I recently came across some beautifully hand made table lamps by American jewelry designer Kerry MacBride. He uses travertine, black onyx and white quartz in his luxurious pieces. Not one to overlook details, he even built the lamp’s dimmers into the sockets. Finally somebody looking to resolve a problem!
What I also like is that Kerry has made these lamps customizable. You see, the cut stone can be stacked in different arrangements so the pieces have the potential to be quite unique. This must be a trend in lighting. Last October I wrote about Simon Moore’s balustrade lamps exhibited at the London Design Festival. Moore’s can also be reconfigured and are made from cut and etched crystal.
Customizing and designing for a specific project or place is something a designer must always consider. I for one, enjoy designing custom pieces. But I also have my thoughts on designing for designing sake. I don’t think that reinventing the wheel is always necessary, especially when the client is footing the bill!
The best alternative is then to find pieces that may be altered to appear customizable … and these lamps do the trick. My favorite of Kerry’s lamps is the black Thebes (top); it’s the right lamp for a strong masculine and sophisticated aesthetic.
image credits: Kerry Macbride
Subscribe | Follow