Lighting Trends

Funky Hand Blown Light Bulbs by Pieke Bergmans

2009-05-29T20:02:00.004-04:00

Ai yi yi! So much going on. Apologies for not updating as frequently as I might like. First of all, I wanted to mention that tomorrow is the last day to use that nice coupon code that my sponsor CSN Lighting generously allowed me to use on my blog this past month. Save 10% on your order by entering the code 'TRENDS10' at checkout.

While checking out Dezeen today, I found this funky collection of hand blown light bulbs, lit with energy efficient LEDs. Light Blubs Special Editions comes to us from Dutch designer Pieke Bergmans as part of her Design Virus project. I love how these pendant lamps, floor lamps, desk lamps and table lamps look paired up with that old office furniture. It actually looks kind of eerie...sort of like they were all that survived in an office fire. Interesting indeed. They were on display last month in Milan. Lights out until next time!

Photos from Dezeen

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Protest Through Design: Ingo Maurer's "Euro Condom"

2009-05-15T14:52:00.007-04:00

This is interesting. As of September 1st, it will be illegal for manufacturers to sell frosted incandescent bulbs to retailers anywhere in the EU, followed by the banning of all incandescent clear bulbs in September of 2010. According to a report in the UK's Daily Mail, "the Government says frosted bulbs were in the first wave of the ban because they were 'the least efficient of all incandescent bulbs'."

This move is sparking some criticism from retailers who claim that "alternative low energy bulbs are inadequate and expensive." The modern design community is also reacting to this new ban. German lighting designer Ingo Maurer launched something he calls "Euro Condom," in protest against the new European guidelines.

According to Dezeen, "the opaque condoms fit over clear incandescent bulbs - which are not affected by the guidelines - to give a similar effect to the banned bulbs."

Directly from Maurer himself - "The Euro Condom consists of a thin, heat-resistant silicone cover that turns a clear bulb into a frosted one. Frosted bulbs will be banned by the new EU guideline on light sources beginning September 2009, because they are said give off less light than clear bulbs."

I admire the designer's willingness and ability to take such a public stance, however I think it's good that more countries are moving away from incandescent bulbs in favor of more eco-friendly varieties. I agree though that we need more affordable and better quality options. Lights out until next time!

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Making Light out of Recycled Signage

2009-05-08T17:20:00.008-04:00

First off, I wanted to let you all know that the sale on my sponsor site, CSN Lighting has been extended until May 30th. 10% off anything on the store, just enter in the special code 'TRENDS10' at checkout!

Moving on...I love corporate signage. Driving down a highway at night, I love looking at all the illuminated Billboards. While they may or may not influence me to purchase the products, they are super cool to look at. In Boston we have the famous Citgo sign...in Chicago, where I'm from we have a flashy/animated Budweiser billboard.

Character is a Finnish design company that takes old signage and recycles it, turning them into bright little sculptures. After dismantling the signs, Character cleans up the individual letters, adds a new transformer, eco-friendly LED lights and a power cord and then reassembles them. They are also made weather-proof for outdoor use and have a life span of 30,000 hours (thanks to the newly installed LEDs). They have been tested to meet the European electricity standards. Pretty innovative!

Designed by Aleksi Hautamäki, they are only available in Finland for the time being. Bummer. The cheapest one I found was a lower case "e" for 120 Euro which is a little over $160. Lights out until next time! - Inspiration & Photos via Yanko Design

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Ten Percent Off All Orders at CSN Lighting!

2009-04-20T07:49:00.007-04:00

I'm very excited to announce a limited-time-only coupon code from my sponsor, CSN Lighting! The generous people over at CSN Lighting have given you, my readers, a special 10% coupon code to use on all of your orders over at CSN Lighting!

