
I was recently introduced to AGFronzoni.com, which celebrates the life and works of Italian minimalist designer, architect and teacher, AG Fronzoni.
In 1962, Fronzoni designed this attractive light fitting, Quadra. Made from steel with a white, black or polished finish, Quadra can be installed on brick walls or ceilings, and measures just 8.66″ x 8.66″. The lamp was nominated for a Compasso d’Oro in 2004 and is manufactured by Italian lighting company Viabizzuno.
With its simple form as a perfect square, and soft lighting, I think it’s a fine example of the great work Fronzoni has produced over the years.

Sorry Giotto is a new LED lighting collection by Italian brand Catellani & Smith. The name refers to the legendary perfect freehand circle drawn by Italian painter Giotto di Bondone in the 14th century. The modern circular objects in question are made from hand painted copper and LED, projecting relaxing warm light on the vertical surface. The collection includes a wall and a floor versions, the latter of which has already scored the ‘Best Floor Light’ award at the Wallpaper Design Awards 2012.
I love the dynamic between the circular shape of the lighting object and a larger circle of light it produces. It looks almost like a halo. And thanks to the LED technology, the 21st century halo-like reflections are much easier to make. Sorry Giotto…

Specialising in the design and production of bespoke lighting, Australian design studio ilanel, have created ORA – an eclipse-like interactive and contemporary wall-mounted luminary with a minimal aesthetic finish.
ilanel explains:
ORA is a piece that mediates between light and darkness through transparent colour. It is an interactive lighting structure that engages in experimentation and exploration of coloured illumination.
It has been designed to encourage personalisation of the colour, influencing the atmosphere in a space. This is done by adjusting three knobs on the face of the design, which represent the colours red, green and blue. Endless interactivity. Super.
Photography by IJ Productions.

Created by Spanish designers CrousCalogero for Estiluz, the Balloon Lamp is a very simple, clean and playful lighting fixture, pleasing children and adults alike.
Emitting a soft and warm light, the lamp’s shade is made of satinized polyethylene, a translucent material that hides an energy saving fluorescent bulb. A thin red cable hangs subtly from the shade, serving as a switch in the wall version (a ceiling option is also available).
It’s the perfect fixture for a young one’s room, but also for a couple’s alcove or a modern living room. Seeing it in person immediately made me smile (and desire one for myself)!

One is an extensive lighting collection designed by the brothers Matthias, Simon and Jürgen Frech for their company FSING.
The collection consists of ceiling lamps, floor lamps and table lamps, but the most interesting piece for me is this wall lamp. It has been reduced to the essential, using aluminium composite sheet of just 4mm thick, hiding all electric systems perfectly.
Most of all I like its lightness, and how it uses the wall to expand the light and create a warm ambient.

Spock, designed by Couvreur & Devos, is a light that is stylishly minimalist yet highly versatile. Lighting designers always seem to push the limits of technology, and this beautiful LED is no different.
The LED disc contained within Spock is only 12mm thin, which is impressive, but not nearly as captivating as its specialized hinging system. The disc is allowed to rotate within its enclosure practically 360 degrees without the presence of any wires or cables sticking out. The light can also be attached to a railing system, which means you can pretty much shine light in any direction you please.
I don’t know what I like more about Spock: its clean aesthetic, or its diverse functionality; either way, this light truly stands out from the norm.

Practical, minimalist and with substance for its uses, say hello to the environmentally pleasant table mood lamp, Greenman.
Italy based designer duo Valentina Del Ciotto & Simone Spalvieri desgined a lamp that combines several sustainable products such as energy saving LED bulb, storage batteries charged by a mini solar panel and a bio-plastic corn trimmed off with a bamboo – that makes Greenman’s design eco-friendly.
This little lamp is cordless, waterproof and energy saving. What more to ask? I can almost see its nomad uses both indoor and outdoor back home!

No, it’s not a new iMac… This is Area, a table lamp designed by Milano based Habits Studio for Italian lighting manufacturer Luceplan.
The Area is packed with interesting features. It is a LED lamp, which is energy efficient, but which also allows for a beautiful flat design. The large white plexiglass surface disperses the light in a uniform way, but it is also backlit – yep: light from the front and the back.
And there’s more: with a series of aluminium supports you can easily turn the table lamp into a pendant, wall lamp, and even floor lamp.
Oh, and you switch it on and off via a touch sensor in the side of the frame. Sweet… (Thx, Jorge!)

Nissyoku, inspired by the astronomical phenomenon of the solar eclipse, is designed by Hungary based designstudio Igen. Igen was founded by Daniel Lorincz and Alberto Vasquez, both students Industrial design in Budapest.
The lens-shaped panels on both sides can move in multiple directions. You can easily adjust the direction and strength of the light by turning the panels, fixed on the lamp by magnets, in a preferred direction. You switch the light on and off by gently touching the metal ring in the middle.
Due to the clever design the lamp can be used as hanging chandelier, table or wall lamp. The lamp is fixed with a magnetic console and a metal ring. Using it as a wall lamp, the two panels are fixed to two metal rings, while using it as table lamp, the two panels are joined to each other. (Thx, Alex!)

Moon – a simple and magical lamp, designed by Davide Groppi of Italian design studio Davide Groppi attracted my eye.
Designed already a few years back – 2005 – but nevertheless a great piece of lightening I wanted to share with you.
A miniature version of the ‘big brother’ out there in the dark sky of the night … Hand made of pure Japanese paper, in a 60 centimeter sphere, the light is softly muted, showing the great texture and overlays of the material.