From bare-bulb looks to twisty wires, whose teeny lights resemble fireflies, and multiple pendant installations at staggered heights, lighting has emerged as one of the most exciting elements of home decor.

In foyers and stairwells, over dining tables and on walls, lighting is making a dramatic statement. As a focal point, it can infuse energy into a vanilla interior.

"I've always craved light -- layers of light for my own rooms and the homes I design for others," says Atlanta interior designer Beth Webb. "Light is essential to life. Light is joy. Light creates ambience and it infuses a house with psychological warmth."

Modern styles have been the most illuminating in recent years. The range of materials include the familiar -- metals, glass, wood, rattan, stone, shell, fabric -- but it's the way those materials are being put together that's impressive. Architectural and sculptural forms transform some lights to art.

Industrial styles marry with romantic crystals. Retro looks bring sputnik forms into a new era with a fresh perspective. Tiers of cascading lanterns range from metal to seashells and shimmering crystals. Some linear shapes have morphed to freeform metal tubing that snakes around spaces. Even sconces are stretching across walls with branchlike arms, some to be configured as you wish. Scale is huge, literally and figuratively, and hanging pendants in multiples speaks volumes. In addition, the option for customizing has made new designs more appealing.

"What's happening with lighting is incredible," says Houston designer Margaret Naeve. "It's super important. People are paying more attention to it at the beginning of their projects. Lighting has become more of a star. Light can change a room, evoke a feeling."

LED (light-emitting diode) technology has been a real game changer for product. Not only are the bulbs smaller and literally cooler, they allow more creative applications.

The appreciation for handcrafted, artisanal pieces continues to grow. There also are hybrids, such as some of the new table lamps that seem more like light sculptures or objects that simply light up. Handblown glass sparkles, evoking raindrops, icicles, starry constellations.

Even classic designs are being tweaked, sometimes with more durable materials, reinterpretations in scale or new colors.

At virtual design shows in Paris (Maison and Object) and London (London Design Fair) in September, as well as October's High Point Market, illuminating introductions cover a wide swath of categories.

And now that designer show houses are opening up again, it's an opportunity to see first-hand some of the newest fixtures and applications.

Naeve designed a gallery for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Dallas (open until Oct. 25), and she created a focal point with a spectacular light installation by Apparatus Studio. "It's a glorified hallway -- very long, very rectangular," says Naeve. "It needed a moment in the middle." The pendants, with jewelrylike chains, become a "lit sculpture in the middle of the room that defines the space."

"It adds a little magic and a moment of curiosity, too, as the last pendant almost touches the table," she says.

Looking ahead to 2021, this is what you can expect to see in lighting:

-- Bare essentials. Stripped down Edison bulbs have been electric in lighting design. They have not lost energy, but are evolving, with more movement and dynamic shapes within the classic filament pattern.

-- Global entry. There's no denying that globes and spheres are among the most popular shapes today. Clear to mottled or wavy glass, combinations of frosted or metallic with clear or white and black, in addition to a variety of colors, have lit up the choices.

-- Pump up the volume. Supersizing has been a theme with lighting designs. The approach works well above large kitchen islands and dining tables. Boxy, linear suspension lamps shine in this group. Pendants get plenty of praise, commanding a space when they're hung in multiples.

-- Geometry reigns. Hexagons, octagons, diamonds and polyhedrons have taken shapes beyond pleasant circles. These forms complement popular designs in floor and wall tiles.

-- Cagey frameups. The geometric shapes themselves become frames for lights within -- single bulbs or even traditional candle lights, which give them more gravitas.

-- Nature inspires. Biophilia has been a buzzword in decor, and the connection to nature is evident in lighting design, as well as the use of natural materials. Dimensional flowers -- metal petals or blooms in ceramic, crystal or glass strike a romantic note.

-- Natural fibers also speak to sustainability. Weaves like rattan, raffia and hemp are being integrated into lights in creative forms that also happen to be good for the environment. These materials also are appreciated for their texture and tactile dimensions. Beth Webb chose rattan to create a framework around a white linen lamp, part of her new light collection for Arteriors.

"Wicker and rattan immediately put you at ease," says Webb. "They infuse any space with a sense of approachability. Texture is my 'color.' I gravitated to the simplicity of the drum shade, with the linen diffusing the light, and softened it a bit with a slight angle."

