More Swank Lamps in Rooms!

Fresh off the success of last week's post, A Perfect Pair: Swank Lighting Lamps and Neutral Interiors, we decided to do another post featuring Swank Lighting's gorgeous lamps in their most attractive surroundings: the room! We used a nifty tool on the Sherwin Williams' website called Color Visualizer to grab screen shots of different rooms we liked, and then Photoshopped a few fabulous lamp examples into the photos. Hope you enjoy this colorful dose of inspiration!

1) As was seen in last week’s post, nothing says drama like the combination of dark, rich hues and pops of crimson red. We love how this bedroom goes from “blah” with just black, gold and neutral tones, to amazing with the addition of our sweet Contemporary Large Red-Orange Teardrop Hand Blown Glass Lamps by Joe Cariati. You can see instantly the punch of color and the infusion of vibrancy that a simple pair of lamps can bring to an entire space.

2) You don’t always have to shake up the décor when adding vibrant Swank Lighting lamps; in fact, sometimes your aim is to bring a relaxing tone to a space. In this mostly all gray and white color palette for this living room, we saw already the calming and relaxed feel that the space was going for. To aid that calming feeling without letting the entire room fall into the realm of boring, we added this Vintage Murano Table Lamp in a Baby Blue Pulegoso Net Pattern. Not only does the blue go swimmingly with the other tones of the room, the pattern brings in a great texture and goes with a bit of the beach-feel of the space.

3) Who says our Swank Lighting lamps can’t be used in a casual space? This modern lounge area features sparse furnishings and a stark color scheme, but we lighten and brighten things up by adding the Pulegoso Murano Coke Bottle Green lamps. Just enough color to be exciting without being jarring, we think this simply-shaped lamp lends a great air of sophistication to this relaxed seated area.

4) You know we had to throw a bright-colored space in here somewhere! This modern dining room, much like the seated area in number three, is also sparsely decorated and features a rather harsh color palette of black, white and Sherwin Williams’ offbeat green. About the only thing not cold and modern about the space is its great wood floor, so, we used that as inspiration in choosing our Amy Grigg Contemporary Maple Wood Lamp. Soft but still with a modern outline, this lamp brings some much-needed warmth to the modern décor.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Tropical Warmth and Fun!

Austin residents are preparing for temperatures in the 20s and wind chills in the single digits! Chances are wherever you are in the country, you'll be a little cold today and tonight, too. If you aren't a winter person (and even if you are), we bet you are daydreaming about tropical beaches, sun and warmer temps. To help visualize a tropical wonderland, we've gathering out of 1stdibs' newest finds this week some palm trees, sunny skies, bright colors and more!

1) Jere birds in the sun sculpture
There might not be any actual light coming out of this fun sun sculpture, but put it on one of yours walls and watch how it illuminates an entire room!
Price: $1,700
Dealer: Gaspare Asaro

2) Swedish Art Deco Emerald Green Etched Glass Vase
This bright emerald green vase will be like a shot of boldness on a tabletop, evoking the rich colors of palm trees. And with a great scene of a lady reclining on a rock with seagulls flying by, you'll be able to visualize yourself on a sunny beach, too!
Price: $1,500
Dealer: Modernism Gallery

3) Vintage Murano Lamps Blue Long Necks by Seguso for Balboa
No room decked out in tropical stuff would be complete without bringing in the color of the sea! These gorgeous Swank Lighting lamps do just that, and in a sleek, contemporary way!
Price: $3,600
Dealer: Swank Lighting

4) Brain Coral
You can have a tropical-themed room without a little coral! Bringing with it a great texture, the feeling of the sea---buying one like this is a lot easier than finding some yourself!
Price: $850
Dealer: Foster Gwin

5) Palm Tree Mirrors and Consoles by Sirmos
Okay, I agree these are a bit...much. But they are palm tree mirrors! With palm tree consoles! How can you pass up this awesome tropical pair!
Price: $4,500
Dealer: Gustav Olivieri

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great pieces!

A Perfect Pair: Mission Style and Vintage Murano!

It’s not everyday that a style is created whose characteristics are so distinct, and whose impacts on American design are so apparent, but the Arts and Crafts Movement was one of those styles. Highlighting the handcrafted, natural-feel to furniture and architecture, this movement thrived on natural materials and simple lines. One man behind the movement really made waves for awhile: Gustav Stickley. We take one of his Mission Style chairs today and pair it with a surprising Swank Lighting pair of lamps.

When we first saw the photo of this chair paired with a fur-covered pillow we were thrown off guard. Fur in our minds (and certainly in recent years) has become synonymous with glamour, often being seen in the interiors of a style quite opposite to Art and Crafts: Hollywood Regency. But then we realized the people who styled this photo were on to something. Fur is glamorous—but also natural—and so works with this down-to-earth, no frills Mission Style Chair. Like many other pieces in this furniture style, this chair features straight lines, honest materials, no unnecessary parts and clean style, but it also looks and feels great.

