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Michael McHale Designs now featured on Fab.
Fab.com
The chandeliers created by Michael McHale Designs are functional works of art that merge raw industrial attitude and glimmering elegance. Each piece is created in NYC, using repurposed steel pipes dressed with pure crystal. The result is an aesthetic amenable to any décor, from steampunk to shabby chic.
Source: fab.com
MMD and Furniture New York
Michael McHale Designs was recently selected by Furniture New York in a juried competition to display a Tribeca Collection Banqueting Chandelier at the Furniture New York booth at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF at the Javits Center in New York May 19-22nd).
You can see Furniture New York’s newly re-designed and updated website by clicking here.
More on the ICFF later….
T Magazine: Armed and Glamorous →
Very nice octopus chandeliers from another [something else]-turned-chandelier-maker.
Source: The New York Times
Colored Crystal
Did you know that over 95% of crystal sold in the United States is clear? We can understand that - clear crystal will always go with the colors of your room — and will pick up and reflect back a lot of that color.
But sometimes you may want to consider a bolder move. At Michael McHale Designs, we love color and use only the finest Swarovski colored crystal, which has clarity and brilliance unmatched anywhere, in our experience.
So if you’re feeling bold, let us know - We’d love to help you express that.
Modern Industrial Style Lighting Sale
All of our modern chandeliers are on sale between now and April 25th!  15% off all purchases of $500 or more on our industrial chic chandeliers and modern lighting. Use code “glam” on purchase!
[caption id=”attachment_3630” align=”alignleft” width=”534” caption=”Tell your friends about our industrial chic chandelier sale, and check us out on Twitter and Pinterest!”]
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Keith Olbermann is a $10 Million Chandelier
[caption id=”attachment_3613” align=”alignleft” width=”576” caption=”Let Michael McHale Designs build you a chandelier, Mr. Keith Olbermann sir at long last sir.”]
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Keith Olbermann talked with David Letterman on 4/3/2012 about his being fired from Current, and to help everybody understand the situation a little better he accepted full responsibility for the situation because he’s a $10 million chandelier.
Let it be said that Olbermann has no shortage of self-esteem.
David Letterman is in top form here.
And it’s great to see chandeliers in the news.
We really hope to be able to make a chandelier for Keith Olbermann that rivals the one in his imagination.  Therefore, Michael McHale Designs has put the call out on Twitter requesting that Keith Olbermann commission a chandelier from us.  The offer stands.  Keith, call us!
See video below.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/7HmE2IAfmrE?wmode=”transparent”/>[/youtube]
Olbermann: “I didn’t say, ya know if I buy a 10 million dollar chandelier you should have a house to put it in”. Just walking around with a 10 million dollar chandelier isn’t going to do anybody a lot of good (Letterman: “No”) and it’s not gonna do any good to the chandelier”. (Letterman: Right). Then it turns out we didnt have a lot to put [the house in] the chandelier in or a building permit and I… I should have known that. (Letterman: UhHuh) and it is my fault at heart. um.. .”
Letterman: “You’re… you’re the chandelier?”
Our Showcase with Domoore Designs for DIFFA at AD2012 Show
Thank you Dee Kemper at Domoore Designs for joining forces with Michael McHale Desi
gns for a great cause. At this year’s Architectural Digest 2012 Show in NYC we teamed up with Domoore Designs to put together a gorgeous showcase for DIFFA’s Dining by Design Event.
DIFFA, or “The Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids” (find out m
ore about this great charitable organization here) “mobilizes the immense resources of the design communities and has granted over $40 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide”.
The DIFFA organization is outstanding — and the showcase, which included our new-for-2012 industrial chic style Tribeca Banqueting Chandelier — looked great (thanks to Dee Kemper’s amazing eye for design). We’ve included some pics of our Dining by Design showcase and look forward to future DIFFA events. We’re also very much looking forward to seeing the future works of Dee Kemper and Domoore Designs.
Michael McHale Designs Chandelier Video
Hello everybody! It would be great if you checked out our new video which gives an overview of the background, inspiration and industrial chic style lighting aesthetic of Michael McHale Designs. Â We hope you enjoy it!
We’re at the Architectural Digest 2012 Home Design Show
Just a quick reminder that this week and throughout the weekend we’re in the Architectural Digest 2012 Home Design Show in NYC, booth m-33 where we’re showing off - in real life!- our industrial style lighting and modern chandeliers.
