In our previous post, we talked about some of the defining features of the new collections for Hudson Valley Lighting and Corbett Lighting. One of the things we touched on was our new materials. Today, we're breaking it down into six categories for you. Read on to learn more about the materials and the way we're using them, and what they may add to your space.

1 Wood

Acacia, maple, and walnut are just a few of the woods we’ve got going in the new HVL collection. Using this material in an industrial form, which historically would’ve been metal, gives it an unexpected feel. This natural material gives it a contemporary sensibility and softens the look, bringing unexpected warmth. Sustainable, ethically harvested  wood gives your ecological conscience rest. In the portable series featuring prominent wood and brass inlay, we’ve worked with furniture experts, resulting in maximum quality. These pieces occupy an intersection where mid-century modern warmth and contemporary cool meet.   

2 Leather

Thinking of exclusive clubrooms of New York, from the historic ones you might read about in a Victorian ghost story to elite places such as the Soho Room, we fashioned new families such as Holtsville and Vance. These layer premium leather between the metal components that merge the form and function of these fixtures. Brass serves as a base for Grade 1 Italian tanned leather—the highest quality. Visible threading increases the contrast. Picture lights and lamps illuminate treasured objects, works of art, and the work or reading at hand.   

3 Rattan 

Introducing rattan in our CLASSICS collection with Mark D. Sikes, and continuing to explore it in recent Troy families, we’ve been taken with the material. We've been seeing people respond to the material, too. "Give the people what they want!"

Our new Flare family has a livable luxury vibe, with a spacious base as a floor lamp and great materials, from Belgian linen to brass to, yes, rattan. Rattan is applied wet and tightens into its grippable final form. Some metals rust. Flare boasts a stem of brass, though no one will ever see it, because it does not rust, making it ideal for this rattan application. Artisanally applied with hidden seams, this rattan gives a worldly feel to a space, and enhances the sense that this is lighting to be lived with.

Taking the fibrous material in a completely different direction, we've  fashioned our huge scale Lido Beach. Featuring the best-in-class source of its natural materials, each section is put through its own separate coloring process, dyed through in earthy hues, before being woven together along a sturdy steel structure to form a shade of enormous scale.  Two ways to think about it: elegant beachy vibes / furniture on the ceiling.   

4 Crystal

Did you ever wonder what, exactly, crystal is? Crystal as it occurs in nature and in its scientific sense, has a very specific meaning, which is distinct from and has nothing to do with glass. (The Italian word “cristallo” was applied to Murano glass imitations and somehow the appellation stuck, as is the way of these things.) When we’re talking about the desirable transparent material used in chandeliers and glassware, we’re talking about a form of glass featuring a higher lead content and prized for its prismatic, refractive qualities.  

Why is crystal considered superior? It’s softer and finer to the touch, it sparkles in the sun, and it dapples prismatic when light shines through it, especially when it’s faceted and cut, as it often is.

There are a few kinds of crystal, one of which is K9, which is the kind we’ve been known to feature. It’s a great choice for decorative lighting for both its high refractive index and its high clarity, as well as its durability. (Fine crystal stemware, on the other hand, is as known to break easily as it is to peal out that satisfying ring.)

In our new families that predominantly display crystal, we’re playing with the concept of taking antique and classic forms and presenting it for a contemporary setting by running it through a heavy HVL edit.

The flowery décor of historic pieces is reimagined three different ways in Floral Park, Tulip, and Beaumont, while Heron embeds a thick faceted crystal finial at the base of vast cone of spun metal in a decadent Deco update.

5 Alabaster

We’ve been loving the possibilities of this material. Alabaster has been a fantastic material for light diffusion. We’ve known that for centuries. But how to make it work in modern times has been a matter of some concern. This is because traditional incandescent light allocates more energy to creating heat than it does to creating light. This heat may adversely affect the quality of the alabaster after a long period of use. Now, with brilliant LED technologies, we can do a lot more.

Jervis, on the left below, demonstrates what we’re talking about. The rims of the circles contain LED sources. This edge-lit technology lights the beautiful discs of Spanish alabaster. The piece is made of solid brass and each rotating arm moves aroud a static post, suggesting movement even in moments of stasis. The light produced and diffused is beautifully consistent.

6 Ceramic

Working with ceramic artists, we've fashioned a diverse line of portables and pendants with an exciting array of effects. These pieces are all a tactile/physical experience. The pictures convey the idea but not the essence—you gotta see 'em in person.

Having this material hanging from the ceiling gives a whole other flavor. The ceramics allow us to present a different variety of effects. Hand-painted patterns, painstaking layered application of gold and indigo, two-tone gloss-and-matte stepped forms, one-of-a-kind patterns, and textural depth resulting from multipart kilning procedures are a few of the processes, all of which add character to any space. 

To see more, explore the new collection in full here.