-- Drumroll for the drum shade. The simple squarish lampshade has been elevated to its own category. Plain whites surged in restaurant design and moved into the home. Florals and horizontal stripes came into play. Last fall, menswear patterns like houndstooth and tartans were introduced by Diane Keaton. The actress's Keaton Industries teamed up with Aidan Gray Home for her foray into lighting, in a not-surprising palette of black and white.

-- Jewelry glow-ups. It's not simple adornment but jewelry that's inspiring some designers. In Jonathan Adler's Globo collection, for example, "jewels" in the form of blue acrylic relief cabochons, polka-dot the face of white lacquer cabinets. His new sconces extend that collection, lending an elegant note that's a little glam without glitz. Lariat-like roping in some pendants channels jewelry. And the Italian Twenty Brand Design (www.twentybranddesign.com) sets off rough-cut Cryrock (crystals that look like amethyst and garnet) in gleaming asymmetrical brass frames reminiscent of musical triangles.

-- Finishing touch. Black wins for its graphic edge, as in other areas of home interiors. Paired with gold (often as a liner), it's dressed up. Matte is the preferred finish, and that also seems to have rubbed off on other metals, including brass, copper and silver.

Sources

-- Arteriors, 800-338-2150, www.arteriorshome.com

-- Brokis, info@brokis.cz, www.brokis.cz

-- Duistt, info@duisst.com, www.duistt.com

-- Hammerton Studio, 801-973-8095, http://studio.hammerton.com

-- Hubbardton Forge, 800-826-4766, www.hubbardtonforge.com

-- Jonathan Adler, 800-963-0891, www.jonathanadler.com

-- Louis Poulsen, 954-349-2525. www.louispoulsen.com

-- M. Naeve Interiors, 713-524-0990, www.mnaeve.com; Apparatus Studio lighting (www.apparatusstudio.com) available through M Naeve Interiors Boutique

-- Tom Dixon, 866-446-3140, www.tomdixon.net

-- Vanderpump Alain, 786-409-5775, www.vanderpumpalain.com

Some summer, right? So here comes fall, back to school (for some physically, others virtually), with all the seasonal changes. The aroma of pumpkin bread may bump that of banana bread. The air may feel a little crisper. Daylight patterns are shifting. So are the palettes in home goods -- ahead of the tree leaves, which eventually will show off brilliant red, vivid yellow and blazing orange hues.

It's a good time for a little color of your own -- in home decor. From tableware, bedding and pillows to small tables, chairs and sofas, there are plenty of options for adding a little pop in solid hues or patterns. Even a tiny change of scenery is so welcome, especially for those who are still working from home.

Consider a feature wall. One bold wallcovering can bring an edge to a room. Add some life -- literally -- with plants. Besides the smallish containers with grow lights for kitchen counters, one company -- Rise Gardens --manufactures etagere-like furniture that houses an entire indoor garden. It's done hydroponically, so not a lot of watering involved. They'll get you started with seed packs for herbs and vegetables, and an app tells you when to refill water and nutrients.

There's no design map for stepping things up with your decor. Just buy what speaks to you. A single addition can be huge!

Where to start? Take a holistic approach. If the idea of some kind of pattern appeals, break away from neutrality on the walls or on the floor. Yes, you can totally go small with accent pillows. But maybe you're in the mood for something more dramatic.

The style trends for wallcoverings and rugs actually parallel one another, with geometrics leading the way. What's appealing about geometric shapes is that they can be paired effortlessly with other patterns, such as florals, for balance. A modern pattern also is a foil for more traditional looks. And geometrics can be subtle or electric, depending on the color scheme.

A new pattern from York Wallcoverings, for example, takes on a very different look in a bright navy on gray, rather than a subtler white on gray. It's especially striking as a backdrop to solid browns -- in a brown channeled leather sofa and a rustic wood coffee table.

Digital printing, of course, has revolutionized imagery for the wall. One floral design from Tempaper, a company that manufacturers removable wallcoverings, depicts a series of exploded dahlia blossoms with an amazing fidelity to form and color. Imagine a blooming garden -- for as long as you care to enjoy it. The paper can be pulled easily if you want to move into something silvery and ethereal.

Bold floral motifs in bath towels are more common in Europe, where lush and textural patterned towels in a range of on-trend colors are more available. A pretty new offering at Anthropologie features an allover retro-flower print on a textural towel in salmon and dark berry hues.

