Lighting

edited by Karen D. Singh -- Interior Design, 4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Flash of Inspiration

The seven members of the Coco clan bear a distinct family resemblance—primarily the way that the hand-wrapped polished-chrome wire webs its way around a chrome plate, protecting the bulb from hot spots. This Spark Lighting International collection consists of three sizes of floor lamp, a table lamp, two sconces, and a three-cable pendant fixture. The floor versions take a 150-watt halogen source, the table lamp and sconces 100 watts, and the pendant 150 watts. 37 Whooping Hollow Road, East Hampton, NY 11937; 631-329-7490; sparklights.com. circle 351

Seeing the Light

If you can't find it, build it. That's what inspired interior designer Peter Carlson to get into lighting. "I needed clean lines and substantial forms that could work anyplace," he says. Faced with the ongoing difficulty of sourcing those seemingly simple fixtures, he founded CL Sterling & Son.

His FS Series features pendant fixtures in brushed nickel or architectural bronze, suspended on black silk rope; diameters are 15 and 23 inches. From the Archer Collection, his largest, AC 26 and AC 321S sconces and the AC 41.8 eight-arm chandelier represent a pull toward geometric repeats. The collection comprises 17 variations on eight fixtures in glass and cast brass, which can be simply brushed or else plated in polished chrome, polished nickel, brushed nickel, or architectural bronze. Available in the same finishes, the Brockway Collection's distinctive BC 321S sconce has three round frosted-glass diffusers, stacked traffic-light style.

What was Carlson's greatest challenge in shifting from interiors to lighting? "It's easy getting one thing right one time, like with a custom piece," he says. "But getting one thing right many times is much more difficult." Carlson is testing his prowess yet again as he expands to outdoor fixtures. 162 Joshuatown Road, Lyme, CT 06371; 860-434-3744; clsterling.com. circle 352

Tobias Grau

Created for workstations, the Go floor lamp is intended to go unnoticed. The lamp head employs glare reducers, and the base is steel, with end caps available in clear, silver, and a distinctly noticeable orange. Height is 76 inches. House of European Design, 720 Market Street, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102; 800-830-4633; design-eu.com. circle 353

Bruck Lighting Systems

Full-swivel Blade, a mono-point or uni-light accent spot, is a tiny showstopper. A mere 2 inches long with a 3-inch-long stem and a 1-inch diameter, this matte-chrome fixture takes a 20- or 35-watt Osram mini-star halogen lamp. 15774 Gateway Circle, Tustin, CA 92780; 714-259-9959; brucklightingsystems.com. circle 354

Resolute

Never be in the dark with the Clarity universal fixture, which can be mounted on ceilings or walls. Its 7-inch-long brushed-aluminum arm connects to an adjustable head with a clear, blue, or gold glass shade, 4 inches in diameter, and a silver canopy. The fixture belongs to a collection that includes line pendants, rigid drops, bar sconces, and plates. 2101 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121; 206-343-9323; resoluteonline.com. circle 355

Leucos

Renato Toso's Aella has the proportions and geometry of a 1960's desk lamp. This 21st-century version consists of a clear crystal diffuser and a Murano glass shade on a chrome base. Measuring 20 inches high by 21 across, the lamp takes a 150-watt R20 bulb. 11 Mayfield Avenue, Edison, NJ 08873; 732-225-0010; leucos.com. circle 356

Ivalo Lighting

From innovative Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis, the Rotare pendant fixture is part lighting, part sculpture. The sinuous 4-foot-long steel form appears different from various angles yet retains its minimalist silhouette. Offered in nine automotive paint colors as well as powder-coated, the fixture takes two high-output fluorescent T5 bulbs. 7136 Suter Road, Coopersburg, PA 18036; 610-282-7472; ivalolighting.com. circle 357

Thélermont Hupton

Channel your inner clown. Blown Ups merge glassworking and balloon blowing, with four whimsical shapes in frosted or clear glass. A stainless-steel stem allows them to be used for floor lamps or pendant fixtures. All take halogen bulbs. 114 Rutland Gardens, London N4 1JR, U.K.; 44-20-8374-0422; thelermonthupton.com. circle 358

Valenti

Mario Barbaglia's minimalist chrome Diapason Vetro has a fully rotating sandblasted-glass diffuser that shields a halogen source. Standing 75 inches tall on an 11-inch square base, the floor lamp is part of a collection that includes a pendant and a sconce. 2/4 Via Volta, 20090 Cusago (Milan), Italy; 39-02-9019421; valentiluce.it. circle 359

