Tchochkes

I’m ignoring the awful interior design faux pas favorite of the twigs in a vase and focusing on that cheap-looking hanging lamp instead. I am all for ‘cheap and cheerful’ design (G-d knows my house has enough of it.)

But look at that bathroom. The square toilet, the black tiny mosaic tile, the specialty extra large rectangle sink and that designer ultra-thin faucet. The one slice of color with the red something-or-other in a dish by the toilet. Every piece in this room has been picked with the utmost of care. Even the awful twigs in a vase.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking… ‘What about those drab, dull, and boring shell pictures on the wall opposite the mirror?’ You know, I was really hoping you wouldn’t mention that, because I am purposely ignoring them as well.

Back to the lamp. I hate the limp cord attached to the holding cord. Why can’t they just design a cord where the electricity line is inside the holding line so that there doesn’t need to be that extra piece attempting (and failing) to look like a piece of the design? It looks cheap and it’s hung like an afterthought. ‘Oh crap, there’s no reading light by the toilet. Throw this up.’

I would much much rather have a chandelier there instead. Something like this:

Of course, this has the annoying limp electric line with the taut holding line as well, but it was the best example I could find on Lighting. They used to have one that was all black and didn’t have the cord thing, but I couldn’t find it on my search today.

Studio Luca is located in heaven (Beit Lechem Ha’Glilit) and creates original housewares from natural materials.

Their style is bordering on ’shanty’ and I have to admit that I am not usually fond of this style - but I really like their work. There’s a delicateness to the craftsmanship of the pieces which give them a very calming appeal. I could see the hanging lamp (left) above a huge wooden table in a south west facing dining room. (If it was north-east facing it would need to be much brighter in my opinion).

The wall lamps have more color and architectural appeal.

If you like to travel north on your weekends and love to see beautiful, arty, interesting places while on your way then you simply must go to Beit Lechem HaGlilit. Go towards the Galil from Yokneam, turn right at the T-junction, and L at the following light (where the mall and McDonalds is). Follow that road through all of its turns to the very end. That is the moshav of Beit Lechem Ha Glilit and they have great shops and loads of artists.

You don’t have to be a drag queen to love these lamps, but having a strong sense of humor is required. These are so over the top and insanely kitsch you just can’t but like them.

Merav makes table lamps from found objects, turning the mundane into a work of art.

I especially like the dolls head in the middle of the first lamp (left). It’s art d’Chucky.

These wouldn’t fit into every space, but I could see them working in an almost stark atmosphere. They would need to be the statement piece in the room (not too difficult - can’t imagine much that would stand out compared to these lamps).

I could also see them working well in a kids room (well, all of them minus the ones with the doll’s head - that might give your kid a nightmare.)

I love mixing modern style with retro, and the best way to work in a bit of the old school in a modern setting is with lighting. I don’t think I would be so LL Bean obsessed if I still lived in the United States.

If you could just see the look on my face when I came across this ‘Gorgeous Pink LaceBust Table Lamp’ - their description - not mine.

It would make a brilliant gag gift.

But not quite what I’m looking for…

I went yesterday to buy the lamps I wanted from Hafatzim. I had called last week and they told me that they still had them.

One would think, then, that I would have come home yesterday with two lovely new lamps - but one would be wrong.

They have the lamps, but they don’t actually carry stock in the store. Of course.

When I mentioned to the sales person that it would have been helpful to give this information over the phone she explained to me that they don’t have any room in the store for stock. Right, I tried to explain, and had I known that I would have asked her to get two lamps in the store for me to come and get yesterday.

She offered for me to order the lamps - and pay the entire thing up front. I’m about to leave for the US, I explained. That’s fine, she said, she’ll hold them for me.

Um, no. My money would rather be in my bank account until I can get the lamps, but thank you.

I left, and considered that maybe G-d doesn’t want me to buy from Hafatzim. The salesperson was smarmy and thick and the stuff is made in China (and when you look close, you can see the quality issues that go along with the fact that they are made in China).

Maybe UK eBay will have something? They have the same electricity as us.

Yesterday I was in Neve Tzedek in Tel Aviv, but I got there too late to buy the lamps I’ve been obsessing over. I figured this was a sign from above to go through a-designer and look at every single lamp they have on their site.

What was I thinking?

100 pages of lamps. This site is not organized at all, you can’t sort through the lamps and only look at table lamps or pendant lamps. This is Israel - you have to work for your lamps! So 100 pages I trudged through and I have come to the absolute conclusion that the Hafatzim lamps are the ones I want.

I did grab a couple of interesting lamps from the site, of course. The one to the Tavolo Spot lamp looks like a kitchen faucet to me (the kind that pulls out to get the hard-to-reach areas). That doesn’t mean I don’t like it. I could see my kids having a great time shaping this thing…

Curbly had a neat post focusing on these handmade chandeliers and I had to Madeleine Boulesteix to get a closer look.

What bizarre and strangely beautiful objects. I have to wonder if they are just too Pippi Longstocking up close and personal.

Google.co.il is my new best friend. I can put things in English and find exactly what I am looking for.

Ok, that’s not true.

I was looking for Domo’s website (the Sur La Table of Israel) and came accross a bunch of other cool things instead. But I’m totally ok with that.

I went to where Domo should be and the page was completely blank. They also don’t have a listing. Could something be up with the great kitchen store?

I found a-designer instead and inspired logo aside, this site is wonderful. It’s a portal with every possible furnishing or finish your home could possibly ever want.

They have the hardcore modern which so many in Israel like, and the more country home look that many of us transplants miss.

The lamp to the right is just bizarre, and I have no idea why I like it. It wouldn’t fit anywhere in my house, my youngest would definitely break it (if my cleaner didn’t do it first) and it’s kind of tacky. Yet I still like it.

On the other hand, these are just screaming out ‘BUY ME FOR YOUR KITCHEN’. I wonder if these came in something a tad more colorful? Must take a closer look…

So I went on with my search. I looked at IKEA (**yawn**) and then went to one of my favorite shops - Hafatzim. Their website hasn’t been updated in donkeys years but their stuff is still great. Sure enough, they had the well made, simple lamp I was looking for. Actually, they have three.

I called the store for the prices, around 550 NIS. Comparing these lamps with the equivalent at Pottery Barn (from the US) the prices are ok. I’m thinking about the first one.

The only bothersome thing was how rude their salesperson was when I called. Like I was interupting her day by calling and asking a question. The problem is, I like the store too much to care.

She did let me know that their website will be changing soon. I’ll definitely be posting that when it happens.