Why is home lighting trendy at festivals?

NYCxDesign Festival shows off “design as experience” lighting

At the NYCxDesign Festival, one of the standout themes is how lighting functions as both architecture and mood—turning a space into something visitors can feel. Among the featured works were chain mail lighting and a tapestry presented by Loney Abrams and Johnny Stanish, founders of Wretched Flowers.

That’s relevant because festival design isn’t only about objects you’d buy; it’s increasingly about how pieces transform an environment. Lighting built from unusual materials (like chain mail) can create layered shadow patterns, add texture, and make a room feel more dimensional than standard fixtures.

What the lighting trend signals for real homes

Design that shows up at NYCxDesign often points toward what people start adopting at home next—especially when the visual effect is dramatic but the styling is simple.

• Texture over plain illumination: chain mail-style lighting emphasizes surface detail and shadow play.
• Statement pieces with craft: lighting becomes décor, not just function.
• Mixed-material interior design: pairing lighting with fiber art (like tapestry) reflects a broader move toward warmth and tactility inside modern spaces.

Why it matters

Lighting is one of the fastest levers for changing how a room feels, and festival installations show new ways to do it beyond changing bulbs or paint. When designers use sculptural materials, the outcome can be both practical (ambient light) and decorative (pattern and depth).

For homeowners and renters, that means you can chase the trend without a full renovation: look for fixtures or lamp shades that create distinctive texture, or add textile wall or room elements that echo the festival’s emphasis on craft and atmosphere.