A Light Fantastic

Dubble Bubble Lamp

2006-06-27T21:23:00.000+01:00

Bulbous and bright, the Dubble Bubble Lamp comes in three sizes; two can be used as table lamps, while the third might dwarf the rest of the furniture in your house. The light eminates evenly around the curvy surface of the lamp due to three seperate light sources: one in each bubble and one in the leg. Prototypes of the Dubble Bubble Lamp were created from blown glass, but the ones you see here are cast in plastic to make them more durable and to give an even glow. We'd love to fill our house with them, turn off the main lights and pretend we lived in a magical world of glowing mushrooms... (More info at Double Bubble)

Technorati tags: light, lamps, design

The Montana Table Lamp

2006-06-20T09:53:00.000+01:00

This lamp has been stripped down to the barest of bare essentials. A 100-watt bulb shines through a transparent blown-glass diffuser with a built-in dimmer. And that's it.

Check it out at marset.com

Technorati tags: light, lighting, lamp, lamps, design, home decorating, interior design

Ceiling Lights With Plants Growing Out Of Them

2006-06-19T13:24:00.000+01:00

There are two things that bring effortless atmosphere into a room - fabulous lighting and gorgeous plants. The Lampel Light mixes these two elements together.

We just wonder how you'd water the plant without risking electrocution. Oh details, details...

Check it out at scandinaviandesigncenter.com

Technorati tags: light, lighting, lamp, lamps, design, home decorating, interior design, houseplant

Campari Suspension Light

2006-06-16T10:43:00.000+01:00

If you're a fan of fizzy drinks, then you'll appreciate this ceiling light. Designed by Raffaele Celentano for Ingo Maurer, this cool light's made from plastic metal and some original campari bottles. We likey lotty.

Check it out at mossonline.com

Technorati tags: light, lighting, lamp, lamps, design, home decorating, interior design

Blossom Lights

2006-06-14T10:52:00.000+01:00

Look at the way the light glows through the petals. Yes my friend, these are simply divine aren't they. They're the Aloe Blossom light (left) and the Bud light (right) by Jeremy Cole and they're some of the most striking ceiling lights we've seen in a while. The petals are made from handcrafted porcelain, which means they glow when they get close to the light source. We would hang ours above the dining room table to cast a soft light over dinner.

Check them out at jeremycole.net

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JellyFriends Lights

2006-06-11T20:24:00.000+01:00

How would you feel if, when you came close to your JellyFriend light, it suddenly started pulsing with a soft glow? We think you'd fall in love with your little marine mate.

JellyFriends interact with you by glowing when you come near to them. The jellyfish shaped body is made from silicone and has adjustable cord legs so you can give each JellyFriend its own, unique look.

Check them out at scandinaviandesigncenter.com

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The Emperor's Lamp

2006-06-02T16:12:00.000+01:00

We've seen a lot of deconstructed chandelier and candelabras in design shops the past year, so it seems fitting to showcase the Emperor's Lamp - a steel frame pendant fixture covered in soft velvetlike flock fibres. The quality of the light bulb will effect the success of this fitting - we're not a big fan of naked bulbs (expalining our obsession with lamps...), but we're willing to give this one a whirl in a room that needs to be well lit (from www.scandinaviandesigncenter.com).

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Pleat & Feather Lamps

2006-05-25T11:57:00.000+01:00

A flurry of movement, light and texture, like a dream of glowing birds, this collection of lamps work both viscerally and on a subconcious level.

As a centre-piece for a vibrant space, the feather and pleat lamps (available at www.wowlighting.co.uk) will add drama to any room.

Tramp Lamps

2006-05-22T08:11:00.000+01:00

Who knew that Nana had some adventurous lingerie in her day? And who could have guessed that one day, that same lingerie would be made into a lamp for the whole world to see? Eeeeew....

Meet Goldie (left), Baria (middle), and Rhea (right). Yep, every tramp lamp has her very own name and is as unique as the history of the garment. Each lamp is custom-designed using authentic vintage lingerie and antique lamps, creating 'lovely ladies' for your dressing room or bedroom.
Each one hangs off her very own satin coat hanger and has been cured to maintain her girlish curves. Really funky or kinda scary - you be the judge.