This is the first time I've done anything like this, so I'm pretty jazzed about it. Simply browse CSN Lighting's huge selection of bathroom lights, pendant lights, floor lamps, outdoor lighting, ceiling fans and more, and at checkout enter in the code 'TRENDS10' to receive 10% off of your order. You have until [EDIT] May 30th to use this coupon code, so do some shopping and take advantage. Happy Spring and lights out until next time.

Handmade Paper Lanterns from the HiiH Gallery

2009-04-20T07:19:00.008-04:00

Spring fever has officially hit me. I love walking around Boston and seeing the little flowers poking their heads out of the dirt and the little green buds on all of the trees. The bitter cold has made way for milder temperatures and the Swan Boats are out in full force, floating around their home in the Public Garden.

In honor of spring I thought I'd share these really cool paper lanterns that I found while perusing Apartment Therapy this morning. They come to us from the Portland-based HiiH (pronounced "Hi Hi") Gallery and they are all handmade! Exquisite! Made from all natural materials, including beeswax and walnut dye, these gems are also inspired by nature - mostly marine and plant life.

The collection includes both indoor and outdoor lighting, the latter you can even rent for special events. Custom pieces can also be commissioned. Visit the HiiH Gallery for specifications and rates.

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Modern Outdoor Lighting by Gaspard

2009-04-07T16:58:00.007-04:00

I don't know about you guys, but I just never can keep a plant alive for more than a couple of months. I water them, I put them in a pretty little pot, I give them plenty of sunshine. It doesn't seem to matter! They always die. It's sad, really. This is partially what scares me about this new outdoor lighting line, Lalune, designed by Gaspard.

Live Spanish moss over a simple black metal frame, that's seemingly all there is to this lamp! Part of Plato's Oasis Collection, a series of outdoor furniture that combines live plants, wood and metal to create some visually interesting concepts.

If you ask me, this looks like the modern answer to a Chia Pet. What do you guys think? I'm intrigued! Happy spring and lights out until next time! -Via Yanko Design

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Rustic Chandelier by coe&waito

2009-03-20T17:24:00.006-04:00

Well this is kind of sad news. I was going back through all of my Internet Explorer bookmarks, looking for some cool lighting, and I found this old post from January on Black. White. Yellow, one of my favorite design blogs. They did a post about this really cool bonfire-looking chandelier by coe&waito. According to the coe&waito website, "as of spring 2009, coe&waito will be shifting focus away from studio production to work exclusively as a design consultancy." They will only be accepting orders through April 1st! That's so soon! See what stock they still have and place your orders ASAP on the coe&waito website.

I don't even know if the Hidden Fires Chandelier is still available. It looks like it might have been a special production and not available to the public. I couldn't find it on the website. I'm sure it's out of my price range, but all the same, sad news! What I love about this chandelier is the cool light pattern it makes on the ceiling. I could totally see this hanging in a rustic hotel lobby in Jackson Hole, WY or something. What do you all think?

Lights out until next time!

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Vibia Modern Lighting

2009-03-13T14:30:00.006-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for cool, modern lighting and contemporary lighting lines, so when someone told me about the Spanish lighting manufacturer, Vibia, I just had to take a look. I love how Vibia's line of pendant lights, chandeliers, table and desk lamps work just as well in a residential setting as they do in an office.

Vibia was founded in Barcelona in 1987, later merging with Grupo T in 1999. Vibia remains focused on lighting, while Tramo (another trademark under Grupo T) produces office furniture systems and office chairs.

Every Vibia fixture is made from the highest quality materials, each handcrafted with extreme care. Super sleek finishes and exquisite detailing makes Vibia lighting a standout in the modern lighting industry. What do you guys think of these lights? Lights out until next time!

