Whilst we aren’t at a loss for ways to tell the time in the digital age, the wall clock is far from a redundant home accessory. A unique wall clock can add both functionality and style to the home.
Whether you’re keen to keep an eager eye on the time or just looking for a way to spruce up your interiors, the clock is a homeware hero. And as most of us become more adapted to the WFH set-up, a unique wall clock is also perfect for making home offices feel more professional. While you may not be counting down the hours until clocking off right now, it’s still a great way to dress up your walls.
So, to help you choose the right clock to complement your space, here's a handful of our favourite designs.
Pik Wall Clock
By Ligne Roset Elegant yet minimalist, the Pik Wall Clock will lend a sophisticated finishing touch to your space. An innovative Ligne Roset design, it plays with the harmony of largeness and lightness to create a functional piece. Crafted with a polished chrome face and lacquered walnut hands, it complements understated interiors particularly well.
Popsicle Clock
By George Nelson for Vitra Resembling its namesake (the popsicle stick), the Popsicle’s diverse shape makes it a truly unique piece. Crafted from a structure of flat walnut rods, its playful yet uniformed design creates a true centrepiece and defining focal point. And as it's designed as part of George Nelson’s iconic clock collection, it’s rich in both history and aesthetics.
Double Rings Wall Clock
By Nomon Unlike the traditional clock, the Double Rings features no face. Instead, it’s constructed of two thin fibreglass frames that work to create unique shadows and silhouettes. This lightweight design epitomises Nomon’s modern approach. Combining minimalism with opulent materials, the rounded structure provides a stylish focal point.
Eye Wall Clock
By George Nelson for Vitra The Eye’s playful silhouette offers a refreshing alternative to the traditional clock. This unique piece is crafted using solid metal elements framed around a smoothly carved wooden beam to create the illusion of an abstract eye shape. An original George Nelson design, its playful, mid-century style makes it a striking statement in any space.
Eslabon Gold & Black Marble Clock
By Nomon This beautiful avant-garde pendant clock is perfect for decorating the walls of any modern living space. Inspired by jewellery design, the curved metal handles hold the clock face and give it a subtle lightness. Crafted in gold and black marble, the Eslabon is a subtle yet striking piece that’s just as much about aesthetics as it is practicality.
Pluto Starburst Gold Wall Clock
By Newgate The Pluto Starburst captures the energy of mid-century modernism to bring a burst of nostalgic style to your home. One of Newgate’s best-selling clocks, its geometric wooden construction echoes classic 1950s designs. Finished with a vintage-style spun brass-effect dial at its centre, it lights up the room with its bright golden tone.
Box Office Wall Clock
By Newgate Mimicking mid-century design attributes, the Box Office is a stylish and practical addition to the home. This ultra-chic clock features a spun brass face and a retro screen-printed dial with multi-coloured hour markers for an eccentric contrast. Crafted with a convenient silent-sweep movement, it offers a quiet experience that’s perfect for home offices.
Polygon Wall Clock
By George Nelson for Vitra Mid-century design meets elegant craftsmanship in the Polygon. An original George Nelson piece, its sharp silhouette offers a unique take on the classic clock. Crafted from lacquered walnut and aluminium, it carves out geometric forms to create a striking structure. Overall, it’s a refreshing alternative to the classic wall clock. Discover more unique clock designs here.
[ INSPIRATION ]
Behind the design
Tim Rundle is the designer behind our new and exclusive Marlow Four-Poster Bed. For over two centuries, the four-poster bed has been a symbol of Heal’s. Now, the London-based designer has cleverly reimagined it for modern homes.
We sat down with Tim Rundle to discover more about the Marlow Bed, his process and what inspired it.
How did the collaboration with Heal's for the new AW20 collection come about?
We'd had a couple of discussions about working together previously. But, for one reason or another, we hadn’t struck the perfect project to collaborate on. When this one came along however, I jumped at the opportunity. A four-poster bed isn’t something I’d be likely to get the chance to work on with my other. Plus, the link with the Heal’s history made it a great brief.
What was your inspiration for the Marlow bed?
It always starts with a search for simplicity. I wanted to create something formally reduced so that it was instantly recognisable as a representation of its typology. A simple, almost architectural frame; with a nod to Heal’s reputation for craft showing through the details and finishing.
How did it feel to design a piece of furniture that is so intrinsically linked to the brand's heritage?
The word 'icon' gets thrown around lots in design these days, often before a product is even on the market. However, a product can’t be an icon until it has gained meaning for people who identify with it. Given that the four-poster bed was the Heal’s logo, and that the Tottenham Court Road sign bearing it was a meeting place for Londoners of a certain era (not to mention the commemorative Royal Mail stamp) it really was like designing something that already had an element of the iconic. This was more than a little daunting, especially given that it would be Heal’s first four-poster for many years. It had to be just right.
What is it about the Marlow Bed that makes it such a special piece?
While overall it’s a relatively minimal piece, the way the junctions blend into each other in an organic way really elevates it. The joinery highlights the combination of machine and hand craft that goes into producing the frame. We are launching it in walnut, a beautiful timber that brings warmth and understated quality to any space.
What was the design process behind the Marlow Bed?
It started in a fairly typical way. I began researching the history of the typology – in medieval times four-poster beds allowed for curtains to be drawn around it. This lent extra warmth in draughty castles as well as privacy from your chamber staff.
I then thought about the contemporary context. Not many of us live in vast castles these days, so I didn’t want it to be imposing. Using circular profile uprights meant we were able to achieve a visual lightness in the frame while maintaining necessary strength.
After spending a bit of time sketching, we went straight into technical drawings. Normally I would produce prototypes in the studio, but with a product of this scale, that wasn’t possible. So, we started prototyping with the factory in Portugal from a relatively early stage in the process. We managed one trip to the factory to make some minor refinements before the world shut down. Luckily the next revision was perfect.
Why do you feel that your design ethos is a good fit with Heal's?
Heal’s has always struck a balance between quality and accessibility. I’m not so interested in creating products that hold such little value that they feel disposable after one season. I also feel most comfortable working within commercial constraints, creating products that are relatively accessible to a wider group of consumers.
What would you say are the key trends for AW20?
I think the obvious one will be people being more aware of the spaces they live in, after spending so much more time in them. I think that this will mean people will make more considered purchases, and invest in pieces that really improve the experience of being in the spaces they live their lives in.
Like what you see? Shop the Marlow Four-Poster Bed here.
As part of our new series focusing on careers in design, we sat down with Spanish furniture designer Jamie Hayon. Since Jaime has collaborated with brands like Fritz Hansen, &Tradition and Cassina, he is perfectly poised to discuss how to become a furniture designer.
Read on to discover some of Jaime Hayon’s top pieces of advice and what his role involves.
How did you get your first job in design?
I gained a role as part of the Fabrica design team – it was initially an internship and then I became head of their design department. As a creative agency we worked for all sorts of big clients there.
Was there a pivotal moment where you realised you wanted to be a designer?
I was into skateboarding and the creativity around it was very inspirational for me. Thanks to skateboarding, I met lots of interesting people that explored creativity through very personal languages. I started making board designs and drawings, then I eventually found my way to studying design.
At what point did you decide to found your own design studio?
In 2000 I started working on my own personal projects. Then, in 2003, I left Fabrica and set up my own studio.
What does your average workday involve?
I don’t do average because I normally travel a lot. Any day will also involve a lot of sketching and thinking.
Do you need to have a degree to be a furniture designer?
I have a degree in Industrial Design, yes, but it’s not a necessary starting point for everyone.
What is your favourite thing you’ve designed?
I love creating art pieces. So, my art installations and work really inspires a lot of my more commercial designs.
What tip would you give someone looking to become a designer?
Find a real voice and always do what you love.
Like what you see? Shop Jaime Hayon here.
We’ve compiled some of our favourite unusual ceiling light ideas to help inspire your lighting scheme. Think innovative materials, bold shapes and oversized shades.
Like what you see? Simply click on the image to find it online.
P376 pendant light
By Kastholm & Fabricius for &Tradition
Despite looking incredibly modern, this unusual ceiling light was actually designed in 1963. Designers Jørgen Kastholm and Preben Juhl Fabricius created it to fuse form and function seamlessly.
Its gentle curves and clean lines make it both iconic and enthralling.
Caboche ceiling light
By Patricia Urquiola & Eliana Gerotto for Foscarini
Technology and creativity come together to create the Caboche Pendant Light.
Its shade is composed of a series of transparent globes that create an ethereal aesthetic when illuminated by the LED module it houses. Plus, it’s dimmable so you can adjust its brightness to suit you.
Under the bell ceiling light
By Iskos-Berlin for Muuto
Whilst the Under The Bell Pendant Light might look normal from the outside, it’s designed to enhance your room’s acoustics. It’s made using sound-absorbing recycled felt and its domed shape also helps to create a quieter space underneath it.
Aim pendant light
By Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Flos
The Aim Pendant Light collection allows for endless creative opportunities. We love positioning multiple pendants at different heights to create an eye-catching lighting feature. It also looks striking when hung individually thanks to its bold silhouette.
Pili pendant light
By Arturo Alvarez
This ethereal pendant light is crafted using fine steel thread. Each one is hand-woven into the design to create a completely unique shape. This lends each shade a harmonious irregularity that allows whimsical light to escape through its gaps.
Arrangements ceiling light
By Michael Anastassiades for Flos
Each bold configuration of Michael Anastassiades’ Arrangements Pendant Light draws parallels between lighting and jewellery. With various shapes available of this unusual ceiling light, you can configure it to suit your space.
We love seeing it positioned in a cavernous hallway.
Formakami ceiling light
By Jaime Hayon for &Tradition
To create the Formakami Pendant Light, Jaime Hayon was inspired by traditional paper lanterns. These designs have been present in Asia for centuries. Now, Hayon’s design strips the lanterns back to their purest elements in a modern reinvention.
Aplomb pendant light
By LucidiPevere for Foscarini
LucidiPevere’s unusual ceiling light is a celebration of concrete’s raw beauty. The light’s angular shade is crafted using cast concrete to showcase the material in all its splendour. Its sculptural shape also inspired its name, after the French phrase à plomb.
Mytilus pendant light
By Arturo Alvarez
Having drawn inspiration from the moving seabed and the ocean’s currents, this undulating design is as much an objet d’art as it is a light. Its stainless-steel mesh shade curves gently round the glass orb which, suspended from a transparent cable, appears as though floating.
Satellite ceiling light
By Eugeni Quitllet for Foscarini
This masterpiece of modern design appears as though it’s suspended in mid-air. The unusual ceiling light features a glass cloche that is skilfully hand-blown in Venice. It sits atop an illuminated orb as though preventing it from floating into space.
2097/18 chandelier
By Gino Sarfatti for Flos
The 2097/18 Chandelier is a celebration of the inner workings of lighting design. With exposed bulbs and cables taking centre stage, this modern interpretation of traditional chandeliers combines both classic and industrial aesthetics.
Noctambule pendant light
By Konstantin Grcic for Flos
The French word for ‘night owl’, noctambule, inspired this design because it too comes into its own at night. Flos’ skilled artisans hand-blow each glass module with LEDs carefully integrated into the joins between the modules.
Find out more about it here.
Melt mega pendant system
By Tom Dixon
Make a bold statement with this huge Melt Mega Pendant System. When illuminated, each orb creates a mesmerising melting hot blown glass effect. When switched off it boasts a mirror finish, meaning it looks just as striking when not in use.
Balance chandelier
By Heal’s
The premise of balance inspired this modern interpretation of a chandelier. It blends clean monochrome lines with opaline orbs that cast a warm, soft glow throughout the room. This creates a contemporary optical illusion, perfect for modern homes.
Bloom pendant light
By Ferrucio Laviani for Kartell
This glistening display of modern design showcases the complexity of a unique hand-crafted lighting. Its shade is crafted using polycarbonate flowers and houses a series of bulbs which make the shade glisten when illuminated. It’s truly a unique ceiling light.
PH artichoke pendant light
By Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen
Despite being designed in 1958, Poul Henningsen’s show-stopping Artichoke Pendant Light is remarkably modern. Each of the pendant light’s 72 leaves is positioned by hand at Louis Poulsen’s Danish workshop. This means it casts a glare-free glow from every angle.
Overlap ceiling light
By Michael Anastassiades for Flos
What makes the Overlap Pendant Light so unusual is its construction. The special cocoon-like finish was first developed by the US Navy in the 1960s. The process involves coating the internal structure in powder, spraying it with a unique resin and protecting it with a transparent spray.
Arame unusual ceiling light
By Tom Raffield
Sustainable craftsmanship meets unusual ceiling light design in the Arame Pendant. Its tessellating design is created using steam-bent wood and mimic natural patterns found in nature. When illuminated, the light casts a kaleidoscopic pattern onto the ceiling.
