I have spent the last three months scouring the corridors of the internet in searching of great lighting. With deadlines looming I have bought some but how I wish I had known about this collaboration between Houseof and the interior designer Em Gurner, of Folds Inside, because it would have been worth waiting for. It is sadly too late for me, but if you are looking for bathroom, kitchen, wall, task or pendant lights you should probably stop right now and bookmark this page because this collection of lights is coming in May and you are going to want some of it.
I first wrote about Houseof in 2019, the brainchild of Helen White (formerly of made.com) who met Michael Jones when they both worked at BHS. Until now everything has been designed by them in their signature look of modern shapes in vibrant shades of powder coated steel alongside the more classic black, brass and chrome.
Em Gurner is a designer whose work has often featured on these pages and in the print pieces I write for The Sunday Times and Red magazine. She is great at contemporary interiors with a vintage nod and is known for her bold use of muted colour.
The perfect match you might say. While I would say I wish they had met a year earlier. There are six pieces in the collection. A gorgeous pleated powder coated steel pendant light that reimagines that vintage style in modern materials and colours. Think orangey coral on the outside and a warm pink inside to cast a flattering glow over your room or dining table.
There is also a glass version and a couple of wall lights with green stems which would work beautifully over kitchen shelves or by beds. The steel pleat shade also comes as a floor and table lamp but, and this is the clever bit, the shade angles so it can be a statement lamp in the corner or turn into a task light with a gentle nudge to the shade.
The pleat flush light, which you can see in the top picture, can be fitted to either wall or ceiling and is IP44 which means it can be used in a bathroom.
“The collection explores how different colour combinations work harmoniously together. The range was inspired by vintage designs with a contemporary twist,” said Emma at yesterday’s launch.
“My aim was to produce a lighting range that complimented the edgy style of Houseof while introducing an element of my own style.”
And because we need to shout about this whenever we find it you should know that housof makes carbon neutral lights that are fabricated without affecting climate change and can run without harming the environment. They offset all the emissions from the lighting they produce and all their packaging is fully recyclable.
Helen said: “We are reducing the use of harmful production methods in the supply chain and work with local and global suppliers to reduce their impact even more, by sourcing recycled parts, bio-materials and shortening the product miles travelled.”
The collection starts at £199 for the ribbed glass wall light rising to £399 for the pleat floor lamp in moss green and pale blue.
All imagery by Megan Taylor
Beautiful. Uncomplicated and tasteful. The time you spent looking was well spent.
Beautiful. Simple and elegant. Your search was worth the effort.
Sheer delights, all of these! What a joy to see such colours and shapes, as for me, lighting has always been one of the most important and considered elements of my ‘interior’ thoughts.