Think of it… a lampshade you wouldn’t look half bad in if you party just a little too much during the holidays!

The lovely Miss Wool knitted lamp, with that charmingly feminine bow, is from Italian design company Doimo Decor.

Sadly, it only seems to be available in Italy at the moment.  Guess that’s another excuse for me to go to the Salone Internazionale del Mobile next year, right?

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Equal parts ethereal and threatening, this prickly looking lamp is by Amsterdam based product designer company Ilias Ernst.  By using magnetic fields to attract and hold nails to the lamp, the configuration of pendant can be easily manipulated, resulting in a completely unique piece every time.

I’m just not quite sure I would want to stand under it, you know what I mean?

You can see more of Ilias Ernst’s creative design ideas here.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Seen on Inhabitat

It’s a piece of furniture.  It’s a work of art.  So lovely!

But do you describe it?  For that matter, how do you describe much of what Tom Raffield produces in his workshop in Cornwall, England?  The gentleman’s website modestly labels his product “steam bent lighting and furniture,” but there’s more to the story than that.

This is art.

Once upon a time the steam bending of wood was vital to the production of weapons, tools, and water vessels, among other items necessary to daily life.  As technology progressed, the ancient practice was largely abandoned.  With dedication and practice, Mr. Raffield developed his own tools and methods of using steam, which reinvented the traditional process and transformed it into something new.  He can twist and bend wood as freely as other artists draw with pencils.

But let’s talk about his works.  The lighting and furniture is crafted of locally-sourced, sustainably-managed English wood, of which the timber is left either unseasoned, green, or is air-dried (an alternative to the energy-intensive process of kiln drying).  As the main means of production steam bending uses no toxic chemicals, only water, is a low energy method of manufacturing, and produces little waste.

Mr. Raffield takes care to use local manufacturers and suppliers whenever possible, which has the added benefit of directly supporting his community.  Everything from his workshop is handcrafted and meant to last generations.

A variety of timber is utilized.  Oak, ash, sycamore, and walnut are used to varying effects, all of which take full advantage of the beauty of the wood. 

Some of the lighting designs are startling and seemingly chaotic, but then the design draws you in, and you perceive order, purpose, and beauty.

There’s whimsy to the furniture, which swoops and curves and bends in ways that are both unexpected and soothing.  It’s brilliant.

But don’t take my word for it.  Trundle over to Mr. Raffield’s site and look around for yourself.  Have fun!

~ Emerald

You decide.

There’s simplicity in these glass and steel designs, a clean look, one that’s versatile enough to be used in any number of decoration schemes.  I think they would complement just about any setting.

As much as possible, the materials are reclaimed objects.  Old glass & ceramic insulators, traffic light lenses, and hardened steel parts – the clips, spikes, and random hardware so abundant along unused rail lines – all hand-gathered by the artist and repurposed into lighting, door & cabinet hardware, and home furnishings.

The disparate parts are cut, drilled, sanded, ground, and bent where needed before being given their new purpose.  Although the creations are thoroughly cleaned the rust remains and is, according to the artist, an “essential part of the look.”  Even the new sections of steel are purposefully rusted so that the entire is whole.  Then comes a steel sealer and hand-rubbed oil finish.

So what was once abandoned is again made functional.

The business sprang, almost by chance, from Tim’s long-term interest in lighting and a collection that started with the purchase of a single glass insulator back in 2004.  Now he crafts a full line… as well as custom work, some of which can be seen here.

There’s much more to the story than this, however.  To learn it, please stop by the RailroadWare website.

~ Emerald

I might also need this lamp!  Created out of 300 of those classic “It’s our pleasure to serve you” coffee cups (though I fear they were not used), by designer Christian DuCharme, this fun lamp hangs at the Lafayette Espresso Bar + Market in New York.

Lovely, no?

I’m off to brew that much needed cuppa joe now.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

Originally seen on Inhabitat, images via CollabCubed

Since I have such a severe case of wanderlust, I thought it appropriate to make this week’s “Etsy Find” a globe and map themed one.  Enjoy!

Map covered wooden chair by New Yorganize.

Collier’s 1935 Map Drawer Pulls by Sherry Truitt

Reclaimed chalkboard globe by Stamp Your Art Out.

Corrugated Basket with Map of Vancouver, Canada by CORRUGATED Mosaic.

Recycled map end table–Detroit, Michigan by Hocus Focus.

Artichoke Road Map Pendant Light by Zipper8Lighting

Elephant Atop A Globe Repurposed Dictionary Art

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Rachel

Happily, Stil Novo Design’s furniture and lighting is far from ho-hum.

In fact, it is downright gorgeous!

I love this little table lamp.  Such a pretty glow.

They also use the hoops from the barrels to create great pieces like the Orbit chandelier.

The curve of the top is what makes this little bench.  Perfect for taking on and off shoes, complete with storage area below.

The sweeping curve of the staves gives this chandelier a nice line.

I love how they integrated the red wine stained wood into this bench.

Again, simple lines = stylish looks.

You can see more of their creative designs at their Etsy shop – Stil Novo Design

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

The ancient Greek poets were said to be inspired by the Muses, nine goddesses who were the source of all art.

