The second new brand to join our portfolio this month, Schwung, also comes from an attractive place—in this case, Namysłów (pronounced NAM-eh-soof) in Poland:
In fact, though it is based there, the Company was founded in 2014 by this handsome couple, Rudi Nijssen from the Netherlands and Dominique Sente from Belgium.
(However, the name, Schwung, is from the German. “We like to think of it as a hint of panache, an infectious zest for life,” they say.)
Now, as you glance through what is coming, you’re going to say to me, “Wot, Peter? More ballsonsticks®??” And I’d have to reply, “Yes.”
Then, if I was in an expansive mood, I’d explain why. Fortunately, I am in an expansive mood, so that’s what this email does. In summary:
Ballsonsticks® are still what most people want. In UK, contemporary decorative lights are ballsonsticks®. Even after all these years.
Schwung are specialists. We are not talking a couple of designs in a more varied catalogue. So…
…the range is wide—so many typologies are addressed (their balls are not only on sticks), and…
…issues are identified and addressed (see below what they do with rod-mounted pendants, for example).
The quality of their designs is very high,
They are happy to customize, and
their prices are good!
Schwung group their ranges into four collections. As you’ll see, there is a homogeneity between them, and they share many features.
The metal is always brass, in a choice of lacquered burnished brass or black gunmetal. All except Molecule can also come in polished nickel.
The diffusers are always glass (even when they look like alabaster!) and globe-shaped (except for Odyssey). Glass options vary between “opal mat”, “marble”, “dries” (internally ribbed borosilicate), plain borosilicate…
…and come in several sizes. Only one collection, Odyssey, is not based on glass balls—its glass components are a different shape.
By the way, the marble/alabaster effect is achieved by having three layers of transparent and opal glass, the inside layer being sprinkled with coloured powder. Of course, now I’ve told you the secret, I have to kill you. Sorry.)
Let’s look at the collections in detail.
Classic
Most of the Classic collection have clear, delicate borosilicate glass spheres and tiny G4 lamps.
Some are on sticks, some conventionally:
and some in less usual ways:
and some are not on sticks at all:
Of course, since the dawn of electric light, spheres have been used singly as pendants. Schwung offer five different sizes (Ø15cm ,Ø20cm, Ø25cm Ø30cm, Ø35cm) in this glass:
And, much more recently, spheres have been used to make clusters for stairwells &c.:
There are also wall lights:
However, some of the luminaires in the Classic collection have opal glass spheres. They are not identical to the designs that use the clear glass. For example, these spheres are larger (Ø20cm, Ø30cm, Ø40cm, Ø50cm, Ø60cm)
and here they are on a pendant luminaire, not at all on sticks!
Globes
Globes use three of the glass options—opal mat…
…”marble”…
… and Dries:
They come in a variety of hanging, wall and ceiling forms.
Large wall versions become sculptures, whichever way they are hung!
Globe Single (below) is on a rod.
Normally, rods are a problem because they have to be cut to length at the factory. Besides the packing implications, this means that the client has to specify the exact height on their order—they can’t adjust the height on site by eyeometry. Uniquely (as far as we know), Schwung have anticipated this problem. So, they pack, as standard, three extension rods of different lengths! Not only that, they have an option for mounting to sloping ceilings, by offering a carabiner joint. This is almost unique—we only know of only one other supplier (Casablanca) offering a sloping ceiling option. Since virtually no-one else offers such solutions, since they involve extra cost to Schwung (for components that might not be needed), I had to check! So William sent me a diagram of the foam lining with the spaces for them cut out:
And this diagram:
So it must be true!! And if the standard options don’t work for your project, they’ll make up custom lengths!!! I’m illustrating this with Globe Single, but it’s how they ship all rod-mounted pendants and chandeliers.
Molecule
With Molecule we are still with balls/spheres, but smaller ones, and half the surface area is made up of the metal structure:
Odyssey
I particularly like Odyssey. There, I’ve said it. The glasses are the shape you see in this moody shot:
They can be used singly….
…and in clusters:
Attached to a simple metal frame, they make up handsome chandeliers:
And linear pendants in several lengths for rectangular dining tables:
Here, a group of six make up a fine pendant for a brutalist interior:
…or a table light for a domestic space:
I’d specify them!
But the real reason I like the Odyssey collection so much is shown here…
The Odyssey Santorini collection uses this glorious, almost-Yves Klein blue that the Greeks understand so well:
My ambition is to retire to a space like that, by the sea, with that blue against white (and the occasional pop of red).
Unfortunately, all the designs in the Odyssey Santorini collection are in limited editions of just six, so I probably shouldn’t be showing them to you. On the other hand, you and/or your clients will be dreaming of such a location (if you are not already there on a Greek island) as the temperature in Rock/the Cotswolds/Holt exceeds 40°…, so get your order in to us quick, before they are all gone!
Or, as always, have a good look at their collections here, then get in touch with us to refine your choices to exactly what is right for each place you’d like to put them.