On the floor, sophisticated pattern can read as art. In fact, Danish designer Cecilie Manz approached the pieces of a rug collection for Fritz Hansen in the same way she creates a composition on canvas. Her concepts unfold as collages with paper, before she transforms them into wool weaves that are tufted in different heights. The depth and tactility add to their appeal.

For the most part, Manz presents a toned-down palette, centered by grays and beiges, plus "nuances you would find in nature during autumn/winter or at sea." At the same time, she feels the need for more intense, rich colors. So shades of saffron lend excitement, depth and variation to the wools in geometric blocks of color.

"I love working with colors," Manz says. "It feels almost healthy because it's connected to joy."

Chicagoan Michael Thompson, known for his kite art, also has a deep connection to color. His beautiful compositions, crafted from fabric and bamboo, actually could take flight, but most find themselves on the walls of collectors. One of his latest pieces, available at Pagoda Red, employs materials he scooped up during a trip to Japan last year.

"I saw piles and piles of kimonos," says Thompson. "I couldn't look through them anymore." Once he got them home, he cut them up, stashed them in bins, then started constructing his pieces.

"The layout is like a collage," he says, "balancing, with color relationships, spatial things, overall designs. There's some narrative, with a background, foreground, garden. Sometimes it's purely abstract."

So much of what is resonating today in home design is artisanal, often based in ancient crafts. A new collection of small plates at Anthropologie is reminiscent of shibori textiles. Crafted in porcelain, the glaze mimics the dazzling effects found in Japanese hand-dyed fabric, and the bold designs are a wow for the table.

At CB2, a collection of pillows by jewelry artist Jennifer Fisher features tie-dyeing for moody effects. Also at CB2, a mottled iridescence is celebrated in the medium of glass. A shapely couple, which also could double for dessert serves, is finished in the style of vintage lusterware.

A new quilt at Anthropologie not only brilliantly shows off autumnal tones, its all-by-hand work features artisanal dyeing, stitching and appliqued patchwork, with the final touch of kantha stitchery.

Dawn Sweitzer has revived the art of eglomise -- reverse painted glass -- with her company Notre Monde, which in January merged with Belgian furniture manufacturer Ethnicraft. Tables and trays are breathtaking, some with swirling colors, and others with pinpoint geometry. Two new patterns, launching in September, display a very precise geometry in concentric squares of different scales, displayed in a perfectly seasonal pumpkin and grayed beige.

Complementing those popular clay tones is a range of rich green, saffron and purple, colors which have for the last year or so transcended the season. As WFH (work from home) and Zoom have become more ingrained, more and more people are seeking desks and office chairs.

For some, it means having a little fun with something small scale but with a ton of style. A desk currently on sale on the Anthropologie website, for example, is a black-and-white optical inlay in bone, with a teal painted drawer, shown with a bright yellow velvet office chair.

For spare form with plenty of style, an asymmetrical desk from Ligne Roset, introduced in 2013, is every bit as cool today. Its simple pairing of natural oak with a cantilevered, angled, lacquered surface in yellow is a knockout.

Upholstered beds have been on trend for some time, and one of the prettiest we've seen is from Roche Bobois. The ochre envelope has some texture -- exaggerated in the headboard with an extraordinary fine quilting.

Tactility boosts the warmth and sensuality of a room. That's one reason leather and velvet are so appealing. Dressmaker details highlight a tufted sofa from Poltrona Frau, shown off in a fetching shade of rich plum called Ume. The piece was introduced in 1912, the year the company was launched in Turin, Italy. The brand, which has never taken its color cues from fashion or current trends, recently introduced a concept called Color Spheres. Colorist Giulio Ridolfo has updated a range of colors from seven families and 14 subgroups (73 colors in all), all cohabiting harmoniously.

One of the more versatile and fun introductions is from Marrimor, which bills its products as "nice things for nonconformists." It cleverly combines the function of a pouf or ottoman with that of a table, which is labelled "toof." A powder-coated metal piece overlaying the mohair velvet pouf pulls out when needed.

There are some unexpected applications of velvet, as well. A bar from Anthropologie is clad in velvet, with a fluting that reads as a tone-on-tone vertical stripe, for extra dimensionality.

Apparently, there's been an uptick in the purchase of booze during the pandemic. So all the more reason to own a proper bar -- if you don't already. Cheers!