Check them out at tramplamps.com

Technorati tags: light, lighting, lamp, lamps, design, home decorating, interior design

Sad Ghost Lamp

2006-05-04T16:08:00.000+01:00

Made out of moulded silicon and 8 inches tall, this poor little fellow is scared of the dark, which is pretty bad luck considering he's a ghost. Or a really fortunate thing becase he's a lamp. We can't decide. (www.velocityartanddesign.com)

Technorati tags: lighting, lamps, children

Pom Pom Light Dimmers

2006-04-20T17:17:00.000+01:00

If you want to get serious about light fixtures you should probably look away now. The Pom Pom Dimmer allows you to turn on and off your lights just by fondling a fluffy ball. Want to dim? Simply hold the pom pom in your hand to set the level you'd like. Recommended for your favourite living space. And for people who like fondling... (from ifmachines.com).

Spira Lamp

2006-04-12T15:31:00.000+01:00

3Gatti are the sort of serious design firm that usually concentrate on Urban Architecture, but luckily for us they also like to play around with a little interior design. Their Spira Lamp evolves the humble shell lamp (we've got one from Ikea) in the warm orange tones, or with a pop image print. The strength and beauty of this design is all in the curves.

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Globe Table Lamp

2006-04-06T14:30:00.000+01:00

Imagine the Earth's continents projected on the moon and you come close to the brilliance of the luminous Globe Table Lamp. If you still have those glow in the dark stars stuck to your bedroom ceiling from the nineties, then this lamp will go well. (available for a cool 50 squid at purves.co.uk)

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Ruminant Bloom Lamp

2006-04-03T06:05:00.000+01:00

"That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

What could this translucent beauty be? A delicately crafted ceramic shell over a gently flickering candle, perhaps?

Or maybe a hand-knitted-by-Tibetan-nuns-and-sold-in-Soho-for-a-small-fortune type lamp shade?

Nope. She's made of tripe, mate.

That's right, this lamp is made of preserved sheep's stomach. Every Ruminant Bloom lamp by Julia Lohmann has a unique design and "triggers feelings oscillating between attraction and disgust".

We don't know which way we oscillate, but think that 'Ruminant Bloom' sounds much better than 'Tripe Light'. That's marketing for you.

Technorati tags: light, lighting, lamp, lamps, design, tripe, unusual, home decorating, interior design

The Block Lamp

2006-03-31T23:38:00.000+01:00

Sometimes, simpler is better. Case in point: the Block Lamp by Harri Koskinen.

An iconic piece of design, it is displayed permanently at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Koskinen designed this lamp while still at University. "When I was studying at the University of Art and Design (in Helsinki), one of our assignments was to design a wedding gift of the future. The result was an ice block containing two schnapps glasses, but that led to a brainstorm: I started thinking about everything that could be placed inside a glass block, and that led to the idea of putting a light bulb inside."

Clever lass. Check it out at momastore.org

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The Pistillo Lamp

2006-03-28T16:54:00.000+01:00

Sea anemone? The day of the triffords?

Close...

"The Pistillo was introduced by Studio Tetrach in the late 60's and is still a highlight of 20th century design. An Italian name, Pistillo is defined as the female reproductive organ of a flower or Pistil."

So probably not a lamp for you Gran's birthday present then (via hivemodern.com).

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Trophy Lamp

2006-03-22T19:33:00.000Z

We've never been deer-hunting. We don't have a deer head as a trophy, either. And we'd never wanted one until we saw this trophy lamp. All of the funkiness and none of the goriness.

This very limited edition, hand-molded resin lamp is available now (unicahome.com).

Technorati tags: light, lighting, lamp, lamps, design

Mary Louise Lamp

2006-03-18T14:09:00.000Z

We got a little bit teary when we saw the Mary Louise lamp. Either this is one damn fine light, or we must be getting our period.

It's made from pmma sheets illuminated by a special fluorescent bulb. There are 8 different colour filters to choose from, but we kinda like this warm, soothing, goldy colour.

It creates a soft, ambient light that we'd want in our bedrooms or in a nooky little corner. The price will make you want to shoot yourself, but the beauty might just make it worth it. Buying it we mean, not shooting yourself.

Check it out at burovormkrijgers.nl.

