If you want inject a shiny dose of contemporary-modern glamour into your decor, you might want to take a look at this blingy lighting from Jonathan Adler. It’s the Parker collection, which I spotted trolling through LampsPlus.com. While I’d call this ‘contemporary’ — as in very 2010-2011, this collection has clear roots in mid-century modern. The marketing blurb says that he created this lighting for the Parker Palm Springs luxury resort. There are several styles of fixtures — a ceiling mount (shown above), a drop pendant (right) and an against-the-wall sconce that I think you might even be able to mount horizontally in the bathroom above a mirror. And, there are three finishes — a shiny nickel, a shiny brass, and a bronze-almost-black. Very pretty.
Where to go lookie:
- Jonathan Adler lighting at Lamps Plus
(*affiliate link)
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Wow! I really like the J.A. wall sconces. Thanks for the tip on the Lamps Plus website- I was not familiar with that company, but I have since bookmarked their website. 🙂 I was a bit disappointed though because when I looked at their store locations, they did not have any stores east of the Mississippi, but websites still provide lots of “eye candy”.
Cool!! Too bad they are so expensive. There are a handful of awesome lights in the Horchow catalogue too. Worth a look – but also quite spendy.
We had the wall sconce version of this at our last house. It was really nice. We got ours at a Home Depot Expo store. Ours closed but maybe they’re in other locations? Not sure.
WOW Pam is right definitely Mid-century rooted if not exactly. My grandmother’s 1964 vacation mobile home had the surface mount fixture in the dining room. On her’s the glass was the same and the metal was brass. The only difference i can tell is that the metal surround on her’s had rectangles instead of squares but its essentially the same design. I wish i had a picture of that one. I sure cleaned it enough :).
nice styles. I wonder if designers are looking at old catalogues and thinking, “Hey, it’s time for a comeback, here’s an idea!” As an owner of several old Sears/Penneys catalogues from the 40’s; 50’s and 60’s – it’s a treasure trove of ideas.
Jonathan Adler’s stuff is fantastic. Trixi and I stayed at the Parker when we lived in LA — Palm Springs, as you can imagine, sort of became our home-away-from-home. Pretty much any weekend we had free we were gawking at mid-century awesomeness in Palm Springs. The Parker is such an interesting mix of styles. I wouldn’t call it mid-mod exactly — it’s an eclectic mix of mid-century, 60s faux-regency and a sort of “swinging london” sensibility which adds those bright neon colors and psychedelic typefaces to the equation. There was also an Adler store a few blocks from us on Melrose that we always went and window-shopped at. Our living room, as we’re building it up, is TOTAL Jonathan Adler — well, fake Adler anyway, we could never afford the real stuff!
I dunno, if you are buying stuff from the actual time period doesn’t that make Jonathan’s stuff faux as opposed to yours?
So many design lines are borrowing from the past with a vengeance as are movies et al that I think we sometimes forget the original designs were actually original, new, fresh….that was their power and the source of their delight even to this day.
The repro tables and shelf that was here last week for example, borrowed design. I got a 1996 Ikea catalog last week, they borrowed design we’d like now including a metal magazine rack.
Yup. JAPam, it’s all pretty much derivative. You can find old, original stuff at a fraction of the price. But – I try to show a wide variety on my site.
yikes,all these Pams, that’s my sister’s name. Hey! I think it’s nice to see all types of products wherever you can find your design inspration – old or new, cheap or expensive. It’s pretty much a given that anything bought new today is made in China, regardless of the price; you just hope that spending a little more will get you something slightly better. I am on my second electric teakettle in one year. I can see why people swoon over the vintage stuff of yore – it’s still around, for better or worse. I am checking out a new thrift store tomorrow, what joy!
That’s just another reason I love your site to bits, you aren’t a slave to the snob factor like so many other sites. Giving people options and showing them what’s available while stating flat out that everyone is decorating their home and not a museum is just another thing that makes this site so welcoming.
I’ve noticed of late that if I’m having ‘one of THOSE days’ I cruise over here for a little comfort browsing….it’s a nice place to be and it makes me feel good. So, thank you very much, Miss Pam!
In reality, I am a snob in reverse — borrowing a phrase from the mighty Allee. My knee-jerk is to think anybody who would just throw money at the problem and decorate with all new, high-end stuff is boring boring boring. The hunt! The hunt! It’s all about the hunt and the creative process behind it! But NO — when I catch myself thinking this, I try to remind myself: Decorating isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. We all have our different passions. I don’t cook, I am not a “foodie.” Foodies would think I’m crazy. (And they are right, goodness, I need to spend more time on cooking!) Anyway. You get my drift? We all have “our thing.”
Great article! I may be slightly over stimulated now but WOW. Sleep is for sissies anyway ;o)
I’ve got the same monkey on my back, houses and decor, can’t get enough and was speculating that our obsessions are probably our art to us just like, as you mentioned, the foodies. Yeah, I’ll go with that, can’t beat a great rationalization.
I do know what you mean! If it doesn’t come from an auction or an estate sale, I usually feel like I could have tried harder to get something cooler or cheaper! The kitchen may be another matter, but I really loved your post about that painting kit for cabinets and the retro color choices.
Your site is for real people doing fun projects with real budgets.
Yes, very pretty. And very pricey!
Great lot of almost repro lighting that I have to admit is bumped up a notch with the silvery/nickle finish but the price point does take the modest right out of the mid-century.
I hope this doesn’t make me a bad person but because of the way things work, say purses and bags for example, I suspect these are made in China so reproductions of the reproductions should be at a big box store near you before too terribly long.
JAPam, Here on the blo gI cover both modest — and modern… expensive — and cheap and cheerful.
Just wondering if you guys know where these lamps are made? I looked at the website and checked with LampsPlus, but they didn’t seem to know? (Pam, can you do some sleuthing for us?)
Another good source is Overstock…I bought my lighting for the foyer and dining room off of Overstock and they have very similar looking items to these much cheaper. They definately look midcentury – the ones I purchased. The quality is fine for the price I can tell you! Also, there are 2 progress lighting cone looking wall sconces like that at the thrift shop, I’m waiting for them to go half off because I have no where to put them…but if they go half off I will buy them and wire them up for bedside wall lamps or something. I thought OMG Pam loves Progress lighting 🙂
Love these!!! Having done a home tour here recently, I was floored by all of the high prices for modern lighting and furniture. Glad there are some alternatives! I’m also looking forward to hunting in vintage stores for our mid century remodel.
Gorgeous but ‘spensive!