Vibia Slim Mini Pendants - $524 (each)

Vibia Infinity Large Pendant - $1,188.00

Vibia Slim 4 Light Pendant - $1,524.00

Vibia Forest Floor Lamp - $1,432.00

Vibia Forest Pendant - $1,092.00

Vibia Swing Adjustable Table Lamp - $628.00

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Tip This Light - Ataton by Cedric Ragot

2009-02-27T16:14:00.007-05:00

I'll admit it. I'm a klutz. Self proclaimed klutz here! I'm not a walking disaster or anything like that. You won't see me walking into walls or tripping up the stairs - let's just say I'm not too smooth on my feet. This is why Ataton, a floor lamp by French designer Cedric Ragot would be my worst nightmare! Tip it over in one direction and the light comes on. Knock it over in the other direction and the light goes off.

I can just see myself tripping over this thing in the dark...which I guess would turn the light on. I could also see myself tripping over this lamp in the light and turning it off. It's an interesting concept I guess. I just wouldn't know what to do with it. It reminds me of the lights that you might find on a vacuum cleaner to help you vacuum under a table or something. Where would you use this and what would you use it for? Oh, by the way, it's a conceptual design and not available for sale quite yet. - Via Yanko Design

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Shimmering Carpet Creates The Illusion of Light

2009-02-20T23:17:00.016-05:00

Why buy a floor lamp, when your floor can be your lamp? Alright, that's a bit of an exaggeration but check out this innovative new flooring from Swedish design company, Bolon. More optical illusion than actual lighting, Bolon is certainly bringing something unique and different to the table...or should I say floor?

Having created woven vinyl flooring for more than 50 years, the company clearly knows what it's doing. Intended for use in public and commercial spaces like offices, retail outlets, museums and hotels - Bolon's brand of vinyl flooring is both durable and stylish.

According to the website, the top layer or weave is fused with the rear coating, which is made up of PVC as well as an integrated layer of non-woven glass fibre. With a new year comes the new Twilight collection, which possesses a slightly metallic/shimmery look. With a 5 year warranty, Twilight is fire resistant, slip resistant, sound absorbent and does not fray. Additionally, Bolon utilizes eco-friendly manufacturing processes and its flooring is recyclable!

Available in 12 different colors and patterns, Twilight's interwoven fibres play tricks on the eyes and give the illusion that it's being lit from underneath. Simply stunning! Now if only these were available for residential applications. As much as I detest wall-to-wall carpeting, I don't think I'd mind having my room covered in Twilight. - Via Yanko Design & Bolon

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New Modern Lighting From Foscarini

2009-02-12T16:00:00.027-05:00

Back in December I did a blog post about my top 10 modern wall sconces. I tried to include sconces in all different price ranges, since I know that not everyone can afford a $1,100 Terzani wall sconce, as gorgeous as it might be. Among my top sconces was the colorful Bit Series from Italian designer Foscarini. Fun little amoeba-like lights that would be a perfect splash of color in any child's playroom.

While perusing All Modern Lighting the other day, I saw the red Foscarini logo at the bottom of the page and decided to dig a little deeper. I was pleased to find a bunch of fabulous modern fixtures designed by Foscarini. From stunning chandeliers to understated floor and table lamps - Foscarini has it all! Price wise, it's definitely on the high-end side with prices ranging from about $240 all the way up to $7,450.

In talking with my contact over at my sponsor site, CSN Lighting, I learned that Foscarini just introduced some new products to market. While some of the new additions are simply additional colors, there's one entirely new collection.

The Tropico Collection (Above) is brand new and features an inner cylinder that illuminates the entire fixture in a ripple of bright colors. Available in different shapes and sizes, each piece within the Tropico Collection can be customized by purchasing an optional color filter that will add an additional color element to the fixture. The collection ranges in price from $1,700 to $2,100.

The Caboche Collection was previously available in a transparent finish but now comes in a new yellow gold finish! Looking like droplets of golden amber, these fixtures shine brightly, creating cool reflections on the walls of your room. This new finish is available in floor lamps, pendants, wall lamps and table lamps and ranges in price from $550 to $2,100.

The Empire Collection, previously just available in a white and brown finish, now comes in a beautiful transparent gray. Simple and chic, this beautiful lamp will cost you about $1,500.

