Published: January 01. 2010 2:00AM

By Kondria Woods
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Bold, abstract, vintage, green — all ways to describe some of the most exciting trends currently happening in home lighting. Today’s light fixtures, be they suspended lamps, recessed lights or radiant chandeliers, would certainly turn Edison’s head.

When it’s time to incorporate some head-turning light fixtures in your special space, where should you begin? According to Phil Watson, owner of Harrison Lighting and lighting specialist with the American Lighting Association, the best lighting plan begins with you.

“With our clients, we start by asking a lot of questions,” Watson said. “Such as, what do you like? How will you use the lighting? What do you expect it to do for you? How will the light be used in the room? We tell clients, those who are building and those who are remodeling, to be conscious of their plans and to plan ahead for lighting that complements their home. Lighting is usually the last consideration to be made, after the plumbing fixtures, selection of the cabinets and the granite counters. We try to start working with clients before the contracts are signed.”

The sooner you learn about your lighting options, the better. The trends, particularly all things energy- and cost-efficient, have led the way to brighter ideas in home lighting. Some of the most eye-catching options are in some familiar places.

“Lighting is one of the most cost efficient ways to change the look and mood of a space,” said Melissa Birdsong, vice president of trend, design and brand at Lowe’s. “Decorating style is important for interior lighting and the mood you want to convey in each room. For instance, a kitchen needs layered lighting — overhead lighting for general illumination, accent lighting for mood and emphasis and task lighting for work areas, such as under-cabinet lighting that counteracts the shadows cast by cabinetry.

“Exterior lighting that complements the architecture of the home also is important. Consider simple lantern styles on bungalows, coach lighting on traditional homes, and globes and spheres on contemporary homes. Also, keep in mind the scale of the home. A large exterior light can overwhelm a smaller home, and a too-small fixture will lack impact.

“Overall, lighting styles are taking a turn toward more simple, contemporary styling. Clean structure, less decoration or embellishment — these attributes have been the look in contemporary/soft modern (design) for years and are now affecting casual and traditional style lighting.”

Denise Vaughn, manager of corporate communications at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery, has noted a few specific inclinations from customers. “Most of our customers are now looking for the dark bronze fixtures as opposed to the brushed nickel finish that was more popular last year,” she said. “Here in our showroom, we’ve seen more of the craftsman-style lights becoming popular.”

Ferguson recognizes that moving toward more environmentally sustainable business practices makes good business sense. “Our goal is to educate our associates so they may provide our customers with environmentally friendly product offerings and become their premier supplier of green solutions,” Ferguson said. “Since many of our customers are Energy Star-conscientious, we offer fixtures that are both Energy Star-rated and lamps that will allow the customer to go ‘green’ with a nonrated fixture.”

In addition to efficient fixtures, cost savings can be quickly realized in other ways. Watson said, “Just installing a dimmer reduces the amount of light consumed in a home by approximately 10 percent. It’s a good option for energy savings, and we advise people to put dimmers on everything. Another thing we’re seeing is whole house control systems. The homeowner uses computerized controls in the home to turn on garage lights, or turn on pathway lights from the hall to the bedroom. They can be costly on the initial installation, but we’re seeing those costs coming down and the energy savings are evident.”

With the rising interest in refurbishing existing homes, Watson has seen more inquiries from homeowners who want to save an older fixture or recycle one that’s seen its best days.

“We actually restore fixtures,” he said. “We convert European fixtures to U.S. standards and we rewire the plugs. A lot of clients come when they are remodeling. Our tech shop is very busy, and not a lot of entities do this type of work. It takes skilled technicians who know what they’re doing.”

Recycling CFL, or compact fluorescent bulbs, is becoming more widely practiced. Harrison Lighting, Watson said, works with a recycling center in New England that handles CFLs.

Perhaps you’re looking to light up someone else’s life with a fixture you can no longer use. There is at least one option that’s pretty close to home.

“We encourage our customers to donate their old light fixtures to Habitat for Humanity,” Vaughn said. “Ferguson also supports the EPA’s recommendation for proper disposal of CFLs, and we encourage customers to refer to their state environmental regulatory agency for proper disposal procedures.”