Gantri’s 3D-Printed Lights by Chris Granneberg Feature a Simple Twist

Graphic designer Paula Scher once attributed the importance of play in opening the doorways to creativity. “I play when I design.” Unencumbered by prescriptive expectations, possibilities, often simple and easily overlooked become obvious. It’s a sentiment similarly drummed up while reviewing industrial designer Chris Granneberg’s collection of lighting designed for Gantri, a joyfully fun collection of colorful cubes offering a literal twist in form in service of function.

The easiest way to add joy to someone’s life is through color.

The childlike spirit effused by Granneberg’s design is rare in the task light category, where the proposition of serious work for serious people too often results in seriously staid designs. The simple, compact shapes of the Analog collection were inspired by the designer’s daughter’s LEGO collection, and whose propensity to anthropomorphize the IKEA FREKVENS inspired the “authentically playful” trio of lights. The result lands somewhere in-between the nexus of plaything, the ethos of Eames designs, and a Lightolier Lytegem.

“I stacked 10cm cubes into a directional task light, wall light, and floor light and rendered them in happy colors,” explains Granneberg, “I imagine the collection would be 3D printed.”

Occasionally wishes are granted. In this case Granneberg’s concept was brought to 3D-printed life by sustainable lighting brand Gantri in the form of a task light, floor light, and wall light, each design revolving around a 360-degrees rotating light cube feature capturing the playful spirit of the designer’s daughter, and now available for all of us to illuminate our inner child… even when attempting to complete the tasks of adulthood.

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5 New Colors + 1 Retro Pattern Refresh Panton’s Flowerpot Range

Arguably better than a fresh bouquet of flowers, the iconic Flowerpot range designed by Verner Panton is getting a spring refresh from Danish design house &Tradition with five, new, vibrant colors and a black & white pattern that has us feeling nostalgic for retro styles. The reissue of Panton’s hypnotic, wavy pattern is a particularly exciting one. According to family archives, it was first used in the 1970s and adds a bold, graphic element into interior spaces.

Monochromatic in color, the rest of the new Flowerpot arrivals add their own vibrancy, even when switched off. Those looking for that perfect poppy shade of red can lay down their search with the Vermillion Red color, which was first used in an invitation for Panton’s 60th birthday party in 1986. For something a bit moodier, Dark Plum is a never-before-used shade for the Flowerpot range that brings a chicness similar to black.

Perfect for spring, Tangy Pink delights like a full-bloomed tulip stem, adding a happy pop of color and energy to a space. In the cooler range of hues, Swim Blue is fresh and aquatic while Cobalt Blue is more subdued and sophisticated.

Check out the 5 new colors and black/white pattern Flowerpot designs at andtradition.com.

Marcel Wanders’ Skynest Lighting Doesn’t Use a Single Bulb

When we think about a light fixture – whether it’s a wall sconce, floor lamp, or ceiling pendant – we often conjure up an image of a bulb and some sort of covering, like a lamp shade or glass orb. Marcel Wanders’ Skynest lighting for FLOS checks off none of these characteristics. Instead, the Dutch designer employs filaments of light to illuminate both the fixture and the space it is placed in. Twenty-four LED light sticks are woven like thread with 48 tubes of textile. Like a spirograph made three-dimensional, Skynest attracts your eyes with its geometric design and challenges the idea of the typical bulb lighting archetype. In other words, the basket-like “shade” is actually the light source. Available in four colorways (Almond, Blue Tormaline, Brick, and Anthracite) and various models (including Pendant, Ceiling, Wall, and Ceiling-to-Floor variants), Skynest creates an unforgettable moment in any space.

For more on Marcel Wanders’ Skynest, visit flos.com.