2026 Lighting & Fixture Trends: What’s In (and Out)

Takeaways:

• 2026 lighting trends are all about exploring sculptural silhouettes without getting too ornate with the design.
• Consider swapping out harsh white lighting for warm, glowing bulbs that create an intimate, whimsical ambiance.
• Focus on creating layered lighting schemes that address ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting that ensure more versatility in any space.
• If you want to avoid an entire lighting redesign while integrating modern trends, consider shade upgrades, light bulb swaps, and layered lighting design schemes.

2026 Lighting Trends

As we get into the new year, designers, architects, hospitality specialists, and even homeowners are looking for a lighting refresh. At Color Cord Company, we’re here to reveal what 2026 lighting trends you can expect to take over and teach you how to integrate trending pendant lights and other essentials into your lighting scheme.

Discover what 2026 has in store for you when you dive into our overview!

What’s In

Designers are striving to blend beauty and functionality in one, with sculptural silhouettes, minimalist color schemes, and metallic finishes that illuminate any type of space effectively.

1. Sculptural Silhouettes

This 2026 lighting trend is veering toward organic shapes and asymmetry that are designed to grab your attention and spark conversation. Bold lighting is taking center stage, often replacing wall art and other accent decor. From unique chandeliers to pendants made with unusual materials, your light fixtures should be the focal point of your hosting spaces.

2. Minimalist Cord Colors

While many people are still firmly on the path toward maximalism in their interior design, minimalism is gaining ground with a transition toward a warmer, more vibrant aesthetic. Instead of cold white tones and silver hues, modern minimalism is prioritizing textured metals and earthy tones in trending light pendants and wall sconces.

3. Metallic Finishes

The hardware finishes in 2026 lighting trends continue to feature metallic hues, but now, they’re also textured. Brushed brass, stippled gold, and handspun copper add details to your light fixture without distracting from the overall design.

4. Customization

Incorporating light fixtures more organically into the architecture of your building is another emerging 2026 lighting trend. While this pattern started in 2025, it continues into this year, leading to an increase in custom requests that deliver purpose-built fixtures for very specific spaces. You’ll find more lighting retailers offering customization options for trending light pendants, flush mounted fixtures, chandeliers, and more.

What’s Out

When you’re revamping your lighting to keep up with trends, you need to know what to edit to make room for new designs. Here are the 2026 lighting trends that are out.

1. Ornate Designs

Traditional and antique fixtures are typically highly decorative and overwrought. These types of designs aren’t considered luxe and sophisticated. They’re now on the verge of tacky and outdated, as trending light pendants of the past don’t offer the same functionality as modern solutions.

2. Harsh Lighting

Bright, blue-toned lighting may be essential in hospitals and offices, but home and hospitality spaces are eschewing this trend in favor of warmth and intimacy. Warmer tones in 2026 lighting trends result in lighting that enhances the look of textures, textiles, and even skin tones.

3. Basic Lighting Design

One-note lighting is absolutely out! Right now, we need to be talking about layered lighting that meets multiple needs in the same space. 2026 lighting trends feature multiple fixtures in every space with ambient, task, and accent fixtures.

Introducing 2026 Lighting Trends into Homes & Hospitality Spaces

Adapting existing fixtures and adopting new ones doesn’t mean a complete overhaul of your space. There are many ways to integrate your favorite 2026 lighting trends into homes, hotels, and other commercial environments.

1. Swap Shades

One of the simplest changes you can make in any type of space is just changing out or adding shades to existing light fixtures. At Color Cord Company, we offer a variety of shade styles and materials that can instantly transform your environment. Instead of a basic fabric shade, consider a whimsical ceramic shade or a retro wabi-sabi glass globe.

2. Change Bulbs

You can also enhance your space by exploring different light bulbs with warmer hues. Focus on lumens to moderate brightness and Kelvin to modulate hue and create a more inviting space. We recommend light bulbs with lumens in the 700-900 range to gently (and adequately) illuminate living rooms and dining rooms, and bulb temperature between 3000K and 1800K for a warm glow that complements the entire space.

3. Add Layers

If your room only has a single fixture, it’s time to enhance it with layered lighting. You likely already have a central ceiling light. Now, add wall sconces around the exterior of the space for extra ambient illumination, as well as table or floor lamps for task lighting near chairs and couches.

Finding Your Fit

Even as 2026 lighting trends continue to evolve, it’s important to explore timeless designs that align with your current aesthetic and can survive the trends yet to come. At Color Cord Company, we can help you find or create versatile light fixtures that are easily modified to keep up with the changing nature of interior design. Browse our Customizable Collection to build a fixture from the ground up or explore our Artist Collaborations to discover fixtures that are truly unique.

Have questions about a specific project? We have tons of guidance and advice! Reach out to us to explore restaurant redesigns, hotel upgrades, and home decor ideas that fit your needs.