At Your Service: Project Green Light
03/01/2008
Lighting designers Lori Bush and Pia DeLeon have reputations as knowledgeable arbiters of lighting styles and technologies, whether scouring the globe for new fixtures to feature in their Los Angeles showroom, Plug, or designing plans for clients. "We’re into low wattage," says Bush, referring to the current wave in design addressing sustainable philosophy. It is also an understatement, considering the high-powered work she and DeLeon have done—illuminating the homes of Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller and recently, Kanye West."You can get clever by using fluorescent cove lighting—box it or trim it—or T5 fluorescents, which are the size of a pencil," says Bush. At Plug, the Reduced suspended fixture uses a T5 fluorescent surrounded by an aluminum frame. Fixtures like Balterup and Pulsar 172 diffuse fluorescent light and focus it downward. The PH Snowball (shown) for Louis Poulsen—a Poul Henningsen classic—can handle compact fluorescent bulbs, filtering the light through a sandblasted glass shield.
"Fluorescent lighting has great wash, but no sparkle," warns Bush. "You need to combine it with low voltage to highlight the luxurious materials in a high-end home." Plug’s fixtures, including European imports and contemporary handcrafted works by artists, provide a warm balance. In the case of the Nimbus Clear LED in amber, blue or white, low voltage accent light can glow upward from the ground, both indoors and out.
The showroom sells to the design trade only, but anyone can walk in to see the gallery-like space displaying innovative light fixtures that can make a home radiant.
Plug, 323.653.5635, www.pluglighting.com