Tom Dixon, a British design house established in 2002, is the latest addition to our line up of noteworthy brands. Perhaps best known (lighting wise) for their “Jack Light”, the line carries a multitude of destined classics. Jack was originally produced in 1994 as an attempted revival and celebration of industrial production in the UK. Constructed with rotary molded plastic, this playful and sculptural floor lamp begs to be stacked.

Jack Light by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

Jack Light detail by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

A personal favorite in the Tom Dixon lighting line is the “Beat” collection. These fixtures offer a variety of shapes, 2 colour options, and a contrast of finishes within each piece. Either wrapped n a matte white or black exterior, these lights feature a sparkly mottled brass interior – hand beaten by skilled craftspeople in North India. Individually, these lights are exquisite sculptural forms, but when hung as a group, “Beat” takes on a whole new visual experience.

Beat Light Stout by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

Beat Lights by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

Beat Light Wide, white, by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

Beat Lights by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

Beat Light interior detail by Tom Dixon - photo: tomdixon.net

The Tom Dixon line offers several other suspension light fixtures, table lamps and floor lamps – all at an accessible price point. We are thrilled to have Tom Dixon as the latest addition to our line up of exceptional design products.
View the Tom Dixon line on our website, here.
Visit Tom Dixon’s website, here.

Tolomeo Micro table lamps by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide

Select Artemide products are now on SALE until December 31st. Which products? All the best ones of course. The classic Tolomeo and Tizio, Melampo family, and the Castore and Dioscuri table lamps are all featured at up to 34% off.

Tolomeo Micro table lamps by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide

The Tolomeo, designed in 1999 is a hugely versatile light and come in various shapes and sizes. Shown above, the Tolomeo Micro, is the smallest version of this lamp and is available in several bright accent colours. This light became an instant design classic and can be spotted adorning the desks of architects and design savvy students alike.

Tizio table lamp by Richard Sapper for Artemide

The Tizio is a wonder of balance. This light can be maneuvered in all kinds of surprising directions, and its perfectly weighted arms and base will never fail. It also gives off a beautiful warm halogen glow that suits any office or living space.

Melamp Mega Floor lamp by Adrien Gardere for Artemide

Melamp Mega Floor lamp by Adrien Gardere for Artemide

As shown above, the Melampo family has a secret. The unique shade design allows the shade to lock into place facing downwards, at an angle, and pointing straight up. This provides either direct, indirect, or ambient lighting.

Castore Table Lamp collection by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide

Like upside down droplets of frosted water, the Castore table lamps by Michele De Lucchi are another Artemide classic. These lights come in various sizes and feature a touch technology that allows you to turn the light off and on, and adjust brightness all by the touch of a finger.

Dioscuri Table Lamp collection by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide

Dioscuri, also designed by De Lucchi, are similar to Castore in shape and finish but without the tall stand and round base. These lamps are simply beautiful glowing orbs that sit directly on the surface supporting them. Varying in price from $210-483 during the sale, this is a great time to add a little (or large) glow to your space.

Shop the sale on our website, here.

Last name: Wästberg. First name is of little concern according to the manifesto: “Lamps for Neanderthal Man”. Yes, this is a lighting line that comes with a manifesto. The manifesto is brilliant and hilarious. The designs are mega functional and super cool.

Wästberg Claesson Koivisto Rune Table Lamp - w101 - photo: wasteberg.com

“Man appeared.
Man felt comfortable and safe around light sources he could control.
Man felt comfortable and safe for 300,000 years.

Man began to over-illuminate rooms and halls.
General lighting was calibrated for the areas that needed the most light.
Far too many areas received far too much light.
Man felt dazzled and irradiated.
Man no longer felt comfortable or safe.

One of the people affected (a Swede) started reasoning to himself.
What would happen if you softened general lighting, and used direct
lighting where needed instead? A more functional, more economic,
more energy efficient, more flexible and more aesthetic lighting solution
would ensue.
But entirely new demands were made of the new direct lighting.

Man started to experiment.
Man got scent.
Wästberg appeared.“

source: wastberg.com/philosophy

This is a new line for Gabriel Ross and we are thrilled to have it. These lights combine beautiful, simple, modern design with adjustable everything. These lights twist, turn and tilt in every direction – head and stem.

