Judy and I attended Light Fair International last week in Philadelphia. We had a great time exploring the exhibition floor to get the scoop on the latest in lighting technology. We sifted through the the huge number of products to bring you our selection of the Best and Brightest from Light Fair 2011.
1. Warm light and cool light. The most important offering at this year’s fair was a new techology in LEDs that allows them to emit a warm light. We saw almost every company take advantage of this new development, and most products are available in cool or warm versions – gone are the days where your only choice for LEDs is cold white light! 
2. IBISS by Tech Lighting. This handsome new fixture immediately became one of our favorites. The two flat LED panels are completely adjustable, allowing you to shine light up, down, or on a wall. It can even be attached to a track system. 
3. Railtones by Tech. This favorite isn’t a light at all! It’s a wireless speaker that can be attached directly to a track light system- what a great idea! It interfaces wirelessly with your home stereo or computer.
4. Aurora by Pure Lighting. This breathtaking down light is for the minimalist in all of us. The flush- mounted faceplate is integrated into the surrounding drywall, giving it a truly trimless, knife-edge appearance. Some models can be adjusted to give off almost any color.
5. Calculite by Philips. This elegant LED down light is among the smallest around – only 1.75″ in diameter. But it packs a punch, and has an impressive beam spread. The innovative installation system involves just one screw, and allows for a large selection of trims and lenses.
6. Loira Sconce by Cantalupi. This gorgeous gold-plated sconce by Cantalupi speaks for itself.
7. LED lights by Cantalupi. Like the sconce above, these Italian fixtures speak for themselves. Small and inconspicuous at only 2 inches across, they can be used almost anywhere – even under water.
8. Softline by Edge Lighting. A tiny strip of LEDs was mounted on the back of what looks like a measuring tape, giving off a diffuse upward light. I love the simplicity of this fixture.
9. LED lightbulb by Philips. Much of the show was dedicated to lightbulbs that could replace older incandescent and fluorescents. This candelabra bulb was the best-looking among them.
10. LED Circa Pendant by Phillips. This pendant, made with hand-blown glass, is beautiful AND environmentally friendly.
11. Modular Flourescent by Bartco. These fixtures can be arranged in almost any configuration you can dream-up.
12. Mini Star By NSL. Flat under-cabinet LED lights are an simple and attractive solution for kitchens. They give off a lot of light with almost no heat.
13. V Rail LED. A great alternative to step lights, this underlit railing will never get hot to the touch thanks to LED technology.
14. Wine Rack with mini-LEDs by MP Lighting. This is a great example of how LEDs can go almost anywhere – look closely and you’ll see the tiny downlights above each bottle. Imagine all the possibilites!
-Robert