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Traffic Light Lamps

2006-03-07T12:49:00.000Z

It's happened to all of us - standing at the lights waiting for the little green man to appear, and a thought hits... why not make a lamp out of the traffic lights? OK, maybe not all of us, but luckily it did for the people behind Greenlight Concepts. The lamps are made of hand cast glass traffic lights, and come in red, amber and green. What's more, they each come with a punny tag line. And you know how much we like punny tag lines:

"You won't want to "GO" anywhere without this glowing gem"

"Stop traffic and turn heads with this sparkling gem."

"Slow down or speed up for this exceptional treasure."

Technorati tags: lighting, lamps, design

Matt Gagnon: Acrylic Lamp

2006-02-27T16:30:00.000Z

The Matt Gagnon Studio is a design firm that focuses on surface, spatial and object design and their Acrylic Lamp produces a glow similar to the light from buildings at night.

We recommend buying a whole heap'a them, positioning the lamps around your apartment and pretending your roomate is Mothra [warning: Godzilla type antics may result in broken designer lamps] (via 2modern.com).

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Animal Lamps

2006-02-17T15:01:00.000Z

You know, when we were little kids we were a little afraid of the dark so our Mum left the door open, just a slither, so we didn't get scared. Then one night we woke up because our throat was dry, and discovered someone had turned the hall light off. It was pitch black, inky black, coal and magpie black and we had to stay in bed, too frightened to get a glass of water until the morning. Where were our animal lamps, huh? Our cute glowing piggy, froggy, kitty, puppy and monkey friends to guide us through the darkness?

We are so going to build a time machine and put right what once went wrong. I mean look at the elephant! And the cow! (from uncommongoods.com)

Technorati tags: lighting, lamps, children

Interview: George Scatchard Lamps

2006-02-16T15:14:00.000Z

George Scatchard is a busy man, making some of the loveliest glazed lamps with seen - but even so, he was kind enough to answer a few of our questions...

A Light Fantastic: Hi George, your lamps have a beautiful simplicity to them. What's your process when making a glaze lamp?

George Scatchard: We cast our lamps in molds made from hand thrown patterns that have been fired in the kiln. After the lamp is cast it is trimmed on the potter's wheel to remove any flaws and the mold seam mark. After this the lamp base is allowed to dry and put back on the wheel to be glazed. While the lamp is spinning on the wheel, we apply the
glaze with a brush while applying it with a rubber syringe. It usually takes about 4 coats of glaze. After this, the lamp is fired to about 2400 degrees F. in our gas kiln. We use a smokey flame to develop the colors in our glazes.

A Light Fantastic: Why do you apply the glaze by hand?

George Scatchard: This method of glazing allows us to control the thickness of the glaze application which is critical to get the look we want. The idea is to get a uniform coating that will develop the color we are after.

A Light Fantastic: You've used a converted horse barn as your pottery shop since 1972. How has your lamp design evolved since you first began?

George Scatchard: When we started, I made all kinds of pottery by hand on the potter's wheel with the help of a few apprentices. Over time the lamps became a popular item with our retail customers at the shop. Eventually, we decided that there was big enough demand for the lamps that we could market them nationally to furniture stores. After placing an ad in a national lighting magazine, we were picked up by George Kovacs in New York who marketed our lamps through his catalog and the furniture shows for many years. More recently, we developed our web site which has been very successful.

A Light Fantastic: What inspires you in your work?

George Scatchard: Through all this, my design philosophy has not really changed much. I like very pure simple forms that almost look like they could have grown by them selves. The natural organic feel of these shapes is comfortable to live with and they lend themselves to being made into lamps. The light from above shows off the glazes and shapes.

A Light Fantastic: We like your advice to think of each room as a set of a play. We have a white kitchen which is a bit chilly now its winter and we want to warm it up. Any tips for using lamps to do this?

George Scatchard: Lamps are a natural focal point in any room because they are where the light is coming from. To warm up a cold feeling room there is nothing like the warm glow of an incandescent lamp illuminating a richly glazed ceramic lamp base. We make a bright red glaze that is spectacular when the lamp is turned on. The same is true of any glaze that compliments the room it is in. Many people use our lamps to give a comfortable natural feel to a room that is otherwise lit by halogen or fluorescent lighting.

