Vessel lamp by Samuel Wilkinson

After the success of his award-winning Plumen lightbulb, Samuel Wilkinson turned his attention to a new home for the already iconic energy-efficient bulb and created the Vessel series for London-based design studio Decode London.

The lamp from mouth-blown glass, cut at a slant with all of the perfect imperfections that come with hand-made glass pieces that give each object its own personality. When illuminated the glass tint mutes the light without hiding the form and produces an unexpected irregular reflection that appears holographic.

The Vessel Series consists of three mouth-blown forms. The designs were produced specifically to complement the flowing forms of the Plumen 001 designed with Hulger.

Castiglioni’s Toio

Achille Castiglioni brought an element of the surrealist ‘found object’ to furniture design. Already the designer of a stool based on a tractor seat, his Toio lamp was inspired by the unusual combination of a fishing rod with a car headlight.

Designed in 1962 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, to some this lamp is an ugly, crude, almost impolite object that stands over-confidently in the room, and to others (including myself) this lamp shows its true beauty by putting everything on show including the transformer which serves as a counterweight to stabilise the lamp.

The mechanics are entirely exposed, as if you opened a car bonnet to peek inside, Castiglioni designed a lamp using a special 300-watt car headlight imported from the United States during the Sixties.

Toio’s light source suggests the type of lighting, and the lamp components determine its shape. Thus a floor lamp providing indirect light was born from assembling ready-made industrial objects, modifying their functions and giving them new applications.

A metal structure on the base functions both as handle and stem carrier and has a hexagonal chromed metal stem equipped with fishing rod loops to hold the external electrical leads; a fixing screw allows regulating the height of the stem; the remaining wire is rewound on two thin plates.

My favourite pendant: Semi by Gubi

GUBI is an innovative design company making high-end furniture and lighting. So says their website and who am I to argue.

I actually only think of them for one thing, the Semi pendant light by Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup.

I have one of these lamps hanging above my kitchen table that I found by stroke of luck on eBay a few years back. A little beaten around the edges, I contemplated trying to restore it to the glossy beauty that it once was, but then decided that the wear and tear it has endured is part of the story of its life, so have left it chipped and dented.

Founded in 1967, GUBI is one of the leading design manufacturers in Denmark. GUBI constantly seeks out new, contemporary and inventive design, which means that both classic design icons and exciting new innovations can be found in its characteristic product range.

The SEMI pendant soon became a design classic after its two designers Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup won the industrial design competition in 1967 at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture in Copenhagen.

It was during their studies that the two architect students developed the SEMI pendant, which is famous for its curved enamelled metal that forms after one fourth of a circle. The shape of the lamp and the crown silver light bulb give the light a unique spread in the room.

The SEMI pendant is today a design classic, which hangs beautifully in both private homes and public spaces.

Mathias Hahn for Marset

Marset lamps are tangible products that are designed to be long lasting. Marset are convinced they make more than just lamps. Taking care of light in its different nuances and effects to create atmospheres with character, helping to improve people’s quality of life.

That’s a tall order for anyone to make a statement about, but German-born London-based product designer Mathias Hahn worked with Marset to create a lamp that feels like it might come alive in the room.

In three forms, as wall, table and floor lamps, from £250 to £360, Hahn has created a language for all purposes.

‘Scantling floor’, designed by Mathias Hahn is a domestic floorlamp made from timber. Without the need for any counterweight this light’s adaptability relies on a hidden mechanism that uses friction without the usual self-loosening. The lampshade is made from spun and powder-coated aluminium to minimise weight.

All images courtesy Mathias Hahn

Form Sweden With Love

Stockholm-based design studio FORM US WITH LOVE have released a new collection for 2010 (okay, I am a little delayed in posting this) which really caught my eye. In particular, I was drawn to the Unfold lamp with it’s soft case that is safe from the usual head-banging that I do quite often.

“The soft silicone rubber gives Unfold a modern and warm personality. It also enables the lamp to be folded into a neat package by a slight push on the top. Just open and unfold your new lamp”

The UNFOLD pendant lamp offers a new take on an industrial design classic. Crafted from soft but strong silicone rubber, Unfold projects a modern and warm personality. The soft material also allows the lamp to be folded into a neat package. – Just open and unfold your new lamp.

You can see more images and the rest of their collection at www.formuswithlove.se.