Ginkgo Chandelier
By Vezzini & Chen
The Ginkgo Chandelier was inspired by nature and her processes. Named after Ginko, a distinctive flat-leafed tree from China, each pendant is hand-carved from thin Parian porcelain. When illuminated it diffuses light delicately whilst playing with shadows.
Hex ceiling light
By Resident Studio for Resident
This modern Hex Pendant certainly qualifies as an unusual ceiling light. Its hexagonal shape is rarely seen in lighting design, plus its integrated LED module adds further intrigue to the design. As it’s suspended from three slim wires, Hex almost appears to be floating in the air.
Cut mega pendant system
By Tom Dixon
The futuristic, faceted shape of this Cut Mega Pendant System lends it a space-age aesthetic. When illuminated it’s almost hypnotic, transforming into a translucent kaleidoscopic gem and casting mysterious shadows on the walls. This truly is an unusual ceiling light.
Akari ceiling light
By Isamu Noguchi for Vitra
Isamu Noguchi’s iconic Akari Light Sculptures are the original unusual ceiling lights. Each one is crafted in the Japanese town of Gifu using delicate shoji-paper at a family-run workshop. Their design blurs the boundaries between sculpture and interiors.
Heat pendant light
By Johanna Forsberg for Northern
This striking Heat Pendant Light is hand-moulded using metal mesh. When illuminated, streams of light transform the gleaming shade into a glowing cloud of fire. What makes this light even better is the fact it’s made in collaboration with refugees to create employment.
Makiko ceiling light
By Heal’s
Designed to echo traditional Japanese panelling, this dramatic wire light is artistic in design. Each frame is hand-welded using black wire with a satin finish for a modern, monochromatic effect. When switched on, the light casts dramatic shadows onto surrounding walls.
Coral chandelier
By Arturo Alvarez
This textural cluster of unusual ceiling lights is hand-crafted by skilled craftspeople in Spain. It draws inspiration from the diverse beauty of coral reefs, hence its name. We recommend positioning it in a large hallway or living space to appreciate it to its full extent.
Gyro crystal chandelier
By Timothy Oulton
Experimental physicist Leon Foucault’s Gyroscope inspired this unusual ceiling light. Originally used to measure orientation, Timothy Oulton has reinterpreted it as a chandelier. Metal spheres surround a crystal nucleus, boldly contrasting scientific instruments with modern design.
Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret's LC4 Chaise Longue is an iconic piece of furniture. As comfortable as it is refined, once you take a seat on the LC4 you’ll agree it’s earned its nickname ‘relaxation machine’. Today, Cassina crafts the chair and the Italian design house is credited with bringing it to the public’s attention in 1965.
Read on to discover everything you need to know about the LC4 Chaise and three of the brains behind it.
Behind the design
The LC4 Chaise Longue made its debut at Paris’ Salon d'Automne in 1929, a year after it was designed. It was initially created for an American couple’s villa in the Ville d’Avray and drew inspiration from Thonet style furniture. In fact, the first prototypes were supported by the French branch of Thonet.
The first set of prototypes were created by manufacturers Hour and Labadie at Labadie’s blacksmith’s atelier. The design was ground-breaking because of its tubular-steel elements. Prior to the experimentation with tubular steel that was rife in the 1920s, tubular steel has been relegated to bistros and hospitals. Having created successful prototypes, a lack of demand for futuristic design and high production costs temporarily halted dreams of mass production. The 1929 version that premiered at the Salon d’Automne was created by Thonet Frères and marked the beginning of wider production.
Over the following years, both Thonet and Le Corbusier granted licenses to other design houses, allowing them to recreate the chaise. This led to lots of confusion, uncertainty and many unauthorized reproductions.
Despite the widespread distribution of licenses, the LC4 Chaise only had significant success in France. It wasn’t until Cassina began crafting it that it really became popular. Unlike when it was first designed, Cassina now holds the exclusive worldwide license from the Le Corbusier Foundation. Over the years the LC4 inspired many designs and copies, but Cassina’s authentic edition remains the most well-crafted and coveted.
"While our chair designs were directly related to the position of the human body… they were also determined by the requirements of architecture, setting, and prestige” Charlotte Perriand
How it's made
The main concept behind the LC4 Chaise was to place the user at the centre of its design. As such, the chair’s design is based around comfort with form and function taking centre stage. Its sweeping, curved silhouette supports the back and raises the legs to provide optimal relaxation at any angle of inclination.
