prisms separate white light into a rainbow of colors. This one simply extends it into your living space. It’s all made possible because of the seamless integration of LED lighting and, of course, the genius creativity of Sonneman Lighting.
3. Fans With Smart Home Technology
The idea:
Lamps aren’t the only fixtures you can control from afar. Ceiling fans have also been upgraded with smart technology. It works the same as the smart bulbs and integrated LED lighting. The fixture is made with software that allows you to connect it to a mobile device using Bluetooth and/or WiFi.
Fanimation Fans is the most innovative fan company, so it should come as no surprise that they are pioneers of this functionality. Their fanSync technology integrates with a receiver that attaches to your ceiling fan. FanSync is universal software, which means it can work with most three-speed AC ceiling fans. You just have to install the fanSync receiver into your fan’s hanger bracket, and then download the fanSync app onto your smartphone or mobile device.
The examples:
GlideAire by Fanimation Fans
Your contemporary home will symphonize well with the use of today’s technology. But the icing on the cake is GlideAire’s slender profile and matte black finish. It’s a dramatic accent against white walls and ceilings.
Gleam by Fanimation Fans
The Gleam’s bright LED ring and black outline naturally steer gazes straight toward it. Once you start slowing the fan speed or dimming the lights from your phone, there’s no chance your guests will talk about anything else. Add this attention-grabbing fan to your main living space to make the most of its design.
4. Brand Collaborations
The idea:
Brand collaboration is not an original concept, but it is the catalyst from which several lighting innovations are born. Collaborations work for a couple of reasons. For one, they force opposing ideas to one table, which results in two parties hashing out problems. Provided both parties have a unified vision in mind, this will eventually lead to solutions.
Collaborations also work, because they reveal fresh perspectives. When working in the silo of a single brand, it can be hard for designers to see all the possibilities before them. By partnering with companies inside and outside the industry, lighting brands have been able to expand their product selection and even widen their customer base.
The examples:
Ameluna by Artemide and Mercedes-Benz Style
The name itself is a collaboration of two distinctive brands: the Italian lighting company Artemide and Mercedes-Benz. The suffix ‘luna’ is added to reference the moon, which the Ameluna mimics with its deceptive roundness. The real draw here, though, is the integrated LED lighting. Its color temperature matches what you’d find inside a Mercedes-Benz, thereby bringing that sense of luxury living into your home.
iCorona by ET2 and Philips HUE
The iCorona delivers brand-name smart lighting with cutting-edge design. Philips HUE technology is encased in a crisp white, circular pendant that would hang dramatically over your master bed. Feel free to set the mood with pre-programmed room scenes, or simply dim the lights for a good night’s sleep. Everything can be adjusted straight from your smartphone or voice-enabled device (Amazon’s Alex, Apple HomeKit, etc.).
Look Ahead for Bright Ideas
In today’s world, upgrading your home’s lighting design means much more than choosing a different finish. Thanks to advances in technology, you have countless options that can make your home more comfortable and your life more convenient. Of course, evolution never ends. With help from leading lighting brands and forward-thinkers, the technology will continue to develop. We’re confident these lighting innovations are only the tip of the iceberg.