Page 30 - Lighting Magazine February 2019

K& B
Jeff Dross Kichler Cleveland
“I always like to break down new trends into a couple of categories — technology and aesthetics. “When considering technology, we’re becoming an LED society. There doesn’t appear to be any going back. We’re ge ing very close to the second leg of the Energy Independence and Security Act that was signed into law in 2017 by former Presi- dent Bush that raises the e cacy of our lighting. Halogen lamps and incandescent xtures will not
meet those new standards.
“Customer surveys have told us that consumers
don’t want to illuminate their homes with uores- cent lighting, but they are very comfortable buying LED.
“We’ve been peeling away di erent layers of light that have turned to LED. Probably the rst was landscape lighting, second was likely architec- tural accent lighting, and now most of the recessed cans are being replaced with LED. Undercabinet lighting is very slowly being replaced with LED.
“I think bathrooms will be next area to start mak- ing that switch. Contemporary xtures are almost all LED, while many highly decorative pendants and chandeliers are still using incandescent tech- nology. The last layer to turn will be the slightly more traditional designs.
“It’s also undeniable that smart home technol- ogy is here to stay. Alexa/Google voice-activated systems are now in about 10 percent of American homes and will continually nd its way into more residences. Showroom salespeople rst need to make sure they understand these technologies so they can be comfortable selling them. Every show- room needs to have someone who can answer customers’ questions about smart home technol- ogy. When you show a comfort level, it will rub o on your customers.
“CEDIA is an international organization of 3,700 member companies that are considered the authorities of home technologies. I encourage showrooms to connect with local CEDIA mem- bers who can help advise on the installation and bene ts of smart technologies. They can do any of the work needed for cables besides electricity and ensure a home’s products are properly con- nected for a true smart environment.
“When it comes to aesthetics, the shi to LED
26 enLIGHTenment Magazine | february 2019
“Ma e black is
a fresh look and can coordinate with nearly any other nish
and color scheme.”
is a driving factor in lighting design. Think about how much contemporary products have changed since the introduction of LED systems. This tech- nology system is so compact that it has allowed manufacturers to pare down the size of their x- tures. There are products sold today that would have been impossible to build ve years ago. It has really freed up designers because they no longer need to gure out how to hide a light bulb. Until just a few years ago, the light bulb was always the thing designers had to start with when coming up with a new xture.
“I don’t think traditional product will ever fully disappear, but I doubt it will be as popular as it has been in the past. Today’s trend is to more of a contemporary, modern look. So contemporary is a great compromise for homeowners who want a middle ground between true contemporary and very traditional. Styles have been very clean and simplistic in the last eight to nine years; I think you’ll be seeing a bit of a shi in that, with more ornamentation coming back. It’s almost a Holly- wood glamour type of feel.
And of course, everybody’s talking about ma e black. I rst noticed it on a Jason Wu-designed bath collection for Brizo about eight years ago. It really started catching on two or three years ago. People with bigger budgets were looking for something besides chrome and oil-rubbed bronze. Ma e black is a fresh look and can coordinate with nearly any other nish and color scheme. It adds another color without forcing you to change out all of your hardware, which can really add up throughout a home.”
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