Pendant for Jane

The last light I posted here from Tokens of Living was mistaken for a spray painted Christmas ornament and went a bit viral on Pinterest in December.   This post is for my friend Jane.  Jane has impeccable design style and taste so its always a bit challenging when she says 'any ideas for my hall pendants ??'  Had to be neutral preferably with a bit of silver shine and interest, a bit of a feature but not a screaming focal point.  Her walls are soft grey.  Hope she likes it.

Image: Tokens of Living

On Air by Penny Farthing Design House

This is the ideal gift for a busy mother - I would love one myself.  Imagine firing up your On Air sign when you are talking on the phone to discourage your offspring from interrupting you.  Or for outside a study when you really need to finish something when working from home.  Or, of less benefit, for your husband to light up while pretending to be on a conference call but really watching the cricket.  Designed by Penny Farthing Design House.

Image: Penny Farthing Design House

More from Ochre

I should have known to look at Ochre's website before posting below.  The Arctic Pear also comes as a wall light and Ochre have even more beauty and brilliance to launch at 100% design in London in September.

Images: Ochre, 100% Design

Arctic Pear - the big one

Technical diffculties in abundance at present but am trying to keep trying to use blogger in IE9 - not easy I can tell you.  I have posted the Arctic Pear lamp before, but not its very glamorous big sister.


Image: via Citified

Spillray

Nothing like Milan to draw me back to the blog. Much to update, am working for Porter's Paints and for clients as an interior designer. No shortage of bookmarks just shortage of bandwidth as ever. Always a fan of a cluster light -but don't they translate well to the wall ?

Images: Axolight

Perle

Love this Perle pendant from habitat. It has that Alice in Wonderland feel when you look at it - is the room upside down or am I standing on the ceiling ?

Image: habitat

Zenith

I was at a fun session last night on styling living and dining rooms at Freedom. One of our teachers is an interior designer for Freedom and has a lot of experience in merchandising. Although I was listening in class my eyes were wandering and spotted this little desk lamp which has very pleasing proportions and is reasonably priced at $99. There is also a standard lamp in a similar design.

Image: Freedom

Pretty pendants

These Egyptian pendants are available from Tokens of Living - purveyors of a beautifully curated collection of high end European furniture, antiques and lighting. Their shop in Sydney's northern beaches area is always a joy to visit. Clusters of light fittings - especially spherical ones - are so much more generous and opulent looking than one lonley little sphere I find. The Tokens website says these lights are now much reduced in price - must call to see how much.

Image: Tokens of Living

Repeating (myself)

I am really hoping not to drop the ball completely on my blog this year. I started my diploma in Colour Design three weeks ago and since then have delivered a paltry total of four posts - none of them with very much text - hmm not looking good. And my pile of inspiring things to post about is growing by the day. So please excuse the sporadic nature of things at present.

I nabbed this kitchen shot from Desire to Inspire as I love a little repetition in an interior. Sets of three windows and lights and the cupboard drawers almost line up as well.

Image: Stuart McIntyre via Desire to Inspire

Daphine by Lumina

Like most design bloggers magazines are a key source of inspiration for me. When something catches my eye and is not referenced in the accompanying article I often drop the designer, architect or magazine a quick email to follow up on my find - with mixed results I might add as not everyone responds.
Thanks to architect and designer Vincent van Duysen's office I did get to the bottom of finding out where the light in this picture came from. The image is from a spread in Vogue Living featuring Vincent's apartment and these lights are dotted around the apartment. Being in grave need of task lighting at home and hoping to find elegant solutions I emailed his office and they kindly replied. The Daphine floor light by Lumina was designed in 1972 by Tommaso Cimini. It comes in black and silver, in a desk version and with a dimmer if required. I need to go to ecc lighting and furniture to see it for real.

Images: Vogue Living, Lumina

High standard

No Chintz is one of my local lovely fabric shops. They have a design service making blinds and cushions etc and they also make custom lampshades covering them in the fabric of your choice. I really like this standard lamp shade - it is old fashioned and modern at the same time.

Image: No Chintz

Sun light

We are having the most fabulous winter in Sydney - we have had blue skies for most of the last four weeks - to the extent that I am wondering should I water some of my plants. I can't remember when it last rained.

