Design and architecture inspiration for modern homes from Dwell.

At Home in the Modern World

Dwell › Products

ICFF 2010: Ikebana Arranging

While cruising the floor of the ICFF today, I couldn't resist dropping in to have a chat with Dwell's old neighbor and all around good guy, San Francisco–based designer Peter Stathis. In recent years Stathis has netted acclaim for his novel lighting designs, such as Link, for manufacturer Pablo. This year he's branched out on his own (somewhat literally) with a new design called Ikebana.

icff kebana_Light_Stathis_Head_Under_lr

Having seen a preview of the fixture before flying out to New York, I was initially skeptical of the highly decorative design, but within a few minutes of speaking with Stathis, and playing with the posable fixture, I was won over. "I wanted to come to the fair with the most advanced technology and the most decorative form," Stathis claimed.

icffIkebana_Light_Stathis_Contemporary_lr.
icffIkebana_Light_Stathis_Switch_lrcrop.j

Left: The proprietary LED panel casts a more even and warm glow than other LEDs.

Right: Like a whimsical clock winding key, Ikebana's dimmer switch is both decorative and functional.

With a proprietary flat panel LED that uses a laser texturing process and special films to achieve a more balanced glow, and an abstract petal form that recalls Maija Isola, he would seem to have accomplished exactly that. "I liked the idea of using a plant as decor," said the designer, "and of cultivating an artificial nature. I want people to play with the lights just as they might a flower arrangement. It's a more free idea of how we can live and interact with our interiors." In Stathises' view that freedom evolves out of developing technology—it took a year and a half to perfect the 7.5-watt LED panel.
icffIkebana_Light_Stathis_Base_lr.

A perfectly spaced notch in the base of the lamp holds the cord in place, allowing the lamp's user to achieve a harmonious placement of fixture and flower.

Once the components were set, he figured he could push the design to the outer reaches. "I'm really surprised, but everyone here today is loving the dimmer switch," he reported of the quirky leaf-like form.
icffSTATHIS_1.

San Francisco designer Peter Stathis introduced his latest creation, Ikebana, in a small booth at today's ICFF.


While the flower takes center stage, Stathises' skill as a veteran designer is more evident in the fixture's delicate looped connection and clever notch that holds the cord in place. He designed these elements to recess into the background, but their soft feel and thoughtful functionality are what allow the decorative form of the flower truly shine.

icffSTATHIS_2.

The designer says that theoretically any color is available, but for now, he liked the idea of on perfect color.

icffSTATHIS_3.

We can easily imagine a whole forest of Ikebana lighting, and at only 7.5 watts, it seems equally feasible financially.

  • Published: May 16, 2010
Peter Stathis & Virtual Studio's new Ikebana light is named after the 600-year old Japanese craft of flower arranging.

Related Items

See All

Dwell Cover
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising

Related Products

See More

Latest

See More

Follow

Dwell

Reloading tweets…

Subscribe Today Don't Miss a Word of Dwell
Dwell Cover

$19.95
10 Issues / a Year

Copyright ©2004-2012 Dwell Media LLC. All rights reserved. Dwell, the Dwell logo, Dwell Homes and At Home in the Modern World are registered trademarks of Dwell Media LLC