Wall Lighting designers and manufacturers latest trends hot from Europe

It is hard to disagree that European lighting designers have led the way innovating new fashions and styles. Names like Federico Martinez, Foscarini, Mooi and companies like Wofi immediately spring to mind.

This year has already delivered some stunning collections and ideas. Right now the beauty of

Frederico Martinez neo classical lighting designs are wowing critics and consumers alike, Martinez creates beautiful hand crafted wall lighting scones in Europe.

Each light fitting is handmade and most often finished in Bronze. Martinez’s wall lights evoke the opulence of Louis XVI’s Versailles with attention to detail and authenticity of design paramount.

If however a sentimental look back to earlier lighting design themes however is not to your taste and you are looking for contemporary styles then you will not be disappointed.

Top contemporary names to look out for are Italian design house Foscarini the current doyens of interior lighting. Younger companies like Dutch Designers Mooi have arrived on the scene adding a unique take and striking designs.

Foscarini first presented an interior lighting collection in 1983 and on the eve of their 30th anniversary now boast over thirty designers working on a wide range of eclectic lighting ideas.

Some of the designers are exclusive to Foscarini and others create bespoke pieces and projects.

Foscarini started out as Murano glass specialists but always with a focus on producing glass for lighting designs. Today the company works with many different materials the recent Birdie Wall light design unveiled this year makes use of steel to create a striking nest of lighting fixtures brought together into one cluster of wall lights.

As Foscarini have pushed lighting design forward, companies like Mooi are pioneering design and use of non standard materials for light fixtures.

Mooi will shortly reveal their paper chandelier design, which has the potential to revolutionise what materials are used in the construction of interior lighting.

Only tiny images of the chandelier have been released thus far, but from what we know the design for the fixture is made from wood and cardboard and finished with paper. The chandelier

is stark white combining the minimalism of the colour with an evocation of the past in the overall

design.

The Moonlight range will no doubt inspire many high street designers to create some very exciting lighting ranges in 2012.

Italian design guru Enzo Catellani works from his company office a converted mill near the Italian city of Bergamo.

Focusing on combining both complex and simple forms which work with new technologies like LED lighting. One example of his work is the nickel plated floating wall light which attached to a magnet fixture giving the effect of the light floating on the wall. The back plate reflects the light of a single LED bulb.

For those who love designer lighting but not the price tags which comes with them, Europe has many companies who are still committed to design but also operate in the lucrative domestic home lighting retail space.

WOFI are a German based company who supply wall lights to retailers. The company is 45 years old and like Catellani & Smith have embraced LED lighting and are adding new ranges each year.

WOFI has produced for 2012 a range of modern chrome finished lighting. This range will not disappoint those who love sleek and clean lines in design. The combination of glass shades and chrome finished fixtures combines modernity and warmth.

Wall lighting design and wall lights are currently going through something of a boom as designers continue to push the envelope of concepts and materials. 2012 is a great year to be shopping for home wall lighting.

For those who want to know more check out the euroLED 2012 trade show in Birmingham on the 13th -14th June.