Lighting is one of the most essential elements of good interior design, yet quite often it is only considered as an after thought or, even worse, overlooked altogether. It can be argued however, that lighting is just as important if not more so than any other design choice.   What good after all, is a beautiful colour palette or bespoke cabinetry if lighting is ineffective or impractical?

Vintage Mid Century Rattan Floor Lamp AU

Lighting can be both Practical and Aesthetic

Light can, quite simply, transform a space. However, it’s not just a question of being able to see or not. Light has an obvious practical application, but it can also be used to great aesthetic effect.

1970s French Georgia Jacob Table Lamp in hard curved resin AU

Interior Lighting Should be Functional yet Layered

Lighting should neither be too harsh nor too dim, it should be designed with the function of a room in mind and, ideally, it should be layered. Not only does good lighting contribute to the sense of comfort in a space, but it also has the ability to make that space more atmospheric, even giving it a touch of the dramatic. Lighting should possess both versatility and adaptability. After all, light entering the room will change according to the time of day, the season and even the weather, so it makes sense to plan electrical lighting always keeping natural light and its movement through a space in mind.

Vintage Perspex and Brass Globe Lamp Angelo Lelli AU

Enhance Natural Light in an Interior Space

In recent years, the benefits natural lighting brings to our lives have been appreciated more and not just by architects and interior stylists. It is clear that natural light does something to our souls that electrical light fails to achieve, miraculous invention though it was. Consequently, many interiors are now designed to allow as much natural light as possible to enter a space whether that’s through the use of glazing or roof lights or simply positioning windows deliberately so that they are south or west facing.

Vintage hand carved mahogany curved floor lamp AU

Four types of Light in Interior Design

There are four main types of man-made lighting: ambient, task, accent and decorative. Ambient lighting provides the foundation for all the lighting in a room; it’s the primary light source and provides a first layer. Task lighting, in contrast, is focused on one area in particular, that where a certain task needs to be performed. Accent lighting has been specifically designed to draw attention to and highlight art or artefacts and decorative lighting, the fourth layer of light, does exactly as its name suggests; it adds the final decorative touches to an interior and complements the other layers of lighting. It can be eye-catching and flamboyant or muted and complementary.

Pair of vintage Italian brass desk lamps

Vintage Sustainability

AU Bespoke’s collection of lights and lamps is entirely vintage and therefore recycled. However, good design credentials and hand-craftsmanship lasts beyond even several life times, thus providing truly sustainable lighting solutions. Rewired using silk flex twist, each and every light or lamp - whether designed for a floor space, to hang from a ceiling or to sit on a table top or desk - has been fully PAT tested.

To browse AU’s collection, please click here.

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Mid-century modern interior design

Born in Prague in 1913, František Jirák was a Czech architect and designer who studied at both the School of Master Joiners (Mistrovská škola stolarská) and the Special School of Interior Design and Architecture (Specialna skola pre vnutornu architekturu). Under the guidance and leadership of Jindřich Halabalou, one of the most celebrated and influential designers to emerge from the Czech Republic, Jirak spent eleven years working at the renowned United Arts & Crafts Factory, or United UP (Spojene UP zavody), in Brno.

Durability and Distinctiveness

It is for this period for that his contributions to design are most well known. United UP was one of the most influential companies in Czech history. Admired for the simplicity of its designs, but also the durability and the distinctiveness of the furniture they produced, the company put the Bauhaus philosophy at the very centre of every piece they produced and its designers always sought to combine fine art aesthetics with everyday function.

Physical Integrity

At United UP, there was also an unfaltering commitment to high quality, most especially as far as the physical integrity of the products was concerned. An attention to quality might seem at odds with the fact that the pieces were also marketed to the masses, but even so, metal and solid woods were always used. This and the simplistic, minimal style of the furniture are reasons why they are still proving so popular as collectors’ items today.

Vision and Interior Styling

It might be surprising to learn that it wasn’t the Swedes who first started the trend of setting out their stores as if they were fully furnished interiors, but United UP. They understood that their customers had an inherent need to visualise what the furniture could look like in their own homes and they set up their shop interiors accordingly.

Craftsmanship and carpentry

As for Jirák, in 1948 he left United UP in order to relocate to the Slovakian part of what was then Czechoslovakia. As an expert in furniture design, especially one who favoured wood, he became the Head of the Development Department in the Regional Directorate of Woodworking Companies. His skills as both a designer and a carpenter were highly valuable in an industry that was rapidly evolving. From the end of the 1960s up until his eventual retirement, he also worked closely as a product designer for a national company called the New House (Nový domov) in Spisska Nova Ves. It was during this time that Jirák designed the Lollipop chair and it is for this iconic piece of furniture that he is certainly best known today. Vintage František Jirák Lollipop chairs covered in vintage taupe sheepskin AU Bespoke Given this nickname because their flat shape was said to resemble a lollipop, the 22 – 19 chair was manufactured by Tatra Nábytok Pravenec in the former Czechoslovakia. The factory was known for exporting about 60% of its chair production, but it was decided that this particular model should be sold domestically. Made of curved plywood, the backrest and seat of this chair are connected to each other with screws that remain visible. Normally upholstered in thick fabric, the chairs legs are tapered in a pin shape. It should be noted that there is a slight variation on the 22-19 model: the 22-19-1. Manufactured instead by Západoslov Bratislava, this model had an additional upholstered seat cushion and a marginally different backrest. For various reasons, not much is known about Jirák compared to other mid-century modern designers. As a designer who lived behind the iron curtain it is his designs themselves more than any formal record that provide testament to his innovation, his creativity and his dedication to carpentry. And luckily for us, the lollipop chair lives on and not just in the Czech Republic; a sweet reminder of the extraordinary talent and craftsmanship of one of a number of esteemed mid-century modern Czech designers. Continue reading

"Never throw anything good away – real wool, pure silk. Put it away and wait for it to come back."

Helen Gurley Brown

Real wool is indeed ‘good’. In fact, it’s better than good; it’s exceptional and remarkable in many ways. It’s remarkable because, as a fabric, wool is functional, durable, incredibly warm and aesthetically appealing. And it’s exceptional, because its natural fibres are completely organic and biodegradable. Even if disposed of or discarded, wool simply releases its valuable nutrients back into the soil with no detrimental effects whatsoever. There is no reason, however, to throw wool away. It is, after all, widely known to be a material that can be employed for far longer and in many more ways than the majority of man-made fibres.

And not only can it be reused, but it also easily lends itself to being recycled and therefore ultimately, repurposed. At the end of its life, wool that is no longer fabric-worthy can be used to create solid, textile benches, acoustic textile tiles, fire-retardant mattress padding or car sound insulation. It doesn’t even matter if it is no longer fit for these innumerable purposes; it can still be degraded down into compost and used as rich fertiliser.

One thing is clear; wool should never end up in landfill. Buying predominately natural materials – including wool, but also silk, cotton and linen - would significantly reduce carbon emissions and decrease the amount of rubbish that is currently buried. In the U.K. alone, it is estimated that roughly 350, 000 tonnes of textile waste goes into landfill annually. It is a small consolation however, that if wool does end up where it shouldn’t, in a matter of months it will simply break back down into the carbon it first was when originally in plant form grazed upon by sheep.

 

Of course, wool has been widely used and recycled for hundreds of years in various different ways. A cursory glance through the history books of any culture will demonstrate its importance, value and significance irrespective of time, place or people. Revered in Roman times, spinning and weaving was viewed as a sign of womanly virtue and very much appreciated and admired. Having come from a living animal, wool was believed to contain a spirit, an ‘animus’. Consequently, it was believed to have a beneficial relationship to the gods and linked to strength, health and life itself.

 

In Prato, a town in the Tuscan province of the same name, knowledge of how to turn wool and other used fabrics into new materials stretches back to the 12^th Century and it has been this knowledge of how to use and reuse wool which has given their own, modern-day community renewed strength, health and life. The people of Prato have harnessed and finessed the skills of their ancestors and, as a direct result of economic need, used centuries-old expertise to turn traditional wool craft into a sustainable way of life that works in contemporary times. Not only do they recycle wool and other natural materials, but they have also developed ways of prolonging the life of all sorts of man-made fabrics, preventing them from being taken to landfill and reincarnating them into creations that have sustainability and good design as basic credentials.

 

 

Indeed, in a recent surge all across the world, most notably in Scandinavian countries, farmers are now once more taking up the trades of their grandparents. Instead of discarding the wool because they have lacked the means to scour it (essentially cleaning and removing the smell of the sheep), they are now establishing new, viable production lines and supply chains in order to avoid wastage and enable more people to profit more from its circular nature; the ‘animus’ is being truly reanimated.

 

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What are crystals?

Clustering together deep in the earth’s crust, deposits of minerals form that most beautiful and rare of objects: a crystal. Layer upon layer of these deposits – left behind once water has evaporated – cling to each other in highly organised structures. In time, occasionally after a few days but most often over the course of thousands of years, these mineral deposits become crystals. The shape of a crystal mirrors the internal make-up of its atoms so no two are the same. This uniqueness is also partly due to the differences in temperature and chemical composition wherever it is they come into being. What colour a crystal becomes is determined by the arrangement of the crystal’s atoms as well as the way in which light interacts with them. Impurities in the atomic structure are a further cause of colouration, beauty arising from imperfections. This layering of mineral deposits and the formation of a crystal could be viewed as symbolic, providing as it does a stunning visual representation of the many different attributes crystals can bring to our living spaces. Feature image - Rare crystal muscovite cluster

Healing and restorative

Crystals are much more than just decorative, sculptural pieces. Fascinating to many because of their transformative origins and natural beauty, they are also known for their religious symbolism and the belief that their use can bring about harmony and peace. Placed in the correct spot, it is said that the right crystal can encourage and energise, cleanse and renew, or calm and relieve. Belief in the healing properties of crystals is not a recent, or even semi-recent, trend. For thousands of years crystals have been highly significant to many people, people who are themselves geographically, historically and culturally diverse: the Ancient Sumerians and the Ancient Greeks, the Chinese and the tribes of South America, are just a few examples. Many forms of medicine continue to avail themselves of the powers of crystals, with each crystal regarded as holding its own individual energy or power. Natural therapy practices advocate their use, believing that they can bring our own bodies into balance and unblock mental tensions or physical struggles. It is thought that the crystals’ vibrations interact with our own chakras – various focal points used in ancient meditative practices – aligning our bodies with our souls and thus restoring serenity and equilibrium.

 

 

Natural, sustainable design

Nowadays, the vast majority of crystals are produced naturally but sustainably. Consequently, they are no longer mined, significantly reducing if not eradicating completely the environmental impact of obtaining them. Nevertheless, with their glittering aesthetic and infinitesimal arrangements, crystals still evoke a sense of wonder at just how miraculous and awe- inspiring nature is. Illuminating any space in which they find themselves, crystals refract light and add colour to an interior, be it traditional or contemporary.

Utterly unique, no two crystals will ever catch or reflect light in the same way. Indeed their tones and colours change not only as day fades to evening, but also throughout the seasons. Crystals provide texture contrasting beautifully with other materials, such as burnished wood or polished marble. This can be especially effective in a living space, which is pared down and minimal; a carefully placed crystal will lend a touch of the dramatic to a tonal, more neutral space. As varied as their formations, they can be both small and unobtrusive or chosen as a larger, sculptural statement.

 

 

Beauty and meaning

Chosen then because of their natural beauty or for deeper, personal meanings or indeed a combination of both, it becomes the case that the ancient practices of crystal healing intertwine with modern concepts of design. One thing is clear; a crystal’s visual impact is no less important than its healing properties and vice versa.

 

 

Restorative or brilliant, crystals elevate their surroundings with life-enhancing and affirming energy. Whether we strive for balance within ourselves or for our interiors, crystals can help us to replenish our reserves along the way. Meanwhile, their magnificence serves to remind us – as it has reminded our ancestors over millennia – just how miraculous both their and our creation truly is.

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An ancient artform Pojagi - an ancient form of Korean patchwork - is both decorative and functional. Although evidence suggests that it has been in use for up to two thousand years, the earliest surviving examples of this utilitarian yet exquisite art form date from the 12^th Century. An integral part of the lives of every Korean irrespective of their economic class, Pojagi’s popularity remains today.

Repurposing and reusing Whatever their social rank or position, traditionally it was women who took old clothes or scraps of cloth left over from cutting out their traditional clothing and repurposed them into wrapping cloths. With nothing but remnants and offcuts, as well as a knack for improvisation, these women – forced to be frugal and prudent with what they had – turned their thriftiness into a highly creative activity. They ended up with something both highly practical and beautiful out of what would otherwise have been discarded.

Influence and style A utilitarian, working class art form Pojagi might have been, but its influence was still seen in the upper echelons of Korean society. Indeed, it was so admired that the Royal Court used it as a means of adornment and for ceremonial use. Each stratum of Korean life had a distinct style when it came to Pojagi and this was mainly obvious through colour. Silks in vivid reds, pinks and purples were commissioned specially for royalty and the material was often also hand painted with intricate patterns. The cloths of the common people were far more pared down and natural in colour. However exceptional the pieces of the Royal Court remain, it could well be the art of the working class, aligning necessity with creativity, that is perhaps most praiseworthy.

 

 

Improvisation and artistry Colour then, had its station, but the method by which the scraps of cloth were stitched together was universal. Here the maker’s own artistic tastes and skills could come to the fore and society’s dictates did not have to be considered. Whether patterns were balanced or random, the creator of the cloth, whoever they were, had the autonomy to work expressively and individually in an improvisational manner. Hand stitched with contrasting thread, Pojagi cloths were seamed ‘flat felled’ meaning that any raw edge was enclosed and finished leaving no wrong side. To give someone a present wrapped in Pojagi showed great respect; each individual stitch was viewed as a prayer of goodwill towards the recipient. Aesthetically pleasing, Pojagi was nevertheless created to have many practical uses during everyday life; it covered, wrapped, stored and carried objects. Sometimes, it was even used to deliver marriage proposals and protect sacred writings. Even today, it is believed that the Korean parliament transports documents in this historic art form.

 

 

Interior styling: reusing, recycling and repurposing It is incredible how so much of our interior’s inspiration dates back thousands of years to ancient craftspeople from all over the globe. Innovative solutions are at our fingertips if we take the time to study history, both broadening our perspectives and establishing connections. To this end, inspired by the ancient Korean art form of Pojagi and marrying it with AU’s own ideals, where the thread of sustainability runs through every facet of our business, we have created blankets and floor cushions from the remnants of our upholstery, ensuring that absolutely nothing goes to waste and what is created, is completely practical and truly beautiful.

 

 

 

To see AU’s collection of Pojagi inspired textiles, please click here.

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Among AU’s carefully sourced collection of tables, there are those carved from marble and also, travertine. At first glance, the differences in the two stones may be barely discernible or even, noteworthy. But what exactly is travertine? How does it differ from marble and are we justified in thinking it deserves equal standing in our interior spaces?

 

What is travertine?

Being both natural and a type of limestone, travertine – just like marble - is a terrestrial, sedimentary rock. The key difference in the stones, however, is their formation. Although both come about as a result of limestone being placed under enormously high pressures and temperatures, travertine’s metamorphosis only takes place in geo-thermally heated springs or caves. A product of the precipitating deposits arising from carbonate minerals in ground and surface waters, travertine can be recognised by its honeycomb structure, the holes of which are due to carbon dioxide evasion during its seemingly alchemical creation.

 

Italian travertine

Renowned for viewing as artisanship those tasks often considered elsewhere in the world as merely rough, manual labour, Italy has long perfected the exquisite craftsmanship necessary to work with travertine and the unrivalled ability to transform it into elegant, sophisticated pieces of art. Thousands of years ago, the Romans used it in their general construction and it can still be admired in many famous monuments today, the colonnade of St. Peter’s Square in Rome being one such well-known example.

 

Cream Travertine Pyramid Coffee Table

This combination of a centuries-old legacy and revered workmanship means that still today, travertine of the very best quality originates from Italy. Indeed, until the 1980s, the country’s quarries were known as being the only real source for the stone. These days, it is possible to obtain travertine from all over the world; Turkey, Iran and Mexico are just a few of the countries that export it. Although much of this travertine is also remarkable, unlike marble, it is not sold from the quarry out of which it was mined, so it can be difficult to ascertain its actual quality before setting eyes on it. Consequently, obtaining Italian travertine – always consistently exceptional - has become even costlier than buying marble.

Vintage 1970's Italian Travertine Console

Interior Styling and travertine

Coming as it does in a multitude of calm, muted shades including ivory, cream and beige, travertine provides interior stylists with a palette full of true neutrals. But, depending on the amount of iron or other organic impurities found in the original limestone, travertine can also take on many hues ranging from walnut through to gold and a myriad of purples, oranges and reds.

 

Italian Travertine Leaf Shaped Coffee Table

Just like marble, travertine is worthy of that rare accolade of being both highly aesthetic and undeniably functional. Long beloved in interiors because of this simultaneous beauty and versatility, the stone is frequently employed as flooring and wall tiles or simply admired as a sculptural object in its own right. Able to be polished to a smooth finish or honed to be matte, it can even be chiselled or brushed so as to be uneven or rough and all without any of its natural magnificence being diminished.

Providing instant texture whilst remaining a true neutral, its elegance can be structured yet abidingly simple. With their timeless quality and an appeal that transcends interior design trends both travertine and marble have the ability to transform and unite in equal measure. Being natural, organic stones means that each and every piece is unique. It is futile to compare the two: far better to delight in using both. Browse through AU’s collection of travertine and marble tables here.

 

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How this simplest of objects has had the power to span millennia transcending cultural barriers. The pestle and mortar is ubiquitous; found in every culture, its use can be traced back through each millennium. Evidence of its place in the lives of humankind dates back to Ancient Egypt and 1550BC, but it’s estimated that this simple yet highly functional tool was actually put to work more than 6000 years before the existence of the Pharaohs. Essential for preparing medicine in Roman times, the pestle and mortar was an early symbol for apothecaries or pharmacists. In Malay and West Asia, it’s still used today to grind meat, whereas in the Philippines its function continues as a rice de-husker.

The pre-Hispanic cultures of both the Mayan and Aztecs used the pestle and mortar to grind spices. Indeed, they’re still employed for exactly this task in modern day Pakistan and India. And it’s long been understood that in Papua New Guinea, pestles were carved into elaborate birds’ heads, whilst the Chalon and Mutsun peoples of California’s Salinas valley chiselled shallow depressions into bedrock in order to grind up their grains and acorns. Browse the Internet today and you will find numerous articles describing the best way to go about choosing the pestle and mortar ideal for your modern kitchen.

The longevity of the pestle and mortar’s design is astounding; it has changed very little over the course of thousands and thousands of years. From culture to culture, it has merely adapted in order to suit the materials to hand, the only caveat being that the user – whoever and wherever they were – must be able to crush and pound. And even though modern kitchens might have access to industrial grinders, many chefs prefer to use the traditional pestle and mortar to bring the best out of their ingredients; much like bread enthusiasts often choose to enjoy the immediacy of kneading dough by hand instead of machine. One place where the cuisine is just as diverse as the population is Africa. As varied as the food is over this vast continent, there’s a tool that is the common denominator: the pestle and mortar. Essential for preparing everything from staples to spice mixes, the use of the pestle and mortar was once so prolific that it was the custom in some West African cultures to give one to every new bride. Traditionally, the African mortar is a large, heavy vessel made of wood on a pedestal base. Between one and one and a half feet high, most have a diameter of between 24 and 30 inches.

The design of the pestle is a slender rod form with a ball-shaped end and therefore a larger surface area, thus making the grinding process less time consuming and more effective. Cleaning was simple: water, a clean rag and time to dry naturally. Modern technology has made the process of grinding easy and - on the African continent - food processors, blenders and powdered staples have all but rendered the need for this handcrafted tool redundant. Except for one thing: flavour. For a tool that predates agriculture, many have made the mistake of considering the pestle and mortar obsolete and inefficient. However, the pestle and mortar cannot be underestimated for its unrivalled ability to create rich, authentic aroma, taste and texture. Simple, organic and seemingly as old as time itself, it’s not very often that form and function come together to create such a joyous and long lasting union.

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Kuba cloths are so admired for their elaborate designs and craftsmanship that mathematicians have gone to great lengths to study their intricate, complex geometric patterns. Unique to the Kuba Kingdom of central Africa – now the Democratic Republic of Congo and formerly Zaire - vegetable dyes are used to give the fibre of the Raphia Vinifera Palm leaves a variety of earthy tones. Then, Kuba cloth is woven from the leaves’ strands. Traditionally used in a multitude of ways, from the prestigious (including ceremonial court adornment and dance regalia) to the more prosaic (for example, as wrapping, sleeping mats and even currency) the cloth remains highly coveted.

 Textile production is firmly rooted in a cultural practice where the division of labour is based on gender. Men are wholly responsible for cultivating the palms and weaving the raffia cloth, whereas it is the women who engage in hand-stitching embroidery and appliqué or the technique of cutting the pile as a form of embellishment in itself. Traditionally rectangular, two main types of Kuba cloth are most prevalent: cut pile, which has been shorn in such a way to form a surface similar to velvet in texture and flat woven, which is the most often decorated. What is common to each piece of Kuba cloth however, is its individual nature; meticulous craftsmanship ensures that every piece is unique. The geometric patterns on the Kuba cloth speak of far more than the artisanal skills of their makers; they’re also illustrative of the extent of the exploration that has taken place by the Kuba people into the formal possibilities of geometric variation. It has been clearly evidenced that – in their repetitive border designs - the Kuba people use every single geometric possibility. Of the seventeen geometric designs able to be used on a surface, they have mastered twelve.

Being adept at geometry however, with an innate understanding of its facets does not mean that the Kuba people confine themselves to this patterning alone, especially on larger, open surfaces. That said, their geometric designs – especially when layered and placed in bright light – work rather like a three-dimensional puzzle, giving the eyes and mind a sense of space and upward movement. Indeed, the designs on the cloths have often been described as creating true magic and visual alchemy, which is one of the reasons why the cloths were so coveted and prized, especially during ceremonial occasions. The mathematics behind Kuba cloths is both fascinating and deeply impressive, as is the textile’s cultural history and its relationship to African music and other African art forms. Their elemental colours and intricate patterns will add warmth, depth and - perhaps surprisingly for some, an historical mathematical element - to any interior. For AU’s carefully sourced collection of vintage Kuba cloth cushions, click here.

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Fine craftsmanship and collaborations with iconic designers of the 20^th Century, mean that Peill + Putzler’s sculptural glass shades and futuristic globular forms have always been highly sought after pieces. Rising from the ashes following the Second World War when two successful German manufacturers merged to become one company, Peill + Putzler unifed their respective expertise in glass blowing and lighting. Fusing their skills together, they took light manufacture beyond the mundane and prosaic transforming it into an aesthetic and intuitive art form.

 

Peill und Sohn (Peill and Son) was founded in 1903 in Düren, a small town in the west of Germany. Leopold Peill, a prominent citizen in Düren was well known for both his glass works and his philanthropy. The Putzer brothers from Penzig (Pieńsk) had extensive experience producing petroleum lanterns for street lighting. Previously part of Germany when annexed by Prussia in 1815, Penzig once again became part of Poland following the defeat of Nazi Germany and consequently - expropriated by the Polish government - the Putzer brothers joined forces with Leopold Peill. Peill + Putzler Glashüttenwerke was therefore rebuilt as both a glass works and lighting company; the first glass was melted in 1948. By 1950, the company owned five glass ovens, adding two more in the 1970s. Employing 1,500 people at its peak, the glass works was the largest employer in Düren.

Peill + Putzler Glashüttenwerke, 1958

 

From 1952, under the direction of Günther Peill and Hans Ahrenkiel, the importance placed on innovative design and intricate work meant that Peill + Putzler became one of the founding members of the German Design Council. The significance given to good design also meant that the glass works consistently worked with notable designers such as Ferdinand Gangkofner, Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Helmut Demary, William Brown and Horst Tüselmann, amongst many others. Rapidly becoming admired in architectural circles, this was not least because of the high standard of Peill + Putzler’s production as well as its attention to detail. Two periods of collaboration are of particular note. During the early 50s, the workshop joined forces with Wilhelm Wagenfeld in order to evolve lighting design. Then between, 1953 and 1958, they partnered with Gangkofner during which time a vast number of models for lighting and goblets were produced, including the timeless Iris glass, which was still made and sold, well into the 1980s.

Developing numerous new techniques enabling glass lighting fixtures to be inflated, Aloys F. Gangkofner was instrumental in bringing these methods into industrial production. The art of light making had always been somewhat hampered by an inability to break free from the reliable - though somewhat rigid - ways of fabrication, but as a consequence of Gangkofner’s innovative, experimental approach with good design at its core, suddenly lighting was able to become an art form in its own right.

In 1994, Peill + Putzler relocated their glassworks to Slovenia, Poland and Chechnya. Although a small number of lamps were still produced on the original site in Düren, the company was declared insolvent in 2004. The legacy Peill + Putzler leaves behind, however, is manifest in the world of interior design and styling today. Entrusting its designers with the freedom to put truly good design and artisanship into practice and by developing manufacturing techniques to realise those designs, Peill + Putzler moved lighting from being something overwhelmingly practical into an art form. Function becomes multifaceted; the lamps don’t even have to be switched on to be admired.

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Buying an investment piece for your home needn’t be complicated, but it does warrant careful thought. When making a more expensive purchase, it’s easy to be dissuaded by what can seem to be - at first glance - a large outlay. Of course, that old adage of buying something of superb quality and avoiding false economy is true, but there are other factors to consider. Pair of vintage, cocoon FLOS table lamps designed by Castiglioni

An heirloom for the next generation

The reason some pieces of furniture or artwork have come to be referred to as ‘investment pieces’ is just that: they are an investment. Buying a beautifully designed, iconic object means greater expenditure in the short term, but, in the long term, it’s almost a certainty that the piece will retain its aesthetic appeal and even increase its monetary value. Carlo Scarpa Samo table

Balancing aesthetic appeal with functionality

An investment piece might well have been chosen for its beauty and design credentials, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used and enjoyed. What is the point of a handcrafted dining room chair if it’s not pleasant to sit on, or a desk that can’t withstand a heavy workload? Choose classic pieces that are comfy but resilient and able to weather the knocks and scrapes of life. Seek out objects that look even better as they age: leather, which will only become softer, wood that takes on a patina. Being surrounded by objects that are beautiful yet highly functional contributes enormously to a sense of peace and well-being and highlights design as the art form that it truly is. Good design has evolved to enrich people’s day-to-day lives, not to create museum pieces, untouched and only admired from afar. Vintage wooden screen

Protecting heritage

Sometimes it might be that an investment piece is chosen because of the importance of its heritage. This could be a decorative object rather than a functional piece, but either can provide tangible reminders of our past, enhancing our own self-awareness. Why we are who we are and how we have arrived at that point is equally as important as the person we might become; a certain object can remind us powerfully of both our history and our traditions. It brings to mind the generations that have come before us and – on a personal level - those individuals who have made an indelible mark on our lives. Pair of huge vintage Willy Guhl planters

Choosing classic designs

Passing trends certainly have their place in interior styling. However, for a more sustainable approach, it’s always worth choosing something that has been expertly designed and made to last, whether it’s a handcrafted side table or an iconic light. More often than not, it’s worth spending the money if a piece will still be both loved and fulfilling its function in fifty or sixty years time. And just because something has design longevity, doesn’t mean it’s staid and boring; a multitude of design classics demonstrate whimsy and playfulness and were highly original at the time of their inception. There’s always room for frivolity, but hopefully not at the expense of sustainability. Moon rock stone lamps, Andre Cazenove

The versatile investment

Versatility is one factor that makes a piece of furniture an excellent long-term investment. If something can be used, reused, adapted and then even repurposed, the investment will pay for itself many times over. An investment piece will rarely sit in isolation. A side table may double up as a bookshelf or transform into a storage cube, perhaps even travel from a living space to a bedroom. Whichever piece you choose, however, needs to fit seamlessly into your interior, complementing the elements already there and creating a unified whole whatever its function. Handcrafted glass top coffee table with marble legs Finally, no matter how versatile the investment piece, how iconic its design or practical its function, there’s one more factor to consider before making an important purchase: do you like it? Trust your instincts and choose what you love; all things taken into consideration make sure you buy a piece because it sings to your soul. Continue reading