2018 Lighting Trends: Rustic, Retro, and the Return of Yellow Gold

Mitzi lamp. Image via @mymitzi on Instagram.

Home décor is hot. It’s the fastest-growing retail category, and if you’re like us, you’ve spent plenty-a-weekend tuning into Property Brothers and wondering where your Saturday went five hours later.

Since crossing into 2018, there’s no shortage of predictions from TV channels and websites about what trends will take hold this year. But sifting through all of that sometimes-conflicting information can be its own challenge, before you’ve even picked up a paintbrush.

To save you time and energy, we present you with a specific topic. Our friends at Denney Electric Supply are fresh off their trip to LIGHTOVATION – the premier lighting showcase hosted at the Dallas Market Center, where thousands of buyers travel to see new styles and learn the latest technology.

So without further ado, here are the top 2018 lighting trends and what shoppers can expect to see hit showrooms this year.

Reclaimed Wood Linear Light, made from material recovered at an old horse barn. Image courtesy of Kichler.

Rustic Gets More Refined

For the past few years, mason jar pendants have been a dominant lighting choice for those trying to achieve a rustic or “modern farmhouse” look. They’re versatile and simple… but we’ve been left wanting more.

Now, as the sphere of HGTV influence continues to grow, décor manufacturers are responding. (Even Lyft drivers in Dallas noted how many more trips they make to Waco, carrying Fixer-Upper fans to the Magnolia empire that Chip and Joanna built.)

“Shabby Chic” made more of a statement at this year’s lighting market than ever before. Designers also debuted white finishes in their collections, lending an easy-breezy feeling to lighting that otherwise may have been too heavy a design choice in darker colors.

In addition to white, many showrooms introduced real wood or wood-look fixtures (metal painted to look like wood). Kichler went the extra mile to ensure that authenticity comes with their rustic styles, showing off a series of reclaimed wood fixtures that have real history. Those shown at market had wood from an old horse barn.

Bottom line: the new finishes and styles shown at market add some refinement to rustic lighting options. Shoppers and designers will now have many more choices to achieve this look and opportunities to find lighting that better defines their space.

Lisa McDennon for Fredrick Ramond. Image courtesy of Hinkley - Advertisement -

Matte Gold, New Black, and the Emergence of Two-Tone

A quick scroll through interior design Instagram posts will tell you that gold is the new “it” metal – but the new gold is nothing like its polished brass ancestors. In lighting, the same is true.

Matte gold fixtures were everywhere at market, adorning all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some with deep honey undertones; some blended with silver for a cool polychromatic effect. But very few with a shiny surface. To keep it modern, the gold must stay matte.

Simultaneously, manufacturers debuted new solid black finishes. From “aged iron” to “matte black,” these colors have pure black undertones, allowing for clean contrast against metallics, ushering us into the age of two-tone.

Black and gold. White and gold. Black and chrome. Clear (acrylic) and chrome. There was no shortage of two-tone combinations at market, and all of them delivered high-end, high style drama, at a variety of price points.

Retro-Inspired Rose Gold Pendant Light. Image courtesy Mitzi.

Retro Styles and Geometric Shapes Make a Strong Comeback

Perhaps the recent return of mid-century modern style should have clued us in, but one of the most surprising trends at this year’s lighting market was the fresh crop of fixtures inspired by the 1960s and 70s.

From longtime brands like Kichler to newcomers like Mitzi, frosted globes made a comeback in bath lights, pendants, wall sconces, linears, and even table lamps. But the frosted globe styles of today walk the line between modern and whimsical, and go beyond providing light—they serve as conversation starters.

Like their spherical counterparts, geometric shapes are a fresh departure from the same-old-same-old feeling of fixtures of the past. Clean lines, fun colors, and open edges make this lighting feel versatile and up-to-date.

Contemporary two-blade ceiling fan. Image courtesy of Kichler.

Smart Statement Fans

For decades, fans provided function over fashion; consumers were forced to choose one or the other. But new styles are beautifully blending function and fashion together, with the added benefit of smart controls.

At Minka Aire, decorative fans with impressive wingspans could also be voice-controlled when paired with Amazon Alexa. At Modern Forms – where an entirely new line of more than 100 fans was debuted – their proprietary app allows for voice control and pairing of up to 30 fans on one switch. The app even learns your behavior and adjusts fan speeds/timing according to your patterns. Groundbreaking.

2018 styles are now on display at Denney Electric Supply. With eight locations in Pennsylvania, there’s a store near you with a plethora of lighting options, styles, and price points to choose from. For more information, visit them online at www.denneyelectricsupply.com, on Facebook and Instagram.

510 W. State St.
Kennett Square, PA 19348
(610) 444-2170

61 Butler Ave.
Ambler, PA 19002
(215) 628-8880