Form Plus Function

End of last year Ingo Maurer  transformed one of Munich’s busiest metro stations, Münchner Freiheit into a vivid experience in color and light.
It was quite a transformation!! When I arrived on my annual visit to Ingo Maurer I couldn’t stop taking photos of this wonderful installation close to his studio showroom.
The objective of the metro station renovation was to create a new and cheerful light and surface design.  And cheerful it is!!

Ingo Maurer Muenchener-Freiheit

Installing 3,200 mirror elements illuminated by 204 square caissons under the the ceiling  created a sense of greater openness and has lent the space additional active interesting plays of light.
Two colors dominate the subway station:  Brilliant cobalt blue and Yellow.
Tall columns covered in blue tile are  illuminated by LED  to create a clear complementary contrast to the  yellow of the walls.

‘Color and the structure of surface materials is essential for interior lighting. It’s not only about choosing the right light sources and their placement. To realize an outstanding lighting concept, you need to have an influence on wall, ceiling and floor materials. ’ said Ingo Maurer.

The ceiling is covered with silver mirror-finish plates , which increases the ceiling height optically.
A silver-grey material was used for floors and the remaining walls.
The reduced number of colors and materials and the lack of billboards, vending machines, and other visual clutter assures a distinctive look

The ceiling lights are housed in square cases  arranged  irregularly on the ceiling and slightly tilted in different directions , adding a dynamic aspect.

‘The renovation of the station was an excellent opportunity to add a modern space to the cityscape. Munich has to offer a lot of beautiful buildings of past times, but contemporary architecture gets a raw deal. To redesign Münchner Freiheit is both an honour and pleasure for my team and me – it’s the station closest to Kaiserstrasse, our head quarters since more than 40 years.’ – Ingo Maurer

Ingo Maurer "One from the Heart"

One from the Heart is a unique table lamp by Ingo Maurer that we always have on display in our Santa Fe, NM showroom. Why? – It’s pure love.
It is actually hard to describe the quirky, lovely, fun table lamp by Ingo Maurer and fully get across what it’s all about. How do you explain the two small alligators lounging at the base of this otherwise so romantic piece?
A heart shaped mirror reflects the light onto the wall behind the lamp as an added bonus.

In this photo a threesome of hearts can be seen in the window of the Munich Ingo Maurer studio showroom.

"One From the Heart" by Ingo Maurer

Ingo Maurer Porca Miseria

The  Porca Miseria by Ingo Maurer is a  spectacular chandelier of broken dishes and silverware suspended in mid-air like a slow motion explosion.
The name roughly translates to “What bad luck!”, which was the spontaneous reaction of one of the first people who saw the piece in Milan. That very fitting name stuck.
Here it’s drama is off-set by  the comfortable  surroundings of the old house that houses Ingo Maurer Studiowerkstaetten in Munich.

Ingo Maurer Showroom, Munich, Germany

Entering an inspiring space: The Munich Showroom of Ingo Maurer.
Just spent some time working on the hotos I took in  the Studio of Ingo Maurer in Munich.
Every time I look at them I smile and feel good.
This is design I enjoy: creative, fun, fascinating, surprising, beautiful and functional.

Ingo Maurer Oh Mei Ma White



Contemporary lighting is generally characterized by simple, clean lines and an overall uncluttered look.
Being the style of the present, contemporary design is, however, dynamic and constantly evolving and allows room for lots of
creative ideas of the moment. Contemporary lighting is therefore a lot different today than it was 50 years ago when modernism
was in its infancy and there was a clear focus on pure functionalism.
Today we see a vibrant mix of creative ideas in contemporary lighting that reach from urban chic to industrial functionalism,
Tuscan charm to stark minimalism.
Contrasts are welcome. We see stainless steel paired with crystals, handmade paper with concrete and other eclectic mixes
of textures and materials.
Track lighting and recessed lighting are frequently used to light a room in contemporary style, accompanied by individual "Wow"
pieces like a contemporary chandelier with a sculptural presence or a striking floor lamp.

The Ingo Maurer showroom in Munich is such a treat!
It was great to see this unique “Chandelier” Lacrime del Pescatore by Ingo Maurer again during our visit in Munich this weekend . It gave me the opportunity to take some photos of it. Well, I tried. After a few attempts I realized how difficult it is to capture the beauty of it while showing it in the context of a room.  There was always something in the way, it seemed, but I think these photos at least give an idea about the scale of the fixture.
The three nets can be hung in several configurations since they are attached at several points and stretch easily.

The long slit in the dark blue ceiling is the the cool recessed light “Slitz” that I’ll talk about more in a later post.

Ingo Maurer Lacrime del Pescatore

Want to add interest to a room, highlight your collectibles, and add ambient lighting:  try lighting your cabinets or – like here – add  illuminated niches.

One  way to take away from the harshness of the main light source in a dining area is to use additional  lighting around the edge of the  room.  This diminishes the strong contrasts between light and shadow in the room and makes it possible to dim  the main fixture, usually the pendant light or chandelier over the dining table to a comfortable, more intimate level.
Buffets and hutches  can be illuminated from within and light up your collections of china or treasured pieces .
Look for the color temperature of the bulbs you use for your display. In order to get the effect shown here you need to look for bulbs (lamps) close to 3000K (Kelvin.)
Most quality halogen and fluorescent lamps give you the color temperature as well as the  CRI (Color Rendering Index.) If there is a choice, look for a CRI as close to 100 as you can get.

My comments to this beautiful dining area: I love how the illuminated niches stand out and add architectural interest to the space. They fill the room with warmth and make the art pieces “pop”.
That said, I find that  the pendant light / chandelier looks kind of lost way above the table.  Is it even centered? – It looks like some kind of afterthought.  Lowering it would do a world of difference.

Rule of thumb for mounting height of a pendant of chandelier : 30″ above the dining table.

Ingo Maurer’s latest installation,  Lacrime de Pescatore (Tears of the Fisherman),  is magical!
Layered nylon nets in three different sizes are laden with approximately 350 crystals shimmering  like drops of water. Installed across a ceiling, it creates that feeling that you are underwater, looking up at a fisherman’s glistening net.
I frst saw it in Munich in the Ingo Maurer showroom and was so charmed by it that I forgot to take photos !”
The light source itself is not even part of this unique “light fixture” but is  fixed separately to the wall and aimed to shine at the netting and crystals to illuminate them. You can see this clearly in the second photo.
As an added touch it is packaged it in a fun “to go”container. Ingo Maurer calls it a cash and carry chandelier!

Ingo Maurer Lacrime del Pescatore

Affordable Contemporary Lighting

At Form + Function we want to show that contemporary lighting can be affordable.We offer hundreds of wall sconces, pendant lights, outdoor lighting starting at under $50.

Click on the images to enter our online showroom for some great prices and discounts.

Form + Function is 25!

Ingo Maurer Oh Mei Ma

Oh Mei Ma!

When I finally saw this great piece in the Ingo Maurer Munich showroom  I  just stood there smiling.

It is SO gorgeous!!!

Six large sheets of  handmade paper float in the air, hiding the light source. The sheets are coated with real gold or silver leaf. The result is stunning.