Its also been perfect weather to get my boys trained up on using their new Sunnan solar powered desk lamps from IKEA. A lovely idea - if you buy one IKEA will donate one to a child in a developing nation where there is no electricity so they cannot read or study after dark. So, I got one in blue and one in red and the boys are now on solar power. When the lamp runs out of power they put the solar cell out on the table outside before they go to school to charge up for the day. The cell pops out of the base so you don't have to move the lamp outside and you get about 9 hours of light from a day outside. ( you actually don't need the sun to be out to charge it but it is easier for a three year old to grasp the concept if it is !)

They are a great hit in my house and a good energy awareness lesson too I feel.

Image: Sunnan, IKEA

Flower power

I spotted this lamp - the Lotus Tripod - in an article in House and Garden about a Melbourne home built in a beautifully converted Anglican church hall. The photo at the bottom is the master bedroom and adjoining deck. More about that house later but for now back to the lamp. It is from Surround Interiors and it would appear that you can customize it. It reminds me of Vietnamese silk lamps - as if one had opened up like a flower.

Images: Surround Interiors, Homes and Gardens

Invisible man

When I see the ad for the Invisible Light Switch it always makes me smile. A few years ago some friends of mine did a whole house renovation and selected these switches. The switch is packaged with a piece of white paper behind the clear acrylic plate with the Forbes & Lomax logo and 'The Invisible Light Switch' in black letters on it. My friend arrived home one day to find the electrician happily installing the switches with the white paper behind them. Fortunately I don't think he had got through the whole house !!

Definitely for those who are into fine detailing Forbes & Lomax do all sorts of switches and sockets including ones you can paint to match your wall colour, pewter, stainless steel and the (not altogether foolproof) invisible range.

Images: Forbes & Lomax

Aperture by Claire Norcross

This is a very popular paper pendant light from Habitat in the UK although I noted on their website that they have some stockists as close to us as New Zealand. I personally think the Aperture is very beautiful and impactful closed (as in the first two shots below) but you can also open its origami like 'flowers' to scatter star shapes on your ceiling and walls which could be very pretty and effective also. Claire Norcross's work has developed quite a following and Aperture is listed in the 'future icons' sections of the Habitat online catalogue - high praise indeed.

Images: www.habitat.net

Poppy and Leaf by Jocelyn Walker

These wallpapers and lamps are by Jocelyn Walker. Apart from having a wonderful collection of wallpapers I love the way they are photographed in very 'ordinary' settings. Browsing through the catalogue online many of the images show mantlepieces scattered with the small photos and bits and pieces that most have us have in our own un-styled homes. So it makes it easy to imagine what the paper might look like in your own house. A few favourite pictures and patterns below.

Images: Poppy and Leaf by Jocelyn Warner

Arctic Pear

Love this lamp. This the Arctic Pear designed by Ochre in the UK and I think its just gorgeous. I need lamps pretty much everywhere in my house. We have been in for nearly two years now and are still way too reliant on overhead lighting. The other thing I am finding ( I am turning into such a granny) is that I need good light to read in so I have to think through both mood lighting ( see lovely reflections below) and task lighting. I have not even got a ballpark price for the Arctic Pear - am still investigating but have also managed to dig up a worthy competitor at Bisque here in Australia.

Images: www.ochre.net, Bisque Interiors

The Joker

For the little (or big) superhero in your life this is 'the Joker' by Le Klint from Funkis. It is quite big - 50 cm diameter but very sculptural lit or unlit. Designed by Christian Raeder in 1970 it does make you think of a pack of cards.

Image: Funkis www.funkis.com

Mollerlamporna

These lampshades are Mollerlamporna by Kicki Moller who is based in Stockholm. I am an avid Desire to Inspire reader and it was through one of their recent reading lists that I found Design Shimmer and these shades. The lacy shades are a little bit knickerish but pretty all the same and I particularly like the minty green one and the cream shade beside it.

Image: Kicki Moller

More bedroom inspiration

Still collecting ideas for my bedroom where space for side tables is minimal due to humungous ( but very comfortable so no regrets ) king bed that has taken over the room. My current thinking is a chest of drawers for my side wall but I also like the console pictured here - it is light in the room.

Image: Holly Joliffe via Desire to Inspire