Wästberg lighting display in our showroom

Wästberg Irvine Table Lamp - w082

Wästberg Claesson Koivisto Rune Table Lamp

Wästberg Studioilse Table Lamp - w084

Wästberg Studioilse Table Lamp - w084 - detail

Wästberg Studioilse Table Lamp - w084 - base detail

View these, and the rest of the amazing Wästberg collection on our website, here.
Read the “Lamps for Neanderthal Man” manifesto on Wästberg’s website, here.

This time of year can be difficult to welcome with open arms. Shorter (and wetter) days, longer nights, more dark, less light. However, one perk of Fall – aside from colourful leaves and cozy scarves – is that our showroom becomes magic after 5pm.

While our lighting lines: Flos, Foscarini, Modernica, Akari, Vibia, among others, are amazing during the day … during the dark they become truly awesome. And it’s not just the lighting itself, it’s everything that falls under their glow. All of perfectly designed, constructed, upholstered, and polished pieces in our showroom shine a little more fabulous after 5pm on a crisp Fall evening.

I can’t wait to see these George Nelson Bubble Lamps shine through the checkered warehouse windows of our future showroom across the street. Get ready to glow Harjim.

I was driving through Quadra Village the other night and popped into Cascadia Liquor for a cool white wine to enjoy on these deliciously warm summer nights we’ve been experiencing in Victoria recently. It was my first visit to this store and I was immediately in love … with the ceiling.

Large Saucer Bubble Lamps at Cascadia Liquor, Quadra Location

Large Saucer Bubble Lamps at Cascadia Liquor, Quadra Location

These George Nelson Large Saucer Bubble Lamps by Modernica look fantastic against the open rafters and ducting. They form a perfect bridge from the industrial ceiling to the polished selection of spirits and ales.

Find the Saucer Bubble Lamp on our website, here.
Visit Cascadia Liquor’s website, here.

Random Suspension light by Bertjan Pot, 2001, for Moooi

The title for this post is a bit misleading … you may have been expecting a mash of a bunch of different random lights. Instead, you are getting one light in particular named Random, plus a bit about one other fixture called (of course) Non Random.

Moooi is new to Gabriel Ross, but this fixture isn’t new to anyone interested in lighting design. Random was a hit from its birth and partnership with the Dutch design house. It is featured constantly in interior design magazines, online publications, and if I’ve seen them in commercial applications around Victoria, BC, then I’m sure that there is a Random to found in every city. If you’re local, check them out at Prima Strada Pizzeria in Cook Street Village along with Marcel Wanders’ (Moooi co-founder) Skygarden light fixture for Flos – but that’s another post all together.

photo: bertjanpot.nl

Random Chrome Lightpost

The Random light is named after the nature of its production process. A resin drained yarn is wrapped willy nilly around an inflated beach ball until it’s nearly covered, leaving enough gaps for light to shine through, maintaining an airy and light presence. Also left unwrapped is an asymmetrically located small hole large enough for the bulb and chromed steel pendant to fit through. The beach ball is then deflated and voila… Random!

Random LED Floor Lamp by Bertjan Pot for Moooi

On a side note… or more appropriately… a “random” thought… I love that the name for the design is an adjective. It’s like an excuse to play naughty with grammar, and that is just good fun… oh what the heck… it’s funner.

Non Random light fixutre by Bertjan Pot, 2007, for Moooi

Six years after Random’s inception, Bertjan Pot came up with the Jeckll to its Hyde. Non Random is like a neatly coiled ball of yarn (as aptly described by “old ladies” on Moooi’s website). Its yarn is criss-crossed systematically unlike Random’s random (ha!) yarn distribution.

Non Random yarn pattern detail

Moooi has many other super interesting light fixtures to offer, which may be the subjects of future posts, but the Random is most certainly their most successful from a distribution/exposure point of view.

Visit our website for these and other inspiring Moooi products, here.
Visit Moooi’s website direct, here.
See other products by Bertjan Pot, here.
images: moooi.com, bertjanpot.nl

YAY Moooi!

Dutch for “beautiful”, Moooi fulfills its name and then some. Marcel Wanders – designer of the Skygarden suspension light fixture for Flos among various other successful designs, and Casper Vissers launched the company together 2001. Moooi has since become known for life size Horse floor lamps, Pig tables, Rabbit table lamps, Dandelion suspension lamps, and the ever popular Random fixtures.

Horse Lamp, Front 2006 for Moooi

Dandelion Suspension Light by Richard Hutten 2004, for Moooi

Rabbit Table Lamp by Front 2006, for Moooi

Random Suspension Light by Bertjan Pot 2001, for Moooi

Moooi is much more than just lights … They also boast an impressive collection of tables, chairs, stools, cabinets, and eclectic accessories including porcelain vases made from molds of latex condoms and hard boiled eggs.

