Luxury Materials That Elevate Lighting Design

The lighting pieces in your home or business serve as a design focal point, especially when they are composed of luxury materials, unusual shapes, rich colors and visually stimulating textures. Challenge the mundane with statement-making lighting pieces that are show-stopping art forms.

Lighting selections should be a creative and artistic celebration of different shapes, materials and colors, enriching your space with an elevated look of visual interest and modern design.

Naturally inspired design and materials inform many of the design trends prevalent in Modern Form’s new decorative lighting styles.

“To address the trend towards organic, we are utilizing black marble, Spanish alabaster, wood, crystal and glass as well as cloudy acrylic material to accent our designs,” said Tom Lillie, Director of Specification Sales for Modern Forms. “We’re using these materials and creating big, ornate and elaborate fixtures that are sure to excite the design community and the end consumer.”

“We love the biophilic shapes of Modern Forms lighting,” said Dennis J. Kowal, Principal of Dennis Kowal Architects. “As designers of human-centric offices and universities, we appreciate the fluidity of the fixture designs, the mixture of seeded glass, wood and metals.”

Four Top Luxury Lighting Materials

Here are some of the naturalistic materials used to accent and enhance Modern Forms lighting.

Gold leaf is an extremely thin sheet of gold that is beaten or hammered into thin layers. It is commonly used in various art forms, including decorative lighting fixtures, to add a luxurious and visually stunning touch.

This opulent material is created when pure gold is mixed with alloys of other metals to improve its durability and workability. The gold is then rolled out into thin sheets, which can be as slim as 0.1 microns (about 1/250,000th of an inch) and are nearly translucent, allowing light to pass through them.

The gold leaf is hand-applied using an adhesive or sizing material to the surface of various lighting components such as metal frames, canopies, or decorative accents. It is then burnished or polished to create a smooth and lustrous finish.

The application of gold leaf transforms a plain or ordinary lighting fixture into an exquisite and opulent piece. It adds a reflective, warm and radiant quality to the fixture, enhancing its visual appeal and creating a sense of luxury. Gold leaf can highlight intricate details, create gilded patterns or motifs, or simply provide a rich and elegant overall appearance.

Natural Grain Wood reflects a growing desire to reconnect with nature. One such application is incorporating wood into lighting fixtures, offering a unique blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal. Wood, such as dark walnut, offers warm hues, unique grains and tactile qualities that evoke a sense of comfort, grounding and connection to the outdoors.
“This year, we have expanded our real wood collection,” said Richard Diamond, Modern Forms Regional Sales Manager. “Dark walnut is a very popular color trend. We’ve utilized it in larger-scale fixtures, for example, in our 56-inch Hustler pendant that delivers uplight and downlight and is suspended from aircraft cables to enhance its sleek look.”
The use of wood in lighting fixtures delivers a range of design possibilities. For instance, organic forms and shapes inspired by tree branches or natural elements can be crafted using wood, imparting an unmistakable sense of nature’s presence. The warm and diffused light emanating from these fixtures further enhances the organic ambiance, creating a soothing and inviting atmosphere.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal, lighting fixtures incorporating wood align with sustainable design principles. Wood is a renewable resource, and when sourced responsibly, its use contributes to ecological balance. And, wooden fixtures can be treated with eco-friendly finishes and coatings, minimizing the environmental impact.

Spanish Alabaster is a type of translucent or semi-translucent mineral or rock that is often used in decorative lighting fixtures due to its unique properties and aesthetic appeal. It is composed primarily of gypsum, a soft sulfate mineral that gives it its characteristic milky or semi-translucent appearance and enables it to be carved into elaborate forms.
When it is uniformly lit from behind with LEDs, a warm and soft glow is created, enhanced by the inherent beauty of the natural stone and adding an elegant and organic touch to the overall design.
To utilize Spanish Alabaster in lighting fixtures, the stone is first quarried in large blocks or slabs. These blocks are then cut, shaped and polished to the desired size and thickness. Alabaster can be carved or sculpted into various intricate patterns, designs or textures, offering various artistic possibilities.

Black marble has emerged as an enchanting material for lighting, adding a touch of sophistication and timeless beauty to interior spaces. Known for its luxurious appearance and durability, the dense, the dark nature of black marble enhanced by beautiful natural gold and white veining creates a striking contrast when discreetly hidden LED light sources illuminate this stone. Its polished surface smoothly reflects and diffuses light, accentuating the room’s overall ambiance and creating a unique piece of art.

Reclaimed crystal is created from crystal that has been salvaged or repurposed from previous use rather than being newly manufactured. The pieces are crushed into shards and reformed into shapes that offer a higher refractive index and a greater sparkle than regular glass.
These reclaimed crystal elements can then be incorporated into new lighting fixtures to add a touch of elegance and uniqueness. The breathtaking geometric arrangements of reclaimed crystal shards provide a glittering, visual treat.

Cloudy acrylic, also known as frosted or opaque acrylic, is a type of acrylic material with a diffused or hazy appearance. It is created by incorporating additives to the acrylic resin during manufacturing, resulting in a translucent material that scatters and softens light. This unique characteristic and its ability to be easily shaped, molded or engraved to achieve desired designs or patterns makes it an ideal choice for various lighting applications.
Cloudy acrylic is commonly used in lighting fixtures to achieve a diffused and uniform illumination, eliminating glare and create a more comfortable and inviting lighting environment. It is ideal for pendant lights, wall sconces and chandeliers due to its durability, lightweight nature and ease of fabrication. Resistant to impact and breakage, it makes it a practical choice for long-lasting lighting solutions.

Types of Decorative GlassVarious types of decorative glass are used to bring their own aesthetic qualities to lighting fixtures, contributing to the overall style and atmosphere of a space.

Wispy glass typically has delicate, swirling patterns or streaks created by incorporating different colored or textured glass together during the blowing process. Adding a touch of elegance and artistry, the swirling patterns create a dynamic and visually appealing play of light, contributing to a softer and more ambient illumination.

Cast glass is produced by pouring molten glass into a mold where it cools and solidifies into various shapes and sizes. Cast glass is often used for creating sculptural and unique lighting fixtures providing a distinctive and personalized lighting solution.

Pressed glass is made by pressing molten glass into a mold, creating intricate patterns and designs. The pressed patterns can diffuse light beautifully, creating interesting visual effects.

Laser-etched glass is created using a laser to remove or modify the surface of the glass, creating detailed patterns and designs. This type of glass is often seen in modern and contemporary lighting designs, adding a touch of uniqueness and personalization.

Seeded glass is a type of decorative glass that contains small, embedded particles or bubbles that resemble seeds or air pockets. The encapsulated pieces scatter the light, creating a softened or dappled illumination. These imperfections give the glass a unique and distinctive appearance, adding texture and visual interest.

Light fixtures incorporating decorative glass shades and elements are versatile and can be used in various settings, including residential spaces, restaurants, hotels or retail environments, providing both functional illumination and decorative flair.

Design Your Luxury Space with Modern Forms Lighting
Modern Forms starts every concept where the future begins. We strive for intelligent luxury and design our fixtures to simplify your life and your everyday experience. We follow this philosophy across the board, down to the materials we use.
From sparking seeded crystal painstakingly cut by expert craftsmen, to organic materials like wood and marble or 24-karat gold leaf, we choose only the highest quality materials to ensure that each piece endures the test of time.
We create original designs made to discriminating standards. Explore Modern Forms designs here.