There are a few things that, when combined right, result in undeniably good design. Authentic materials like wood and copper, thoughtful design and craftsmanship. Throw a triangle in there somewhere, and you have a home run. Damm Designs Theorem lamp scores on all accounts, and like all of their lamps, it's handmade in the USA.
I fully admit to having a total soft spot in my heart for Studio DUNN. In fact they are one of few modern americana studio's that I actually own a piece from. As much as I love their furniture though, it was their lighting that first caught my eye. I'm happy to report that they look to be making a strong push back into the lighting world this year with two new designs.
The Radiata (above) was inspired by a jellyfish of the same name, and I think looks especially amazing with the smoked grey glass. The Sorenthia (below) is made of steel and brass, it's delicate arms look particularly nice when grouped together.
Whoa! Is this really Joss and Main? I signed with these guys because they were a sponsor at Alt NYC, and I've been continually unimpressed ever since. Then all of a sudden they hit it out of the park with not one, but two amazing curated sales?
First the Details magazine curated sale is spot on. They describe it as a "stylish man collection" but I like to think it applies to anyone with good taste. There are plenty of deals too, like the $219 tripod floor lamp, $518 Sofa! and many more.
The "right angles" sale catches the tail of the now fading infatuation with triangles and all things faceted. Don't get me wrong, I'm still all about the angles, I just don't see this being the big "in" thing for too much longer. That being said, they have some timeless pieces that I absolutely love. Word to the wise though, look out for knockoffs.
According to Ample, the Solstice Floor Lamp is "the modern tripod lamp done right." I have to admit, it's pretty banging. As usual with any high quality modern piece, God is in the details. In this case, those details reveal solid walnut legs, hand made natural linen shade, cloth covered cord, and a solid brass socket. Icing on the cake? It's made in Seattle Washington. Ample has lots of other gorgeous pieces as well. Go buy some. If the $499 price tag is too much for you, save you pennies and skip a few dinners out. (short term lose, long term gain) Also check out the not as nice, but cheaper tripod I posted in the On Sale! section today.
It's hard to look at these different pendants from Touch Of Modern without thinking Tom Dixon. In fact, they are pretty much 100% "inspired" by the Beat Lighting series. The one thing they don't share in common however is the price. These are an absolute steal. Act quick though, they will be sold out soon.
— Hanging pendent
— Requires 1 light bulb (recommended 25 watt appliance bulbs)
— Maximum wattage 100
— Hard wiring included
— UL approved
— Hand crafted in India
Made by Warm Lighting
I've been eyeing these fantastic lamp shades from Mod Pieces for a few weeks now, and I'm officially ready to give them two thumbs up. Fiz & Foster have a fantastic collection of bright geometric shades that are just the thing to brighten up your room. Which is your favorite, Houndstooth, Navaho Print or Lattice?
I always love a good pendant light.
About:
ShapingYourDay is a brand new Danish brand, created by Mencke & Vagnby, and the first creation is the pendant Snowflower.
Sustainability and lasting design that moves you are the key features “shaping your day”. With a focus on simplicity and functionality of the Scandinavian design traditions, the founders and designers Karina Mencke and Marcus Vagnby have always had an international approach, making their impact around the globe.
What do you get when you mix old school Bosnian craftsmanship with Washington DC modernism? Manulution. Such is the name of this amazing little company that was founded in 1927. If you want to get technical, Manulution is really a subsidiary of Rukotvorine, but what really matters is the furniture. It's everything that a piece of modern furniture should be. Well designed, not afraid to show it' origin and craftsmanship, and reasonably priced. I'm particularly fond of the Daisy Collection.
What's your favorite?
I'm a sucker for a good pendant light, especially one that is a "contemporary lighting system made of noble materials, lovingly made in France". Noble or not the 30 plates of natural oak veneer make for an amazing looking light, especially when turned on.