Much like that glamorous fur pillow works so well with the chair, we realized that we didn’t have to restrict our Swank Lighting lamps choice for today’s feature—in fact we could pick a pair with a little luxury. And so we chose the Marbro Company Vintage Murano Lamps in Rare Purple Venetian Glass. The lamps are so traditional and nontraditional, all at the same time. Made of a great vintage glass, they come in a curvy shape, and feature a great vertical-lined texture in the glass. Gold and brass accents anchor the lamps at intervals. Our favorite part of the lamps is their rare purple color—translucent, regal and subtle.

The Stickley Mission Style chair and rare vintage Murano purple glass lamps go so well together because they’re not as different as initial glances might lead you to believe. Sure, the chair is made of all natural materials, but glass and gold are natural materials as well. The chair’s hallmark of the Mission Stylet—all wooden slats—are mimicked by the lamps vertical glass ridges. Maybe purple isn’t immediately thought of as a color found often in nature, but we think it’s the perfect complement to the wood tone of this chair. And just like the pillow accessory in the photos show us, Stickley’s style goes pretty well with a little infusion of glamour.

A Perfect Pair: The Memphis Group and Vintage Murano!

Finding a pair of lamps to work well with a Memphis Design Group piece of furniture is no easy task. With their bright colors, busy patterns and odd shapes, they pretty much steal the show of any room they occupy. We looked to our trusty vintage Murano lamp collection for this challenge and we think we made a perfect pair!

This Memphis style cabinet with drawers is a great example of the style. Featuring bright yellow and turquoise blue and black accents, the piece is certainly eye-catching. The top and side planes of the cabinet have a great 80s style gray and white pattern to it. The black drawer pulls come in two shapes: a regular round shape and then a characteristically Memphis zigzag shape. Though many Memphis style furniture pieces feature out-of-this-world shapes, we like this piece because it had a simpler frame: just straight lines. This sort of Memphis style piece of furniture could actually be used in a home today.

This pair of Swank Lighting Barovier & Toso Two Piece Murano Lamps in Canary Yellow is equally as stunning. They’re filled with an incredible pattern of controlled 24 karat gold bubbles, making it even hard to believe that the Murano glass was hand made. In pristine condition, there are no chips, cracks or scratches in the glass. Featuring a bottom-heavy shape, the height, along with the color, makes this lamp quite elegant.

Though it might seem a little “matchy” to place a pair of canary yellow lamps on top of a piece of furniture with an already strong yellow color, we think it helps level the playing field. Alone, the Memphis piece is almost shocking: in a room it could easy dominate the decor. Paired with the gorgeous pattern and canary yellow color of the lamps, the entire composition because a vignette—a thoughtful, designed corner of a room. Together, they become a retro pair of fun shapes and colors, sure to brighten up any space!

A Perfect Pair: Michael Yates' Omikoshi and Joe Cariati Lamps!

Since we profiled the fabulous Dale Chihuly, master glass artist, yesterday we thought for today’s perfect pair we’d go with someone a little more local. Austin woodworker Michael Yates creates gorgeous Japanese-inspired furniture with exquisite detail, known for not using any nails or screws in his work—just great Japanese joinery techniques. We’ve chosen one of his pieces of furniture and paired it with some Swank Lighting lamps!

Yates’ Omikoshi is unique because it’s actually a line of stackable furniture pieces. Shown in these photos are three separate units which can be rearranged based on the owner’s needs. The piece is even offered with a tall stand or a low stand, allowing for any number of configurations. The piece is a great mix of modern and ancient, both having sleek lines and stunning details known in Japanese design. Featuring Yates’ signature style of intricate joinery techniques, you’ll love this piece for as much as it looks as how it’s put together.

We profile Joe Cariati lamps a lot on the blog; we can’t help it—they’re beautiful! This pair of Swank Lighting Joe Cariati contemporary hand blown glass lamps are in the Barovier and Toso style of three stacked balls. Simple yet interesting, we love their height and the fun silhouette they would create against a wall. Our favorite part, though? The color! Available in this soft, subtle mint frost green they’re the perfect way to add a little color, without taking away from other pieces in a room!

Together, Yates’ Omikoshi and Cariati’s contemporary lamps making a smashing couple. The soft hues of the wood of the Omikoshi are complemented perfectly with the equally soft colors of the lamps. The three sections of the Omikoshi are mirrored with the three stacked balls of the lamp! Rather than take away from each other, these pieces really enhance one another’s best features!

A Perfect Pair: A Panton Phantom Chair and Vintage Murano!

In honor of yesterday’s design influence Verner Panton, we decided to choose a rather colorful combination for today’s perfect pair. Known for his gutsy and bold color palette choices, you might not immediately think about pairing the two colors we’ve chosen today, but know that just about any two colors can make a pretty dynamic pairing when on the right pieces.

