There’s something special about a handmade lamp. Whether it’s a one-off ceramic table light, a unique metal floor lamp or a set of bespoke pendant lights, a lamp made by a real person is sure to add personality to a room. So if you’re looking for a way to give your home interior a boost, consider shopping small and seeking out handmade lamps that will bring a little extra character to your space.
Lighting is a particularly unique subset of handmade home decor; it can so dramatically set the tone of a room. Light itself is, of course, a major aspect, but materials and style can also have a significant impact. Store-bought lighting, while perfectly functional, often lacks the nuance and character of handmade versions. For the makers featured here, the way that light and shadow and texture interact is all part of the creative process. Regardless of whether the final product is made of wood, metal, glass, or fabric, it’s about designing lighting that looks like it was meant for the room it’s in.
A maker first considers the light, considering how light will behave once the lamp is built. They know how linen shades soften light while punched metal shades cast whimsical silhouettes on the wall. They balance the light base and stem for both balance and aesthetics, keeping the proportions slender. They carefully wire the lamp, hiding the wires in the column for a clutter free appearance. The lighted lamp will have an emotional impact on the room due to the maker’s decisions regarding light height, bulb color and the shade shape.
I think that materials add a lot of character to handmade lamps. Old wood has a lot of character that you can’t find in new wood. Blown glass has imperfections that reflect light. Forged metal adds a certain industrial feel to a lamp. I also like combining materials, like polished brass and unfinished concrete or paper with oak. I think it’s the way materials interact that sometimes makes the most interesting lamps, the ones that still have character in a room even when you turn the lamp off.
One of the greatest joys of making lights is the impact they have on how people use their homes in the evening. A lamp can help smooth out sharp angles, draw attention to a prized possession or create a snug reading area in a big, open room. Many of our makers have told us that their lights are talking points when people visit, and they often find themselves explaining how they were made, where they got their idea and the thinking behind their design choice. And as they get older they only get better: wood matures, metal corrodes, fabric shades take on a softness, all of which binds them even closer into the fabric of a home.
The real lesson in making lamps is that lighting is as much emotional as it is functional. A well-designed handmade lamp can become a silent partner in a person’s life, whether they sit alone with a book or entertaining with friends. Makers begin to view their surroundings as a world of warmth, shadow, and light, and gain an appreciation for the little things that can transform a room. Making lighting is an exercise in finding ways to bring warmth, elegance, and magic into our mundane lives, one light bulb at a time.
