Peer into the past and watch lamp artisans at work at Illumé Bespoke Shades & Workshop (223 E. 58th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-308-1400), a bespoke lamp boutique attached to a repair store. Both were opened by Ronald Scinto and his business partner Mark Candido back in February. Photo: Illumé Bespoke Shades & Workshop
The workshop is attached to the main store, and it’s headed by creative genius Luca Allegra. Here, he is rewiring a Bauhaus lamp. “He just knows how things should work and how to fix everything,” says Scinto. Photo: Illumé Bespoke Shades & Workshop
The guys at Illumé can make a lamp out of just about anything. These early-twentieth-century candleholders will become a floor lamp. Photo: Jen Ortiz
Scinto scouts eBay for interesting pieces that he can magically morph into lamps: from antique napkin rings to candle wax catchers. Photo: Jen Ortiz
Both Scinto and Candido collect antique light bulbs. This 10,000-watt beauty, from the thirties, graces the storefront’s window. But such precious collectibles are not for sale, in fact, Candido recently declined a $1,000 offer for his prized bulb. Photo: Illumé Bespoke Shades & Workshop
These old-fashioned Christmas lights will decorate the store come holiday season. Scinto and Candido got the hand-shaped mold from a friend who used to own a boutique downtown. It’s destined to become a quirky lamp. Photo: Jen Ortiz
How do you know when it’s time to rewire a lamp? “Crusty wiring,” says Scinto. A lamp has gone to seed when the wiring feels tough and loses malleability”like these ones. Photo: Jen Ortiz
The perfect lampshade should have perfect proportions”“one third shade, two thirds lamp,” says Scinto. It’s best to bring in the lamp, otherwise it’s like buying a shoe without trying it on. Scinto also does house calls so he can get a sense of which lampshade will work with one’s home-design scheme. “People always say, “I don’t want the shade to take away from the lamp,’ but that’s wrong. You want the shade to complete the lamp,” he explains. Like these sleek Blanc de Chine porcelain specimens. Photo: Illumé Bespoke Shades & Workshop
