Market

Special Lighting Section

Edited by Karen D. Singh -- Interior Design, 8/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Out of this World

Like nothing on earth, the MT-1 magazine table and FL-1 floor lamp belong to the Woojuin-2007 collection, which takes its name from the Korean word for extraterrestrial. The series marks a first foray into lighting for architect Victor Vetterlein, who has logged time with Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects and the Office of Thierry W. Despont. Both futuristic pieces have ceramic bodies with gleaming gold-leafed interiors, but it's the floor lamp that's the real luminary—with red glass rectangles, polished brass squares, and real pearls dangling from brass wires inside, reflecting the light of a 40-watt incandescent bulb. (Power runs through one of the adjustable brass legs.) The lamp stands 72 inches tall, while the table measures 36 inches long by 12 wide by 16 high. 255 Canal Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013; 646-228-1616; victorvetterlein.com. circle 304

In the Land of Gaudí

You wouldn't think a light sculptor would find inspiration in the dark, but that's exactly how Raquel Cohen started out 22 years ago. When the Chicago native moved to Spain, she settled in an art nouveau building that had once been part of a Mediterranean Sea resort near Barcelona. Her view of the city's glittering lights by night became the catalyst for her pieces.

"The possibilities are infinite," Cohen says. More concretely, they're divided into three series: Vessels, Asteroids, and Labyrinths. She works primarily with copper because of its conductivity, malleability, and durability outdoors. Armatures built with copper rods are covered with metal mesh onto which she sews strips of patinated copper foil. Then she adds translucent, lightweight embellishments such as latex or plastic tubing. Inside each fixture, she secures halogen bulbs in a silicone base.

What happens when the objects are not illuminated? "My pieces possess two distinct personalities," she explains. "The nocturnal is the protagonist, but the diurnal reveals materials and intricate surface handiwork."

40 Calle Alberes, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; 34-93-406-9025; cocuyos.com. circle 305

Paper and Paste

The term papier-mâché may conjure up images of sticky-handed second graders. However, Harry Allen Design has elevated humble craft to an artform with the launch of the Bulblamp and Lamplamp table lamps and the Lanternsconce.

These three fixtures are the first lighting introductions in Harry Allen's Reality accessories line, which previously featured hauntingly beautiful resin casts of such familiar objects as bananas, pencils, silverware, and candlesticks. "Resin is an amazing material for getting the detail—but not so great for the environment," he explains. Because paper is recyclable and renewable, he decided to try out papier-mâché, selecting rice paper for its translucency. "Plus," he says, "nothing has weathered the storm better than Noguchi paper lamps."

In a process Allen likens to a scavenger hunt, he searches for cast-able objects that will be both functional and ironic. It was in a Connecticut thrift shop that he spotted the urn lamp from which the Lamplamp takes its shape. The Lanternsconce's barn lantern he purchased on Ebay. As for the Bulblamp, it was inspired by the standard lightbulb he used to mold Interior Design's Best of Year Award.

Up next? LED versions. The current ones take a 40-watt incandescent bulb. 207 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009; 212-529-7239; harryallendesign.com. circle 306

Lampa

Drum shades evoke the space-age 1960's, and Satellite pendant fixtures have taken color into orbit—starting with a green some might liken to retro avocado. Or explore red Mandarin, dusty lemon, and rustic birch veneer. Beneath the veneer is polycarbonate. 977 Main Road, Aquebogue, NY 11931; 631-722-9450; lampa.com. circle 307

Phillips & Wood

John Phillips and Joanna Wood have a mission: adapting antique lantern forms for the present day. Handmade nickel-plated Octavia feels slightly Gothic with just a dash of deco. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the lamp measures 17 inches high by 18 wide. 4 Wilson Walk, London W4 1TP, U.K.; 44-20-8222-8117; phillipsandwood.co.uk. circle 308

Hansandfranz

Konstantin Landuris and Horst Wittmann's Troja arcs high above the book you're reading, as two curved aluminum segments slide to adjust from 60 to 73 inches in length. The floor lamp stays steady courtesy of an iron base and lights up with LEDs. 6 Grafingerstrasse, 81671 Munich, Germany; 49-89-958-41-258; hansandfranz.de. circle 309

