A Richard Frinier lantern design inspired by lighting used for ancient Japanese temples and gardens has been recognized by Metropolitan Home magazine as one of the top home furnishing designs for 2007. Every year, Metropolitan Home magazine dedicates an issue to what its editors believe to be the most innovative projects with heart.
"In Japan, this type of lantern complements the night and allows you to enjoy the evening with subtle lighting," said Frinier, an internationally recognized furniture and fabrics designer. "This method of soft, glowing illumination creates the minimum ambient light to make your way in the darkness, but does not alter the magical ambience of the night."
The original Japanese design that served as inspiration for Frinier's Shoji Table Lantern for Currey & Company used paper panels to create a diffused lighting effect. Frinier updated this concept, creating the panels for his lantern from the Sasian fabric pattern, part of his Sunbrella fabrics collection. Other elements of the lantern include weather resistant materials and a dimmer for creating ambient lighting for interiors and exteriors.
"In Japan, lanterns of this design were originally used to light the fronts of temples and shrines," Frinier said. "Shoji lanterns ultimately became incorporated into gardens with the advent of the tea ceremony followed by use in dwellings and public spaces."
In addition to the Shoji lantern, other lighting creations by Richard Frinier are also extensions of the Japanese aesthetic and include Andon, Todai and Shinto. Frinier lighting designs include portable, table and floor lanterns, all part of a complete home furnishings collection of garden benches, console tables and mirrors inspired by Japanese temples of the 17th and 18th centuries.
For more information contact Currey & Company, 678.533.1500, or visit www.curreyco.com.
Richard and Catherine Frinier are the principals of Frinier, LLC., an international design and marketing consultancy based in California. Richard Frinier has co-branded, licensed and exclusive collections worldwide across the categories of luxurious indoor/outdoor furnishings, performance textiles, lighting and home accents. For more information contact: frinier@aol.com.
