IN MINIMAL LIGHT

It isn’t easy to keep from singing a few praises from the Opera collection by the Boyd Lighting Co. of San Francisco.

This collection is dramatic and bold yet fluid and graceful as an aria.

The Rigoletto wall sconce, designed by Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, has strong lines with a gently sculpted arm that sweeps gracefully upward.

At the end of the arm, there is one of three handmade lamp shades (red Thai silk, white Pongee silk or an ecru opaque paper) or a softly etched glass cylinder. Sconces ($500 to $900 each) have two standard finishes, a satin Italian white gold or a natural bone white.

The same look has also been interpreted in the Carmen and Aida table lamps and the Turandot torchier ($750-$1,450).

The collection is at the Donghia Showroom at the Pacific Design Center, (310) 657-6060.

A Different Cast

Trout Studios’ new line of tiles offers an alternative to the usual ceramic fare. Instead of clay, designer Sallie Trout’s decorative tiles are made of recycled cast aluminum.

“I didn’t see aluminum tiles anywhere,” Trout said, “so I decided to design them myself.”

The Trouttile collection is made from solid cast aluminum with a ball-burnished or semi-polished finish. They are installed the same way as ceramic tiles and are low maintenance.

The Trouttile collection includes seven designs in bas-relief--a steaming cup of coffee, a daisy, dragonfly, pear, heart, pansy and spiral. A plain tile is also available.

Most of the patterns project from the surface, making them ideal for wall applications. Each tile is 4 by 4 inches and costs $16.

“Use one as an accent, make a decorative line, do a checker pattern, or cover an entire wall,” says Trout, who is known for her modern hardware and furniture collections.

For more information, call Trout Studios, based in Culver City, at (310) 202-8868.

Audio Art

If the last thing you want to see is your woofers and tweeters, NCT Audio Products will have you whistling Dixie.

The Gekko flat speaker (about $300 each), designed to be mounted on the wall, has high-quality sound and a slim design for wall mounting. The speaker cabinet is less than 2 inches deep.

Then to further disguise your equipment, decorative speaker fronts, also known as grilles, are available. There are hundreds of images to choose from, including animals, celebrities, movies, sports, cars, decorative photography and ones geared to children.

The grilles ($129 to $225 each) range in size from 14 by 18 inches to 24 by 36 inches.

For more information, call (800) 278-3526.