Visitors to the whyrHymer Store in Los Angeles may well believe that a tenth Muse is informing Brandon & Sundeep Morrison on their own creations.  The couple & their work have been featured in California Home & Design and California Homes.  The style of their lighting & furniture is solid yet elegant, evoking the philosophy of the early 20^th century Arts & Crafts movement yet speaking in its own distinct, thoroughly modern voice.

At present the couple hand-craft about forty pieces a year, which work ranges from beds, tables, cabinets, and seating – including a rocking chair that somehow embodies the spirit of a hot rod – to lighting of truly innovative design.

Creativity is essential to the heart of whyrHymer.  The Morrisons are fully involved in all aspects of their business, from conceptual design to marketing, from the ancient act of sanding wood to the employment of software and website design.  They also produce & edit films to promote their work.  Says Brandon, “I love hitting the end of a chisel as much as I love the click of my mouse.”

All furniture is made from eco-friendly hardwoods & finishes, including exotic woods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.  They also use FSC-certified sheet-goods, Kirei Board, Bamboo, and Wheat Board.  Finishes include low-voc plant based oils & varnishes.  Lampshades are variously made from recycled aluminum or glass, linen, rice paper, shoji material, hemp, silk, or from a translucent wood veneer gleaned from sustainable sources.  The furniture is built to last generations, lovingly hand-crafted with mortise & tenon, dovetail, and dowel reinforced joinery.

As they feel themselves blessed, the Morrisons strive to “give back” not only by observing a green building philosophy but also by donating a portion of each sale price to a charitable organization.  Clients are asked to match this gift.

“Being creative for us is about how much we can leave behind,” said Brandon.  “My wife and I have no formal training in furniture design or construction.  We have learned what you see by making mistakes and moving on.”

The Morrisons’ business, like their lives, is a testament to innovation and what can accomplished when life is lived with passion & gratitude.  When he first moved to Los Angeles, Brandon had little idea of what waited for him.  Yet, by being open to change and mindful of opportunity, his present life took form: a family, a business that allows the fullest expression of his creativity, and work (one could say “art”) that brings pleasure to others.  The latter has a spirit that matches its maker.

“The ‘things’ I sell are not necessities for sure,” he said.  “But what I try to bring to my work is an awareness of self that transcends my actual work and what that provides to my clients.  I hope that my awareness that has come from pursuing the non standard life will inspire someone else, or at best, have them feel that they are supporting someone who has their best interest at heart.”

ATOMIK MADNESS from Brandon Morrison on Vimeo.

The whyrHymer Store is located on 138 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90036.  (Hours Mon-Sat 10-5.)    It can be seen on their website.    Brandon & Sundeep may be reached by phone at 323-402-0250 (home/shop)  323-964-9900 (store).

There are many lights in New York City, but perhaps the most unusual are created by Allison Patrick of Zipper 8 Lighting.

Although the core idea behind her designs is simple – the covering of plain lampshades or paper lanterns with repurposed materials – there is a playful wit at work there: quirky, modern, fun… and green.

Allison has always been a creative person and early on was influenced by a craft-loving family friend with whom she was “constantly creating things.”  Over time she realized that what she truly loved was creativity within the physical world, which led to a degree in Architecture.  Place, too, influences her work, as the “already built” nature of NYC limits the scope of creativity while focusing the latter into the elaboration of interior space, such as the transformation of “a simple white box of a room” into something personable and unique.

Part of that transformation rests in how a space is lit, and thus Zipper 8 Lighting was born.  It is her current obsession.  As she says: “Pretty much whenever I get a new idea or see a cool material or project my thoughts are immediately, could that be a light?  I don’t know what it is about lights, but there’s just something so magical about turning on that light and seeing what you’ve created come to life.”

From a plain paper lantern or a plastic drum shade she takes the mundane and, by using repurposed materials, transforms it into a thing of unique beauty.  Coffee filters, old books, maps, plastic bags, phonebooks, and the New York Times are only some of the items which would normally be headed for a landfill or recycling plant but have found new purpose and life in Allison’s hands.

“I love using materials in a new way,” she said, “a way they have never been used before.  Sure the coffee filters that I use to create lights haven’t been used before, so they might not be traditionally considered as ‘recycled’ but I like to think that the traditional cycle of those coffee filters was to be used, and thrown away.  Instead I stepped in and gave then a new and much longer function.”

She’s always been interested in the environment and has long believed that every small action towards preserving it counts.   Replacing one light bulb with a CFL does make a difference, and she suspects that many people underestimate the potential impact of their seemingly insignificant daily choices.  Any choice can be a positive one.  Environmentally-friendly design can be as stylish and fun as any New Yorker (or anyone) could desire, and such is her goal: to make lights that are “green” without sacrificing design.

“I think its all about a general awareness of our surroundings,” she said.  “Putting a little thought into our daily lives and the materials we so often consume and discard.”

Ms. Patrick’s work can be found online on Etsy under the name Zipper 8 Lighting.

Such a rich combination of polished wood and etched ceramic.

The charming Payton restyled vintage table lamp is available through virtuoso vintage lighting source, Mod Pieces.

If only she fit in with my decor…  Sigh.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel