Rendered Real

3-D rendering has become a real asset to Fire Farm's custom work, especially within the last year and a half. Using tools like Google SketchUp and Podium, digital renderings have helped us present designs and proposals very clearly to clients, as in our proposal for Project 2991, above.


Additionally we have found them useful not only in presenting finished designs, but in solving problems mid-design as well. A 3-D rendering of the space in which our design will be installed can alleviate production surprises and help to give a real sense of the space and environment with which we are working.



click image to see larger version

 Take the pair of images above, for instance, of Project 2059. The left image is a pre-production 3-D rendering done by our client, and the right image is a photograph of the actual finished space. The client sent us this rendering early on in the project's conception because they were concerned with their artist's depiction of the mesh. The mesh in the illustration looked crinkled and choppy, and the client wanted the mesh to drape in a smoother fashion. We were able to allay their concerns and provide a much truer representation of the draping mesh.

At the same time, the 3-D rendering gave us great insight into the environment where our mesh piece would be installed. After the project was finished, we were struck by how closely the rendering reflected the actual atmosphere and surrounding elements -- even down to the arrangement of the furniture!

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Magnolias Bloom

Introducing the brand-new Magnolia Pendant 2919, just in time for spring!


Each Magnolia light fixture is unique, made up of hand-formed acrylic petals that can be moved and adjusted independently of one another, creating your very own individual bloom.

Dimensions: 25" x 25" x 25"
Weight: 17 lbs
Adjustable on-site suspension height
Incandescent or fluorescent lamping available

Click here to go directly to the Magnolia 2919 Project page.

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Constellation: Designer's Notes

We thought you might be interested in seeing how our upcoming Constellation series all came about.

Says Adam Pollock, the designer:

"This is one of those development ideas that abides its own schedule. Ten years ago I was inspired by the moiré patterns created with alternating panels of perforated stainless steel sheet metal. I fabricated a small 1ft star as a mockup but then set it aside as my attention was drawn elsewhere. This seed lay dormant for years.

For the past two years I have been staring at a tiny paper star-shaped night-lantern that hangs in my children’s bedroom. Every night it would remind me of the long-lost metal star. Finally its own time arrived and that seed was nurtured to maturity with the help of all the staff at Fire Farm."

Below, the original sheet metal star that started it all, and the paper lantern that re-inpsired the idea.

Click here for more blogs about the Constellation Series.

Click here to visit the Project 2913 page.

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Pendant Patterns

One of the Fire Farm staff, Bob Griffith, brought in a picture of one of our pendants he made for his granddaughter. Instead of the usual frosted bulb, Bob put a clear bulb in the fixture which threw some spectacular patterns on the ceiling and nearby walls.

Click here to visit the Paper Ceiling Pendant (Body Type P) stock product page.

(Note: This fixture is modified slightly from our stock version in that the interior is painted white, and the exterior painted forest green.)





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Lois Retires from Fire Farm

One of the first employees hired after Fire Farm's move from California to Iowa, Lois Ott is now our first retiree. After eight years in the Production Department, Lois will no longer be found fashioning beautiful mesh shades for our fixtures.

Being an expert mesh-folder, Lois came up with a folding design all her own, resulting in what has been named the "Loie" lamp (pictured above), which will become an addition to our stock product line.

Thanks, Lois, for all of your dedication and hard work -- we'll miss you!

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New Product: Reed Sconce

The newest addition to our collection of stock products started out as a custom-designed piece for a large metropolitan restaurant. The owners reported so much interest and so many inquiries from customers as to where they could purchase something similar that we designed a modified version to include in our stock product line.



The mellow feel of the natural thatch reeds is enhanced by the soft light filtered through an inside diffuser. The closer to the ceiling the fixture is hung the more distinct are the radiant beams of light reflected through the open top reeds. Additional effects can be observed by the use of incandescent (shown above, left) or fluorescent (above, right) bulbs.

Click here to go directly to the Reed Sconce product page.