Friday, August 10, 2007
High tech lighting has burst the bonds of its category in the hands of Schonbek. Consider the Refrax® room divider.

Here’s an image of this massive crystal slab in a wide open contemporary home. The setting is uncompromisingly spare. See how effectively Refrax® carves up and energizes the space.

I visited an historic new Colonial style home last weekend, and it was amazing to see how small the rooms were, and how low their ceilings. Even the very rich used to be happy with rooms of modest dimensions. The coziness factor was valued.

No longer. People want to live like stars in the firmament, with lots and lots of deep space around them and their furnishings. This has its appeal, but a wide open area can begin to look like a warehouse if it’s not successfully organized.

A Refrax® room divider slices into space without taking away the feeling of spaciousness. Because it’s so dynamic, so dazzling, it becomes a focal point. At the same time, because it’s flat and wall-like, it’s a focal point that doesn’t stop you. The eye can move past it to the carefully orchestrated space beyond. Then again, the eye can come back to it later. When you’re seated and at leisure, you can contemplate your Refrax® the way you might a fireplace or a particularly riveting work of art. The play of prismatic light is mesmerizing.

Quite a change from the utilitarian light sources that were once the height of high tech.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Some Schonbek chandeliers manage to be trendy and classic at the same time.

The first thing you notice about Tango, for example, might be the leopard skin shades. Leopard skin fabric is associated with sultry movie stars and rebellious youth, so here you are definitely into the realm of the trendy. But when you think about it, leopard skin has a venerable fashion history.

Another edgy attribute of a Tango chandelier is the daring choice of crystal ornamentation. Instead of classic crystal pendants you have crystal spheres orbited by strands of swirling crystal beads. The top half of the chandelier assumes a classic crown shape, but the Swarovski® rhinestones outlining these frame elements make a fashion statement that feels contemporary. The tassel at the finial is all about fashion too.

Cappela must be mentioned, too, in any discussion of updated classicism. The general shape of this crystal chandelier is traditional, yet the scrollwork is like nothing I’ve ever seen: flattened and mirrored, with floral motifs incised on the mirrored surfaces. And the floral motifs repeat themselves on the candleslips.

The oversized black crystal pendants look as if they’ve been simplified and stylized for contemporary tastes. I was surprised to learn that they’re actually an antique cut of crystal.

As is so often the case, Schonbek offers variations on these striking new chandelier designs. With Tango, you can choose black shades trimmed with rhinestones, instead of the wild leopard shades. With Cappela, you can choose clear crystal instead of black, and a white frame instead of the mirrored frame. I tend to favor the more extreme styles.

In any case, when there’s a high level of creativity at work, and fearless experimentation going on with classic forms, you get these amazingly original designs. This is what distinguishes Schonbek from a host of me-too manufacturers. 

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

What if you’re designing a pink and white room? You have a surprising range of options for your Schonbek chandelier.

I’m not just thinking of a room for a baby girl. Your fantasy pink and white room could also be a highly romantic bedroom, a nostalgic bathroom – or a room where you play your cello, do needlepoint or read Jane Austen, and the modern take-offs of Jane.

If a high end chandelier is possible, I would suggest a Renaissance with rock crystal, clear crystal and pink colored crystal. The image we have on this website shows quite a large chandelier, but this style comes in a variety of sizes. It can even be a mini chandelier. Larger chandeliers have some black diamond crystal trim as well. This is as elegant a presentation of pink as you’re likely to find anywhere.

Another option is a Rondelle crystal chandelier, especially appropriate for a room with a Victorian flavor . The image we have on the website shows a Rondelle with amethyst colored crystal, although you can also specify true pink as your crystal accent color.

The obvious choice for a very sweet décor is The Rose with a crystal color palette of Opal Rose. Actually, since The Rose chandelier comes in 32 varieties, you can have your pink or plum mixed with other nostalgic colors as well.

An A la Mode crystal chandelier mixes tones of pink and white very successfully. And you have the added charm of the granny shades over the candles.

The newest explosion of pink in the Schonbek collection is a light pink Bolero chandelier. You can see all the color options on this website. Every inch of this chandelier, except the candles, is pink, including the pink crystal arms.

I doubt if any other chandelier-maker gives you so many choices in the pink and white look. This holds true of  the extreme opposite, as well. Namely, black crystal chandeliers.