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.

Blackboard Coated Pendant Lamps Are A Canvas For Creativity.

These suspension lamps by In-Es ArtDesign double as a canvas for creativity. Covered in matte black blackboard paint, they can be doodled upon with chalk.



Whether you decorate them with messages, designs or leave them blank, the pendant lamps which come in three different shapes with various colored interiors, work beautifully in any environment.






These lamps are also available with a concrete-like paint finish for those who want a lighter look, as shown below.



Learn more at In-Es ArtDesign

The FACETURE Machine and the Unusual Molded Vases, Lamps and End Tables by Phil Cuttence.

The FACETURE series by Phil Cuttance consists of handmade faceted vessels, lightshades and an end table. Each object is produced individually by casting a water-based resin into a simple handmade mould. The mould is then manually manipulated to create the each object's form before each casting, making every piece utterly unique.

The FACETURE machine, 2012.


The FACETURE machine's construction is simple and purposeful, screwed together to allow it to be flat-packed for shipping. Wheels make the machine portable within a working space.





The shelving beneath provides storage for freshly cast pieces, and room for the casting stool to be stored.



The ‘hopper’ holding the powder is made simply from polypropylene sheet, in the same way as the moulds.



The casting jig at the back of the machine is simple and allows the artist to peer into the mould and control the flow of the fast setting resin. This means it is being cast evenly and economically, leaving a thin yet strong wall thickness. It can be attached at two different widths to accommodate different sized moulds, such as vases or a table.


The FACETURE project was created with the support of Creative New Zealand.

FACETURE lightshades, 2012


Each lightshade is handmade, unique, and numbered on the top. They measure approximately 32cm deep x 19cm diameter and are available in blue, charcoal, pink, yellow. Custom colours are also available.

Faceture light shades must be used with a CFL/ECO bulb with a maximum wattage of 25W. (A 25W CFL bulb emits the equivalent light to a 100W incandescent bulb.) To protect your shade do not exceed this.

FACETURE vases, 2012

Each vase is handmade, unique, available in two sizes and numbered on the base.



Available in two sizes; tall - 46 x 12 cm approx. and small - 35 x 8 cm approx
Standard colours - Charcoal, blue, yellow, pink, white. Custom colours available.

FACETURE side tables, 2012

Each table is handmade, unique, and numbered on the base.

above left is the mould in which the table on the above right was cast



The tables measure approximately 56cm tall x 28cm diameter and are available in blue, charcoal, pink, yellow as per vases and light shades. Custom colours are also available.

images by Petr Krejci and Phil Cuttance

FACETURE 'wide' vase for MINT shop, 2012, on sale now at MINT

The 'wide' faceture vase, shown above, is exclusively available through the MINT store in London and retails for £375.



email mail@philcuttance.com for pricing and to order.
Click here for a list of stockists

Pin-Up Lamps by Designer Richard Hutten for Brand Van Egmond.

Pin-Up is Richard Hutten's newest lamp for Brand Van Egmond. Guest designer Richard Hutten created this fun and sexy iron lighting sculpture, inspired by people. According to BVE, Richard has always been fascinated by people, especially by people having fun.



This suspension lamp shows its soft sides with its round shapes and female silhouettes and it's fun side with it's glittering interior.



Available in four sizes, three external finishes; black, bronze or white, and your choice of a gold leaf or silver leaf interior.



White:


Black:


Bronze:



interior finishes:




dimensions:
pin-up 40: Ø15.8” x 7.9”h - uses a 1 x E26
pin-up 50: Ø19.7” x 9.8”h - uses a 1 x E26
pin-up 60: Ø23.6” x 11.8”h - uses a 1 x E26
pin-up 70: Ø27.6” x 13.8”h - uses a 1 x E26

pin-up is available in the following finishes:
bronze
bronze with goldleaf inside
bronze with silverleaf inside
black matte
black matte with goldleaf inside
black matte with silverleaf inside
white matte
white matte with goldleaf inside
white matte with silverleaf inside

Buy them here at Unica Home

Richard Hutten:


Brand van Egmond