Bold shapes, extreme sizes, and edgy materials define a new age of high-style floor lamps.
“Instead of looking at the light, I like people to look into it,” says Long Island City, NY-based lighting designer Elizabeth Polish. Utilizing innovative materials in designing and constructing her lamps—such as painted paper, aluminum, and rubber—while working with local welders and fabricators, the results are truly one-of-a-kind works of fine art.
So what is behind the Pratt-trained designer’s inspiration? “I apply or keep [the traditional] silhouette, but make a small twist or update,” she says. The Foglia, her translucent floor lamp design of paper, aluminium, and rubber materials, features draped rubber strips near to the light source, emanating a translucent glow. The six-foot Moonglow floor lamp is crafted from airbrushed organza on Plexitube mounted over a stained wooden oak base, making for high-style mood lighting.
MacMaster’s Iris floor lamp
Borrowing from nature, London-based Alex MacMaster creates unique lighting pieces from wood that can truly make over an entire room. Employing bold sizes—some of his pieces are over six feet tall—and integrating organic shapes and features, the studio utilizes curved laminations of eco-friendly structural plywood, along with solid wood veneers in oak, walnut, maple, and cherry finishes.
“Furniture should be [as much of] an artistic statement as it is functional,” MacMaster says. “I design to make a visual impact.” One piece that makes a statement is his 56-inch-tall Cocoon floor light, comprising eight wooden “leaves” in a kind of cylindrical twist presented on a floor stand. Another bright idea is the Iris floor lamp, an organic design that mimics flower petals and stands over 76 inches.
Catellani & Smith’s Terra wire sphere light (contact for pricing).
Who can forget the old floor lamp “tree”? Thankfully, Catellani & Smith have brought their Wa Wa Terra Flex rendition into 2013 with a 6.2-foot-tall nickel-plated metal structure complete with five LEDs offering either neutral white or warm white lighting shades. Additionally, the PK LED Gigante Standing Lamp features a nickel-plated metal base and structure juxtaposed with a fiberglass shade lined with gold- or silver-colored leaf or painted white. Summoning images of half-moons in the night sky, these moody and iconic pieces can create a focal point and have you looking at your room in a whole new light.
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Mood Lighting: Indoor Fireplace
Want to both lighten and brighten while creating a focal point? That’s a tall order, but here’s the answer: “Spark Modern Fires Vent Free Vu Thru gas fireplace offers a stunning fire for two rooms at once without blocking the ocean view,” says Tom Healy of Spark Modern Fires. The fireplace can accommodate decorative elements, such as stones and glass, and the ventless approach allows more design flexibility and creativity.
