Turning Kitsch Into Couture. Teardrop Lighting by Bodo Sperlein.

Bodo Sperlein's work for Lladro and Nymphenberg caught my eye years ago and since then, I've been a fan of his elegant pieces and home decor. His Red Berry and Dibbern Black Forest Dinnerware have long been atop my wishlist. Here's yet another unique collection by Sperlein that preserves an endangered skill and turns it into contemporary pieces for the home.



His unique collection of pendant lighting, Teardrop, highlights Bodo Sperlein’s interest in preserving and celebrating traditional skills. In this case, he has re-imagined and updated hand-made bone china flowers which had fallen out of style and were considered kitsch.

With such a small group of ladies left in Staffordshire dedicated to this craft of handmaking, Sperlein sought to ensure that these skills survived into the 21st century and did so by taking delicate and detailed plain white bone china flowers and fusing them to dramatic hand blown teardrop-shaped borosilicate glass pendants. In addition to looking unusual, they cast flower shaped shadows.




Available in two sizes, you can buy them online here.

See more work by Bodo Sperlein here.

Philippe Starck Gives A Modern Makeover To Baccarat's Traditional Zenith Chandelier.

Baccarat's classic 12 light Zenith Chandelier gets a modern makeover by Philippe Starck as both a floor lamp and suspended lamp. Named the Marie Coquine, the 12 light chandelier and floor lamp take the classic crystal design and add some whimsy with an umbrella like shade and sandbag-like weighted counterbalance.

The original iconic Baccarat Zenith Crystal Chandelier:

above: the Classic Zenith 12 light Crystal Chandelier for Baccarat sells for $30,700.00

The new MARIE COQUINE CHANDELIER 12 LIGHTS - a cheeky and innovative reinterpretation of Baccarat’s classic Zenith chandelier by Philippe Starck:



Clear crystal and white lampshade, Price: $29,500.00

Pushed even further, the floor lamp version is an innovative reinterpretation that includes a counter weight.

The new MARIE COQUINE FLOOR LAMP by Philippe Starck:


Clear crystal and white lampshade by Philippe Starck, Price $38,000.00

Both are available from Baccarat

Murano Glass Skull Chandeliers By Philipp Plein

For Philipp Plein, the skull is deemed to be a symbol for art, beauty and the celebration of life. The motif plays a central role in the design of the 31 year old designer and is a highlight of the new Murano crystal collection.


above: the giant Swarovski crystal skull in his new Monaco store

At MAISON&OBJET in Paris for the first time PHILIPP PLEIN presented its new Murano crystal collection to the international Interieur scene. Besides the impressive chandeliers the collection includes also drinking glasses and vases, all made in Italy. Every item is unique and intricately crafted by the hands of Muranos best glassblowers.



The shining stars of the new collection are the chandeliers. These appear in the three designs black, white and crystal and in two different sizes of 1,5m x 1,2m and 0,8m x 0,9m. The big one is composed with 105 glass elements, including fifteen delicate skulls, stars and romantic flowers with stalk.



Images of the chandelier in the Monte Carlo store:



additional photos courtesy of Monte Carlo Daily Photo

about Philip Plein:

Starting with a personal vision 10 years ago, by now PHILIPP PLEIN can look back to an amazing track record. It is the passion for the detail, the desire to meet the emotional and intellectual needs of the customer, which affect the 31 year old.

In eleven different lifestyle categories PHILIPP PLEIN offers contemporary luxury, Fashion for Men, Women and Kids, Luggage, Jewellery and Lunettes. The Home Collection includes Home Furniture, Home Accessories, Garden Furniture, Dog Accessories, Lightning and Kitchen. Exquisite materials are combined in our collections, always inspired by the spirit of Rock' n' Roll.
Unless otherwise noted, all images are courtesy of Philipp Plein.

Philipp Plein

Hans van Bentem's Custom Chandeliers For Rock And Royal Get Even Hipper

A few years ago I did a post on the chandelier designs by Dutch sculptor Hans van Bentem for Rock and Royal, a Rotterdam based company that handcrafts giant beautiful ceiling-suspended custom crystal chandeliers for a select clientele and museums (15 of the chandeliers were commissioned for the Netherlands Escher Museum).

It's time for an update on these one-of-a-kind works. Hans van Bentem's hip chandeliers continue to defy the traditional ornate crystal monstrosities that we are used to seeing, now with even edgier designs.



Made from high quality Bohemian crystal, each is a hand crafted, custom-made work of art, tailored to the customer's personal taste and specifications.

The taste of their customers has grown trendier since my last post, given that their impressive works now include more weapons, a diamond, a dick and even a 'virus':

Gun:

M-16:


Bomb:

Diamond:

Dick:

Virus:


The creations also include a Human form, a Buddha, and a pipe that seems to be inspired by surrealist Magritte's famous "This Is Not A Pipe" painting:

Human:

Buddha:

Pipe:


Of course there's the requisite Skull and Crossbones:

and a Spider:

and a Shark:


In addition to these unusual, but really beautifully crafted pieces, they do have some kinder, gentler creations.

Bird:

Seahorse:

Lion:

Bottle:

Airplane:

and some very random ones like the Hammer and Sickle:

and a Wheelbarrow:

Some really incredible installations:







Rock and Royal also creates custom mosaics by artist Arno Coenen, you can see those here.

Rock and Royal
P.O. Box 21046
3001 AA Rotterdam
The Netherlands
tel. 0031 (0) 10 - 280 71 71
fax 0031 (0) 10 - 280 70 71

About Hans van Bentem:


Born in The Hague, he now lives and works in Rotterdam, the Czech Republic and China. A multi-talented artist, he works in ceramic as well as glass and creates many installations and sculptures beyond the chandeliers, like his wonderful glass aliens, a few of which are shown below:


see his own website here.