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Top 10 Wall Sconces

Modern Plastic Pendant Lights by Luis Luna

2009-02-05T15:53:00.009-05:00

My favorite lighting designs are the ones that bleed creativity. There's definitely something to be said for a design that seamlessly blends both form and function. There's also something to be said for a design that exhibits a sense of humor. You know that a designer is talented when a light fixture can make you giggle in your seat. These brilliant pendants by designer Luis Luna are whimsical and oh so much fun!
Gluttony is made up of those oh-so-hard to work with white, plastic flatware, while HangOver is made from red, plastic Solo cups made popular at colleges nation-wide. These one-of-a-kind lights by Mexico-based designer Luna would be even more amazing if they were available for purchase. Oh well. Gluttony was a finalist in the "house party" competition by designboom. This stuff would make for ideal kitchen lighting! Lights out until next time! - Via Apartment Therapy / Via NotCot.org

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Illuminated Faucet by Ndwelt

2009-01-30T16:15:00.008-05:00

Like fenders, bathroom lighting hasn't ever really been something that's "whipped me up into a verbal frenzy" (to quote/reference Kat Stratford [Julia Stiles] from the 1999 film "10 Things I Hate About You") but this cool concept from Swiss faucet manufacturer Ndwelt definitely has my attention! Spot is a "modern illuminated faucet" designed to be sleek, and oh-so-stylish. With its easy-to-use touch-triggered keypad you can control the temperature as well as turn the faucet on or off. The faucet's entire underside is illuminated with bright (but not too bright) light, creating quite a unique and cleansing experience. No need to tell your kids to wash their hands twice with this cool bathroom fixture! I'm sold! Shout out to ModMel for the post idea! Lights out until next time! - Via Trendir

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Louvre Lamp by Klauser & Carpenter

2009-01-29T16:34:00.008-05:00

Apologies for the MASSIVE delay between blog posts. This has gotten insane! I'm not one for making excuses but between work and this cold/flu thing I've been battling, I've been a wreck and not suited for blogging. All of that aside, how about some bright, cheery colored lamps to lift your spirits during this hot (cold) mess called winter? Apartment Therapy made mention of the Louvre Lamp a while back but I had other things to blog about at the time so I put this on the back burner.

Designed by German/British design team Andre Klauser & Ed Carpenter for Established & Sons, the Louvre Light was inspired by sunlight coming through louvre window blinds. This suspension lamp is available in 2 sizes and a variety of metal finishes, including powder-coated and colored anodised aluminum or patinated brass. Soo pretty. I could totally see this used as modern kitchen lighting. That bright blue would just look so nice against a crisp, white kitchen. Yay or Nay on this design? Lights out until next time! Via Apartment Therapy / Established & Sons

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Peel This Light - Concept Design by Sehwan Oh

2009-01-16T14:59:00.006-05:00

I saw this on Yanko Design the other day and I just had to share it with you all! I'm all about simple design concepts that are presented in a unique and interesting way. The Peel Off Light comes to us from Korean designer Sehwan Oh and it's essentially a lamp that's covered with pre-scored tiles. In it's original form, the lamp appears to be one solid color with tiny, thin lines of light crisscrossing all over the body, but start peeling off the tiles and you have created something completely new. From pendant lights to floor lamps, the possibilities for this design are endless! I have a tendency to keep picking at things so I have a feeling I would just get fidgety one night and peel off all of the tiles and be left with nothing at all. Oh well. No word on whether this will be available for purchase any time soon or not. For now it's purely conceptual. Lights out until next time! - Via Yanko Design

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Zip Up This Lamp by Merry Design Studio

2009-01-15T15:53:00.007-05:00

I don't know about you, but I love zippers! Add zippers to pretty much any product on the market today, and you'll make me happy. Ziplamp comes to us from the Spanish design house, Merry Design Studio and it's a pretty simple concept. Simply unzip the lamp to increase the intensity of the light. Leave a tiny sliver of light for some night time reading, or illuminate your space by unzipping it all the way to the bottom. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

