Recycled Chandeliers

I am past due for a new post on recycled lighting. Sorry for that. These cool lights are by Christian DuCharme, a Swiss designer from Zürich. Previously a set designer and window display artist, Ducharme now works as an interior and accessories designer.

The first light is titled 300 Cups Lamp. As you might guess, it was created from 300 cups. DuCharme’s other lights are made from plastic spoons and coffee filters. I think he really loves coffee or coffee houses.

This playing card sphere is from graphic designer Nick Sayer. He’s a master at creating geodesic spheres. I especially like the one he made from bicycle reflectors. For the first lamp, 270 recycled poker cards are precisely cut with 4 slits and locked together – no glue! The Coke bottle light is also amazing when I think that it is held together without any adhesive.

November 17, 2011

Plumen Bulbs

Plumen is the antithesis of low energy light bulbs as we know them. Rather than hide the unappealing traditional compact fluorescent light (CFL) behind boring utility, Plumen 001 is a bulb you’ll want on show.

The manufacturer, Hulgar, notes that what the bulb offers in aesthetics can sometimes be the tipping point for on-the-fence consumers who aren’t easily willing to pay the extra few dollars for the eco-friendly bulbs. While Plumen is currently available only in Europe right now, it is coming to the US next year and will probably cost $30.

The PLUMEN’s name comes from the plume-like forms that drop from
the pendent fitting, twisting together as they fold outward. A bird’s
plumes are not functional and unlike their flying feathers they signify
pride, beauty and prowess, qualities in keeping with the purpose of
HULGER’s proposed bulb designs… Surely the tubular formation of these
objects should be used to its’ advantage, drawing, sculpting or scrawling
in the air with light, turning these afterthoughts into centrepiece and perhaps
in the process creating designs that people will buy through genuine
desire rather than mere moral obligation.

Follow this link for a Special Sale. November 2011

January 10, 2010

Bic Biro Recycled Chandelier

This fabulous chandelier made from 347 Bic Cristal pens and 347 paper clips. It is on display at the Science Museum of London as part of the exhibit Plasticity – 100 years of making plastics. The exhibit celebrates the ingenuity involved in creating “the first truly man-made material,” as well as its modern substitutes, while looking at the environmental implications of this discovery and plastics’ subsequent spread around the world.

The Bic Biro Chandelier was made by Spanish design company enPieza Studio. This is not their first light made from recycled pens. They have created a table lamp named the Volivik 50 from various color Bic pens and the Volivik 77 pendant light from orange pens.

The chandelier reminds me some of the chandelier made from plastic coffee stirrers that I mentioned a while ago on KitchAnn Style. The pens in the close up view also seem to be full of ink so I am not sure they were not purchased solely to make the lights.

May 27, 2009August 7, 2017

2009 KBIS Product Showcase

Guest post from Jamie Goldberg

These are some of the products I spotted at the 2009 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show that I thought fellow KitchAnn Style readers would enjoy. As I always check this blog for the latest and greatest, it was an honor and a challenge looking for new things that would interest KAS readers.

TOTO-LY EXCELLENT

Toto can always be counted on for great product introductions, and this year was no exception. My favorite releases were the Luminist series of resin lavs that could be lit from below with LEDs or even fluorescents. Your lav could be illuminated with colored – even changing lights – for a dramatic powder room or master bath. (Night lights never looked this good!)Another Toto favorite of mine was the Waza Noir. Not only is it sculpturally beautiful, its finish is as smooth and touchable as velvet.

KOHLER ME WHITE AND GOLD

Kohler has redefined the white fixture. And the results are soft, matte and elegant. Its new Honed White lavs and toilets feature a gentler-toned finish that lends itself beautifully to spa style baths. Rather than the traditional, glossy paper look, Honed White looks like Haagen Dazs vanilla bean ice cream. KitchAnn Style readers may particularly enjoy the new Reve contemporary bath suites in this luscious new finish.

Kohler also reintroduced gold to the designer’s palette with its Vibrant Moderne Brushed Gold. It’s got a polished companion, too, but I think the softer brushed works best in these hard-edged times.

I was also taken by Kohler’s new Parity bath, which features a richly-stained transfer seat. While this wooden perch makes it easier for someone to get in and out of the tub, it also makes it easier to keep bath goodies at hand, or even add candlelight to your bath.

TECH NOTES

Many of the top appliance manufacturers stayed home this year. Two, however, brought their A Game. LG introduced a new double drawer French door fridge with automation. If you’ve ever wished for a third hand, this may be the appliance for you. A control panel on the front of the fridge makes it easy to open the freezer drawers without bending or tugging.

Bosch is also making it easier to work in the kitchen. Its new AutoChef Induction Cooktop includes pre-sets for frequently-made foods. I’ve been a big proponent of induction, and I know Ann is a fan of this energy-saving technology, too. One hesitation clients have had is that they’re very comfortable cooking with electric or gas and aren’t sure how to adjust their recipes for induction. This is a good solution, and a pretty sleek cooktop, too.

Robern has brought a touch of technology to the medicine cabinet. Its new Uplift series can hold a flat-screen TV, along with your standard bath fare. Its sleek design incorporates a door that slides upwards, creating a range of new design options.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Design enthusiasts know that great hardware can update your home in a heartbeat. If they’re fans of the world-renowned Clodagh, they might be interested to know that Du Verre has released two new lines of cabinet hardware the famed interior designer created just for them. One is called Primitive. The other is Stacked. Both are fun, quirky and unique, and will definitely update any room they show up in.