Light up

Sanet Stegmann is the brains behind Lanterna, the lighting design that won a special award at the Eskom Energy Efficient Lighting Design competition. As part of our fresh talent series we caught up with her to find out about the special lantern and her future plans.

Who are you?

Sanet Stegmann

Where do you live?

Johannesburg

What do you do? 

Interior designer at Tonic Design.

Sum up Lanterna for us.

Lanterna is a simple, lightweight and practical lamp that saw the light in 2010. Lanterna’s size and shape was inspired by the original hurricane lamp as a practical lighting solution dating back to the 18th century. Acknowledging the history and practicality of this light source, Lanterna interprets this lighting source into a modern context using different materials and replacing the light source with a more sustainable alternative. Consisting of two steel frames that are fastened at the top and bottom to form a flush joint, a timber shade is suspended inside the frame. The connection point is specifically off-centre, a deliberate design decision adding to the aesthetic and practical quality of the lamp, as it creates a gap where one’s fingers can be inserted, enabling easy transportability.  

Who’s the coolest South African designer at the moment?

Tonic Design, of course.

What are your future plans?

I am not a five- or ten-year-plan-maker, but prefer to take it one day at a time in order to experience as much as I can. In the process I plan to turn as much of my ideas, inspired by these experiences, into reality. 

Where do you draw your inspiration?

Art, landscapes, the smell of coffee, hand crafted pieces, books, photography, colour combinations, typography, history, unlikely objects, cities, the open road… and the list continues.

What is your dream?

Mmm… I am quite a dreamer, so this is a tricky question. Currently, I’m dreaming about a trip planned around the history of coffee, from its original discovery in Africa to the small streets filled with cafés in Europe.

Where’s your favourite spot to hang out?

Around a table with loved ones and a good bottle of wine.

Lanterna is available at Batch for R2 695