MEET OUR LIGHTING DESIGNERS: PENDANTS, WALL SCONES, FLOOR AND TABLE LAMPS AND CANDLES

54kibo’s online retail store is home to a collection of curated items that exemplify contemporary African design with a unique perspective. Since its inception, 54kibo’s mission has been to showcase designers with roots in Africa and its Diaspora that are now breaking into the global market. Today, we are proud to bring our customers the highest quality lighting fixtures including a variety of unique ceiling, wall and floor pieces as well as our newly offered candles. Modern Gesture offers stunning pendant lights inspired by South African necklaces and Dounia Home’s variety of pendant, floor and table lights showcase the magic of Moroccan lighting with beautiful medal pieces.

Credit: The Stacked Beaded Marigold Oversized Pendant at Foxbrowne

LIGHTING TRENDS: OVERSIZED CEILING LIGHTING

Modern Gesture founder Candice Lawrence began to make a name for herself in 2015 after standing out as a finalist in South Africa’s Nandos Hot Young Designer competition. Her beautiful woven statement pendants are inspired by South African jewelry traditions and have been a customer and critic favorite, featured on Brit & Co. and Domino.com. These handmade pieces bring so much personality to a room, feeling both organic and very modern, and can either be a colorful statement piece in otherwise neutral decor, or can be the inspiration for the room, pulling accent colors from the piece to inspiring surrounding design elements. The Necklace Pendant Lighting is handmade in South Africa using recycled birchwood to further the sustainability goals of Modern Gesture.

Dounia Home’s sleek, yet warm, lighting fixtures utilize modern shapes to make traditional hammered metal fixtures that perfectly fit in contemporary homes. The locally sourced materials are individually handworked to create simple, yet intricate pieces. Offered in copper or gunmetal finishes, these pendants fit seamlessly into industrial, contemporary decor in a loft setting, or can easily be centerpieces in softer, more organic rooms as well. Dounia Tamri-Loeper seeks to empower Moroccan artisans, working with a group of the best craftsmen in the area in order to produce beautiful, high quality pieces and make them available to the global market.

LIGHTING TRENDS: WALL SCONCES

Wall sconces can make a statement by lighting small spaces or dark corners. The Nur Wall Sconce has all the personality of Dounia Home’s large hanging pendants but is built on a smaller scale. If you are struggling to find a unique piece for a small wall next to a bed or in a reading corner, a wall-mounted sconce is a bold addition. The dappled patterns that are cast on the wall create a magical touch for cozy mood lighting.

Credit: Interior Design by Kiyonda Powell.

LIGHTING TRENDS: TABLE AND FLOOR LAMPS

Dounia Home’s table and floor lamps are perfect for renters who can’t change hard wiring in apartments or simply want a beautiful piece without the installation. The Amur Table Lamp, handcrafted from brass and finished in a matte gunmetal, is a striking sculptural piece even when it’s not in use. If you want a piece that will work overtime to style your home, this lamp is truly functional art. The Ula Table Lamp is an eye-catching piece, that is sculptural and organic, resembling a geologic form. With a sturdy walnut base, this piece is grounded and earthy, making in a warm accent.

If you’re looking for a taller piece to ground your design and draw the eye upward, Dounia’s floor lamp, part of the Amur series, is perfect for tucking next to a couch or chair to cast enough light for reading or simply add a light to a room with a soft glow.