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Kate Spade for Visual Comfort
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Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort
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Currey and Company lighting at High Point Market
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At the opening of the Hudson Valley Lighting Showroom at High Point Market
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Louise Gaskill lamp featuring Murano glass
Lighting is the gateway to a designer’s vision. The fixture itself is an opportunity to make a design statement, and the light it casts ramps up our spaces, illuminating them at their very best.
I explored many lighting companies at High Point Market in April. Everywhere I went, there were stunning light fixtures on display. In furniture showrooms like Regina Andrew and Gabby, lighting had a remarkable presence—clustered on the ceilings, grouped on walls. Lighting specialists Currey & Company dazzled with new offerings; Visual Comfort showed collections from headliners Barbara Barry, Kelly Wearstler and Kate Spade.
Simple, modern lines with interesting designs and finishes were a stand-out trend at market. The modern pieces ranged from simple geometric lines to space-like fixtures with glass globes and orbs. Touches of color accented metal or ceramic shades. I also saw a resurgence of glamour in ornate pieces with significant detail — highly decorated chandeliers and pendants with glass flowers, natural agate and abstract sculptural pieces that make you feel like you’re on the set of an old Hollywood movie.
This spring’s market also introduced the grand opening of the Hudson Valley Lighting showroom. The vibe felt like the premiere of an upscale art gallery in New York. The creaky old hardwood floors of the showroom in Market Square were rocking with designers and press rubbing elbows with designer Corey Damen Jenkins, who debuted his lighting collection at the opening.
The showroom of Louise Gaskill offered unique and refreshing finds; I was completely taken away by her use of colorful Murano glass and fine metals to create mod masterpieces with a vintage feel. Her pieces are simple and elegant, bringing a wow factor with one-of-a-kind design and craftsmanship.
Lighting isn’t just an afterthought or background element anymore; it’s taking center stage with all the grandeur of a work of art.