LED light rule -- illuminated furniture has left disco past behind

If you think glowing interiors look like they're straight out of Austin Powers, think again: designers are discovering that LED technology in, on, and underneath furniture can in fact look very modern.

One of the latest examples of the trend are the new sofas designed by Italian brand Colico (colico.com). LED lights in floral patterns can be remote-controlled to change color, highlighting the sides of the piece.

Other models of the Asami Light sofa feature a glow from underneath the piece, a look that used to be reserved for the cars of tuning fans.

For a more do-it-yourself approach, LIT Style (litstyle.com) has released an LED lighting kit called 'Urban Underglow' that can be used to customize any piece of furniture.

And for the outside, Florastyle (florastyle.it) is pioneering the LED-lit poolside furniture, guaranteed to heat up the atmosphere at your next garden party, while Opulent Items (opulentitems.com) has remote-controlled outdoor benches that change color in a similar way the Colico sofa does.

But LED furniture won't remain the only way the technology will be entering your home: electronics companies pursue an aggressive sales strategy of LED-backlit TVs, while UK design brand Lomox is working on an organic LED technology that could be used soon to coat wallpaper and replace lightbulbs.

Published 02.02.2010