According to the Merry Design Studio website, "Ziplamp is a stick made of Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), wrapped by a Neoprene cover with a vertical zip." While Ziplamp is is purely in a conceptual phase at the moment, I can definitely visualize this being used in home lighting applications. Bag this up and ship it my way, please! Lights out until next time! - Via Yanko Design / Merry Design Studio

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Star Wars Wall Sconces in a Paris Hotel

2009-01-05T11:59:00.009-05:00

Philippe Starck is a design mastermind! From his popular Louis and Victoria Ghost Chairs to the cartoonishly-cute Bubble Club Arm Chair, Starck keeps dazzling the design world with his creative and fabulous creations. A while back I saw this post on Apartment Therapy (via Design Therapy) about this Parisian hotel that Starck designed, called Mama Shelter. Mama Shelter is located in The Bohemian District of Paris, and with rooms starting at 79 Euros (a little over $100), it's somewhat affordable! Here's a bit more about the location, straight from the Design Therapy website:

"Located in the Saint Blaise quarter just across the street from Le Fleche d'Or, the quarter's legendary rock and electro club, this boutique hotel was created by the Trigano family (founders of Club Med) and French Philosopher Cyril Aouizerate. The exposed concrete walls, mirrored surfaces, dark mood lighting and graffiti covered ceilings perfectly compliment this out of the way, funky neighborhood that's often compared to New York's lower east side."

The rooms come with a wall-mounted 24 inch iMac, free WiFi, Kiehl's cosmetics and other amentities. Oh...plus Starck's signature furniture! Check out these funky-cool Star Wars sconces and the lighted headboard. I love the look of these rooms! Next time I can afford a little Parisian getaway, I'm definitely going to look into this hotel! Lights out until next time! - Via Apartment Therapy/Via Design Therapy

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The Brand New 2008/2009 Times Square New Year's Eve Ball

2008-12-31T14:33:00.013-05:00

Well folks. In just a few hours, 2008 will be over and we will be ushering in a brand new year (I will also be celebrating my birthday!). In my post on Monday about LED street lamps in New York City, I briefly mentioned my desire to one day spend New Year's Eve in Times Square. Well, in my blog post I included a picture of the brand new 2008/2009 New Year's Eve Ball! I decided that since it's New Year's Eve, I would tell you a little bit about this brightly colored beauty!

The new ball was unveiled in November at a press conference in Yonkers. The celebratory orb's predecessor made it's debut at the end of the 20th century and went on to enjoy 7 fabulous New Year's Eves (from 2000 to 2007) at the top of the One Times Square building. This year's ball is a 12 foot geodesic sphere, 2 times the size of any of it's predecessor! Weighing in at 11,875 pounds, this masterpiece is covered in 2,668 Waterford Crystals. Hard to visualize, right? Well to put it all in perspective, last year's ball weighed just 1,070 pounds and was covered in a mere 504 Waterford Crystals! The ball is powered by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs and unlike previous balls, features a more varied color palette showcasing over 16 million colors and billions of different kaleidoscopic patterns.

According to TimesSquareNYC.org, this year's Time Square ball is 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient than last year's, "consuming only the same amount of energy per hour as it would to operate two traditional home ovens." That's awesome, considering how much bigger this year's ball is and it's still more energy efficient! Even if you can't make it down to Times Square tonight, don't worry! The ball is to become a year round attraction in Times Square from January through December. Have a happy and safe New Year and lights out until 2009! - Via Times Square Alliance

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LED Street Lamps in New York City

2008-12-29T13:49:00.009-05:00

One thing I've always wanted to do for New Years witness the great Ball Drop in Times Square. I'm not a big crowd person, and I've heard that New Years Eve in the Big Apple can be a pretty hellacious scene!

