This year Euroluce made it clear that lighting is taking on a more sophisticated role in interior spaces: It is becoming, on the one hand, more expressive and abstract in function while also demonstrating more restraint in form. We caught up with SkLO’s newly appointed Europe Sales Director, Marta Paetzke to unpack what that means. She brings a perceptive voice to a shifting market — one that is embracing gentleness and imperfection in its storytelling.
Lighting as soul
“Lighting is the jewelry of the room” is a common refrain throughout the interior design space, but Paetzke likens lighting to being the ‘soul of the room.’ ‘Soul’ is precisely what drew Paetzke to SkLO, the Czech-American lighting brand known for its commitment to handcrafted glass and quiet sculptural forms.
“I was drawn to SkLO because of its deep commitment to craftsmanship and the authenticity of the handmade,” Paetzke said, following her return from Euroluce. “In an age where much design leans toward digital perfection, SkLO embraces the beautifully imperfect—where every piece of glass carries the hand of the maker.”
Return to the hand
At Euroluce, she says, that return to the hand was unmistakable. Amid one of the industry’s premier showcases of decorative and architectural lighting, brands displayed a noticeable restraint: fewer materials, subdued palettes and a reverence for texture over gloss. “Instead of maximalism, there was a kind of quiet confidence on display—more clarity of purpose,” Paetzke observed. “It made me think about how we, as an industry, can better edit ourselves. Not to create less, but to create more meaningfully.”
Return to expression
For European designers and clients alike, that sense of meaning is now inextricably linked to material honesty and emotional depth. From softly diffused silhouettes to organic asymmetry, lighting’s aesthetic role is evolving from merely decorative to poetic. “There’s a noticeable pivot toward the expressive,” Paetzke said. “Instead of perfection, designers are now seeking presence.” Think: A statement piece that you would not describe as loud and flashy or bold, instead: you might describe it as simple, honest and unique.
Controlled chaos
SkLO, long celebrated for its tension between the control of design and the chaos of molten glass, is thriving in this space. “That tension is one of our greatest strengths,” Paetzke noted. “It reminds designers that design can—and should—retain a bit of magic.”
That philosophy resonates particularly well in Europe, where the visual language of interiors is growing more tactile and sensorial. “Clients aren’t looking for perfection—they’re looking for personality,” Paetzke said. “That gives us the freedom to lead with storytelling: the process behind the glass, the intentional irregularities, the hand of the artisan.”
The same principles apply to SkLO’s approach to statement lighting in both hospitality and residential markets. “There’s a growing appetite for pieces that are soft in tone but strong in presence,” she said. “Scale is important, but so is nuance. Clients want lighting that feels custom—even when it’s from a standard collection.”
For Paetzke, the brand’s sculptural quality is not an aesthetic flourish—it’s central to its philosophy. “SkLO pieces are designed to hold space; they’re physical, present, and often provoke an emotional response before they’re even lit,” she explained. “It’s not just lighting; it’s a focal point, a conversation starter, a piece of art.”
Lighting collaboration
The work ahead, Paetzke says, is not about chasing trends, but about deepening intention. “I’m inspired by the energy that comes from true collaboration—when designers, makers and clients come together early in the process to shape something meaningful,” she said. “The more time I spend with the process, the more I appreciate that unpredictability as a creative strength.”
If Euroluce offered a forecast, it was that lighting — at least in the European context— is being asked to do more: to feel more, to say more and to matter more. And in that quiet, glowing shift, SkLO is already fluent.
