Glow like blazing flames
Veneer lamps from LeuchtNatur bring warm light and nature back into the living room
"There was fire in it!" is how Matthias Stölzle describes his first encounter with a sheet of thin-sanded veneer. And by that he meant not only the breathtaking grain of olive ash that he held in his hands for the first time in 2014 – and accidentally against the light, but also his own entrepreneurial passion that began to burn with the small piece of wood: once held in front of a light source, the grain began to blaze, the piece started to come to life. "Olive ash – I hadn't seen wood this beautiful before, or rather, I hadn't seen it backlit like this before."
That moment stuck with him, was the inspiration and the starting signal for the search for breathtaking veneers suitable for the production of lamps and, last but not least, for innovative manufacturing processes that would enable the production of the undoubtedly unique but technically demanding veneer lamps.
He began to tinker with it together with a friend, eager to use this material, so thin on the one hand and yet sufficiently robust on the other, in building beautifully shaped luminaires that would once again bring more harmony to modern living spaces. "Because chic and modern is often cool and sterile. Life has to come in, nature has to return," says Stölzle, describing his mission. The bar was set high in terms of quality and ecology: The luminaires not only had to be top in terms of processing, but also as compatible as possible from an environmental perspective; using plastic was not an option for him.
Handpicked veneer selection
The biggest technical challenge was the selection of veneers, which by nature tend to crack due to heat and sunlight. The wood species had to be neither too dry nor available in sufficient sizes to avoid joints. This is where the experienced veneer specialists from Schorn & Groh provided support in an intensive consultation process to decide which wood species and qualities would be best for backlighting.
The lighting designer and his small team selected veneers of satin walnut, oak, olive ash, poplar, tineo, swiss pine or silver birch for various collections from around 140 wood species stocked by the Karlsruhe-based veneer wholesaler. The visual appeal of the grain had to be as exciting as possible. Waves, lines, flames, swirls, small knotholes or natural growth features make each luminaire distinctive today.
The veneers of the LIGHT collection from Schorn & Groh, sanded extra-thin to thicknesses of 0.4 mm, are ideal for further treatment in this application. The fleece lamination on the back gives the veneers stability for further processing steps and at the same time makes them maximally translucent.
Manufacturing process
The adhesive bonding of wood to acrylic also gave the development team one or two technical tasks to solve. Both the wood and the manufacturing method had to fit, since the veneers for lamp production have to lie as smoothly as possible so that they can be glued on without bubbles and smoothly. The spliced veneers optimally prepared by the fleece backing and the use of a vacuum veneer press ensure that even the surfaces of the towering columnar lamps can be perfectly pressed without bubbles, cracks, or upturns.
The special sealing of the surfaces with natural oils not only serves to ensure durability and easier maintenance, but at the same time enhances the color contrast of the grain: the wood takes on a color-intensive glow. The brown and reddish hues create a particularly warm light – and are literally reminiscent of the radiant heat of a fireplace. The effects are amazing. The more clearly the design of the shade, stand or suspension, the more the material can work. Each wood has a unique grain and provides a distinctive look.
LeuchtNatur
Shortly after the start of production in 2015, the small lamp manufactory received the first awards for innovative and green design. Today LeuchtNatur consists of a team of 4 employees around Matthias Stölzle, who produces with a lot of enthusiasm and handwork from Chiemgau and delivers lamps all over the world. www.leuchtnatur.de