Last year I visited my friend in Brooklyn for New Years. We walked over to Prospect Park and enjoyed the fireworks while freezing our toes off. It was lovely! It was my first time seeing Prospect Park, which was cool. Much of Prospect Park was designed by famed landscape designer Frederick Olmstead, who played a large role in Erik Larson's Devil In The White City, which I had just finished reading. In addition to designing Prospect Park, Olmstead also was responsible for Central Park and much of the landscaping done for the 1893 Colombian Exposition in Chicago, the events of which were chronicled in Larson's book.

Anyway, back to the Big Apple itself. According to Inhabitat, New York is getting closer to installing energy-efficient LED street lamps! In the coming year, 6 eco-friendly street lamps will be tested in a select area, and if proven successful, the rest of NYC's street lights will be replaced with these new energy efficient models. That's over 300,000 street lights! Cool, right?

According to Inhabitat, New York City’s Department of Transportation is working with the Office for Visual Interaction to completely re-design the street lamps. If successful, these new street lamps could reduce the city's power usage by 25 to 30 percent! Additionally, since the lamps are using super efficient LEDs, the bulbs will last a lot longer - from 50,000-70,000 hours compared to the existing high-pressure sodium lights that last only 24,000 hours. Let's hope this idea takes off! Lights out until next time! - Via Just Cool Design / Via Inhabitat

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LED Bonfire Lamp

2008-12-26T09:10:00.007-05:00

I'm house sitting for a friend this week while she's away in Seattle. The other day I accidentally flipped a switched that turned off the furnace. Needless to say, it was freezing! Oddly enough, the warmest room in the house was the bathroom. My friend has this bathroom lighting with a heater vent which blows hot air down from the ceiling. Interesting. I had never seen one of those before except in a hotel bathroom. Luckily, I was able to remedy the situation by finding the switch that I flipped off by accident. Good thing, as I wasn't too keen on spending my entire Christmas in the bathroom!

Anyway, I found this cool conceptual piece called the Bonfire lamp on Yanko Design. Designed by Kang Kyung Lee, all you have to do is twist them around in your hands to turn them on. No word on how these lights are powered but they use eco-friendly LED lights. They don't produce any heat like a real bonfire would but they are still pretty cool! I don't know what I would use them for. A table centerpiece maybe? Ideas? Lights out until next time! - Via Yanko Design

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Kurrency Chandeliers by Stuart Karten Design

2008-12-24T09:14:00.009-05:00

Christmas is tomorrow and I'm already thinking about presents. This year, I'll be celebrating the holiday without my family. I was supposed to fly in to Chicago last weekend to celebrate Hanukkah, but the weather prevented that excursion :-( Oh well. A nice, relaxing day of movies and yummy food sounds good to me!

When it comes to my ideal holiday gift...gift certificates are the way to go! Better yet - give me cash! I know, I know. People always complain about how impersonal a gift certificate is. Frankly, I'd rather choose something that I actually want then risk having to go wait in a returns/exchanges line at the department store.

Speaking of cash, these conceptual chandeliers by Stuart Karten Design are so money - literally! The Kurrency collection of Chandeliers come in a variety of currencies - from dollars to euros to pesos. As cool as these are, I don't advise putting up one of these babies during a financial crisis. You'd be better off sticking with your old brass chandelier.

Happy holidays and lights out until next time! - Via Apartment Therapy / Via Metropolis

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Incandescent-Shaped CFL Bulbs from GE

2008-12-18T16:19:00.009-05:00

How cool is this! You've heard me talk about those energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in the past and how they are 4 times more efficient than your average incandescent bulb. The only downside that I can see is that funky spiral shape! It's just so awkward!

