Among the lighting introductions at the 2016 ICFF design show, in New York, a recurring theme was in metal and patina choices, which largely eschewed the coldness of steel and chrome for warmer tones. Brass, in particular, seemed to be the material of the moment. As the products below demonstrate, whether the aesthetic was polished or matte, a golden radiance was always to be found.
Bubbly Chandelier, Rosie Li Studio
A long, horizontal cluster of sparkling brass orbs make up the Bubbly Chandelier. The newest addition to Brooklyn, N.Y.–based designer Rosie Li’s Bubbly Series is inspired by soap bubbles and the “grape bunch” form of botryoidal hematite (a mineral). The chandelier accommodates six lamps, but the modular pieces of the fixture allow for custom configurations. rosieli.com
Iris Floor Lamp, Lightexture
With its adjustable brass leaves, the tiltable fixture that tops the Iris Floor Lamp by Troy, N.Y.–based Lightexture can be adjusted into a number of configurations, each of which offers a different lighting experience. The Iris Series of lights continues the exploration and development of the company’s patented overlapping metal leaves mechanism. lightexture.com
Link Pendant, Avram Rusu Studio
Oversized, rectilinear brass links and a large cone of hand-blown glass come together in Link Pendant, designed by Brooklyn, N.Y.–based Avram Rusu. The fixture offers a ’70s-retro flair yet feels completely contemporary. Dramatic on its own, the pendant’s effect is even better when hung in multiples. Available in a wide range of metal finishes and glass colors. avramrusu.com
Concentric Series, Studio PGRB
It’s clear that Priti Gandhi and Raymond Barberousse, the husband-and-wife team behind Chicago- and Miami-based Studio PGRB, are inspired by brass: It was the only metal to be found in the new products on display at their booth. Built around a trio of shallow circular discs hung vertically on a rod, the strikingly minimal Concentric Series of pendants is available in three-, six-, or nine-bulb configurations. studiopgrb.com
Langhorne 2 Pendant, Luke Lamp Co.
Mamaronek, N.Y.–based designer Luke Kelly, whose lighting designs favor a rustic, hand-built aesthetic, has been experimenting with rope—woven nylon nautical rope, to be precise. Langhorne 2 is a looping pendant of multiple rope sections filled with LEDs. The fixture’s custom-machined brass connectors can be adjusted by hand, allowing users to configure the pendant into any number of dramatic forms. lukelampco.com
Circuit Series, Apparatus
It seems right that the Circuit Series of lighting was created by a New York–based design studio, as the product’s fundamental element—a glowing glass capsule nestled in a brass shade—evokes the late-night Art Deco glamor of early 20th-century Manhattan. Apparatus’ modular lamp is available in multiple configurations and may be hung vertically, horizontally, or mounted on the ceiling or the wall. apparatusstudio.com
Escapade Pendant, Zarate Manila
Only 22 years old, Filipino designer Jim Torres already has received attention for his flower-like Harris Pendant. Torres’ newest creation, Escapade, takes his metalwork in another direction: Shaved steel ribbons are woven into illuminated clouds, and no two are the same. Yet the ambient glow that results has a golden, brass-like hue to it, a result of the unique way the shavings are generated, Torres says. facebook.com/zaratemanila