Come say hi and check out our cool lighting and industrial style chandeliers, and see our brand new irrestistably priced Tribeca Banqueting Chandelier.
[caption id=”attachment_3497” align=”aligncenter” width=”660” caption=”come check us out at booth m-33 and see our industrial chandeliers and lighting”]
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Look for our Cool Modern Chandeliers under Chandelierical On Pinterest
Being that we’re very much into industrial chic design, architecture, and art - Michael McHale Designs (and our cool modern industrial chic chandeliers and lighting) have an ever increasing presence on Pinterest as “Chandelierical”. Whatever you fancy in terms of design: from modernist interior design, industrial chic, shabby chic, or repurposed what-have-yous turned into imaginative objects - Pinterest is a great way to find what you’re looking for or discover what you never imagined. So follow us and say hi!
While you’re exploring all of the images make sure to like and repin some of Michael McHale Designs cool modern chandeliers and industrial chic lighting which we proudly make in NYC and ship worldwide.
Source: michaelmchaledesigns.com via Michael on Pinterest
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World’s Largest Chandelier in Doha Qatar
Marketing Magazine UK is reporting that Doha, Qatar is now home to the world’s largest chandelier. The chandelier, called Reflective Flow, was Designed by Beau McClellan, meanders 38.5 metres and weighs 20 tons. It now resides in the artrium of the Corniche complex of offices.
[caption id=”attachment_3470” align=”alignleft” width=”427” caption=”Reflective Flow, recently installed in Doha Qatar is the world’s largest chandelier”]
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This modern chandelier is comprised of 2300 individually hand-ground crystals covered with concave glass and coated with a reflective treatment.
Michael McHale designs has recently completed a (somewhat smaller) industrial chic modern chandelier installation in Doha, Qatar - and we’ll have those pictures up soon.
Fun fact: Qatar ranks #1 richest country in the world by GDP per capita ($91,379).
How to hang a chandelier
It’s not that bad!
Most traditional chandeliers hang from a chain which is attached to the central bracket of the junction box. Â This junction box and can take more weight than you’d think, (and our chandeliers aren’t all that heavy to begin with).
[caption id=”attachment_3427” align=”alignleft” width=”180” caption=”The designer himself putting the finishing touches on a chandelier installation”]
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Most McHale industrial chic chandeliers typically hang from hooks in the ceiling (we have some exceptions to this such as pendants and other types of fixtures that hang by their own cords or with industrial tubing, but hooks are typical with our chandeliers).  Different ceiling materials require different types of hooks (plaster, sheetrock, wood, cement, etc).  Ask your local hardware girl or guy which hook is the appopriate hook for your type of ceiling.  You’ll also want to verify how much weight a hook can handle, but in most cases even the  small hooks are more than capable of holding the weight of a McHale modernist industrial chic chandelier or contemporary lighting fixture.
When handling a McHale modern chandelier or lighting fixture, try to avoid handling the optically pure crystals with bare fingers when hanging - a soft cloth or glove is suitable to avoid fingerprints that may obstruct the beautiful light. Â Not even a smudge should obstruct the pure light refracting from the Bohemian or Swarovski crystal. Â So take your time.
Most importantly, the biggest mistake people make when hanging a McHale chandelier — Â or any modern chandelier for that matter, — is hanging it too high. Â The chandelier isn’t meant to be looked up into from below. Â The observer should be able to get a sense of the chandelier’s dimensions, not just from below — Â you have purchased a piece of functional lighting art that should be seen and appreciated, so take your time in gauging the proper height as it pertains to your lighting application.
[caption id=”attachment_3426” align=”alignleft” width=”322” caption=”Notice height at which this chandlier is hung over table. Take your time when hanging the chandelier to gauge height, and dont hang it too high!”]
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If you have any questions about your McHale modern chandelier, contemporary pendant, or lighting fixture - or need advice on proper placement — we’re always here to help.
Philippe Starck
Carnegie Mellon’s School of Design defines design as ” the process of taking something from its existing state and moving it to a preferred state.” This transformative process is what we focus on at Michael McHale Designs in our industrial style chandeliers and lighting and — as such — we are inspired by other design trailblazers. One of our foremost design inspirations is, without a doubt, Philippe Starck.
Pilippe Starck is an innovator of what has become known as industrial design, Philippe Starck, born in Paris on January 18, 1949, attended the Ecole Camondo and has been a prolific designer, architect, and inventive thinker in pretty much everything from clocks to yachts to furniture. Unlike many of his New Design & industrial design peers — who tend to make one-offs or limited runs — Starck often designs for mass production - and was an early designer to have signature work in Target stores.
