Cool furniture, design objects and desiderata

[venessian]

On the subject of Iittala, thoughts on the Putki lamp by Matti Klenell?

Solely mood/aesthetic - not expecting to use it for reading

Thanks for this - it aligns with what I was thinking, though I'd have to make do with 1 or 2 at most.

I am not feeling these. They look far too oddly "night-light-ish", very "safe" design", not that interesting, an odd mixture of elements.

The opinion that they might "work better" in multiples underscores that. Great lighting shouldn't need to be papa bear, mama bear, baby bear, and baby bear's friend too...unless the lighting is candles, preferably in a venerated church or on birthday cakes.

For real object lighting, serving only as base illumination or "decoration" or "mood", if must be maybe look at more interesting examples like Artemide "Boalum" or Santa y Cole "Cesta", etc., many other variants. To me those Iitala "Putki" look very Pottery Barn generic.

 

[hayaoyamaneko]

I am not feeling these. They look far too oddly "night-light-ish", very "safe" design", not that interesting, an odd mixture of elements.

The opinion that they might "work better" in multiples underscores that. Great lighting shouldn't need to be papa bear, mama bear, baby bear, and baby bear's friend too....

For real object lighting, serving only as base illumination or "decoration" or "mood", if must be maybe look at more interesting examples like Artemide "Boalum" or Santa y Cole "Cesta", etc., many other variants. Those Iitala look very Pottery Barn generic imo.

Cesta is nice -- I feel it's equally "safe", though it seems to work in more contexts.

I must confess I don't "get" the Boalum, doesn't appeal to me.

 

[venessian]

Cesta is nice -- I feel it's equally "safe", though it seems to work in more contexts.

I must confess I don't "get" the Boalum, doesn't appeal to me.

Of course.
That is why I posted those extremes, not as solutions, only as suggestions, certainly not as prescriptions.
Whatever works for your context and tastes, obviously.

 

[TheFoo]

I don’t see anything wrong with these Iittala lights per se—but the context and environment are key. They could look awkward and ugly in one place or really nice in another.

That said, I generally dislike the notion of a lighting object. It is not effective as lighting yet not really worthwhile as a piece of art or craft.

 

[Van Veen]

I don’t see anything wrong with these Iittala lights per se—but the context and environment are key. They could look awkward and ugly in one place or really nice in another.

Definitely. It's easy miss the forest for the trees in this sense. It's about how everything comes together, not each individual object. (Though I understand why people might not want to post pics of their homes.)

 

[GeneralEmployer]

I am not feeling these. They look far too oddly "night-light-ish", very "safe" design", not that interesting, an odd mixture of elements.

The opinion that they might "work better" in multiples underscores that. Great lighting shouldn't need to be papa bear, mama bear, baby bear, and baby bear's friend too...unless the lighting is candles, preferably in a venerated church or on birthday cakes.

For real object lighting, serving only as base illumination or "decoration" or "mood", if must be maybe look at more interesting examples like Artemide "Boalum" or Santa y Cole "Cesta", etc., many other variants. To me those Iitala "Putki" look very Pottery Barn generic [bold GE's emphasis]

Well, one blog from Sweden called them fönsterarmaturs, i.e. window lamps. I think this was their sole intended application, but then the powers that be tried expand their market reach.

I think the clear lamps wouldn't look very Pottery Barn in person since it's mouth blown glass. Believe it or not, many things escape my powers of observation, but high quality glass is not one of them. I'd say proper judgement of these lamps inheres on the quality of the glass itself is, since these lamps are nothing more than reverent glass worship.

I'd wager though that retail versions wouldn't be that great, but the non-retail versions would be boss. However, very, very selective applications: wouldn't work well for 99% of spaces.

Also, the Boalum is cool because it reminds me of getting laid, back when I used to get laid, at bad Berlin art galleries circa 2010, bad Williamsburg warehouse shows circa 2000, and good small get togethers at Paulie Shore's house circa 1990.

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

Recently purchased the IC Floor Lamp from Flos based on recommendations in this thread and couldn't be happier. It's the smaller size in brass but provides plenty of needed light in my living room. It's well built and the designs feels like it would fit right at home in a variety of decor. Might consider a second one for my bedroom down the line.

We have it too. Such a great piece

R-O-T

 

[soender]

Use the Iittala Teema series, as tableware myself. Works great with modern glass and flatware designs. Lasts forever.
That said, I'd prefer Knabstrup Keramik, over KH Würtz.