See more of George's work at his lamp website.

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Suspension lamp

2006-02-06T21:38:00.000Z

The Mouette Suspension Luminaire looks like it could fly. Lit by fluorescents, its diffuser is molded into the shape of a wing (either symmetrical or asymmetrical) and hung from stainless-steel cables. A great birthday present for your friend who's a pilot, your sky diving brother, or your high-flying Dad.

Up, up and away!

Light Pollution: The IDA Interview (Part 5)

2006-02-01T10:45:00.000Z

A Light Fantastic: What can each of us do to lower our personal light emission?

IDA: There are many many many things, but here's the top ones that I would recommend.

First, on the house level, make sure that all of your outdoor lamps are pointing down and that they are fully sheilded. You can actually purchase after market shields to put on your fixtures as well. Magnaray and Parshield have created shields that we have approved at our organization. Secondly, use a motion sensor for your security lights. If the light is on all night and a criminal is going to break into your house, then that light will make it easier for the criminal anyway. If you are sleeping you can't see him whether the light is on or not and now he has the light to see what he needs to. But replay this scenario with a motion sensor. YOu are sleeping so you don't see him, but as soon as he starts to come on your property this light flashes on, which has a chance of waking you up anyway, and additionally the criminal is surprised by the light and may decide not to even bother. If the motion sensor doesn't work, try to keep the wattage down so you can at least see around your lighted area. Additionally, anyone can become a member of International Dark-sky association and we are the voice of quality lighting. The louder we can sing the better!

If you want to go beyond a personal level I recommend checking into your city's lighting ordinance and making sure it's getting enforced. So many places have lighting ordinances but they are not followed. Also if you live in an apartment complex with bad lighting, make a proposal to the landlord. They usually don't want to pay for it but they may do it if you can find a way to fund it. You can try getting the residents involved to raise the money! Also, a lot of businesses are not educated in the ways of quality lighting and will change their lighting if they are asked. We see that here a lot.

In conclusion, you can see that light pollution has many impacts on people, our lifestyle, science, and the environment. Most of the affects of light pollution are not obvious so it's not treated seriously. We are trying to work on the issue now and prevent bad lighting in the future so that we can come to an understanding with our environment, or science, and our rights as human beings to see the night sky. We treat it very seriously, and we hope to make a difference in our worlds future of light pollution. It's bad now, but it's still controllable.

For resources on bad lighting, good lighting, what lights to buy, how you can help, or just general information, feel free to visit our website.

Light Pollution: The IDA Interview (Part 4)

2006-01-30T13:55:00.000Z

A Light Fantastic: What effect does light pollution have on Science?

IDA: Light pollution directly affects astronomy. Discoveries in astronomy make contributions to everything from biological discveries to medicine. Most of the lights that are used are murcury vapor or high pressure sodium. Aside from being non-efficient in the energy department, these type of lamps emit thousands of wavelengths of light. When an astronomer takes his telescope and looks at a star he collects the light from the star, but also the light from the murcury vapor lamps from the city below him. That light can drown out the star he is trying to view.

Unfortunately astronomers can't take a star to a laboratory to examine it so observation is all they have. If that is ruined then a lot of science will also cease.

Astronomy has ties to physics, chemistry and biology, and without astronomy all of these fields would be impacted. For example Kepler and Newton contributed to the laws of physics that they discovered in astronomy, but we use these laws on a daily basis in daily life to hold up buildings, fly airplanes, build bridges and all sorts of things. Astronomy brought about the discovery of Xrays which we now used in the medical field. There are many other discoveries that have been made in astronomy that have been integrated into our daily lives. So indirectly light pollution can negatively affect many aspects of science.

A solution that astronomers like is a low pressure sodium lamp. These lamps are a dark orange color and they don't render color very well so they aren't used very often except on roadways and in some parking lots. The reason astronomers like them is because they only emit 2-3 wavelengths of light which is easy to filter out. If there are a million wavelenghts shining from a star and you are missing three of them, it's not going to hurt, but if you are missing thousands of them it really starts to obscure the view. Additionally the sodium lamp is fairly dim so it's easy on the eyes and works really well for security purposes plus they are the most energy efficient lamps to date.

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