Ever since I posted about the vintage cage lights a while ago, I have been interested in making my own modern pendant light. A lot of the parts are pretty standard, but it seemed to me that the cloth lamp cord was the chance to really make it into something amazing. I felt pretty lucky to have found out about Sundial, but a lot of their good cloth lamp cords were either sold out, or I was seeing bigger companies like Best Made use them. After a lot of searching around I was able to find a source for some fresh looking colorful cloth cord. I whipped up a few test pendants and shot some pictures of the results.
What does everyone think?
More available for sale (custom lengths etc) on my Modern Union Etsy shop.
Plus you can see some of the other colors I have on this listing here.
These awesome Rocking Lamps from mineheart got quite a bit of press during ICFF last year, but I never did see any ordering information. It looks like they are now available to purchase in the mineheartstore and are available with a black or white shade. The £252 price tag is a bit hard to swallow, it makes me surprised that no one has figured out an Ikea hack to get a similar look.
These jug lamps are hand blown by a local artisan and are full of lots of great subtle details. They almost make me want to add glass blowing to my repertoire. Almost.
Available in sizes small through extra large (12" - 19") and in a myriad of colors.
I'm talking about the Nixie Clock, of course! Some of the older readers may know remember what I'm talking about... vintage digital display vaccuum tubes revived with new electronics as digital clocks. Let's face it, the aesthetics of modern digital clocks leave much to be desired. I vote for Nixie for my next clock sitting on my nightstand! Available as kits or completed units with stylish metal or lucite cases. However, I'm leaning toward an exotic wood cabinet from my woodshop to compliment that warm glow....
The web abounds with kits & completed units from such places as NixieClock and TubeClock. And for the DIYers, plenty of build stories like Pimp My Nixie.
The Jielde lamp. Few have heard of this French pinnacle of industrial lighting design. But highly sought after by those in the know. Designed in the late 1940's by Jean-Louis Domecq (hence the initials and name JLD) as a factory or work lamp, the Jielde came into production in the 1950's. The ingenuity of the design is both amazing and timeless: No wires extend through the metal articulating arms! They come in one arm, two arms, up to 6 arms or more. Both the arms & the heavy ball joint conduct the electrical circuit to the light fixture, so no wires to worry about. The bulbous lamp shade has a 'crash guard' that is used to pull the lamp into position- no toasting your fingers on the metal lamp shade. The base is quite small as it was designed to mount to a wall or screwed to a workbench. Today, disc brake rotors or similar shapes are used as a stable base for use on a desk. The Jielde is still made today. And is very expensive. But the vintage lamps are where its at. On the recent Two and a Half Men sitcom, Walden had one on his desk!
I've been playing around with some pendant light with cloth cord ideas lately, so I'm thoroughly obsessed with ingenious and simple pendant solutions. The Laboratorio pendant uses a vintage borosilicate lab flask and combines it with a brass lamp socket and some cloth cord. The end result is clean and modern, with just a hint of vintage. The Castiglioni designed switch is a nice touch.
While I like the rough vintage look of the classic mechanics light, or a simple bright cloth lamp pendant, the sleek minimalist style of this Work Lamp from the future perfect does have its place. The Work Lamp comes complete with dimmer and bulb.
I've been seeing a lot of nice origami lamp shades lately like this one by Emma Johansson on Coroflot, and I wondered how hard it would be to make a DIY version of the shade. According to the video below, it's totally doable, and I have a big gold star for the first reader that pulls it off.
In nearly all mass produced objects, the final outcome is divorced from its origin, from the process of production. Brilliant Cut's functional reference to the lamp guard and visual reference to the diamond also go to connect the final refined form of an elegantly cut diamond with its own process of production: diamonds are mined, lamp guards are used in mines.
Brilliant Cut
About:
A minimal portable floor or table lamp. Chick lamp is made of oak wood with box joint, white or black laquered iron rod and sandblasted glasses on both sides. Chrome toggle switch. A simple form created according to the golden section, enclosed by an iron frame stuck in a groove perimeter. The whole structure is fixed by only two small screws located under the wooden box. Best used with low energy bulbs. Looking for a producer..
I don't know if these lamp shades by Debbie Powell are for sale, but my-oh-my are they gorgeous! They could certainly inspire a DIY lamp shade makeover, don't you think? Check out more of her work here.