Every element of the chair’s design is meticulously chosen for the highest possible levels of comfort. It consists of two main components: a stationary base and an upper frame that glides back and forth to find the perfect position. This modern take on a traditional rocking chair boasts a tubular steel frame supported by two, semi-circular pipes. The pipes glide freely across the base to adjust the chair’s inclination angle. Elastic straps span between the pipes to create a comfortable base for the chaise’s leather mattress and leather head bolster.
About the designers
The LC4 Chaise Longue is commonly attributed solely to Le Corbusier. In reality, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret designed it at Le Corbusier's request whilst they were working in the Swiss architect’s offices.
In fact, Charlotte Perriand was a major driving force behind the LC4’s creation. She sought out the services of Labadie to manufacture the chair. She also perfected the upholstery and the cushioning and even created the very first prototype in her Parisian atelier. When it came to debuting the design at the Salon d’Automne in Paris, it was Perriand who convinced Thonet Frères to invest in it.
Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand & Pierre Jeanneret Interestingly, Charlotte Perriand initially applied for a job at Le Corbusier’s studio but found herself rejected. That is, until Pierre Jeanneret saw her work. As Le Corbusier’s cousin, Jeanneret was able to convince the architect to offer her an interior designer position at his studio.
The trio’s collaboration began in 1927 and lasted for ten years, over which they created many now-iconic designs. The highly significant collaboration led to considerable commercial success and inspired future generations of designers.
Like what you see? Shop the LC4 Chaise Longue here.
Gubi is the prestigious manufacturer behind some of our most popular designs. Its collection champions the works or design icons as well as modern designers to create a well-rounded portfolio. Its cutting-edge approach to design means Gubi lighting and furniture never falls short of perfection. We delved deep to discover more about the design house and the brains behind it.
Who founded Gubi?
Gubi and Lisbeth Olsen founded Gubi in Copenhagen in 1967. Gubi had always pushed design boundaries to explore new directions and in doing so created his own unique post-modernistic expression.
A plethora of cultural references inspired each of his designs. This includes the rich tradition of craft found in their native Denmark as well as French cinema, Napoleon and a grand piano.
Originally, the eponymously named design house focused on the Olsens’ own furniture designs. However, once the duo’s sons opened a concept store, Gubi evolved and began transforming into the company we know today.
Gubi today
Gubi has evolved over the years, forging an instantly recognisable aesthetic built on simple, arresting shapes. Its cohort of designers includes mid-century icons like Louis Weisdorf and Robert Dudley Best, as well as modern minds like GamFratesi and Oliver Schick.
By introducing modern designers to its team, Gubi is cultivating a new era of design and encouraging it to progress. It also works hard to give overlooked icons of the past the recognition they deserve. As such, each of its designs blurs the lines between the past and the future.
Iconic Gubi lighting
Gubi’s vast collection includes a wide selection of modern lighting. So, we’ve hand-selected some of the most iconic among them to tell you a little more.
Multi-Lite Pendant Light by Louis Weisdorf
Louis Weisdorf’s Multi-Lite Pendant Light is an important design of his as it marks his passion for diversity. It steps away from his typical signature of using multiple repeating elements and embodies ‘golden era’ Danish design. As beautiful as it is functional, its shade is adjustable so you can direct the glow exactly where it’s needed.
Gräshoppa Floor Lamp by Greta M. Grossman
The playful Gräshoppa Floor Lamp is tilted backwards to gives the impression that the lamp is alive and stalking its prey. Following her retirement in the 1960s, Greta M. Grossman fell into relative obscurity. It wasn’t until Gubi reissued some of her most celebrated designs, including the Gräshoppa Floor Lamp that she reclaimed her place in our homes.
Semi Pendant Light by Bonderup & Thorup
The Semi Pendant Light was Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup’s entry for a 1968 competition by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture. Unsurprisingly, its sweeping arc shape and cutting-edge craftsmanship won it first place. In the years that followed, it became a best-selling Danish design with recognition across the world.
Like what you saw? Shop Gubi here.
HEAL'S DISCOVERS
HEAL'S DISCOVERS
Ed Heritage
As part of this season’s Heal’s Discovers initiative, we’re delighted to introduce Ed Heritage, an award-winning UK-based designer whose signature style of clean geometry and playful details is reflected in the beautiful lamp he created.
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