Seeds: Lighting trends illuminate eco-awareness Sacramento Bee
It shimmers and twinkles from head to toe. Up, down and all around: Modern lighting shines brightly at any level – not just the eyes.
Thanks to new technology, lighting doesn't have to stick to the ceilings, walls, tables or floors. LED strips can tuck under cabinets or around doors, adding an architectural accent along with extra visibility.
Lightweight electrical components and new technology also make it possible to turn natural elements into creative light fixtures with eco-friendly twists. Onyx, shell, bamboo, cork, grass, even sand have become "shade" material dangling from the ceiling.
"Your options are way more than they used to be," explains Wendy Lofing, a third-generation lighting pro and part of family-run Lofing Lighting in midtown Sacramento. "That's the biggest change.
" 'Lighting' used to be an incandescent bulb in one light fixture in the middle of the room. Now, people are layering light in a room in so many different ways."
Around the corner at Lumens Light + Living, president Ken Plumlee says, "That's one of the nice things about lighting: There are so many options. Ask yourself: What's your style? What's your budget? You can almost always find what you want, including alternatives at lower price points."
From its single store in midtown Sacramento, 6-year-old Lumens has grown into a Web giant, selling to thousands of customers nationwide.
"We have a point of view about who we are," explains Plumlee. "Our customers prefer clean design, and we try to cater to that."
