Good lighting design, from the lofty heights of architectural lighting to the smallest more focussed detail of a table lamp, can change a good design into a magical one…
This curated roundup of lights that have caught our attention across 2024 include the handmade and artisanal, the bold and inspirational – a few of the lighting designs, which go beyond the functionality of their primary task to shift the focus and make a brighter statement.
Dreamscape Clouds from Northern Lights
Image credit: Stevie Campbell / Northern Lights
Moody, sensual lighting that balances shadows and light builds depth and intrigue. Northern Lights collaborated with award-winning Studio Two Interiors to create an immersive ‘dreamscape cloud’ installation for Somewhere by Nico. This vision required careful execution, including the right mix of materials, techniques, and strategic lighting temperatures and placements. This vision required careful execution, including the right mix of materials, techniques, and strategic lighting temperatures and placements.
The designs were realized through 3D design models, prototyping, and precise production drawings. Prototyping is critical in transforming conceptual designs into functional fixtures that enhance the ambiance and aesthetics of a space. The installation, crafted in Northern Lights’ Derbyshire facility, involved experimenting with materials, shapes, and technologies to achieve the desired effect.
Scarlett Chandelier from LedsC4
Image credit: LedsC4
Part of the Decorative Collection in the LedsC4 2024 catalogue, Scarlett is a design by Nahtrang Studio based on an update to classic chandeliers. This new collection skilfully plays with the colours of its teardrops and essential geometries, resulting in sophisticated shadow projections and an array of hues. Furthermore, it provides highly functional lighting features for a variety of ceiling settings and offers the flexibility to adjust the colour temperature as needed.
The use of sustainable materials is at the forefront of the design: its coloured teardrops are made with recycled plastic. Scarlett can be customised by changing the size of its pieces and using the different colours available on the configurator. The design can be circular or square and can add up to three levels.
Theia from Studio LloydÂ
Image credit: Studio Lloyd
The Theia Table Lamp is a blend of creativity and craftsmanship, the result of a design collaboration by Cape Town based Studio Lloyd and Nammu Ceramics. The two studios share a love for organic and elegant handcrafted designs. While Studio Lloyd specialises in lighting and furniture designs, Nammu Ceramics explores the varieties and limits of clay work. Bringing both of those elements together created Theia, named after the Greek goddess of sight and vision.
The Theia Table Lamp is made from reclaimed clay, which gives each piece a unique character. The subtle variations in texture and colour are a beautiful reminder of the natural world, ensuring that your lamp is as much a work of art as it is a functional item. With its hand-thrown ceramic base by Nammu Ceramics and a handcrafted minimalist shade from Studio Lloyd, Theia offers both style and function. Its soft, diffused light creates a calming ambiance perfect for any space.
Icicle from Franklite
Image credit: Franklite
Statement lights with a hint of mid-century design, the compelling icicle shaped glass panels making up this Franklite design refract the light to create a magnificent display. The glass panels are set at varying heights, creating a contemporary look with an artisan element – the Icicle wall light looks great in a matching pair or teamed with the chandeliers in the same collection. The pendants, finished in aged brass metalwork, are available in five, ten and sixteen light versions.
Urchin from Porto Romana
Image credit: Porta Romana
The Urchin chandelier from Porta Romana – a Brit List winning design – inspired by a Turkish hazel seed pod is a statement piece, dramatic in style and scale. Exquisite sculptural tendrils of forged steel curlicue around each other to create a standout, organic form. Each tendril is carefully hand-painted by Porta Romana’s in-house artists, building layer upon layer of colour. If preferred, the Urchin can be custom painted in any finish of choice to suit your interior.
The making of the Urchin chandelier is an entirely traditional process. Inspired by nature, a reoccurring theme in many of Porta Romana’s designs, the original seed pod was carefully recreated as a paper model and then shared with the maker as an initial reference point to inform the production process. The individual elements of the Urchin chandelier were first laser cut to produce a 2D net, they were then hammered and hand-formed, using a specially made tool — the process, repeated three times, each pass adding more texture and creating the distinctive conical shape. Finally constructed from thirteen elements, with thirteen separate light bulbs — each individual section has sixteen tentacles, creating two hundred and eight tentacles in total.
Northern Lights, LedsC4, Studio Lloyd, Franklite and Porta Romana are all Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: Porta Romana
