New LED Lighting Brings the Future into Your Home

(My New Flame by Ingo Maurer)Janet Ramin - In case you’re wondering, the lighting of the future is HERE now. You’ve already heard of it – those tiny little lights that can be embedded into just about anything – called LEDs or light-emitting diodes. You may also be wondering: yes, I’ve seen light fixtures with LEDs, but they’re still not that common and most of my favorite lights still don't use LEDs. 

Well, in just a few years that will change as manufacturing and production ramp up and convert their machinery to creating light fixtures that use LEDs. 

One of the cutting-edge lighting designers that use LEDs is German designer, Ingo Maurer. Above is his latest My New Flame light fixture that represents those old-fashioned candles but now re-imagined into a modern LED light. Just think about it: no more candle wax drips, no more accidental burns! Each My New Flame light fixture contains 128 tiny LEDs that together become an image of a flickering flame. Below is a show-stopping chandelier version of his LED candle fixture – called Candles in the Wind. 

(Candles in the Wind by Ingo Maurer)

Designer John Niero from Just Not Normal took a flexible approach to his LED light. He used silicone, a zipper, and LEDs to create his Zipper Luminaire. When zipped, the moldable silicone becomes a cylinder and can stand on a table. Unzip it and the light can hang on the ceiling or a wall. The Zipper Luminaire has also the potential to be combined into a large light by just zipping them together.

(Zipper Silicone Luminaire, courtesy of Just Not Normal) 

Interested in learning more about lighting? Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design. At Sheffield, you will learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories.