I love this. I wonder if I could make one.
little epiphanies
daydreams, discoveries, declarations, and design
Posts tagged lighting:
I was at Chicago restaurant Perennial over the summer, and though the meal was absolutely delicious, what I remember most was the mason jar chandelier they had hanging over one of their large round dining tables. Throughout our lengthly meal, which included many courses of small plates and delicious wine, I studied the fixture in an effort to decide whether or not I could make something similar. Now, looking at all these photos of lighting design involving jars, I’m even more inspired.
There is nothing more charming or more useful than mason jars. Aside from preserving sauces, jams, and other homemade treats, they are the perfect shabby chic drinking glasses (and you don’t even have to worry about your friends breaking them at parties). They’re also great for storing all sorts of store bought snacks, from pasta to cookies, and making even the most commonplace foods look pretty on a shelf. I recently made a display of all the random candy leftover from Halloween in our apartment by putting each type in a randomly sized jar and lining them up on a shelf, and it was like having a delightful little candy shop in our kitchen.
Mason jars also make great vases, bathroom storage containers (for Q-tips and the like), and they display houseplants beautifully. I could go on and on about them, and I’m sure they have dozens of uses I haven’t even thought of. In any case, the next time I need a new lighting fixture, I’m going for one of these.
Oh mama, do I love this disassembled chandelier. Spread the sparkles, I say!
In the last week or so, I swear I’ve stumbled upon at least four or five different photos of chandeliers molded to look like octopus tentacles. In my blogging efforts, I’m always on the lookout for interesting art projects and design ideas, so it’s possible that I go through more of this type of photo than the average person. 
Still, it’s rare that I notice so much of the same concept in so many different places, and that’s what really caught my attention.
I needed to know more. Who is making these tentacle lights? Is this some Urban Outfitters thing? Do I actually like these chandeliers, or am I just intrigued by their weirdness?
Then my coworker, who’d been scanning through ideabooks on Houzz and swapping names of design blogs with me all night, found it: Adam Wallacavage’s website.
And now I’m hooked.
Click on “Octopus Chandeliers,” and you will be introduced to a world of fantastical lighting fixtures you’ll never forget. While you may not like the first octopus chandelier you find, I’m convinced that the more you see of Adam Wallacavage’s work, the more you will love it.
It’s amazing how much variety there is among Wallacavage’s pieces. His colors vary from subtle to brilliant, his designs from modest to extravagant. Some of his chandeliers remind me of something you might see in the lobby of the Shedd Aquarium, an antique designed to gracefully light the marble floor of a ballroom. Others are hot pink and reminiscent of the interior of Pee-Wee’s playhouse. Both are equally successful in their design.
In fact, the entire spectrum of Wallacavage’s fixtures is exquisite from beginning to end. I’m so happy to have found them.