Laura Spector RusticDesign

How does your lighting grow? You might imagine Pirouette being plucked from the ground, roots and all, owing to the moss-wrapped shade and the bittersweet vines twirling beneath. Produced in cast bronze, the sconce is 28 inches high and accepts two 40-watt, 120-volt bulbs. A floor-lamp version is promised for next spring. 786 Westport Turnpike, Fairfield, CT 06824; 203-254-3952; lauraspectorrusticdesign.com. circle 311

Christophe Côme

We melted over the icy look of this Parisian designer's Loukoum table lamps. Made from blocks of industrial glass heated to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, then cut with a diamond disk, the cubes rest on bases of rusted iron to stand 12 inches high. Cristina Grajales, 10 Greene Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10013; 212-219-9941; chabrely.com. circle 310

Site Specific Design

Even if you get the heebie-jeebies from creepy-crawlies, you'll dig Childhood Memories, the first lighting collection from this interiors firm. Vice president and creative director Rui Docouto, who grew up in the Azores, drew inspiration from the insects there. Bug out over the Formiga table lamp, its body covered in rice paper sandwiched between steel ribs that can be left natural or finished in gunmetal-black, or the Nymph and Scolopendra floor lamps, their white fiberglass frames cast from a two-part mold. Each fixture takes two 13-watt fluorescents. 338 Berry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211; 718-486-6341; sitespecificdesign.com. circle 312

Puff-Buff Design

They may look like inflatable kiddie pools, but the PVC shades of the Puff floor lamps are distinctly grown-up. The triple-ring version comes in three heights; the six-ring one is 67 inches tall. All take a compact fluorescent bulb, as does the two-ring Big Pink pendant fixture, in PVC 28 inches across. The LED Bubbles chandelier, featuring transparent PVC bubbles and a stainless-steel armature, is 39 inches tall and available in four diameters. The companion screen may be wired with LEDs, too. That's quite a haul of bright ideas from just two young designers, Anna Siedlecka and Radek Achramowicz. 10/40A Sniegockiej, 00-430 Warsaw, Poland; 48-22-6210834; puff-buff.com. circle 313

Tobias Grau

Check out the smooth moves of the Dance Round fixture in satin or polished aluminum. The metal is punctuated by three glass peepholes, which shine with light from six 35-watt bulbs. At 14 inches in diameter, the diffuser hangs 15 inches from the ceiling. 35B Siemensstrasse, 25462 Rellingen, Germany; 49-4101-3700; tobias-grau.com. circle 314

Room

Rattan is generally confined to café chairs or patio chaises, so Orbita comes as a refreshing change. Designed by Tomolo Mizu, the handcrafted suspension lamp is offered in three sizes (16 ¾, 24, and 22 ²/³ inches across) and four colors (black, white, natural, and green). It uses a 100-watt incandescent bulb. 182 Duane Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-226-1045; roomonline.com. circle 316

Axo Light

Those shunning the chintz resurgence can get a more abstract floral fix from Blum. Blooming with petals of handblown crystal or chrome-finished glass, the pendant fixture takes 60-watt D-45 bulbs and measures 27 inches across. An attendant bud vase is available in either material. 40 Via Moglianese, 30037 Scorzè (Venice), Italy; 39-041-584-5193; axolight.it. circle 315

Italamp

Paola Navone's designs have always been light years ahead of the times, and her rubber-and-glass Bamboo definitely looks like something from the future. The floor lamp stands 7 feet 2 inches tall, comes in white or cobalt blue, and takes two halogen bulbs. Space Lighting, 848 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 3001, Miami, FL 33131; 305-373-4422; italamp.com. circle 317

Kemo

Blast off with Spotnik by Marko Macura. Set inside the ring atop a 6 ½-foot-tall base of brushed steel, an opalescent glass orb houses not only an incandescent bulb but also three LEDs. As the globe rotates, the LEDs shine out through its round aperture, casting a sweeping spotlight around the room. 68 Havensingel, 5611 VT Eindhoven, Netherlands; 31-40-251-85-73; markomacura.com. circle 318

