Bright Ideas Abound at Littman Brands



Recently at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York, I met the good people at  Littman Brands.  Under this umbrella company sits 3 distinctly different lighting companies, encompassing the residential, hospitality, and retail lighting sectors.  Each of these companies has a distinctly different lighting identity, but with the same ethos; uncompromising quality, expert craftsmanship, and innovative design.

I was familiar with Troy Lighting because they make one of my all time favorite fixtures ~ The Uni in Tide Pool bronze.  With its quill or sea urchin like design, it transcends a specific aesthetic and surprisingly plays well off of many other looks.  Troy is known for its sophisticated casual aesthetic, outstanding finishes, and naturalistic design.



Their newest collection shines a light on art and artists, as well as distinctive materials combined in a new and fresh way!

The Odyssey is "otherworldly" with a nod to mid-century modern design, but pushes the boundaries with its hand blown plated and smoked glass creating a mirrored effect on the globes and LED filament bulbs.  It is quite a statement maker!





The Street Art collection captured my attention and is perfectly named for its hip, urban, industrial  feel.  Pushing the envelope with its graffiti, metal and wire caged light bulb guards, I see it at home in a boy's room, loft space, or cool recreation lounge.



The "Calderesque" lighting mobile, as I have taken to calling it, is outstanding!  Better known as Dinner Date, this avant guard lighting sculpture incorporates ceramic plates inspired by words, typography, and images perfectly balanced from wrought iron arms to keep you looking up.





Troy RLM (reflective luminaire manufacturer) is proud to introduce Structure, a factory inspired, fully customizable system that can be hung in a non traditional way (think vertically or on a soffit for instance).  Exposed conduit and edgy high gloss colored fixtures give it a decidedly modern industrial feel.  Made entirely in California and with a multitude of options, the possibilities are endless!





The Paradigm offers us a fresh option in color, shape and usage, not unlike the Structure series.

Corbett Lighting celebrates fashion forward design.  Luxe materials, hand cut crystals, Japanese paper, gemstones, etc. combined with gold and/or silver make it an ideal choice when injecting a work of art or a little drama into a room.  And you know I am all about the drama: hence my motto, "A little drama goes a long way."  Corbett Lighting earned the prestigious ARTS award for excellence in lighting manufacturing 2 years in a row, as well as many other accolades.

I'm kind of dying over the Meteor fixture with the beauty of its warm amber agates punctured by the classic sputnik shape. You focus on the stones and the fixture falls away.  Like jewelry in the room ~ high drama!




                                                     That's serious eye candy ~




There is science behind the Elements chandelier.  It's reminiscent of a childhood game of jacks or atoms.  Configured in a multitude of ways, the fixture hangs from aircraft cable and becomes a strong focal point.


Case in point~




Hudson Valley Lighting, located in the Hudson River Valley creates "tomorrow's classics today." Inspired by the endless beauty beyond their doors, the energy and sophistication of Manhattan, the history and nature of the area, or the industrial roots the riverside factories provide, their styles are as endless as their inspiration.


The Colebrook is the perfect example of that marriage between vintage and modern, rustic and refined, humble and grand, especially when hung in multiples.



The Caswell has me at hello.  It's so unusual that you might miss it as a fixture.  It's barely there appearance makes it a good choice when you want to whisper, not shout.








The Viceroy is a beautiful blend of industrial and uptown sophistication.  This pendant may be an option in an upcoming project!  It holds wide appeal and co- exists  with almost any material.









There are so many gorgeous lighting options within the Littman Brands collection.  This is such a small sampling.  You would be hard pressed NOT to find a fabulous option for an upcoming project.  Their hand made and hand forged, trend setting, forward thinking designs, as well as their use of energy efficient LED bulbs, especially in the filament category, is a bright light in this category!  Most fixtures offer different sizes and options making for a cohesive lighting collection .

I've met the people behind the brand and I have heard the backstories and inspirations.  That always excites me and after all, wouldn't you want to use a company you are familiar with, trust and know they care?




Photos by Larger than Light.  This was a sponsored post, but my opinions are my own.







Kips Bay Showhouse 2015 ~ Part 2



Midnight Manhattan by Charles Pavarini III is moody in blue with its striking cobalt walls, the base coat of lapis with top coats of aqua mixed with eye shadow, then striĆ©d: sublime.  The Jeff Zimmerman chandelier was a highlight amongst a room full of highlights.  The pewter leafed travertine mosaic tile helped diffuse light and bring more texture to the lounge.  Charles demonstrates his motto perfectly in this room; drama thru restraint.




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David Phoenix's bedroom has a refined masculine/feminine retreat.  With it's layers upon layers of fabric, tartan plaid Colefax and Fowler upholstered wall covering, sumptuous club chairs, a pop of Fortuny fabric, the monochromatic books filling the book shelf, the Robert Kuo lacquered table ~ I could have moved right in!





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Michael Herold made the most of a tiny space.  In what was formerly the upstairs laundry room, Las Palmas transports you to an art deco bygone era.  Modern glamour reigns with the bold print walls, lacquered checker board painted ceiling, and select pieces that give the space a lot of bang for the buck!






Alessandra Branca always brings it in her signature red (or pink in this case).  She strikes a perfect balance always between living amongst beautiful things in a comfortable way without anything being too precious.  I love that!  Her beautifully curated living room is layered and livable with multiple seating areas featuring a European aesthetic.  The Pierre Frey Tree of Life print fabric is featured throughout the room and the Harve van der Straeten chandelier drove me wild.  I love everything that man does as well!








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Tom Felicia created a multi tasking "Study in Style."  He is "blurring the lines between work and play." Most of the furniture is from Tom's collection with Vanguard, mingling with vintage pieces.  The lacquered panels were custom made for the space and Robert Greene's "Frenetic Composure" sculpture, or the time out guy, as we took to calling him, sulked in the corner.  The room is a study in sophistication, elegance, playfulness, and comfort.


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From the starburst painted ceiling to the leaf lined bookshelves, McMillian Inc. had us celebrating Rio, within their zen like modern tropics bedroom.  The bed cleverly converted from masculine to feminine by turning the headboard and pillows over.  Pullout shelves and built in lighting provide everything you could ask for.







The sculpture is actually a light by DDC and the cane chaise was provided by R & Company.



Alan Tanksley's study is titled "Pavlo's Retreat."  His muse, his longtime friend Alexa Hampton's husband!  The walnut trim and mirror replace the more expected detailed, traditional trim for a decidedly modern, unconventional twist.  Quiet contemplation is held dear in this well traveled, masculine,  gentleman's garret like quarters with an interpretive mural of the Manhattan skyline by artist Matt Austin.


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This bathroom by Peter J Sinnott IV was exceptional.   The AKDO flooring, called Origami, was more like an M.C. Escher drawing.  There was so much movement and it had a surrealist quality to it.   The orange stripe was like an exclamation point on all this good design, as was the attention to detail within this jewel of a space.

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My back is to the shower here, when you turn around you are greeted by an unexpected powder coated sculpture on the shower wall.  I have never seen something like this before.  I love it!





Paula + Martha had the 3rd floor landing and stairs to the roof deck.  They created a gallery like space.
Hanging sculptures from Jacques Jarrige, pieces by Al Held, Jeff Zimmerman, and Robert Greene hold their own.  Fine art and a touch of the unexpected ~ they do it well.

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In addition to celebrating the Kips Bay Organization's 100 year anniversary, they can also celebrate another wonderful show house, being held this year at the Arthur Sach's mansion running thru June 11th.  It's always a treat and I am always left inspired!



Ph: *Rafael Quirindongo, others CLI