Form Plus Function

Not your grandmother’s ceiling fan!
Designed in 1986, the Stratos was the first truly modern ceiling fan. It is now a modern classic and has paved the way not only for a large collection of ceiling fans by The Modern Fan Company, but also other more traditional fan companies.

The Stratos  has no reference to the Victorian-era designs that pervade the fan industry. Among its innovations is the column-like support in place of the down rod used on other fans, lending a sense of attachment to the architectural space.
The Stratos also introduced Ron Rezek’s patented, single-piece, die-cast rotor, which continues to be the signature element of nearly all Modern Fan designs.

Modern Fan Co. Eclipse Fan

When Ron Rezek designed the Stratos ceiling fan back in 1986 there was not a single contemporary ceiling on the market. No matter how modern your house was, ceiling fans were only available with scrolls and ornamentation, hideous light kits and dangling pull chains.
This changed with the Stratos fan and the other fans from the Modern Fan Co., founded in 1997.
Designed to be not only stylish, but energy efficient, all fans from the Modern Fan Co. work well in a wide variety of settings, from sleek office spaces to eclectic homes, from mountain cabins to fashionable lofts.

The fan shown here is the Eclipse ceiling fan. Its triple down rod system and the “nouveau” design give the Eclipse its unique appearance.

On a recent trip to Bern, Switzerland I saw the incredible floor lamp, Cosmic Leaf by Artemide for the first time “in the flesh”. What a beauty!!!
It is one of these lights, where you just have to step closer and even reach out and touch, because it seems unreal.  The fluid form of Cosmic Leaf  is illuminated from a light source in the base that brushes over the meshed skin and makes it glow with an ethereal light.

Ettore Sottsass created the Callimaco floor lamp for Artemide in 1982.
It stayed part of the Artemide collection for many years then disappeared for a decade or two.
Now Artemide we are excited to see the Callimoco return from retirement.

This striking tall floor torchiere has a simple, straightforward geometric shape—the base matches the top for its cone-shaped silhouette. The two components are joined by a cylindrical aluminum shaft in bright gold. The diffuser is of stainless steel painted lipstick red, and the base sports a contrasting pewter gray.

Pirce Pendant from Artemide

The Pirce suspension lamp from Artemide is a fantastic sculptural light.
Its graceful form resembles a floating mobile.
On my recent trip to Bern, Switzerland I visited my favorite lighting store: Teo Jakob. Here I had the opportunity to take photos of some great lights.
The Pirce is just so special.  I definitely want one for our new showroom!

The Soffione from Artemide is a true gem!
The shape of the diffuser  is similar to the geometric structure of crystals. The polished silk finish of the glass adds to the special luminescence of this tabletop lamp.

Modern Fan Co. Lapa Fan

Y Lighting Uses Form + Function Image in their Google Ads!
As much as the saying goes that imitation is a form of flattery,  this does not make me feel warm and fuzzy:  I just stumbled adross a Google ad from one of our competitors that uses a photo I created!!
We take great pride in the design of our site and I love adding photos I take myself all over the world.
I just feel that they add something new, especially when the manufacturers only provide us with product shots, but no location shots.
Or I browse through endless choices of stock photos to find the perfect images for a specific product, then buy them (which is not cheap!!) and have fun  photoshopping images that show the products in context.

It is sad to see  less creative competitors cut corners and just rip off your work!!

Stella Ceiling Fan by Modern Fan Co.

The Stella ceiling fan was designed by David Ellis for  the Modern Fan Co.
This contemporary fan is a beautiful combination of air management and superb ambient lighting.
The wood accents and blades add warmth and allows it to fit a large variety of locations.
The central glass cylinder is surrounded by maple or mahogany plywood rings. It is available with a dark bronze finish and the choice of black, maple or mahogany blades

Hubbardton Forge 13-7660, Brindille Pendant

Aptly named for the French word for “Twigs”,  this this beautiful new pendant from Hubbardton Forge has a casual, yet elegant bundle of hand forged twigs creating the focal point.

The Brindille pendant is another new stunning introduction from Hubbardton Forge that shows off the design and craftsman skills this great company is known for.
The branch design is both organic and contemporary.
It therefore  fits comfortably into a wide range of surroundings.
I can picture it over the dining table in my New Mexican adobe home, in a mountain cabin or in a sophisticated modern loft.
Mix and match your choice of glass, finish and shade options to create a customized design to suit your personal decorating style.

Hubbardton Forge Kirigami Pendant 13-3300

When I saw the Kirigami fixtures by Hubbardton Forge  at Market in Dallas in January their elegant, floating forms took my breath away.

Growing up in Denmark, seagulls were among the most common birds we had around. The Kirigami fixtures by Hubbardton Forge remind me of  these masters of flight with their striking profile.

Kirigami s a variation of origami   that includes cutting of the paper into symmetrical shapes while the paper is folded. Then the paper is opened and flattened showing the final form. (just like the paper snowflakes we made in kindergarten.)
Hubbardton Forge obviously went further than that and to top off the elegance of the shapes of their unique diffusers they chose beautiful materials.

The diffusers are striking in their simplicity. All the different variations, from the rich, warm Cherry veneer to the elegant Spun Frost manage to create a quality of light that enhances, not overpowers the hand-forged metal underneath.
This Kirigami fixture is  available in three sizes, from the 36.5″ that might be a perfect fit for a large dining table to a soaring 66″ “Wing Span” fit for a grand room.

At Form + Function we have shown Hubbardton Forge fixtures since the mid 80s and we have always appreciated the ways they push the boundaries of the craft of hand forging, never allowing their product line to grow stale, but constantly exploring new design possibilities