Handcrafted Czech glass lighting & objects, designed in Northern California.
SkLO sits at the intersection of modern California design and centuries-old Czech glass tradition.
SkLO designs and manufactures handblown glass lighting and objects from their studios in Healdsburg, Northern California and the Czech Republic. Every SkLO product is made with a deep appreciation for the richness of its organic material and the historical craft tradition it embodies.
SkLO designs demonstrate careful attention to detail, and a commitment to achieving the simplest expression of beauty. This belief in simplicity and design discipline is always balanced by a deep respect for the raw material, and closeness to the maker. There’s an inherent primal brutality and unexpectedness in glassblowing, and in Czech glass in particular. Masters of the craft make manipulation of molten glass appear effortless, as they employ generations of skillful technique. SkLO’s designs celebrate this process in their subtle irregularities, making each one a unique reflection of its long history.
Our design team
SkLO was founded by husband and wife design team Karen Gilbert and Paul Pavlak, and visionary Pavel Hanousek. For Karen and Paul, SkLO represented the opportunity to make whole their shared philosophy about craft, while utilizing each of their individual skills. Karen’s as an acclaimed craft artist and metalsmith, whose hands-on work integrated glass; and Paul’s as a trained and practicing architect with a deep belief in the honesty of materials, expression of process, and importance of restraint.
Philosophy
SkLO’s philosophy celebrates the intersection of historic craft tradition and modern design sensibility.
Light
Lighting is the ideal form for expressing the intersection of beauty and function. Products in the Light collection are individually crafted of solid brass and handblown Czech glass. They strike a balance between refined simplicity and the organic nature of their materials.
Object
SkLO Objects are sculptural glass accessories handblown in the Czech Republic. Each one celebrates the ability of its material to capture kinetic moments in time and transform them into permanent expressions of beauty.