Good design from the past is timeless Design: Furnishings and decorative items created earlier this century are appearing again in high-quality reproductions.

Even the most avant-garde interior designers seem to be getting caught up in the resurgent popularity of modern classics that first appeared on the American scene 50 or 60 years ago. Art deco furniture from the 1930s and the amorphously shaped pieces of the postwar period are now being eagerly collected. Furnishings and decorative items produced by the Arts and Crafts movement earlier in the 20th century also continue to be highly valued by contemporary collectors.

I don't share the enthusiasm for many 1950s relics, but I can certainly understand the nostalgia for a time when America was the world leader in modern design.

In response to the demand for pieces from that era, some of their original manufacturers have begun turning out high-quality reproductions. And in many cases they're using the same manufacturing techniques that were developed a half-century ago. The results can be very attractive.

One shining example is the "retro-styling" of Herman Miller Inc., which earned a reputation as a pioneering furniture designer. This manufacturer is reviving some of its golden oldies, much to the delight of a generation that may have seen the originals only in photographs or museum displays.

I can't resist noting how the popularity of these pieces serves to reinforce the theory that good design is lasting design.

I'm looking for a lamp to place on a square end table. The room is a contemporary-style wood-paneled library with simple lines and leather seating pieces. Although the recessed ceiling lights are generally adequate for the space, I do want to soften the lighting near the seating area. What sort of table lamp will best complement the room's tranquil atmosphere and elegant styling?

It sounds as though you're more interested in creating a decorative lighting effect than in adding an actual reading lamp. The solution that I'll recommend -- a lamp with a shade not made of fabric -- will thus have mainly aesthetic rather than functional purpose.

The lamp shown in the photo was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1925 for his personal use. But it was such an outstanding example of Wright's signature styling -- a combination of East Asian minimalism and Arts and Crafts expressiveness -- that several of his clients wanted one for their own homes.

Adapted to meet today's electrical codes, the lamp is now produced by Yamagiwa, the Japanese lighting manufacturer, and marketed in the United States by Herman Miller Inc. It's 20 inches tall and has an acrylic shade framed by black-stained ash wood. The base is made of ash wood as well.

Since the recommended lamping is for only a 60-watt bulb, the illumination will certainly be soft. If that is not sufficient, the table lamp can be augmented elsewhere in the room by a floor lamp of the same design available through the same manufacturer.

Alternately, you may wish to consider a brighter lighting source for your end table. Whatever your inclination, I suggest that the lamp have the same simple lines as the room itself or, if a foil is preferable, that the lamp be in the shape of a sphere.

An off-white fabric shade may be an attractive choice, but you must make sure that a high-wattage bulb does not produce a hot spot on the material.

Here's a general design principle to keep in mind: A lamp should always complement a room's styling; it should never be the first thing one notices upon entering.

Pub Date: 4/05/98