Lighting trends 2023 – the favored designs set to beautifully brighten our homes

Establishing the perfect lighting atmosphere in your home is an essential component to a successful design scheme, and our collection of the latest lighting trends for 2023 can provide you with some beautiful inspiration for your space.

Choosing the right lighting ideas for your home, from fixture placements, materials, colors and styles, is hugely important, both practically and decoratively. Lighting can transform how a room looks and feels, and helps to make our homes feel more warm, comforting and of course, functional. 

From sculptural, statement pieces to smart lighting and bespoke fittings, these are just some of the lighting trends our experts have predicted will set the design world alight for 2023.

Lighting trends 2023

We asked a panel of lighting experts and interior design insiders on what they expect the biggest lighting trends to be in 2023. So read on to discover what is set to brighten our lives next year and beyond...

1. Use lighting as a design focal point

Ian Cameron, creative director at Cameron Design House (opens in new tab) says, 'homeowners are seeking unique pieces for their homes that create maximum impact. From unusual shapes to innovative materials, there is an increased desire from customers looking to be more daring in their design choices. There will be a demand for unusual and eye-catching light pieces that challenge every day and are show-stopping art forms in themselves.'

Your choice of lighting can 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.

2. Sculptural pieces

Leading on from using lighting as a design focal point in a room, 2023 will see many of us incorporate statement, sculptural lights into our spaces; adding beautiful, artistic touches to a room.

Ian Cameron says, 'sculptural lighting resembling incredibly beautiful and organic shapes from the natural world can add a welcome softness and fluidity to interiors.  From the flowing movement of water to the incredible silhouettes of mountain ranges, nature-inspired designs will continue to be a popular trend in our homes.'

With curvaceous shapes and arch structures set to be popular across architecture and furniture trends in 2023, sculptural lighting will work in unison, helping to create relaxed interiors that feel soft, calm and inviting.

3. Beautifully bespoke designs

2023 will be the year for bespoke and commissioned lighting schemes, catering exactly to the needs of our interior spaces and ultimately, helping them feel more personal and unique.

When commissioning bespoke joinery, ask the carpenter to make allowances for internal wiring from the start, this will allow for some lights to be built into the unit, removing the need for trailing wires from standalone lamps or wall lights, resulting in a cleaner finish. 

Interior decorator, Sarah Brown (opens in new tab), commissioned this pretty bespoke shelving painted in a pale pink gloss with tongue and groove detailing, for a sitting room in London. She says, ‘an interesting room is made up of many layers that allow the eye to travel.'

The look is finished with beautiful decorative flourishes, with colorful, patterned shades used on the sconce and mantelpiece lamp; establishing a unique, bespoke design that feels wonderfully eclectic and rich in texture.

4. Mood-enhancing lighting

Using layered lighting, from cozy table lamps to candles and twinkling fairy lights, to establish welcoming pools of light in the home, is renowned to make our spaces feel more relaxing and calm. 

From the recent TikTok trends about never using the 'big light' (see below), to the importance of our homes being centers for wellness and restoration, Piero de Marchis, director at Detail Lighting (opens in new tab), discusses why mood lighting is so important.

'Ambient lighting allows you to set the mood and change the ambiance in a room. A key part of planning a design scheme, homeowners are paying far more attention to the way spaces in the home make us feel, as well as their function. From dim-to-warm technology to discreetly hidden accent and spotlighting, mood-enhancing lighting is set to continue to be a key consideration for 2023 and beyond, in particular in bathrooms, bedrooms and multifunctional spaces such as open-plan kitchens.'

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5. Smart lighting

With changes in technology and advances in lighting design having an impact on lighting trends year on year, many of us are now kitting out or homes with smart lighting. 

Piero de Marchis says, 'our homes are having to work harder for us than ever before, with an increase in spaces having multiple functions. From open-plan living areas to kitchen-dining zones, the trend for installing multifunctional lighting that can be adapted to suit the room as it’s being used is set to continue to rise.'