Tucker Robbins

Although it was inspired by traditional African copper bracelets, the Wire pendant lamp is actually made of partially recycled Honduran iron, available in red or black enamel or unfinished. Inside is a 40-watt globe, also used for the companion sconce. 139 East 57th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022; 212-355-3383; tuckerrobbins.com. circle 319

Lightspace Corporation

If you think LIT-16 LED tiles look good on the wall, try them on the floor. Each 16-inch square is made of heavy-duty polycarbonate, vinyl-coated to protect against spills. The tiles cycle through 16 million colors, thanks to pressure-sensitive software. 529 Main Street, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02129; 617-868-1700; lightspacecorp.com. circle 320

Tom Kirk

It's not all fun and games with this manufacturer. True, the Spike wall fixture is very Lite-Brite—only in powder-coated aluminum with custom-colored resin cones. Two other recent designs are much more serene. VF pendant fixtures have handmade slip-cast earthenware shades glazed in gloss white, gold, or platinum, while the glass spindles of the Figure-8 GS sconce appear to melt from a powder-coated brass-and-steel plate screwed to the wall. 62 Tritton Road, Unit D120, Parkhall Trading Estate, London SE21 8DE, U.K.; 44-20-8766-6715; tomkirk.com. circle 321

Lalique

Marc Lalique designed Séville in clear crystal in 1947. Now, it's been vamped up with black crystal and gold leaf as part of the NeoLalique collection. The sconce weighs in at 17 pounds, measures 15 by 8 by 5 inches, and takes a 60-watt bulb. 25 Branca Road, East Rutherford, NJ 07073; 201-939-4199; lalique.com. circle 323

Terzani

Seems like Bruno Rainaldi has geometry all squared away. The stainless-steel components of Untitled are laser-cut and enameled white, then assembled to interlock vertically and horizontally as a pendant fixture 75 inches high by 19 wide by 21 deep. A corner sconce is also available. 11470 Interchange Circle North, Miramar, FL 33025; 954-438-7779; terzani.com. circle 322

FontanaArte

You'll be nodding your head over the Up-Down—Giovanni Albera and Nicolas Monti's pendant fixture is a definite "yes." The glass-and-chrome diffuser accepts six G-9 bulbs and is 17 inches across. 64 North Moore Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-334-3295; fontanaarte.it. circle 324

Folkform

To design Palmett, Chandra Ahlsell and Anna Holmquist drew on motifs from Persian rugs of the 14th century. The table lamp's 11 repeating forms are laser-cut from acrylic in frost, smoke, and sand—then set on a stainless-steel base to stand 20 inches tall. Pendant version also available. 95 Brännkyrkagatan, 4th Floor, 114 52 Stockholm, Sweden; 46-8-612-00-19; folkform.se. circle 325

Modo Luce

You won't want to toy with Francesco Giannattasio's Yo-Yo pendant fixture, even if you do go back and forth over the three color choices: red, black, white. The disk of acrylic and chrome has a diameter of 19 inches and takes two 18-watt bulbs or a 35-watt one. Check out the sconce and floor lamp, too. 13 Via Venezia, Località Tezze di Piave, 31028 Vazzola, Italy; 39-0438-488076; modoluce.com. circle 326

Vibia

Taking its name from the Greek alphabet, Lievore Altherr Molina's Sigma is stretched from a single piece of resin, lacquered white or black. The floor lamp accepts a 2G11 bulb. 272 Fernwood Avenue, Edison, New Jersey 08837; 732-417-1700; vibialight.com. circle 327

D'ac Lighting

With a subtle bell shape that brings unusual softness to industrial lighting, Fonari features a shade of brushed or polished aluminum—offered in 20 standard colors or custom options—and a lens of opalescent white acylic. The pendant fixture's diameter is 21 ½ inches. 420 Railroad Way, Mamaroneck, NY 10543; 914-698-5959; daclighting.com. circle 328

Wired Custom Lighting

Glistening like icicles, 220 handblown Murano glass bulbs compose Ice Storm. It stands 72 inches tall on a powder-coated steel base and takes eight MR-16 bulbs. 8607 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069; 310-854-2800; wired-designs.com. circle 329

