It shimmers and twinkles from head to toe. Up, down and all around: Modern lighting shines brightly at any level – not just the eyes.

Thanks to new technology, lighting doesn't have to stick to the ceilings, walls, tables or floors. LED strips can tuck under cabinets or around doors, adding an architectural accent along with extra visibility.

Lightweight electrical components and new technology also make it possible to turn natural elements into creative light fixtures with eco-friendly twists. Onyx, shell, bamboo, cork, grass, even sand have become "shade" material dangling from the ceiling.

"Your options are way more than they used to be," explains Wendy Lofing, a third-generation lighting pro and part of family-run Lofing Lighting in midtown Sacramento. "That's the biggest change.

" 'Lighting' used to be an incandescent bulb in one light fixture in the middle of the room. Now, people are layering light in a room in so many different ways."

Around the corner at Lumens Light + Living, president Ken Plumlee says, "That's one of the nice things about lighting: There are so many options. Ask yourself: What's your style? What's your budget? You can almost always find what you want, including alternatives at lower price points."

From its single store in midtown Sacramento, 6-year-old Lumens has grown into a Web giant, selling to thousands of customers nationwide.

"We have a point of view about who we are," explains Plumlee. "Our customers prefer clean design, and we try to cater to that."

Lofing Lighting has been helping Sacramentans with lighting decisions for half a century. The company has seen many lamp looks come and go, but the basic idea stays the same.

"The first question should be, What are you going to be doing in that room? Then, you'll know your lighting needs," Lofing says.

After that, it's up to your taste and imagination. But four basic trends have emerged for 2010.

"No. 1 are eco-friendly designs," Plumlee says. "We're seeing many more natural materials as well as use of recycled materials. … People are attracted to this as a fashion trend; it's definitely something new."

A pendant made of hollowed onyx (about $160) – not glass – is a best-seller at both Lumens and Lofing. Other popular pendants use layers of sand, grass, cork or bamboo, sometimes sandwiched between glass. "They look great over a kitchen island," Plumlee says. "They start conversation."

A major trend for Sacramento is a return to Mid-Century Modern, introduced in the 1950s and '60s. These fixtures often feature whimsical shapes such as glass globes or paper bubbles. "So many homes here were built in that era," Plumlee says. "These lights fit right in."

In another throwback, drum shades have returned, but with a new beat. These big, cylindrical shades come in a huge number of fabrics. "There are so many choices and variations," Lofing says. "Or you can bring in your own fabric and have a shade custom-made."

Modern laser-cutting techniques are showcased in new fixtures combining metal and fabric. "This technology allows manufacturers to do things they couldn't before," Plumlee says. "The results are very interesting."

Manufacturing innovations have allowed customers to save money, not only on the original purchase (high-style design inspires cheaper knockoffs) but on electricity for years to come.

"Five years ago, 'fluorescent' was a bad word" among lighting shoppers, Lofing says. "It produced bad color. Now, it's much better, and (manufacturers) are introducing dimmable features that make fluorescents almost the same as incandescents, except they use a lot less electricity."

That trend has brought into homes many lighting options usually reserved for commercial uses. The pendants or wall sconces in a new restaurant or hotel? You can probably find a home version, too.

And those LED strips, first seen in commercial design, have found their way home. "Architectural lighting is being used incredibly in homes now," Lofing says. "You can light the toe kicks under a bar or the shelves in a bookcase. You can do colors. You can get a lot of really neat effects from lighting. It's a small thing that can update a room.

"It's recycling your existing features for a new look."

SOURCE: sacbee.com