We'll be at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show–Come See Us!

On Thursday, March 17-20, we'll be exhibiting at the Architectural Digest Show in New York where all the latest in home design and art will be featured. We'll have a sampling of our lighting on display ready for you to dream up your next projects. Plus, we'll be there to answer any of your questions and offer ideas and tips on how to select the best lighting. And you won't want to miss our treats of biscotti and espresso we'll be serving on opening day. So come by our booth #140 and see what's new.

The Perfection of Imperfection

What is it about handmade that draws our eye, that begs us to take a second look? You sense it instantly. Like the feeling you get when meeting a kindred spirit. On closer inspection a human fingerprint might present itself amidst the ink of a hand screened image or at the gripping point of a piece of pottery; its subtle clue that the item was hand dipped. Or how no two are exactly alike no matter if they were made together that same day; the plane of one will always be slightly off in contrast to the other. The same cannot be said about machine made. Those objects or widgets churned out in rhythmic identical succession...nothing slightly askew here only consistent repetition of the same exact item over and over again. Often inferior materials are used to aid in its economy in order to create large volumes at one time. And so, while the shape or appearance of such machine made items may initially attract you it's the imperfections of a handmade item that will garner a second look. That wayward fingerprint, uneven line, those imperfections are tell tale signs that another human had a hand in its making, perhaps even a little of their soul went into it too. The human touch is imperfect and yet at the same time it's perfect in its own way.

Bubbles, Waves & Bending Light with Glass

Restoration glass as described by one of our artisans:

"When I get a piece of glass, it's handmade, mouthblown like they did centuries ago. It's completely different from industrial plate glass. Mouthblown's got character–you get these unusual angles that bend the light. This gives you a warm, uneven spectrum, and this is going to catch your eye every time. I pick it up and look at where the bubbles are, how the light passes through. It's really unique in every piece. The bubbles and waves with different thicknesses–all those subtle imperfections, they're like gems. You look for them, which tells you where your cut is going to be. Cutting glass is an art. You have to feel it as you're breaking it. If the score isn't right, it'll end up taking its own path."