Verner Panton’s Phantom Chair is a study in confusion. According to Panton, "sitting should be funny—like playing—an experience". And so he designed his Phantom chair (also known under the name Lupoflex) as more of an experience than just a static piece of furniture. This piece of furniture can be used as a chair, a 2-seater, a bench and a table. It’s also an important piece because it is his last piece of furniture before his death in 1998. Made from blow molded plastic, this chair (or table, bench, whatever) is also made in a vibrant, crimson orange-red color, making it bold and sculptural!

These Swank Lighting Barovier & Toso Two Piece Murano Lamps in Canary Yellow are the absolute definition of elegance. Tall and with an interesting, stacked body shape, the lamps themselves also become sculptural statements. The color is a gorgeous creamy yellow with a subtle oval polka dot pattern. Though a bright yellow, their softer hue makes them a more delicate counterpart to the bright crimson of the Phantom Chair.

Together, the Barovier and Toso Murano Lamps and the Panton Phantom Chair make a sunny combination of color and shape. The fact that they both possess such arresting colors and outlines makes them a dynamic and powerful combination, and would look amazing in a modern or minimalist interior where not many other colors are present. A pair like these two would be a scene-stealing combination, so it would be best to place them in a space where they can be the spotlight.

A Perfect Pair: Bertoia's Diamond Chair and Amy Grigg's Turned Wood Lamps!

Yesterday we brought you the fresh and modern designs of Mid-Century furniture maker, sculptor and artist Harry Bertoia. We loved the Diamond Chair as much yesterday as we have for years, and thought it was high time we featured it in a Perfect Pair!

We think Bertoia said it the best when he described his Diamond Chair (or any of his grid-like, steel welded furniture) “If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them." We love the description of a chair made of air, one of our earth’s elements. It makes something otherwise completely industrial looking have a more natural-feel to it. Not that the undulating curve of the back of the chair doesn’t give off a natural feeling itself. Altogether, the piece is a stunning example of furniture standing for something other than just a piece of furniture. It's good-looking, and if you’re worried about the comfort of sitting on a metal grid, know that many upholstered cushions are available for this style chair.

We’ve yet to feature an Amy Grigg hand turned wood lamp in a Perfect Pair yet, and that’s a shame! Her wood lamps are at once nature-inspired and completely Mid-Century Modern-esque. This particular pair is sleek, thin and tall, with a lovely glossy sheen. Made of stacked walnut pieces in a reversed grain pattern, the piece comes with lovely and subtle horizontal stripes. These lamps are also signed by the artist herself.

Though it might seem like we’re trying to pair two completely different styles by suggesting the Diamond Chair and the Amy Grigg turned lamps go together, at closer inspection the two have more in common than not. On the outside, sure, the Diamond Chair is a lot of metal giving off a modern and industrial-feel, but remember that it also represents one of Earth’s elements: air. In the same vein, the Grigg lamps seem sleek and Mid-Century Modern, but they are made of another one of Earth’s elements: wood. Together, these two pieces represent a powerful natural combination---and they look good together to boot!

A Perfect Pair: McCobb and Cariati!

Since yesterday’s Design Influence was a great interior designer, rather than furniture designer, we’re going to tap our archive of past furniture designer influences to choose a piece to pair with a Swank Lighting lamp today. Who did we go with? Our old favorite, Paul McCobb…

We’re not quite sure what it is, but we’re really in love with Paul McCobb’s body of furniture work. Maybe it’s the modern straight lines, the great quality or interesting use of material and color, but we love each piece we see. This great piece is a mahogany and brass credenza by Paul McCobb for the Calvin Furniture Company, made in the 1960s. What strikes us the most about this piece is the lack of external ornamentation: there are no knobs or other details to get in the way, just streamlined straight lines. That’s not to say that this piece is boring; far from it. The use of the gorgeous mahogany wood brings an amazing color detail to the piece, with the natural patterns of the wood having a chance to shine. The white vitrilite top is quite a surprise for this piece, lending an element of interest. The legs are thin, simple and brass, making them seem almost too small to support the weight of the piece, adding a bit of tension and drama to the credenza. We love that there is a lot of space created by the height of the legs, ensuring that the piece never feels too heavy.

Joe Cariati’s work is always a favorite to pair with Mid-Century furniture, and this pair of hand blown Tall Teardrop lamps in Vermillion is a perfect example. The height of the lamps is exaggerated, giving them a very regal and elegant appearance, and the teardrop shape adds a lot of interest. The color itself is bright and vibrant and looking closer you can see some very subtle striped vertical lines on the glass, adding to the verticality of the piece. Placed on top of Lucite bases the lamps really shine!

Together, Cariati’s vermillion teardrop lamps and McCobb’s mahogany credenza are a perfect pair because they make a dynamic Mid-Century statement. The simple elegance of the lamps’ height goes perfectly with the stripped-down, no nonsense appearance of the credenza. The vermillion color is just the right complement to the reddish and orange-colored earth tones of the mahogany wood. Both the lamp and credenza feature an unexpected detail, the Lucite base and the white top, respectively. Most importantly, as with many of our perfect pairs, the two work together to create a gorgeous composition—not fight each other.