[caption id=”attachment_3417” align=”alignleft” width=”600” caption=”here Starck juxtaposes metal and wicker in this gorgeous lamp. Notice (as if it were hard to spot) the innovative play on scale, as this is essentially a desk lamp rendered huge.”]
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Starck commonly combines contradictory elements — such as wood and chrome — in his work, seemingly juxtaposing the organic with the industrial, and we draw a lot of inspiration from this aspect of his industrial design aesthetic.
[caption id=”attachment_3415” align=”alignleft” width=”428” caption=”Starck incorporates contradictory organic and industrial elements (here with a chair designed for Sutherland furniture via Grandeurblog)”]
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Starck is quoted as having famously said “i don’t design, i dream”. The dreamlike quality of his lighting design is apparent in this punching bag and umbrella light. There also seems to be a kind of lighthearted and playful quality to some of his work.
Philippe Starck’s “Juicy Salif” fruit juicer design idea reportedly came to him while he squeezed a lemon over squid (the design of the juicer is shaped like a squid body). The Juicy Salif, made in 1990, is widely considered an ideal example of industrial design - at one point being displayed in New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Starck has said that this item “was not invented to squeeze lemons, but to start conversations”. Functional art as conversation piece, we just love it.
Already arguably the most famous designer living today - we continue to look forward to seeing what is on the horizon with Philippe Starck’s contributions to modern design.
A McHale Modern Chandelier at Bar Paya NYC
Just wanted to post this shot of one of our chandeliers gracing the lovely Bar Paya in NYC.
Steampunk Chandeliers and Lighting?
[caption id=”attachment_3358” align=”alignright” width=”204” caption=”Truly Steampunk Chandeliers and Lighting? Probably not, but we possess similar elements.”]
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Michael McHale Designs chandeliers have sympathetic elements with the steampunk aesthetic, but the differences are too many for our modernist industrial style chandeliers and designs to be considered steampunk.
Steampunk has certainly emerged as a design and artistic aesthetic. Insomuch as it can be concisely defined, steampunk is a mix of classical styles with rudimentary mechanical and industrial components and a dash of stylized high tech. The word itself seems to be a kind of play on “cyberpunk” where in “steampunk” the futuristic has been supplanted by the Victorian or Dickensian. This is an interesting development stylistically as our culture - with all of its accelerated and celebrated high tech accomplishment - seems to be looking in reverse for inspiration in style and design (the “hipster” retro aesthetic comes to mind, as does the myriad of filtering programs that soften digital images and give them a polaroid-y vibe, and in general there seems to be a longing for simplicity in the wake of the tech boom.) Volumes have already been written about this modern-turning-to-the-past-for-inspiration trend, and it gets academic and boring very fast - but steampunk has pretty cool elements that Michael McHale Designs is comfortable being associated with
Our lighting design is not without its steampunk elements - raw steel pipe and unhidden seams and fittings provide the strong timeless industrial feel that is central to steampunk. Our modern chandeliers are made of bold re-purposed pipe, with its beautiful wear providing a sense of reliability and resilience to elements that seems contrary to the plastic high tech fragility of our high-tech age. These qualities are, without a doubt, sympathetic elements to steampunk.
And that’s sort of where Michael McHale Designs and the steampunk aesthetic part ways.
Michael McHale Designs’ high end designer modern chandeliers and lighting fixtures offset the bold raw steel piping with the fragility and irresistable glamour of optically pure Bohemian or Swarovski crystal. This restaging, in our opinion, separates us from the genre of steampunk. Steampunk lighting typically maintains the raw industrial context. This opulent crystal in our chandeliers complements the raw steel piping perfectly, while spreading luxurious light across the room.
Perhaps the fragility of crystal isn’t entirely antithetical to the steampunk design concept, but we’ll leave that for others to debate. In the end, Michael McHale Designs seeks to create modern beautiful lighting incorporating the raw with the beautiful, and we think that the steampunk genre has a similar goal - so we’re content with the association whenever it’s made - even if our modern chandeliers and contemporary lighting are not exactly directly inspired by or reflective of the steampunk genre.
[caption id=”attachment_3377” align=”alignleft” width=”300” caption=”A good example of a steampunk chandelier. A beautiful chandelier made from a Model T steering wheel. From the stie VandM Vintage and Modern”]
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We’ve found VandM to be a great resource on the steampunk design genre, definitely check them out.
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