From voice-activated and motion-sensing lights to multifunctional fittings, as shown on the shelving unit above by John Cullen Lighting (opens in new tab), these clever lighting designs are often more energy-efficient and can make the lighting schemes in your space feel more unique as well as being incredibly functional.

Chris Pask, director at Charlton Brown (opens in new tab) also says, 'we are expecting the demand for color-controlled lighting schemes to increase in 2023. We have used this technology previously with artificial skylights to reproduce natural daylight (in basements typically) and to mimic the visual appearance of the sun and sky depending on the time of the day – the natural skylight in the morning tends to be a brighter blue compared with warmer hues in the afternoon.'

6. Colorful and eclectic combinations

With minimalism listed as one of the worst trends of 2022, many of us are taking bigger risks when it comes to the interior designs of our homes, embracing a more maximalist style, and curating a space that feels more individual, authentic and rich with color, pattern and texture. 

Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens' global editor in chief says, 'in 2022, colorful table lamps with bright bobbin bases and patterned fabric shades were definitely a favored lighting trend, with this colorful and more eclectic style set to continue well into 2023.'

Using a mix of light sources, from pendants to floor lamps and table lamps, each embodying a different style, color, or craft, can create a layered, lighting effect that feels homey, inviting and unique to your space.

7. Oversized pendants 

Ian Cameron from Cameron Design House says, 'in 2023, lighting will be the focal point of any room design, with beautifully crafted, oversized and extravagant light fittings taking center stage – large and sculptural formations are here to stay.'

Whether you want to zone a cozy seating area, like above, or simply want to match the scale and size of a room, an oversized pendant can not only efficiently illuminate a space, it can establish a beautiful design statement.

8. Unique materials

Ed O'Donnell, co-founder of Angel O'Donnell (opens in new tab) says, 'arresting silhouettes and unusual materials will conspire to create increasingly imaginative lighting statement pieces that’ll create strong focal points in the home.'

From tactile, natural materials such as wicker and rattan, to more industrial designs crafted from metal and concrete, for 2023 lighting trends, the more unique the material, the better!

Ian Cameron says one material to look out for in 2023 is mirrored brass, he shares with us, 'reminiscent of the Art Deco era, mirrored brass is a finish I expect to see across all lighting in the new year, from smaller accent pieces to show-stopping pendants. Engagingly opulent and glamorous, its natural light-reflecting qualities deliver a classic yet contemporary look, helping to reflect light around the room. Our Torsa (opens in new tab) features suspended brass discs at opposing angles that work together to highlight this dynamic and multi-dimensional material.'

Are pendant lights out of style?

One of the most versatile and practical lighting options for the home, pendant lights are very much here to stay in 2023.

Industville’s (opens in new tab) managing director, Mara Miller, says 'pendant lighting is an essential part of lighting within your home. This trend can redefine your space by creating focal points and stunning visual impact. By embracing pendant lighting, anyone can achieve their style as various pendant fixtures come in sleek, modern, traditional and industrial finishes.'

Chris Pask also supports this and says, 'we are noticing a shift away from spotlights which was very much en vogue several years ago but is becoming less popular, with interior designers taking cues from the world of hospitality and private members clubs, where lighting plays a crucial role in setting the tone of the space. In 2023 we expect this trend to continue in the residential setting, with a greater shift towards lighting arrangements that are more soothing and aesthetically pleasing rather than harsh, unflattering spotlights.'

Are traditional chandeliers out of style?

A traditional chandelier will always be timeless and undeniably beautiful, establishing a luxurious atmosphere of grandeur and elegance. 

And they should not just be reserved for period properties, either. Traditional chandeliers can work wonderfully in more modern settings, creating a unique element of contrast and establishing a stylish mix of the old and the new.

Of course, this classic style of lighting is not for everyone, and many modern chandelier interpretations are proving popular for more contemporary homes; with designs crafted from an array of different materials to form unique shapes and hanging arrangements.