Cooper Industries

Sleep tight with these night-lights. From Cooper Lighting's Circadian series, MSN, MLN, and MCL cast glare-free amber, red, or white LED light. All models fit a standard junction box, for easy installation, and run on 120 volts. 1121 Highway 74 South, Peachtree City, GA 30269; 770-486-4800; cooperindustries.com. circle 330

Hutj

The dual-purpose Saw Table Light is a cut above the rest. Different slots in the table component, which comes in white oak or black walnut, can support the arm extending from the lamp's nickel-plated stem. A silk shade conceals the LED source. 146 Alexander Avenue East, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0L3, Canada; 204-943-4733; hutj.ca. circle 331

Oriental Lamp Shade Co.

Try the oh-so-delicate In & Out silk-laminate shade in sea-foam green, or go graphic with the Deep Drum Polka-Dot silk shade in black-and-white. The String Oval silk shade in black is a classic. And the racy Red Crocodile in vinyl definitely steals the show. 816 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10021; 212-832-8190; orientallampshade.com. circle 332

Lutron Electronics Co.

It was 20 years ago today that the Grafik Eye lighting-control system was introduced, and it's been in production ever since. The Grafik Eye QS anniversary edition features backlit buttons and an energy-saving display system. Meanwhile, the brand-new Vierti touch control looks like something from 20 years hence. Press the bottom to obtain 1 percent of light available, the top for 100 percent, and the middle for anything between. With interchangeable LEDs in blue, green, or white and 10 colors or 11 finishes for the case, the future looks bright. 7200 Suter Road, Coopersburg, PA 18036; 610-282-3800; lutron.com. circle 333

Thomas Paulos

These table lamps may be slender, but they're definitely heavyweights. Averaging a surprisingly hefty 13 pounds, Tower, Rocket, and Fluted are great for home, retail, or hospitality locales. Each lamp is CAD-rendered, then carved from a single piece of solid brass and finished in nickel. 369 South Doheny Drive, Suite 1111, Beverly Hills, CA 90211; 310-552-6994; tpaulos.com. circle 334

Besselink & Jones

Tigers and bears may not be present, but Lion will have you crying, "Oh my!" This 8-by-17-inch hand-carved sconce can be painted in gold or silver. Nicholas Antiques and Accessories, 979 Third Avenue, Suite 1015, New York, NY 10022; 212-688-3312; nicholasantiques.com. circle 335

Fire Farm

Project 20592 goes the distance, all 18 feet in length. However, the chandelier weighs in at only 75 pounds, thanks to a slim powder-coated steel frame and the delicate silk shades that conceal 100-watt incandescent bulbs. P.O. Box 458, Elkader, IA 52043; 563-245-3515; firefarm.com. circle 336

Zia-Priven Design

Marcia Zia and Paul Priven's Giacamo makes a mosaic of natural driftwood. The sea's castoffs are cut by hand and applied to the table lamp's base, which is then finished with polished-nickel accents. Select the standard white linen shade, or substitute numerous company-supplied fabrics or COM. Brooklyn Navy Yard, 63 Flushing Avenue, Unit 329, Building 280, Suite 220, Brooklyn, NY 11205; 718-398-6777; ziapriven.com. circle 337

Rick Lee Design

The Night Owl is a wise choice, with a steel branch pedestal supporting a polyamide shade. A touch dimmer controls the 60-watt bulb. 7 Heron Street, San Francisco, CA 94103; 415-551-0013; rickleedesign.com. circle 338

Spaltana

Cherry Stem is ripe for the picking. This 34-inch-tall table lamp, hand-turned on a lathe, comes in both standard and custom woods: cedar, mahogany, poplar, and, of course, cherry. Choose dark espresso or natural finishes. 3475 Edison Way, Suite Q, Menlo Park, CA 94025; 650-207-8743; spaltana.com. circle 339

Next

Chalk it up to good genes. Büro für Form's DNA fixtures evolve from a single pendant to a triple—just screw them together. The plastic housings are available in chrome, white, pink, or gold. Each takes three E-27 bulbs. 21Alte Poststrasse, 85598 Baldham, Germany; 49-1805-466398; next.de. circle 340