David Feldman is the co-founder and CEO of Y Lighting and home furnishing store, Zwello. His enthusiasm for modern home décor extends beyond his professional life. He works and lives modern. Dave’s Marina Del Rey home is a case in point.

It was once a shingle and tile house, typical of styles in the area, sitting on a small 35 x 90 lot. Its main attraction is the spectacular ocean view. Dave planned to tear down the existing structure and start afresh. But local building codes brought the project to a screeching halt when it was discovered that, in order to preserve the view, the existing structure would have to remain. He hired David Hertz Architects to find a way to take the house from meh to modern. The firm’s solution was unique – so much so that the house is now known as The Slat House.

The architects encased the entire exterior with Ipe wood slats. Ipe is a Brazilian wood that’s incredibly strong. Harvested from naturally sustainable forests, it’s a perfect choice for a seaside location. It naturally resists rot, decay, insects, and mold. It looks nice, too. The original home’s scale gave it a dwarfed look compared to its neighbors. The slats give the impression of elevation without increasing the size of the home. The ocean-facing panels open to provide a clear view of the water.

David is the owner of a lighting concern. So of course he paid particular attention to this aspect of the home’s design. The house gets a lot of natural light in the daytime through large windows and skylights. The slats create a wonderful shadow patterns which changes throughout the day.

Since the house is modern and linear, the designer chose low-profile fixtures and luminaires that embrace that linearity. LEDs add detail to the stairs by casting their silhouette on the wall. Low voltage recessed lights were used in the kitchen, living room and upstairs hallways.

Directional recessed lights highlight artwork. The upstairs hallway is narrow. They get a nice wall wash effect from the recessed lights. The lighting is controlled with the Lutron Spacer system. It’s programmable and operates at the touch of a button.

The linear pattern is repeated throughout the house in elements such as the stairway, with its interlocking wood design. Dave furnished the home simply. The dining area is furnished with a T Table and Missoni’s Mademoiselle chairs, both from Kartell. The pendant fixture over the table is Fucsia 12, designed by Achille Castiglioni. “It’s really timeless,” says Dave. “We love the repetitive nature of the 12 identical pendants from a central frame.”

The view from the upper deck is beautiful. Open, sliding doors welcome the light as well as the ocean breeze. The fireplace is the perfect focal point for entertaining. I’d like to thank Dave for sharing his home with me. He was also kind enough to provide a list of the light fixtures used throughout his home. If you’d like a copy, please email me from the contact button on the left.

The design team of Hettler-Tüllman is working on some interesting prototypes, which I hope we’ll see in the marketplace sometime in the near future. I saw their work at the Satellite in Milan last Spring and was impressed.

First up is this series of wood veneer pendants lamps. They come in a variety of colors with a painted design on each. They have a very light and airy feel to them - sort of crisp modernism meets down-home design.

I love this plywood pendant mobile. The use of color is fantastic - especially because it’s red. Which, if you don’t know already, is my favorite color. The craftsmanship here is terrific.

This table is designed to be folded and put away. That’s very smart for both shipping and home design aspects. Flat packing means less space taken up in a shipping container and, therefore, less impact on the environment. And, of course, if you live in a space-impaired abode, being able to store a table to make more room is always a great thing.

Katja Hettler is an industrial designer and has worked with Marc Newson and Christian Biecher. Architect Jula Tüllmann, trained in Berlin and New York. She has worked with Maya Lin and urban theorist Michael Sorkin.

You can find some of their accessories, like laptop covers, at their online store, Red Maloo.

Marie Christophe has created a new line of chandeliers and table lamps using a wonderful mix of materials: steel wire, ceramic beads and PVC shades (available in three colors).

The end result are fixtures that are truly one of a kind. Light as air. You can find her work via Lisa Fontanarosa.

Featured here: Lustre Rouge Chandelier, and the Oisea, Pelican and  Pompei Lamps.

Designers are always dealing with the curse of having their creativity knocked off and sold for a lot less money. I thought that from time to time I’d highlight a few and ask you to judge which you’d prefer. Today’s case in point is Marc Sadler’s Twiggy Lamp for Foscarini, versus CB2’s Bauhaus Arc Lamp. 

The Twiggy version is made of a compound fiber material, has a beautiful, graceful line, and comes in a variety of colors. CB2’s version is quite awkward in comparison, yet looks mysteriously like the original. It’s made of aluminum with an iron base and comes in two colors.
The difference in price is substantial. Twiggy retails for $2,022 (including free shipping if you buy it from Hive Modern). It’s also available from Property. The CB2 sells for $199, plus $20 for shipping.

