Lighting

Mark McMenamin -- Interior Design, 4/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Genie in a Bottle

Conversations around the water cooler were never this absorbing. With Pullo, part of the Collezione Primavera from Leucos, a basic glass bottle is anything but everyday. Instead, Thomas Sandell had a go at the handblown crystal diffuser, covering it with freeform ovals produced by placing white glass rods in a pattern and melting them together. The vessel-within-a-vessel sits on a stainless-steel base with a brushed-nickel finish, rendering the 19 1/4-inch-tall design suitable for the table or floor. Requires an E27 bulb. 11 Mayfield Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837; 732-225-0010; leucosusa.com. circle 362

Fixtures of the Future

A groundswell of contemporary designers is looking toward the future—while their decorative forefathers hover in the background. Consider Marcus Tremonto of Treluce Studios. In his BaRoke from the Fantasma series and Ragno from the Stitch series, he takes on the fussy four-arm chandelier. His two-dimensional interpretation of the familiar silhouette is composed of electroluminescent material encased in acrylic—a Warholian time capsule of yesteryear's artistry. (By contrast, the electroluminescent wire in the Stitch series's Ray-Gun is permitted to burst into full three-dimensionality.)

Fantasma and Stitch each comprise four designs in editions of 20. Fantasma models can be specified with either white or mirrored acrylic. All will appear in a Tremonto show at New York's Phillips de Pury & Company in December. treluce.com. circle 363

In the Grain

Blackbird's Stainless group is something of a misnomer. Certainly, stainless steel provides the framework. The mirror polish is standard, with satin-black nickel and a white enamel powder coat among six other finish options.

However, the collection's decorative through-line is laminated wood grain. Micro-thin Douglas fir veneers the shades of the Slim sconce and the Solo and Duo floor lamps. An ebony stripe enlivens the Solo table lamp, the Duo table lamp, and the Solo pendant fixture. If that's not enough wood for you, there are also maple and walnut alternatives.

A Solo sconce and a Slim table lamp complete the assortment. 292 South Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257; 413-229-5090; blkbrd.com. circle 364

B. Lux Company

Borrowing the name and silhouette of microphones from radio days, RCA might tempt another Walter Winchell. Gemma Bernal's pendant fixture has a shade of polished, anodized aluminum that encloses either a fluorescent or reflective incandescent bulb. Table, wall, and floor models round out the series. 70Polígono Eitua, 48240 Berriz, Spain; 34-94-682-7272; grupoblux.com. circle 365

Seascape Lamps

Don't ask Mike Shenk if print is a fading medium. In styles from cool to kitsch, his custom-printed lamp shades grace pendant fixtures such as the Aquarius. Shades can also be customized. P.O. Box 810, Freedom, CA 95019; 831-728-5699; seascapelamps.com. circle 366

Kundalini

Alchemy, Arik Levy's ode to the Bunsen burner, has a base and wand of stainless steel with a satin-nickel finish—but it's the glass diffuser half-filled with small glass spheres that really steals the show. Standing just over 7 inches high, the table lamp takes one 20-watt G4 bulb. 34 Via Francesco de Sanctis, 20141 Milan, Italy; 39-02-3653-8950; kundalini.it. circle 367

Glasscor

Now you see through them. Now you don't. Jorge Lourenço's Twins lamps and vases are all about duality, specifically glass that's frosted on the bottom and transparent on the top—in citrus tones or bold colors. The cords seem almost like tails. 229 Apartado, 2431-903 Marinha Grande, Portugal; 351-244-555-235; glasscor.com.pt. circle 368

Anta

These pods aren't attacking—they're illuminating. With Jörg Zeidler's Lu table lamps, slim bases support mod adjustable shades of matte-finished glass, which casts a milky glow. Big Lu stands about 22 inches tall; little Lu clocks in at slightly under 18 inches. Touch dimmers control the halogen source. 59 Osterbrooksweg, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany; 49-40-839-10-37-38; anta.de. circle 369

Coronet Lighting

An aquarium swims up to the table with the Black Sea Fan's 10-inch-wide acrylic body, which houses an actual specimen of fan coral. (Relax—it's not endangered.) Anchored by a base of walnut-finished wood, the lamp stands 27 inches tall. P.O. Box 2065, Gardena, CA 90247; 310-327-6700; coronetlighting.com. circle 370

Grey Design Studio

Ryan Grey Smith might be a closet pack rat—if his randomly sculptural approach to lighting is any indication of his home life. The five pieces in his Elements collection resemble rice paper hastily gathered by an overzealous housekeeper, but they're actually constructed of hand-textured clear polycarbonate for maximum pliability during production. 5136 NE 54th Street, Seattle, WA 98105; 206-524-2223; greydesignstudio.com. circle 371

Plug Lighting

Who's been writing on the lighting? That would be Alison Berger, who drew inspiration from a medieval chalice, hand-inscribed with names, in designing the Bell Word pendant fixture. Those words appear on handblown crystal, suspended from bronze-patinated brass hardware. Uses incandescent bulbs up to 60 watts. 8017 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046; 323-653-5635; pluglighting.com. circle 372

Poltrona Frau

After 95 years, this furniture specialist finally sees the light, brilliantly, with four handblown glass lamps designed by Jean-Marie Massaud and produced by Murano masters. The hollow base of Dido uses the pull cord as a decorative element. The base of Holly mimics the unachievable silhouette of a supermodel. 2 Via Pietro Cossa, 20122 Milan, Italy; 39-02-778-0771; poltronafrau.it. circle 374

