Conceived by Bruno Houssin for Artemide, this architectural series of indirect lighting for walls and ceilings was inspired by the structural formations of tree branches as observed by the French designer during a winter walk in the woods. Rectilinear in section, the 1½-square aluminum fixtures come in a standard white-paint finish, and are available in a variety of preassembled, prewired configurations that house T5 flourescent lamps.
Artemide’s Kao is lighting in its most versatile form. Its horizontal, vertical, and diagonal expression has far-reaching commercial applications and can be used in any configuration. Steven Danielpour full caption
This surface-mounted fixture from the Lucifer Lighting Company was designed for ease of installation and use, but it is also easy on the eye. The compact 2⅓-diameter x 6 4/5-high cylinder has an integral heat sink and features a tilt of up to 45° and 361° rotation with toolless adjustment. Dimmable LED options include: 2,700K to 4,000K color temperatures; 25°, 40°, or 60° beam spreads; and a color rendering index (CRI) of 80+ or 95+. It comes in brushed aluminum and powder-coated finishes in matte white or black, metallic gray, and bronze. full caption
Providing 500 lumens per foot, these slim, recessed LED luminaires can be ganged for a continuous run of illumination in commercial, contract, health-care, even residential settings. Made of extruded aluminum, the system includes warm-, neutral-, or cool-white LEDs, with a CRI of 88. full caption
Compact but not fluorescent, the handsome Ledtube from Marset provides a warm 2,700K glow and focused beam for reading and other tasks. Ideally suited for hotel and residential bedrooms, airport lounges, or health-care facilities, the slender 6¾ x 2¾ x 1½ tubular wall fixture alone can be installed vertically or horizontally, recessed, or, within the 5¼ Ledtube Rounded version, surface-mounted (left). Finish options include black, white, and aluminum. full caption
Designed to optimize the Soraa Vivid 2 LED 10° MR16 (another jury favorite)—said to be an efficient, spectrum-perfect replacement for the 65W halogen—the Snap System reduces job-site customization to child’s play. A small magnet at the lamp’s center accepts numerous accessories including lenses with 25°, 36°, or 60° beam spreads; evenly illuminated square or rectangular beams; hex-louvers and snoots to reduce glare; grates to create linear light patterns; and filters for color-temperature shifting and tint effects. full caption
Codesigned by a product engineer and architect, this 1¼-diameter recessed LED luminaire from Minimis has an extremely tiny aperture yet is said to be powerful enough to wash a 12 to 14 wall in light. Ideal for indoor or outdoor use in drillable surfaces such as floors, decks, walls, ceilings, and soffits, the 1 Puck LP is made of solid marine-grade aluminum and is available in Warm White (2,700K to 3,200K) or Pure White (5800K to 6300K) color temperatures. full caption
This incredibly lithe LED system from Cooledge Lighting combines mechanical, electrical, and light source in one flexible sheet that, according to the manufacturer, eliminates the typical heat concerns of LEDs. Made up of a dense array of small, low-power light emitting diodes on a plastic substrate, the Light Sheet allows for a wide variety of design applications, offering over 100 configurations of lumen output, color temperature, width, and length. full caption