Last weekend, I attended BDNY in New York City. BDNY primarily concentrates on the material needs of the hospitality industry, but the line between their aesthetics and residential desires continues to blur. Sure, most homes have no need for security safes, temporary door locking systems and parking controls, but by digesting the relevant sections of the show floor, one can interpolate some of the aspects of trends that crossover.
Prior to the show I checked out showrooms in the Flatiron District and SOHO. I’ve combined those observations here. This blog posting will cover lighting. The next will deal with the non-lighting aspects of design I found interesting.
I always enjoy a stop at the Roll & Hill showroom. New items are typically shown on the first floor, older, but still relevant pieces are displayed in the upper floors. While there are newer contemporary pieces, I was struck by two collections of far more traditional designs then I have previously seen from this exciting manufacturer. De Playa is a collection using turned wood and ceramic diffusers. The wood brings to mind 70s turned wood luminaires (very popular!) and a somewhat “Early American” style that disappeared many years ago. The second collection, Rue Sala, by the same designer, Jessica Helgerson, uses turned brass shapes that reminded me of classic metals with an animated “Jetson’s” skyline influence. This traditional turn should be noted. When I asked the staff about the consumer response, they indicated a high degree of embrace to a point where line extensions will be forthcoming. We are seeing a shift away from hard contemporary with more emphasis on details and this is taking that direction to the natural next step.
If I were to make a single observation about all the lighting I saw during this trip, it would involve non-glass diffusers. Fabric, fiber and paper have always been part of lighting, but they move in and out of favor on suspended luminaires. They appear now to be “in.” Atelier de Troupe showed an oversized parchment pendant with heavy stitched leather lacing (Pedregal Lanterne) in their showroom front window. a-emotional light draped fine stainless mesh over linear LED light to deliver warm, comfortable illumination in the Nebra collection. I’ve mentioned Swadoh before, but they are worth a second. Their method of draping fabric over and around light creates beautiful, feminine and ethereal looks. Likewise Indo-Puri employs all types of natural materials to add organic warmth to lighting.
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Alternate materials do not stop at fabric diffusers. I loved the ash plywood, linear pendant offered by Barcelona company, Bover. The Aluet nicely aims all the light downward and displays the beautiful wood grain to the surroundings space. Hubbardton Forge, in an effort to increase their sustainable footprint has upcycled older dies and tooling to create the Coral Pendant. Because of the nature of creation, each unit has some degree of uniqueness and the LED light is driven from the canopy overhead onto the organic-looking linear string. Also of note here is the ability to custom finish the aluminum coral. Need coral colored coral? They apparently can do that! Dedon is well known for their outdoor furnishings. Using that resin weave, they have created a line of outdoor portables. New(er?) this year is Scoora available in two heights. Yet another example of the importance of high-styled exterior living products.
Flos displayed a great finishing technique in their SOHO showroom window. Almendra is a pendant by famed designer, Patricia Urquiola. To soften the often harsh output of the LED, she has painted the INSIDE of the shade a gradated umber near the light source, allowing a much more appealing illumination to be presented. It is a wonderful idea.
Buster + Punch has been a very influential supplier of interior accessories over the last few years. Their lighting certainly reflects the brand’s look. I was especially drawn to a finish I had not yet seen; Burnt Steel brings the fired iridescence to metal that I think could work in many applications. It is also, unquestionably different and could be the statement select interiors need.
The Chimes collection introduced by Sonneman hides the light inside an angle-cut cylinder. The cylinders are arranged in steps, like pipes used in an organ.
As we age, our eyes lose some of their keenness. Many seniors find it difficult to recognize door openings and hallway turns. Recently, there has been an increasing push for lighting that defines these areas of concern. Numera Lighting was at BDNY because they sell custom door/address number lights. In an effort to define their creativity and customization options, their show display, perhaps inadvertently, solved this growing problem. The rest of their offering is nice, too!
We are all aware that Natural Brass is becoming the “go to” finish for most lighting. This has transpired while home furnishings have shifted from neutral grey tones to beige tones. Brass and beige are, and have been a natural fit, so in the greater scheme of things, interiors are being well suited for the future. But what if you don’t want to change EVERYTHING in the home? The CB2 store in SOHO dressed one vignette with the new Brass and some of their grey furniture. I thought this was genius! The brass looked nice with the grey, just different enough to set the area apart. It also subtly told the shopper that they didn’t need to change everything, all at once. For those retailers trying to help people transition into the new reality, take a clue from CB2. Well played.
LED Tape is everywhere and it is not being sold by lighting retailers, but instead by all types of different “non-lighting” companies. Because lighting people did not provide the vision beyond what was already conceived, other home furnishings industries grabbed the reins and pushed lighting manufacturers and retailers out of the way. Mittman Hospitality showed a ribbed amber glass freestanding closet with LED Tape wrapped around the interior perimeter. What an exciting look this will provide to a room. The Kohler showroom in the Flatiron District had a vanity with LED Tape used to accent the drawer pulls. One of the furniture manufacturers (I forgot to jot down the name) imbed LED Tape into the base to visually float the chair over the floor.
Each year, designers deliver more, new and interesting product. As we have witnessed, lighting is finding itself in new and different places. We are moving beyond the dining room chandelier to a place where light elevates furniture, plumbing, outdoor living and walls. As users, creators and retailers of light, we need to look beyond, to stay ahead. If we don’t, it is easy to see how other industries might envelop luminaires into their product line.
Lighting by Jeffrey 
2 replies on “New York and BDNY Lighting Trends 2023”
I particularly like the burnt steel light and unique light fixtures used to light the outdoor entrances. Frankly, these are much more than lights, but works of art to draw interest and beauty into each room of your home.
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I particularly liked the burnt steel light and unique light fixtures used to light the outdoor entrances. Frankly, these are much more than lights, but works of art to draw interest and beauty into each room of your home.
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