Nessen Lighting

Fans of Shelton, Mindel & Associates will take a shine to the firm's Crescent table lamp. Its convex shade, 17 inches in diameter, comes in polished aluminum, brushed aluminum, or baked enamel. The bent tubular-steel arm attaches to a base of solid maple or ebony to form a sturdy little number of classic minimalism. 420 Railroad Way, Mamaroneck, NY 10543; 914-698-7799; nessenlighting.com. circle 360

Marzais Créations

It's hard to beat the Babylone drum pendants. Measuring 30 inches across, the high-gloss gray, orange, black, or red vinyl shades are suspended from a chrome mounting plate. The fixture takes two 75-watt incandescent lamps. 287 Rue Victor Hugo, 37000 Tours, France; 33-2-47-37-42-62; marzaiscreations.com. circle 362

Pittsburgh Glass Center

Art meets glass in James Mongrain's handblown Untitled chandelier. The 70-inch-tall piece was made for "Well Hung: Chandeliers Revealed," an 11-artist exhibition at the glass center this past winter. 5472 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206; 412-365-2145; pittsburghglasscenter.org. circle 361

George Kovacs

A jubilee of light and color, the Plato chrome-finished sconce features arms that attach to panels in a combination of clear, orange, yellow, and blue glass—or select the all-clear and all-blue options. Accepts a 60-watt par16 halogen bulb. Bellacor, 2425 Enterprise Drive, Suite 900, Mendota Heights, MN 55120; 877-723-5522; bellacor.com. circle 363

Liora Manné

With Kuba, this textile designer applies her wizardry to lighting. Her trademarked Lamontage process produced the latex-infused acrylic fibers of the shade; it tops a base constructed of multicolored resin disks incorporating the same material. The table lamp is 28 inches tall, and the shade—which comes in green, red, aqua, charcoal, or eggplant—has a 14-inch diameter. 91 Grand Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-965-0302; lioramanne.com. circle 364

Brand van Egmond

From the Candles and Spirits collection of three chandeliers, Cash 90 was inspired by the poetry of floating candles. Delicate tangles of gold- or nickel-finished iron are tipped by clear Swarovski crystals—for a look straight out of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Art Home Art, 6085 NW 82nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33166; 305-718-9051; arthomeart.com. circle 365

Luzifer Lamps

X marks the spot for Burkhard Dämmer's handmade X-Club table lamp, part of a line that includes pendant fixtures, floor lamps, and sconces. The 6-inch-wide sides of the X are veneered in white ash, cherry, or tulipwood, the last of which can be stained green, gray, orange, or yellow. Takes linear fluorescent lamping. 41 Calle Pío XI, 46017 Valencia, Spain; 34-96-317-0559; luziferlamps.com. circle 366

Kalamkaar

Ethnic patterning comes alive with the Naqsh floor lamp's hand-painted fiberglass shade, set on a wooden base finished in antiqued gold. The fixture takes an incandescent source. Companion sconce available. Kilometer 19, Ferozpur Road, Lahore 54760, Pakistan; 92-42-5821299; kalamkaar.com. circle 367

Mathieu Lustrerie

This French provider of haute couture fixtures has embraced the modern. The Lustre Ventoux series consists of two chandeliers, one floor lamp, and four table lamps. For each, vertically interlocking strips of aluminum are held in place by a nickel-plated brass rod and supports. Prelle, 200 Lexington Avenue, Suite 407, New York, NY 10016; 212-683-2081; mathieulustrerie.com. circle 368

La Murrina

A play on form and color, Dolly features a Murano glass shade in vibrant red as well as amber or blue. The table lamp sits on a chrome base and comes in heights of 15 and 23 inches. Flush-mounted and suspended ceiling fixtures offered, too. 8428 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069; 323-717-8588; lamurrina.us. circle 369

Dac Lighting

Axo Design's Kelly ceiling or wall fixture is rendered in handblown sandblasted Italian glass with polished-chrome side screws and mounting. Ideal for hospitality and retail venues as well as residential cor- ridors, the sconce is Americans With Disabilities Act–compliant. (Measuring 15 inches high by 5 wide and installed 31/2 inches from the wall.) The glass is available in red, amber, or white, and the fixture takes halogen or fluorescent lamping. 420 Railroad Way, Mamaroneck, NY 10543; 914-698-5959; daclighting.com. circle 370