Vintage Vase Lamps

Ok, I admit I am a bit of an eBay addict.  I guess it's the feeling of being able to go "vintage shopping" at the click of a button.  Dangerous for the bank account and very addictive, I totally advise against it!  However, feelings of guilt with regards to my constant online trawling occasionally turn into feelings of satisfaction when I manage to find the perfect thing at a happy price.  This weekend I picked up this lovely pair of blue and white porcelain lamp bases from the seller for a steal and popped past a lighting store on the way back to grab a couple of plain white lampshades and voila...new(ish) lamps for our cosy apartment.  I figured it was about time I retired my pair of pink and white floral beaded lamps from my chintz-y phase!

Tracy Glover Lamps

               

I first came across Tracy Glover's blown glass lamps on Anthropologie.  The artist utilises Venetian glass blowing techniques.  The array of delicate jewel like colours inject a wonderful vibrancy to interior spaces.  I would love to eventually acquire a few from Glover's collection.

New Lamps

I came across these lamps while having a wander through Teneriffe on Sunday.  We hadn't managed to find any vintage lamps that were suitable after looking for several months and I finally resigned myself to purchasing new ones as I just miss reading in bed too much!  These have a combination of solid wooden cylindrical base segments with discs of clear perspex interspersed on a brushed stainless steel post.  I love the burnt red colour of the fabric shade.  They are larger than I originally envisaged for the room but they've proven to cast an excellent quality of ambient light in the room and light up the wallpaper beautifully.  I'm looking forwards to snuggling up in bed with a book more and more as the weather hopefully cools.

Willowlamp Moonflower

Earlier last year we were seriously considering acquiring one of these amazingly beautiful chandeliers from Willowlamp.  They have a unique range of whimsical designs all made based on lengths of ballchain available in a number of vibrant colours.  I was particularly taken with the Moonflower design based on the concept of a hanging flower. However, I soon discovered the sizes available were much too grand for our little apartment.  Another one for when we have higher ceilings!

Shortbread

Some beautiful photos Anton and Oi Lai sent through to us from when they came over for dinner several weeks ago. Taken with their new camera. Anton's homemade shortbread also, yum!