 

[lordsuperb]

Before and after

 

[GeneralEmployer]

Both look like a total train wreck, but the chairs in the first picture work better with the table.

I'd put back the chairs and just clear the wall.

A pic of the whole room would give members a better idea of what's really going on (we need to know its shape and size). I'd also say those outlets are oddly positioned, and make decorating the wall a bit more of a challenge that one might suspect.

 

[Lizard23]

Both look like a total train wreck, but the chairs in the first picture work better with the table.

I'd put back the chairs and just clear the wall.

A pic of the whole room would give members a better idea of what's really going on (we need to know its shape and size). I'd also say those outlets are oddly positioned, and make decorating the wall a bit more of a challenge that one might suspect.

disagree.

 

[lordsuperb]

Both look like a total train wreck, but the chairs in the first picture work better with the table.

I'd put back the chairs and just clear the wall.

A pic of the whole room would give members a better idea of what's really going on (we need to know its shape and size). I'd also say those outlets are oddly positioned, and make decorating the wall a bit more of a challenge that one might suspect.

It’s a small place. The plastic chairs and mirror have been donated.

A shot of when I first moved in.

 

[gdl203]

I think the changes are an improvement @lordsuperb. The pendant feels a bit small and too high for this area. I think that a beautiful pendant (something with a lot of personality) that clears 3’ above the table will make this dining area quite nice.

 

[GeneralEmployer]

What bothers me, outside of the painting, is something very subjective. I don't like pairing light colored woods with non-wood black materials or stone. (In general, the less wood is paired with stone, the better). Below are some example from V's beloved AD that I have contempt for. I'll show you what I mean:

I think the decorator here strains to make this setup work. The chairs pair with the base of the table, and the light fixture and artwork on the wall ties in with the light and dark concept. So while it works on a purely theoretical level (in a way LS' setup does not), the contrast feels like it is contrast for contrast's sake.

In LS's case, since he has fabric chairs, he could have made it work better by having darker legs. When I upvoted his selection for green saarinen chairs, I assumed he'd go with darker legs, not what appears to be oak. Obviously though, this all very subjective.

Imagine paying money for somebody to play a joke of this magnitude? The spirit of the chairs are referenced in the other pieces of the room, but they do violence to the saarinen table. I feel that black chairs with chrome legs and a dark cupboard were an obvious and superior choice. There are perhaps better choices to be sure, that require a lot of thinking, but if you don't like to think go with the obvious. Also, the rug, which I will not start in on. I classify this as a train wreck on an order higher than Lord Supreme's. Occupying such a space would give me a perma-Mrs.Lincoln-migraine.

 

[lordsuperb]

I think the changes are an improvement @lordsuperb. The pendant feels a bit small and too high for this area. I think that a beautiful pendant (something with a lot of personality) that clears 3’ above the table will make this dining area quite nice.

Yeah, its the first thing that caught my eye when I switched out the mirror for the painting. I should've had this stuff figured out from the get go but I've been busy buying clothes from NMWA!

What bothers me, outside of the painting, is something very subjective. I don't like pairing light colored woods with non-wood black materials or stone. (In general, the less wood is paired with stone, the better). Below are some example from V's beloved AD that I have contempt for. I'll show you what I mean:
View attachment 1488397

I think the decorator here strains to make this setup work. The chairs pair with the base of the table, and the light fixture and artwork on the wall ties in with the light and dark concept. So while it works on a purely theoretical level (in a way LS' setup does not), the contrast feels like it is contrast for contrast's sake.

In LS's case, since he has fabric chairs, he could have made it work better by having darker legs. When I upvoted his selection for green saarinen chairs, I assumed he'd go with darker legs, not what appears to be oak. Obviously though, this all very subjective.

View attachment 1488404

Imagine paying money for somebody to play a joke of this magnitude? The spirit of the chairs are referenced in the other pieces of the room, but they do violence to the saarinen table. I feel that black chairs with chrome legs and a dark cupboard were an obvious and superior choice. There are perhaps better choices to be sure, that require a lot of thinking, but if you don't like to think go with the obvious. Also, the rug, which I will not start in on. I classify this as a train wreck on an order higher than Lord Supreme's. Occupying such a space would give me a perma-Mrs.Lincoln-migraine.

A work in progress for sure, but I'm happy with the chair legs. I took everyone's recommendation in adding the folding chair.