LED light is great, it is bright, long-lasting, energy efficient. It can also come in strips, which makes it perfect for various design projects. Designer Antoni Arola used these qualities of LED to create a line of luminous furniture, called BlancoWhile. He integrated light with shelves, bookcases, desks. The strips are hidden under the metal sheets and focused in the center to provide an even ambient illumination. The pieces are modular and can create multiple configurations, as big and bright as your space allows.
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Lamps and books are interconnected in our mind, no wonder it became a trend to bind them together physically. The Book Lamp from Groupa Studio is a great example of this dual function in action. The wire frame suggests the classic lamp form with a lampshade and a base, where the ‘base’ serves as a bookmark. Fun, simple, clever item that can enhance virtually any room.
Source: Contemporist
Italian designer Enzo Berti thought it would be fun to combine two essentials of interior design – lighting and greenery. And he was right. The result – the Eden lamp – turned out to be an unusual and fun accessory. The piece is illuminated by two LED lights – one pointing upward and one downward, which makes it a sufficient light source. And LED is not harmful to plants – another reason it is perfect for this particular project. Manufactured by Torremato, the Eden lamp comes in a variety of colors and finishes. And with your own choice of greenery, the lamp can be made to fit your specific design.
Among many delights of the Milan Design Week 2011 – Pinha lamp from Raw Edges is definitely the one worth noticing. The idea of the lamp is ingenious – you can pin your own shades to the cork base! The base itself is constructed of two halves that can fit over various hanging lights. The three-level tiered structure gives us creative freedom to mix and match shade components and allows for control over the direction and range of light. Choosing cork as a material was also a brilliant ecological move – it is sustainably sourced. And thanks to the low thermal and electrical conductivity of cork, the lamp is safe to use, no matter what kind of an elaborate whimsy you choose as a lampshade.
Source: Dezeen, Designboom
This beautiful planter/light sculpture concept, called Schattengewächs, belongs to German designer Maximilian Winkel. Unlike its botanical relatives, these ‘flowers’ are powered by darkness rather than sunlight. The light is turned on automatically thanks to the photosensor hidden in the pot. The engineering behind the Schattengewächs is fairly simple – it is powerd either by four coin cells or by two contacts (anode and cathode) directly from the soil of the flower pot. The contrast between the real planter and the light flower projection has some subtle humor to it. The Schattengewächs can add a nice accent to a roofdeck or a balcony (if you are blessed with those) and also illuminate any dark indoor area.
If you want to see something truly efficient and ergonomically aligned – lend your attention to office furniture manufacturers. They know their stuff! Office furniture has different exploitation standards, and it rarely gets changed on a whim, so – designers have to really know if their idea will still be relevant in a few years’ time, both functionally and aesthetically. For us, shoebox dwellers, it is also important. We have our own limitations and need well thought out design. Which brings me to this piece from German company TopdeQ. The Ciconia lamp, designed by Rainer Bachschmid, is a striking example of dual function done right. When folded, it can serve as a delicate ambient light sculpture, that spreads soft light around itself. But if you take the two symmetrical components apart – you get a powerful desk lamp with 30 LEDs. The reflective stainless steal, the body of the lamp is made from, empowers the light source. And with the lifespan of the LED 100,000 hours, you can forget about changing bulbs for over a decade.
Isn’t it nice when your things can perform additional tasks? Even when it is something small, like providing a place for your book… This Book Rest Lamp, resembling an outline of a house, will allow you to save your page. When you are done with your reading, simply place it face down on the lamp. The book becomes a literary rooftop, and the lamp itself – an instant night light. Made out of glass, the Book Rest Lamp contains low-heat internal CFL bulb, which gives it both safety and a warm glow.
The Stick lamp by Todd Bracher is the minimalist’s dream. Inspired by the walking stick insect, the lamp blends with the surroundings while providing an adequate illumination. This biometric design is also pleasing to the eye – the piece looks both modern and natural. The LED lamp can be pointed in any direction, the metal tubing hides the cord. Elegant, functional, space-saving… This design quite simply has it all.
If you like multifunctional, adjustable and slightly nerdy designs – you will love this lamp. The LichtKiste from German creator Clemens Tiss is a light box with two panels removed. The remaining panels are rearranged to adjust the light intensity. The LichtKiste lamp can take numberless shapes and formes. It also dobles as a side table with the possibility of shelving (when the panels are slided closer to each other). What is not to love?..
One cannot be truly design-oriented today without considering the ecological aspect of the object. This piece, for example, in addition to being a thing of visual delight, can make us feel good about the production methods. Made out of 100% recycled (and recyclable) leather, o-Re-gami lampshade, designed by Matali Crasset for Regenesi, made quite an appearance at the latest Maison & Objet in Paris. Here is how the designer conveys his vision: ‘In France, interest in post-consumer products is not new but it is difficult to find companies with a genuine will to act and find a new production logic. Regenesi represents this approach and my design revolves around playing with basic things; you start with a sheet and then proceed from two dimensions to three, generating origami shapes… Then, by slightly changing the fold, the shape can offer a different function.’ And like every genius idea it sounds and looks so simple – an unexpected material, some folding and perforating, and the magic is done. Why no one else had thought of that…
