Industrial Lighting, Chandelier

Their house was most certainly unique, formerly built by an architect for himself. Upon entry into this one-of-a-kind home, my eyes went wayyyy up…. to the peak of the 20 ft. ceiling. The loft suspended above the dining area, a shape that angled in an off-beat, geometrical sort of way with steel suspension railing around the perimeter. Galvanized steel flood lights had been adjusted according to the theater of the day, and the stairwell, constructed of iron grating, ascended to the second floor like scaffolding. The complex configuration of raw fir ceiling rafters combined with a blocky color scheme, lent to finding “just-the-right” lighting fixture! Susan and Jeff – worn out by a never-ending shopping experience – were on a quest where they visited every lighting store in town and a multitude of websites. They were left staring at a mountain of choices only to find that as the number of options increased, they became more or less stuck in indecision. After an in-depth consultation with this busy couple, we decided to simplify our approach and ended up taking four steps to accomplish our aim. Narrowed Down by Style – I suggested that Susan and Jeff limit their selections to only two styles – “Industrial” and/or “Contemporary Hand-Forged”. Narrowed Down by Product – I keenly decreased their lighting fixture selections, narrowing down product to three choices, including a design fabricated by myself. Took Time for Reflection – We consciously agreed to allow the space and time to reflect on each new idea. Visualized Results – We decided that we would find ways to sample and mock up possibilities so that Susan and Jeff could visualize potential end results.

I went to the Hubbardton Forge website as I was familiar with the handmade quality of the product from this Vermont foundry. We knew the moment we laid eyes on The Corona that it was the one! This “au current” chandelier had recently made a splash on the market with a very beautiful ad photo; a hand-forged, organic form with elegant curves and warm metal finishes. The glowing quality of illumination created intimacy that seemed to click with the sentiment of Susan and Jeff’s space.

Thanks to Jonathon of Cole Electric in Kirkland WA, for providing us with his solid electrical experience and easy-going personality during the installation of The Corona, which is now air-born, at a finish length of 152”, in Susan and Jeff’s home!
Sometimes as consumers, we blame ourselves if we are not meeting our own standards, and negative emotion becomes attached to decision- making. It is my job as a designer to be aware of these ‘consumer quirks’ and do what I can to offer my clients the best possible experience.

In the book “The Paradox of Choice – Why More is Less” (2004), by Barry Schwartz, the author describes a modern movement “voluntary simplicity”, where the core idea is that there are too many choices, too many decisions, and too little time to do what is really important.”

“Over choice takes place when the advantages of diversity and individualization are canceled by the complexity of buyer’s decision-making process.”

— From Alvin Toffler, Future Shock, 1971