To be honest, one can often argue that something is an inspiration based on someone else’s design, as opposed to an actual knock-off. But where do you draw the line? So I’m wondering…

What’s your opinion on buying a copy? Does this count as one, or is it an inspiration? Is price more important than design theft?

I’m loving this light fixture from Triode Design. The T-Lamp series is made of stainless and plexiglass modules that fit together is various forms.

Designed to be sculptural as well as functional, the T-Lamp can hang on the wall, or become a table lamp. The modules are flexible, so that it an be repositioned as your mood or needs change. It comes in several colors as well.

I like its rather industrial look.

While rushing through the aisles of Milan’s Salone Satellite this year (there wasn’t enough time to see everything!) I came across the nice and simple display space of an up and coming Japanese designer named Takashi Sato.

There were numerous displays this year, as always, that were simple and straightforward however something made me stop and look at his work a little more closely. That something was a pair of beautiful lamps called “Tongs” that are made from a single and elegantly formed piece of aluminium.

There was one black and one yellow, and while yellow is a color that usually turns me off I was so drawn in by the details and execution that I found that I actually preferred it in such a bright color…it went beyond the archetypal “white or black” color palette of many modernist designers (although the black one was very sexy too).

These turned out to be one of my top 5 picks of Milan 2008 and illustrate a good point about doing more with less. Executing simplicity the right way is difficult and Takashi’s work is a perfect example of this.

After marvelling at his lamps I noticed a few other great pieces, including his Coat Hanger which was nominated for a 2008 Design Report award and a beautiful felt folding stool.

I took note of his website which is definitely worth a visit.

I found these lamps over at Inhabitat. Kelp lamps from Kelp Constructs. Designer, Julia Lohmann has been experimenting with kelp, and exploring its potential as a sustainable material.

To read more about it and see more photos, scoot over to Inhabitat here.

Everything is possible. This is the Danish designer, Cecilie Manz’s philosophy. It’s a good approach to take, though, in my experience, a costly one from time to time. Here is her Caravaggio pendant lamp for Lightyears.

It comes in black or white and several sizes. The starting retail price for the smallest is $195. It’s available through Hightower.

This just in! Baker is having a sale beginning April 25th and running through May 27th. It includes all Baker upholstery, occasional furniture, lighting, and everything from Milling Road.

If you’re interested in a quote from me, please email me at JenniferMitchellDesign at gmail.com. I apologize, but I’m having temporary problems with the contact form on the new site. I’m still ironing out some glitches. Thanks for your patience.

Autoban designers Seyhan Ozdemir and Sefer Caglar have a rather eclectic collection. They offer a mix of sculptural (such as the Scrub table, below) furniture. Other styles are more severe and boxy. While not all their styles are hits with me, the furniture is beautifully crafted and finished to buttery perfection.

Yet, there’s an odd side to Autobahn-By De La Espada. Usually, there’s a general cohesiveness to a designers’ aesthetic. But Autoban has these weird things that just don’t seem to fit.

Ring is a good example. They call it “quirky.” To me Ring looks like something you’d see in an indifferent office lobby. I think it needs to take a trip down a long road.

All that set aside, I generally like Autoban’s style. Two new seats particularly caught my eye.

The Walking Man Bench is crisp and clever (and reminds me a bit of E-15’s Big Foot stool).

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What do you think of this pendant lamp? It’s designed by Philippe Starck. I’m always trying to figure out what he’s thinking when he comes up with these sort of novelties. It reminds me of those cut crystal bowls over at Gradnma’s house. They’re always filled with candy that’s become stuck together and sports a topping of dust.

Maybe this is one of those things that you really have to see to appreciate. I hope so, because it sells for $6,150. As my mother would say, “You could make that yourself.” And you should. But that’s just my humble opinion. At any rate, you can check it our over at Y-Lighting.

Would you pay $1,600 for this lamp? It’s made of 40 pairs of mirrored aviator sunglass frames. Do those cost a lot of money? Not the last time I checked.

This lamp is just silly. It ’s one of those design jokes - funny the first time you show it off to your friends (and brag about the price). After that, it’s just a lamp made out of sunglasses. And if you don’t know it, let me tell you that your friends are talking about you behind your back - wondering why you didn’t have your kids make one for Father’s Day and spend the money on a therapist.

File this under the slogan I grew up hearing my mother say, “You Could Make That Yourself.”