- Art & Design
Smaller in size, but no less significant for that: table lighting fulfills a crucial role in several places, and in both private settings and office settings. Once again, we put together a selection of designs that we would take home with us without grumbling. With the right lighting pieces, you can set your interior apart from the rest while adding the desired atmosphere.
In Common With
Curiosity, materiality, and effective collaborations are the backbone of In Common With. Their lighting is meant to convey the message with calm simplicity, and they succeed without a doubt. Each object from the studio is an amalgamation of a collaborative effort. The entire collection tells a story in which certain shapes and concepts recur regularly. Furthermore, they prioritise a balance between quality and visual appeal. The Dome is a signature design that clearly reflects the studio's style. The clay is smoothed while it is still soft, creating a special effect. At the same time, the piece is pragmatically well thought out; for instance, the team placed the dimmer on the base instead of on the cord, making it easier to reach. Every component used comes into its own thanks to careful construction and effective techniques.
Charles Zana
Charles Zana is a Parisian at heart. His work and personality are inextricably intertwined, and his sensitivity to his surroundings and lifestyle means that French culture is echoed in all his projects. Originally an architect, his oeuvre has long since moved beyond houses. Indeed, in addition to lighting, he is familiar with other types of furniture, including beds, cabinets, and more. His table lamps contain a distinct sense of pride; they flaunt different dimensions and do not shy away from challenging the eye. In terms of style, the designs are grounded in a more classic aesthetic, but the feel they exude is overtly contemporary and relevant to several generations of the future. Those looking for a striking piece that provides the perfect finishing touch are clearly in the right place. With his lighting, the designer communicates a compelling vision that threads together all the subcategories of his extensive range.
Surcle Wood
In Surcle Wood's philosophy, simplicity, and elegance are at the forefront. Their collections include several types of furniture in addition to lighting. The couple behind the studio, operating from Los Angeles, have a clear preference for warm wood types such as walnut. River Rock Lamp consists of two ovals stacked on top of each other. After working them extensively on a lathe and painstakingly sanding them until smooth, the makers obtained an impressive result. One could argue that the pieces bear resemblance to river rocks polished to their best possible shapes by time and water. Eco-friendly lacquer for the finish indicates their sustainable approach, and the lampshade is made of cotton. Each piece to the company's credit is the result of a dedicated workshop assembly process. Thanks to its soft shapes, the design is ideal for interior lovers who value a contemporary look with a hint of midcentury. 
Lisa Allegra
With her training in furniture design, Lisa Allegra is a skilled force within the interior design industry. The designer has already done considerable travelling and draws on inspirational experiences and collaborations. After focusing exclusively on clay for several years, today she welcomes other materials to her palette. Because of this, textiles and wood are no longer foreign to her. In her perspective, table lighting is mainly a way to make a smaller object speak to the maximum. Therefore, you can expect her designs to be visually captivating without neglecting their primary function. At the same time, they give the impression of being compatible with any style, and not least because the range contains distinctly different colours. As a designer, the French is on an ongoing journey in which she can continue to challenge and discover herself. Besides lighting, she is concerned with scenography and spatial design.
Ben & Aja Blanc
It is no secret that art and functionality often mix willingly. Ben & Aja Blanc's studio is also known for this. With their lighting, they mainly situate themselves within American minimalism, which shows itself in the pragmatic designs that put fulfilling their purpose first. Always with a warm feeling and intended to last: their range certainly is. Remarkably, they like to work with finely crafted materials, such as horsehair for example. Add to this their meticulous techniques and processes, and it quickly becomes clear that the duo is here to stay for a while. In addition, they are not shy about incorporating some references to historical art in their creations. Their portfolio deservedly appeals to a wide audience.
Table lighting that challenges and innovates stereotypes
ER Studio LA
Eric Roinestad's Scandinavian roots appear to be a good match for Californian folk modernism. His ER Studio LA allows him to concretise this fusion to his heart's content. Sculptures and lighting in ceramics are the specialisation here. Every idea he converts to reality is a push-and-pull between traditional and contemporary, combined with a handmade character. Originally, his trajectory in ceramics began as a passion project, but a natural intuition for form and proportion allowed his work to become a favourite item for collectors. The distinctive colour of his creations gives breathing space to the carefully constructed lines of the pieces, making the effect all the more successful. His portfolio is very personally driven, giving the full range a human touch.
Ceramicah
With a background in architecture, Micah Blyckert and Alexandra Cadiz know their way around lighting design. Their ceramic studio Ceramicah is located in Los Angeles and defines itself through a holistic approach to design. Each element is indispensable in constructing an effective whole, and a design project is more than the sum of all its aspects. With their offerings, they prove a remarkable and deep understanding of details, and the way multiple parts and influences can merge harmoniously. It is no coincidence that Tera Lamp has become an icon in the portfolio, because with a classic silhouette and successful proportions, the design is a convincing success. An earthy finish adds to its distinctive look, consisting of two layers of lime plaster and a matt wax sealer.
Swadoh
With each component you add to a space, the sense of direction should become increasingly clear. For Studio Swadoh, this idea is like their anthem. Their handmade lighting combines an expansive use of materials and a dense connection between people who create and the medium they choose to do so. Integrity logically takes on an overarching role in everything the team undertakes. By working honestly and sincerely, they can fully uncover the inherent properties and beauty of materials. In addition, they are familiar with the texture that details can introduce to a work and stay true to artisan traditions. Their Corolle 03 table lamp is an ode to walnut. By painting the material with Chinese calligraphy ink, the design truly became an animated piece. The designers then also carefully chiselled the wood, and a maintenance with beeswax keeps the material's vibrant quality at the forefront. With wondrous pieces like this, they smoothly fulfil their mission. Indeed, they strive to highlight the splendour that the right materials bring; a goal they easily fulfil purely with their table lights.
The range is constantly growing and there are more and more talents: the design world is spoiling us and we love it. Table lighting gives a simple corner its own identity and ensures your interior has a unique look. We detect a shared preference for craft, bold shapes, and expressive dimensions. An added advantage is that you can easily alternate and move smaller designs like these. With a few limited interventions, you can thus already give your interior a completely different look, which makes it all the more fun to experiment and means it a good thing to be hungry for something different from time to time. The names we mentioned in this article are some of the most inspiring voices of the moment. Needless to say, we wish all these studios all the success they deserve and hope to see more of their characterising pieces coming our way in the future. They make absolutely clear the great importance of the right table lighting and undoubtedly generate a new appreciation among our audience for this subcategory of design. What follows is surely going to continue this high standard and keep our love for lighting burning unceasingly.
Header image: Swadoh © Baptiste Lanne
Image 2: Image courtesy of In Common With, Dome table lamp
Image 3: Courtesy of Charles Zana, Lampe Chios © Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt
Image 4: Surcle Wood, River Rock Lamp walnut, photography by Frankie Isabel
Image 5: Lisa Allegra, MOOR lamps, photography by Thibault Charpentier
Image 6: © Ben & Aja Blanc, table lamp, The Future Perfect
Image 7: © ER Studio LA
Image 8: Ceramicah, Tera lamp in lime plaster, photography by Elizabeth Carababas
Image 9: Swadoh © Baptiste Lanne
Text by Cara Jacobs