FontanaArte

The Lounge sconce by Luisa Calvi, Mauro Merlini, and Carlos Moya breathes a bold new identity into familiar wicker weaves. Rendered not in reeds but in silk-screened methacrylate—available in orange or transparent—the diffuser is mounted on painted aluminum. The bulb inside is fluorescent. 64 North Moore Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-334-3295; fontanaarte.com. circle 373

Anthologie Quartett

There's Rain in the house, but don't disturb the roofer. Instead, power up Michael von Jakubowski and Rainer Krause's suspension lamp, one of six shapes and sizes. Clusters of clear Swarovski crystals hang from the stainless-steel armature. The design accepts 60-watt E14 bulbs. TableArt, 7977 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046; 323-653-8278; tartontheweb.com. circle 375

Todhunter Earle

She sells more than seashells. The Emily Todhunter Collection's Seapod sconce by Emily Todhunter and Kate Earle is positively paved in crystals. SBC candle lamps create the 20½-inch-high fixture's luster. 79-89 Lots Road, 1st Floor, London SW10 0RN, U.K.; 44-20-7349-9999; todhunterearle.com. circle379

Donovan Design

The Ram Dass mandala pendant brings the ashram to the patio. To construct the golden face of this outdoor fixture, Art Donovan started with ½-inch-thick birch plywood, then applied hand-painted fiberglass and surfaced it in bronze mesh. Custom sizes and patterns available. 127 Little Fresh Pond Road, Southampton, NY 11968; 631-283-8175; donovandesign.com. circle 376

Spark Lighting International

Bamboo practically retains its natural form in the column table lamp from the Bambú family. Available in a range of heights from 18 to 32 inches, Carlo Zerbaro and Alessandro Trentin's fixture also incorporates a satin-finished steel base, an acrylic body, and a diffuser in a walnut or wengé finish or stainless-steel mesh. There are floor, pendant, and wall fixtures in the same shape and materials as well. 37 Whooping Hollow Road, East Hampton, NY 11937; 631-329-7490; sparklights.com. circle 378

Jonathan Browning

This designer ventures into the wild world of outdoor lighting with Allée, a sconce that translates the charm of gaslit carriages for the modern-minded. Fading from amber at the bottom to clear at the top, the handblown glass globe contains a krypton-xenon bulb. The hardware comes in three finishes: polished nickel, polished bronze, and oil-rubbed bronze. 379 Collingwood Street, San Francisco, CA 94114; 415-401-9999; jonathanbrowninginc.com. circle 377

Sirius Lighting

Cut glass simply exudes luxury—as proved by Carat Glass. One of Wilhelm Egger's crystal designs is as celestially clear as a starry night, while the golden-amber version glows with a sunny warmth. Both are field-adjustable and 39 1/4 inches long. 2783 Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL 60062; 847-559-5500; siriuslighting.com. circle 380

La Sorgente Glass Studio

Like lava balls spewed from an especially tidy volcano, NightOrbs punctuate outdoor paths with fiery panache. The handblown glass globes, 8 inches across, sit on bases of powder-coated cast aluminum. Compatible with 12-volt systems. P.O. Box 1856, Media, PA 19063; 866-317-6727; lasorgenteglass.com. circle 381

Sharon Marston

Where the past meets present, you often find a Ghost. Handblown glass pieces, practically traditional on their own, become contemporary ornaments when knotted to flowing fiber-optic strands spilling from a polished-steel mount. The glass components can be hand-painted in a number of colors. 40 Martell Road, Studio F31/F34A, London SE21 8EN, U.K.; 44-20-8670-4644; sharonmarston.com. circle 382

Estiluz

Fortune smiled upon Ximo Roca when he designed his Luck pendant fixtures. The elongated bell shapes come in a nickel finish and are also available in a white powder coat or chrome. Suitable for commercial or residential uses, alone or in groups. 235 Moonachie Road, Moonachie, NJ 07074; 201-641-1997; estiluz.com. circle 383

Vibia

Add another name to the slew of designers thinking small. Ramón Benedito revisits his Funnel family of floor and ceiling fixtures with. . .Mini Funnel. The aluminum diffuser casts indirect halogen light from a Halopin bulb. Mini Funnel can be used as an appliqué like sconce, too. 272 Fernwood Avenue, Edison, New Jersey 08837; 732-417-1700; vibialight.com. circle 384

Boyd Lighting

The Catacaos collection's five pieces emulate South American filigrana, or metallic filigree. Federico Otero used a finish of polished or satin nickel for the steel spirals on the grille of this ceiling fixture. To wrap it, he selected textured styrene. Lamping can be incandescent or fluorescent. 944 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107; 415-778-4300; boydlighting.com. circle 385

Axo Light

Eastern architecture shrinks to dollhouse scale in Manuel Vivian's Koshi pendant fixtures, with their flat bamboo rods referencing partitions found in traditional Japanese houses. Stainless-steel columns reinforce each corner of the shade, which contains handblown glass globes equipped for single or dual halogen bulbs. 1 Via Galileo Galilei, 31021 Mogliano Veneto (Treviso), Italy; 39-0415-905779; axolight.it. circle 386

Nostos

Is it sculpture or a tasty ribbon of hard candy? It's actually the glass Wall Lamp, offered in red as well as clear or sapphire blue. The dramatic up-lighting comes from a G9 bulb that's housed in the glazed nickel-plated base. 1 Fondamenta Manin, 30141 Murano (Venice), Italy; 39-041-736843; nostos.info. circle 387