It seems impossible to find completely unadorned industrial design like this new (or even pseudo-industrial, since this lamp was probably made for the domestic market). It’s a vintage midcentury modern lamp from Furniture-Love.com via plastolux. It is here if you just need one, and can afford it. I need two matching lamps, is my problem, and for less than a kajillion dollars. These days the industrial style seems to have disappeared in lighting design and has been replaced by a style I call for lack of a better term “contempo.” That is, design that likes to see itself as contemporary, that pretends to be minimalist but isn’t really, that’s full of overcomplicated shapes, compound curves, weird finishes or brushy nickel, and that barely disguises its secret hankering to be jazzy. If anyone knows where I can two matching articulated wall lamps, white preferably or white and silver like this one, please advise.

I would be interested to know if anyone has used a sundog. It’s a little robot that directs natural sunlight into a window all day by following the sun’s arc and consistently reflecting its light into the room. This would be nice around the time of the winter solstice, not to mention in the aftermath of Copenhagen’s failed climate change summit. The device isn’t cheap but it’s probably cheaper than moving to a brighter place, and it removes the need for expensive electric light during the day. It would likely pay for itself eventually. More importantly, it provides the correct spectrum of light, and there’s growing proof that natural sunlight is optimal for mood, thought, concentration and creativity. A similar device, the sunbender, also looks interesting. These and similar devices are made by a organization called Zomeworks who describe the sundog as follows:

The Sundog tracks the sun using the same canister technology that we use in our tracking PV racks. This system translates differences in the temperature of the compressed gas in the two canisters into movement that keeps the Sundog’s mirror aligned with the sun and reflecting delightful, useful, electricity-free light into your home, office, classroom, or other space. Sundog not only provides light, it demonstrates to the mind as well as the senses the changes in the sun’s position throughout the day, month, and year. The minimalist design allows the user to understand how it works, and easy adjustability allows user to experiment with positioning.

I discovered the Zomeworks Corporation last year when I found these photos of their 1969 “Zome” solar houses in a vintage interior design book. Each “zome” opens during the day to admit sun, and closes at night to retain heat. These dome-shaped “zonohedra” living spaces were Zomeworks’ main focus when it was founded in 1969, back when solar power and living off the grid was last fashionable. When I idly searched “Zomeworks” online, looking for more vintage photos, I was amazed to find that the company was still going. It has in fact been producing innovative solar energy technologies in Albuquerque, New Mexico for 40 years, and is now a serious producer of solar panels and other innovative solar devices.

Chandelier by Pae White. Once again from the lovely oasis known as You Have Been Here Sometime.

“Our lighting is hand-built in Japan from natural materials, including the hand-made paper (washi) of Eriko Horiki, the bent Japanese cedar of Toshiyuki Tani’s Wappa series, the coiled beech wood of the Bunaco Lacquer Ware Company, and the todomatsu pine slats of Takumi Kohgei. The lights are designed by Japanese architects and artisans who strive to create distinctive contemporary designs utilizing traditional materials and production techniques…Typically these lights provide ambient rather than functional lighting, creating that special mood or atmosphere which is best achieved through the use of soft natural materials.” These spectacular Japanese lamps are sold and distributed in North America by Vancouver company Kozai Designs.

Western European churches, especially those near or in shipping towns, often suspended a model ship from the ceiling as a symbol of good luck for sailors. The practice is probably most common in Denmark, but is fairly widespread. It would be surprising if the current craze for ship chandeliers in decor (see the ship chandeliers in houses at bottom) weren’t related to this tradition. For a whole set of photos of church ships, see here. Photo at top is in Vilnius, Lithuania; second is on the island of Seili, Finland. For photos below, click on photo for information.

Above, Canterbury Cathedral. Directly below (and at very top of post), a crystal ship in the Saints Peter & Paul’s Cathedral in Vilnius; photos by Beny Shlevich. Below that, two examples of the ship chandelier that’s become so popular now. It and others are contemporary, but there are antique versions of it too, usually from the early 1900s.

The two interior design photos above – both of them strangely aristocratic/colonial - are of a house by Jonathan Adler, top, and an apartment styled by designer Lili Diallo, below. The big ships are beautiful, even if there’s always plunder in their wake.

Various incarnations of the cafe in the Palais de Tokyo art museum in Paris, and its simple but excellent lamp array. A selection of Flickr photos by pavilion tone, Purple Cloud, roryrory, photocapy, and jennylampstand. Michael Lin’s flower floor was recently removed.