Egg Vase by Marcel Wanders 1997, for Moooi

Chess Table by Front 2009, for Moooi

Element 002 by Jaime Hayon 2007 for Moooi

Paper Cupboard by Studio Job 2005, for Moooi

Drawing inspiration from decorative antiques and combining it with a modern and playful sensibility, Moooi represents designs that are endlessly interesting and innovative. Employing designers such as Jurgen Bey, Bertjan Pot, Maarten Baas, Ross Lovegrove, Neri & Hu, Studio Job and Nika Zupanc, this company operates on the edge of current, fresh, and curious modern design.

View Moooi products on our website, here.

Pig Table by Front 2006, for Moooi

Earth friendly design lovers will be happy to hear this. You no longer have to suffer the guilt of adding another piece of unwanted furniture to the landfill thanks to french designer Elise Gabriel. Her “Zelfo Embrace” collection of furniture and lighting is adorable, functional, and biodegradable.

Liga Collection by Elise Gabriel - photo: designboom.com

The main ingredient, Zelfo, is made of cellulose fibres deriving from plant materials that are soaked, pressed and dried to mold the shapes they are pressed onto. Gabriel seems to have spent a great deal of energy researching and experimenting with this material and process in order to produce an aesthetically pleasing line of tables, chairs and lighting.

photo: designboom.com

photo: designboom.com

photo: designboom.com

photo: designboom.com

I love the way that the final products pay tribute to their source: vegetation and plants. The surface of the furniture is very textured and fragile looking and the way the different parts join together are reminiscent of stem and branch joints. The lamp shades are thin enough that light diffuses through them as the sun might shine through flower petals.

photo: designboom.com

photo: designboom.com

photo: designboom.com

photo: designboom.com

Elise Gabriel is an award winning designer and her work is currently being displayed at Galerie Gosserez in Paris until April 4th, 2011.
source: designboom.com

Modernica's Triple Fixture, design: George Nelson - photo: modernica.net

Modernica’s Triple Fixture bubble lamp is featured in Canada’s House and Home Magazine, January 2011 issue. You can find in the in the “Focus” section as part as the “Light it Up” feature article on statement multiheaded light fixtures.

Canadian House and Home Magazine - photo: houseandhome.com

The article describes the fixture as “a play on puppetry”, and where does House and Home recommend you would find such a wonderful example of mid century modern lighting design? why, Gabriel Ross of course.

Modernica's Triple Fixture, design: George Nelson - photo: modernica.net

The Triple Fixture can be ordered with different style bubble lamps. You could hang three saucers, three cigars, three balls, lanterns, pears … or combine different lights and hang a mixture!

View the Triple Fixture and the whole selection of George Nelson Bubble Lamps at gabrielross.com, here.
Visit House and Home Magazine, here.

Binic by Ionna Vautrin for Foscarini - photo: ionnavautrin.com

The most awesome thing happened today. I reached into my filing cabinet and stumbled upon a small, single, delicious truffle in a ziplock bag leftover from my Christmas treat stash. How this little wonder escaped my awareness for nearly three weeks, I have no idea – but am I ever glad that it did! Also great today, is my discovery of Ionna Vautrin’s website. She is the young up and coming designer behind Binic: a brand new sweet and petite lamp for Foscarini that truly makes you go Awww.

photo: ionnavautrin.com

Binic would make a great light for a hall table, bookshelf, nightstand, or anywhere you could use a little pocket of cuteness. Metropolis magazine noted the lamp’s likeness with Kenny from South Park (which made me laugh out loud), but for me … it’s also akin with the disproportionate headed robot, Marvin, from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I just want to give them both warm, encouraging hugs. Vautrin’s actual inspiration came from the wind socks and lighthouses of North Eastern France.

Kenny from South Park

Marvin from Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Binic by Ionna Vautrin for Foscarini - photo: ionnavautrin.com

I love Binic. He has loads of personality, comes in lots of great colours, and is really reasonably priced at only $262.00! Purchase it on our website, here.

Binic by Ionna Vautrin for Foscarini - photo: ionnavautrin.com

Binic by Ionna Vautrin for Foscarini

photo: ionnavautrin.com

Ionna Vautrin’s website offers many other successful and interesting product designs. Check it out, here.
Visit Binic at gabrielross.com, here.