When designing my lamps, I am guided by my personal taste and less by the trend of the moment. To underline the personal character of my lamps, I have given the collection my christian names Cornelis Johannes.

I design unique lamps. I always start with the lamp base. I collect original pieces which are mainly made of ceramics and occasionally made of glass. I prefer design from the fifties and sixties, but sometimes I find a nice base from another period that also fits well in my collection.

Because these are so-called vintage lamp bases, unevenness or traces of use can sometimes be found on the base. Of course I hope to find the ones which are in excellent condition. And fortunately most of them are. Yet I do not immediately dismiss a lamp base with traces of use. As long as the lamp retains its character it might even add to it. And I like the idea of giving a beautifully designed vintage lamp a second life.

When choosing the shade, I am inspired by the color scheme, structure, finish, shape and size of the lamp base. All shades are therefore unique and specially made for the base. They are handmade in my studio in Soest.

The lamp base is provided with new wiring, plug, switch or dimmer. Because every foot is different the fitting on the lamp base is made to measure.

In my work as an interior stylist I have learned that the use of unique pieces is essential to make an interior stand out. In the past I had a shop that also bore the name Cornelis Johannes. Here I sold both my own productions and renovated vintage items. My preference for vintage ceramic lamps never ceased. Nowadays, the brick and mortar store has been turned into this online shop.

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