Considered the cornerstone event of NYCxDESIGN, ICFF came and went, drawing more than 35,000 design professionals, an increase in attendance by 6 percent compared to 2015. The show itself was also massive, taking up a 30-percent-larger footprint at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan — and convincing us that we need two posts to recap the best in show. As lighting is a huge part of ICFF, we’re devoting our first report to the most exciting luminaires and systems we encountered, grouped by trend.
Marset
STICK FIGURES
Stickbulb showcased its X Diamond 3/60 chandelier, which is formed by 60 3-foot-long maple wood bulbs joined by cast brass components. It measures a whopping 9 feet in height.
Stickbulb
AlexAllen Studio’s 2×4 Plus Pendant took the familiar form of two-by-four construction lumber and elevated it into a refined plus-shaped suspension luminaire constructed of eastern white pine (in a range of finishes and with different metallic accents). It comes in 36-, 48- or 60-inch lengths.
AlexAllen Studio
The Thin chandelier from Juniper was a different breed of cat from the above in that it presented a non-fixed shape. Instead, its 12 precision-machined ½-inch-thick brass tubes articulate, bend and extend like legs of an arachnid.
Juniper
Brooklyn design studio Pelle added new models to its Pris collection: T floor lamp, L floor lamp, Pris table lamp and Pris Linear sconce and pendant. These LED fixtures are offered with polished brass, satin brass, dark bronze, antique brushed nickel or polished nickel finish.
Pelle
POTTERY BARN
Though not necessarily ceramic, a plethora of luminaires at the show seemed to channel pottery through silhouette, color or texture. Two in particular stood out for us: Louis Poulsen’s Cirque, for one, is actually an aluminum series that sports a familiar vase shape with a cheerful pastel palette on the exterior; inside, the shade is matte white to amplify light. Three different color combinations are available, as are three sizes.
Louis Poulsen
Young Brooklyn designer Ashira Israel, head of her own studio In.sek, studied architecture at the Pratt Institute — and it shows in her concrete-blend objects and accessories. ICFF became a launch pad for her lighting products, which include the Dune pendants in both solid and “excavation” style.
In.sek
MODEL MODULAR
Brooklyn-based James Dieter’s Meta is a system of light tubes that can be positioned against the wall or perpendicular to it. With black metal connectors in the mix, the system looks like an intriguing piece of wall art.
James Dieter
We recently named this new flat-panel LED by Nanoleaf a top pick from Lightfair International, too. Called Aurora, it’s a lightweight triangular panel that easily mounts onto walls via double-sided tape. Each set includes 10 panels that are app controlled.
Nanoleaf
DROP IT
French Murano glass lighting company Veronese made its ICFF debut with pieces designed by prominent architects such as Patrick Naggar. His Drop wall sconce, table lamp and floor lamp take a shape more common in pendant lighting and apply it to structures more akin to lantern-holding fixtures.
Veronese
Tom Dixon’s Fade resembles a reverse teardrop with a metalized finish at the top, rounded side fading to a clear finish at the bottom opening. The diffusers are made of blow-molded polycarbonate in chrome, copper or gold.
Tom Dixon
Young British company Tala displayed its impressive array of designer LED bulbs with intricate filaments that easily rival the tungsten variety found in classic Edison bulbs. Shapes range from globe and squirrel cage to candelabra, with most perfect for that simple bulb-on-cord pendant look.
Tala
GEOMETRY CLASS
New York studio Rich Brilliant Willing unveiled its first collaboration with an outside design firm — the award-winning practice Rockwell Group. The David Rockwell with Rich Brilliant Willing collection arranges pure geometric forms into elegant yet minimal compositions.
Rich Brilliant Willing
There’s a psychedelic or hypnotic aspect to Concentric, a striking wall lamp designed by Rob Zinn for Barcelona company Marset. Each concentric disk is white on the front and colored on the back (in three different palettes), producing subtle color while the fixture is switched off. When powered on, light reflects off each hue to create the mesmerizing effect.
Marset
BRANCHING OUT
Branch motifs were aplenty throughout the show floor. CP Lighting, for instance, displayed the New Growth series. The collection isn’t exactly new, but founder and designer Christopher Poehlmann varied configurations and lens and lamping styles to demonstrate customizability.
CP Lighting
Similar but more abstracted and minimal, BCAA from Christopher Boots is inspired not by tree branches. Instead, the chandelier takes its cues from chain amino acids. The body is finished in hand-rubbed or mirror-polished brass, mottled or dark bronze, satin nickel or polished chrome, black, white or copper, while the diffusers are sandblasted borosilicate glass.
Christopher Boots
Splyt Light — developed by Curio, lighting designer Jason Krugman and computational designer Scott Leinweber — is a kit of connecting Y-shaped LED modules that enable users to design their own chandelier or table lamp simply by screwing and unscrewing.
Curio
FINE ART
There are just some luminaires that, even powered off, are beautiful works of art to behold. Benedetta Tagliabue’s Dome Lamp is one such product. Exhibited by Spanish company Bover, the chandelier comprises 170 wood pieces that interlock to form a Bucky Fulleresque structure. LED lights are positioned above the lamp, projecting a dramatic geometric light-and-shadow pattern onto the floor.
Bover
Like a magical snow globe or terrarium, Axo Light’s Mountain View holds a surprise inside: a mountain topography. This special feature is made of glass and fused to the pendant’s bell-shaped diffuser. The terrain-mimicking base is available in Crystal Chrome, Grey Chrome, Crystal Gold or Amber Gold tints.
Axo Light
In addition to the aforementioned Splyt Light, Jason Krugman created numerous light sculptures composed of thousands of tiny LEDs and wires. His latest offering, Basket, is twisted and curved into a warped tubular form. Plug-in and hardwire versions are available in three sizes, the largest of which is a massive 34 inches wide. All of these are handmade in his Brooklyn Navy Yard studio.
Jason Krugman Studio
