Lighting Style Guide: Contemporary

Contemporary Style Pendants – Hayden by Kuzco Lighting

The contemporary style is based on present trends. Because of this, contemporary is a fluid style that is always changing based on the current culture, trends, and innovations. This, of course, can make the style difficult to fully define but it also allows for a bit of rule breaking when using contemporary elements in interior decorating. The current contemporary style has very similar attributes to modern design, a style that is an unchanging reference to design in the mid 20th century. These similar attributes paired with the similar meanings of the names have led many to believe that the styles are interchangeable. However, while the simple forms and clean lines of modern design have influenced the current contemporary style, the overall style known as contemporary will continue to update and change.

Characteristics of Contemporary Lighting

Currently, contemporary style lighting has a smooth profile created with simple lines and curves. The design is minimal with no ornamentation or noisy textures. The majority of contemporary lighting features grayscale tones, however, on occasion a pop of colors is included. A strong identifier of contemporary lighting are designs that utilize recent innovations. An example of this would be lights that integrate strips of LED creating a simple uninterrupted profile.