Sources

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- CB2, 800-606-6252, www.cb2.com

-- Fritz Hansen Store New York, 212-219-3226, www.fritzhansen.com

-- Ligne Roset, 212-375-1036, www.ligne-roset.com

-- Marrimor, 877-778-1770, www.marrimor.com

-- Michael Thompson at Pagoda Red, 888-878-8628, www.pagodared.com

-- Notre Monde, Ethnicraft USA, 336-821-1385, www.notremonde.com

-- Poltrona Frau Group North America, 212-777-7592, www.poltronafrau.com

-- Rise Gardens, 201-849-7138, www.risegardens.com

-- Roche Bobois, 212-799-0090, www.roche-bobois.com

-- Tempaper, 732-920-2654, www.tempaper.com

-- York Wallcoverings, 800-375-9675, www.yorkwallcoverings.com

Most resolutions and goals have gone south since the new year was ushered in. Who could ever have predicted such a global detour?

One thing is certain: Demands on the home have spiked during the pandemic. And more than 100 million Americans have been working remotely, according to Gallup.

While many activities are on hold -- travel, concerts, sporting events -- the more time we're spending at home, the more inspired we are to make changes. We're dreaming more about those spa baths and vacation-inspired outdoor spaces. Remodeling most definitely is on the table for a growing number of Americans. It's all about making spaces more beautiful and more efficient.

According to a survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. homeowners by Houzz, nearly 4 in 5 (79%) are considering major home remodeling and design projects -- and the bath is close to the top of the list.

Along with the pivoting, there's an unexpected twist -- one that surprisingly has to do with cancel culture. In the real estate world, a major conversation affecting the parlance of residential listings is percolating. The "master bedroom" and "master bath" are being canceled. It's about the adjective "master," which is being called out for racial or sexual connotations. So now real estate professionals are struggling with substitutes like "primary" bath. Nothing has stuck, so far.

One thing that won't change is the continuing desire for bath customization, no matter what the size of the room. Many homeowners, especially those who are remodeling, are moving away from cookie-cutter styles. They're opting to show off their personalities with choices of bath fixtures, surfaces, cabinetry, hardware and lighting.

Showers are more bespoke -- tapping into personalizing experiences with multifunction sprays and rain faucets. There are more choices for faucet handles. Brizo's new Kintsu collection even offers custom inlays to match any material, in addition to standard teak, concrete and mother of pearl.

Wellness and smart tech continue to drive some bath selections. The desire for a chill-out ambience is piquing interest in soaking tubs. A new showerhead from Moen offers four different aromatherapy experiences: Tropical Day, Zen Time, Energetic Morning and Sweet Morning. It works much like your Nespresso maker -- pop in a pretty colored capsule and voila! INLY, a French company, makes the recyclable aluminum fragrance capsules, filled with essential oils that offer a range of scent combinations, like lemongrass, neroli and vanilla; lavender, vanilla and tea time; lemon, pine and citrus; and berry, geranium and vanilla.

Freestanding or soaking tubs still dominate the bath landscape. And they continue to evolve. Even classic white is getting a fresh look. Kallista's new Argile collection (pronounced ar-zjeel; it means "clay" in French) adds a raised textural pattern to its sculptural bathtub and vessel sink. The cast stone material has a matte finish called Honed White.

Besides stone, concrete, quartz and resin, metals are making a statement, and these allow a range of alluring shapes. Thompson Traders' new Quintana collection, designed by Kara Cox, mixes lustrous silver and brushed gold.

While integrated sinks are a standard in modern design, vessel sinks are attracting a new audience. Bowls have been extended into more shallow basins, ovals or rectangular, with squared or rounded edges. These are especially suited to the European style of floating cabinetry.

Round shapes -- the bigger the better -- also are emerging as a new favorite in mirror design. Many bath mirrors have integrated LED lighting, some of which can change colors.

Floating vanities or counters have gained traction, not only for the aesthetic but for the practicality in tight or narrow spaces, as well as easier cleaning. They also may include towel bars or racks, but any of these add-ons are done in minimal style that keeps the look light.

Washstands draw interest, especially with more industrial style in stainless steel or blackened steel frames. In Europe, some are finished in powder-coated aluminum in soft blue-green or terra cotta. The sink-on-stand takes on a more glamorous look in polished brass with marble.

