Contemporary lamps with timeless appeal

"Contemporary design is an interesting challenge," says Eileen Schonbek Beer, Creative Director of Schonbek. "What’s new today can become dated in a season. That’s why we take a classic approach to contemporary styling at Schonbek. We honor the principles of minimalism without compromising our love of ideal beauty. We think in terms of future trends, as well as the look of the hour.

"Crystal, happily, is a wonderful medium for contemporary lamp design. We can give it bold shapes. We can make it in wild colors. And we can ensure that our designs will have lasting value by working only with the finest quality of crystal."

An example of a Schonbek lamp that plays with pure shape is Bocina. The color palette is austere: black, white and mirror-like silver. The black and off-black striped square shade is uncompromisingly bold, while the imposing lead crystal urn adds an element of classicism.

"Another great material for contemporary lamps," according to Eileen, "is rock crystal. Because it’s a gemstone mined from the Earth, it ties in with the growing appreciation of all things natural. We talk often with the owners of Schonbek crystal chandeliers and lamps, and in looking at photos of their homes, we see a lot of interesting interior design being done with stone, tile and marble."

Rocca by Schonbek shows how the massiveness of rock crystal can be used with striking effect in a contemporary table lamp. Thick disks of rock crystal give the base of the lamp a sculptural quality. Alternating chunks of colored crystal complement the pink and black trim of the white Dupioni silk drum shade.

Schonbek has also played with whimsical patterns and forms in its pursuit of edgy new looks for lamps. Not content with a simple cube shade for Diamante, for example, Schonbek uses a fabric with a subtle swirl pattern formed by tiny silver studs. The base of this lamp combines glass rods with faceted colored crystals. The finial is an eccentric antenna made of crystal ball, beads and metallic curlicue.

Furnishings are likely to be spare in contemporary rooms, so every element in a room becomes important. There's no place to hide, even for a table lamp. "Every lamp we design," Eileen points out, "has a strong personality. It invites attention. Frankly, we aspire to equate our lamps with works of art and craftsmanship. We pour as much creative energy into lamp design as we do into the design of our crystal chandeliers. So the consumer gets tremendous value with the purchase of a Schonbek lamp."

Can a table lamp really be collectible? Schonbek likes to think so. "We are designers in a deep sense," says Eileen. "Our lamp collection keeps evolving. We experiment endlessly to express new visual ideas through the functional entity we call a table lamp. And we are rare in that we try to invest our designs with heirloom value. This might seem strange in connection with contemporary design. But every new design has the potential to become a classic, to capture the aesthetic spirit of its era for collectors of the future. And that's our goal, for every Schonbek lamp."

Request a free lamp brochure