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Well, problem solved! GE is unveiling its brand new SmartBulb on December 28th! The GE SmartBulb features a profile much closer to that of a standard incandescent light bulb. Inside the outer glass bulb, however, you have the same internal structure that the spiral CFLs have. The new 15 watt CFL will be an equivalent of a 60 watt incandescent bulb and can last you up to 5 years (if used 4 hours per day). The bulbs will be available at Target at the end of December and at select Ace Hardware locations starting in January. You can expect to find them everywhere else sometime in April. No word on the price point but I can't imagine them being too expensive. Check out this video from GE that explains a little bit more about the bulbs. Also, you can stay up to date on other GE products by periodically checking out their YouTube channel! Lights out until next time! - Via Apartment Therapy

Photos via GEConsumerProducts.com

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Modern Electric Tree Lights

2008-12-17T15:48:00.011-05:00

Growing up with one Jewish parent, and one Christian parent I was one of the lucky children who celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah. Of course, as I got older, this thrill waned as my parents started combining presents and given that my birthday falls on New Years Day - presents were consolidated even more.

The Christmas tree was another tradition that fell by the wayside as I got older. Sad times! I've been living on my own for a few years now and I still haven't bothered to set up my own Christmas tree. This cool modern electric tree from designers Wan-jin Joo, and Hyun-Joung Yoo is giving me new hope, though! The Abre light up tree is made up of branches made from recycled plastic and featuring white LED lights all throughout each branch. A modular lighting system, create whatever shape you like by interlocking the branches together.

While not easy to decorate, this is a great mess-free, eco-friendly Christmas tree alternative! Since Abre is all white, add a twinkle of color by draping some LED Christmas lights around the branches? On second thought, maybe that's not such a hot idea. I don't know if I'd want to put on sun glasses every time I step into the living room. Oh well! Lights out until next time! - Via Yanko Design

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Modern Hanukkah Menorahs

2008-12-16T21:27:00.014-05:00

Woo...late night post tonight! I Had an event for a non-profit that I'm affiliated with and I didn't get in until just now! I just know you all were on the edges of your seats!

As you may or may not have known, I've been in Boston for about 5 years now and I don't get home to Chicago nearly as often as I'd like to. This weekend I'm going home for a quick weekend trip. My family Hanukkah party is on Sunday afternoon, after which I will be jetting right back to Boston - I know, so fast! So to get you all in the Hanukkah spirit (Hanukkah starts at Sundown this Sunday), here are some modern menorahs that I found on Apartment Therapy .

There are some real beauties here! I know that a menorah isn't a light in the conventional sense...but Hanukkah is the Festival Of Lights ...so it all ties in together. What's your favorite menorah? Happy holidays and lights out until next time! - Via Apartment Therapy

Nambe Menorah by Marilyn Davidson - $160.00

Limited Edition Rivington Menorah by Stephanie Caplan - $350.00

Festival Menorah by Chiasso - $6.00 (sold out)

Skyline Menorah by Jonathan Adler - $150.00

Olive Branch Menorah by Michael Aram - $125.00

Flexus Hanukkah Lamp by Herbert & Jeanne Atkin - $130.00 (an Apartment Therapy reader commented on the original Apartment Therapy post about this beautiful contemporary menorah, so I just had to share!)

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LED Umbrella Light

2008-12-15T09:17:00.010-05:00

While much of the East coast was battered by a terrible ice storm last Friday, Boston was only hit with a heavy rain. It could have been a lot worse! Considering many residents are expected to be without power for much of this week, I guess being close to the water was our saving grace!

While the storm is on my mind, I thought I would do a little weather-related post today. The LightDrop umbrella is a cool concept by Sang-Kyun Park. When rain drops hit the LightDrop's conductive membrane (called a PDVF), LED lights embedded in the umbrella illuminate, helping to light your way through the storm. The harder the rain falls, the brighter the light.

This is a cool concept, but I wish there was a way to turn on the light manually - for instance, what if it's really dark out but just drizzling...or snowing? Maybe I'm the only one who uses an umbrella in the snow - I don't know. I would also worry about high winds. This seems like it could be an expensive umbrella to replace if the wind turns it inside out! Here's hoping for a kind and gentle winter. Lights out until next time! - Via Yanko Design/Photos via Yanko Design

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