Still, there are plenty of options for vanity furniture. Retailers like Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn sell vanities as well as faucets and accessories in a wide range of modern and traditional styles. Materials include painted, stained or natural wood to special finishes like textured shagreen (at RH, with white marble top, brass pulls, and brass sabots on feet). These pieces are well-crafted; the cabinet for Ambella Home's Labyrinth vanity easily could stand in an elegant living room.

Pendant lighting has become a popular decorating tool in the bath. Just as it's utilized over an island in the kitchen, pendants now are suspended over vanity countertops. They're often hung in multiples, sometimes in different sizes, at staggered heights and asymmetrically. The style is not limited to modern.

In a traditional bath designed for the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago's Lake Forest Showhouse and Gardens, designer Joey Licht suspended a luxe Baccarat crystal pendant to one side of the gray bath cabinet, which was trimmed in gold, to blend with gold plumbing fixtures from Phylrich.

Gold is having a moment -- in faucets, hardware, lighting, towel bars, accessories, even tubs. Touches of gold sparkle in wallcoverings and porcelain tiles.

At the same time, a more relaxed, eclectic approach is affecting the use of metals -- just as in kitchen design. In some instances, manufacturers are mixing up silver with gold, gold with matte black.

Surface materials and finishes also are being mixed, coordinating different stones and tiles. Layering is an especially effective way to create interest. Matte and glossy are coming together, much like a tabletop trend in porcelain dinnerware. As matte black has moved from faucet to sink and tub design, that combination is especially striking.

Choosing a magenta tub requires a fearless decorating attitude. But color and pattern have other avenues -- walls (wallcovering and tile) and floors.

Pattern in the bath couldn't be more intentional, sometimes at the core. Feature walls are gaining traction, largely driven by the diversity of porcelain tile. Italian ceramics trends for 2020 underscore patterns as well as color and surface effects. Many of today's graphic patterns are inspired by terrazzo, rare marbles and semiprecious stones with distinctive markings, striations or exaggerated veining, flora and bold geometrics.

Beyond strong aesthetics, smart tech also is finding its way to the bath, especially because millennials are seeking high-tech function. Faucets that respond to voice or the swipe of a hand, and the touchless approach like that in airports are even more appealing now because of the pandemic. Antibacterial and self-cleaning ceramics are upgrades to toilets, as well as those that combine bidet functions. Imagine: No more toilet paper angst.

Whether you prefer a refreshing rain shower or a long soak in a tub, the bath has become more of a sanctuary than ever before. So it's no surprise that some are splurging on the extras that make it special.

Sources

-- Ambella Home, 877-242-3939, www.ambellahome.com

-- Antoniolupi, 312-329-1550, www.antoniolupi.it

-- Brizo, 877-345-2749, www.brizo.com

-- Delta Faucets, 800-345-3358, www.deltafaucet.com

-- Duravit, 888-387-2848, www.duravit.us

-- EveKare, 224-294-0400, www.evekare.com

-- Fantini USA, 212-308-8833, www.fantiniusa.com

-- Kallista, 888-452-5547, www.kallista.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- RH, 800-762-1005, www.rh.com

-- Scavolini, 212-219-0910, www.scavoliniusa.com

-- ThermaSol, 800-776-0711, www.thermasol.com

-- Thompson Traders, 336-272-3003, www.thompsontraders.com

Sidebar

Creativity in All Corners

At the 2018 installment of Eurocucina, the kitchen and bath show held every other year during Salone del Mobile in Milan, the Italian brand Scavolini debuted an interesting concept for the bath. The idea: a reinterpretation of gymnastics wall bars. The ladderlike wood wall-mounted system incorporates components of bath furnishings -- lights, shelves, storage and mirrors, as well as a framework dedicated to physical exercise.

It seems smart, especially now.

Besides looking at lifestyle for cues, there's also a bit of fun in function for the bath.

In recent years we've seen a lot of options in showerheads and sprays that change up the force of water from drops to gentle rain. Finishes have ranged from chrome to stainless and burnished brass as well as black matte. But last year Delta teased with a new model: one with pattern, which they debuted in a camo version.

In January, at KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Industry Show) in Las Vegas (one of the last trade events that didn't get canceled), Delta wowed with a delightful display of colorful patterned showerheads -- a new way to add personality to the bath.