You are invited to our SHOWROOM OPENING at the Wirksworth Festival Arts Trail Weekend

Our New Derbyshire Showroom at Haarlem Mill in Wirksworth is officially open!

To celebrate we are hosting an open weekend on Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th of September to coincide with the Wirksworth Festival Art & Architecture Trail when the town plays host to over 100 artists and makers, showcasing their work in peoples homes and public spaces. Visit our Showroom to see our full lighting range and have a sneak preview at some of our soon-to-be-announced new designs.

The festival kicks off on the Friday evening with a FREE screening of Fantasia on the Market Place with live DJ soundtrack from 8pm. The weekend arts trail starts from 10am on the Saturday and Sunday where you can enjoy street food and live music - from operatic arias to flamenco guitar solos, plus a host of local bands will be playing at Gig on the Roof (this year sponsored by CURIOUSA) - the annual closing celebration of the trail on the Market Place on Sunday from 4pm.

So why not make a weekend of it in the glorious Peak District?

At Haarlem Mill we have parking with a shuttle bus service to the centre of town and tickets for the arts trail which can be purchased from Haarlem Arts Space, our neighbours at The Mill.

HAARLEM MILL, DERBY ROAD, WIRKSWORTH
DERBYSHIRE DE4 4BG

S H O W R O O M O P E N I N G T I M E S
1 0 A M - 5 P M S A T U R D A Y
1 0 A M - 4 P M S U N D A Y

Don’t miss the talented Blackpop and Beauvamp also showing at Wirksworth Festival.

Maxine and Paula of Blackpop in their Wirksworth Showroom.

Alice of Beauvamp photographed beneath the Tiffany Ruffle Shade.

Our fellow Wirksworth creatives BLACKPOP and BEAUVAMP will also have their lovely workshop and showrooms open so don't miss the opportunity to kill three birds with one stone!

Beauvamp’s new showroom can be found on North End, just along from The Northern Light Cinema and Blackpop’s sumptuous Showroom is on the main St John’s Street in Wirksworth.

Get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk. You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Lighting for Bathroom, Bedside or Stairwells - the Tutti Pendants

The Tutti Stem Pendant pictured in Yellow Ochre with a Turkish Blue Stem. Photo by Chris Webb. Location by Isabel Cordero

Our latest addition to the Curiousa Collection is the Tutti Stem and the Tutti Globe. Born from a chance experimentation in our studio, Esther Patterson, designer and founder, created them whilst playing with some of the glass shapes from our already favourite light pieces - combining the Tor with the Antonio stem and the Oshka globe.

Esther says: “One of the joys at Curiousa is that we are always experimenting with new combinations. The Antonio stem has such an elegant form and I decided to incorporate this with the charm and simplicity of the Tor shade. The Tutti Globe then swiftly followed to create a complimentary combination, where each design can stand alone or work beautifully together.”

The Tutti Globe shown in Emerald with a Teal Globe. These versatile pendants are perfect for a bedside, a soft reading light or even a chandelier.

The new Tutti pendants sit well within Curiousa’s wider collection and will be exhibited as part of the launch at Decorex 2022 at Olympia London, from the 9th - 12th October on Stand E147. The Tutti Stem and Tutti Globe are available in a choice of 22 signature glass colours and our full range of flex and fitting finishes. These versatile pendants are perfect for a bedside, a soft reading light or even a chandelier. We can also make these with an IP fitting for bathrooms - adding a playful pop of colour to your morning routine.

The Tutti Pendants can be made with an IP fitting for bathrooms too. Explore our full bathroom collection here.

If you would like to talk to us about the Tutti Collection, get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

As seen on Channel 4’s Old House, New Home with George Clarke

A Curiousa & Curiousa bespoke 9-drop staircase chandelier featured on Channel 4’s Old House, New Home with George Clarke.

If you’ve been watching the new series of Channel 4’s Old House, New Home with George Clarke you might have spotted Curiousa’s lights featured in Jenny & Fadi’s Southport renovation. The Gothic Victorian Villa, is located a spitting distance from the coast, and was purchased by couple Jenny & Fadi after five years of begging the original owner to sell. The pair fell in love with the property on their frequent walks past the house - not a surprising feat considering the gorgeous stain-glass windows, original castellations and Gothic features. 

Jenny & Fadi’s Gothic Victorian Villa located a spitting distance from the Southport coastline.

Jenny & Fadi first approached us after spotting our lights on Pinterest with the view to commission a bespoke feature chandelier to complement their stunning four story staircase. Taking inspiration from the materiality and colours of original stain glass windows, our studio design team worked closely with Jenny to create a bespoke raft chandelier styled with an eclectic arrangement of our hand-blown Classic Teardrop Pendants all in Slate Grey. We love how the Teardrop Shades gradually reveal themselves as you ascend the stairs, creating pockets of beauty throughout the space.  

The chandelier features nine Classic Teardrop Pendants in sizes large and Medium. Our studio design team worked closely with Jenny to create this bespoke raft chandelier perfectly suited to complement the properties original features. Commission your own Chandelier here.

As a finishing touch a four drop Peardrop Cluster in Slate Grey was chosen to illuminate the characterful wood panelled entryway, creating a stunning focal point that perfectly harmonises with the feature staircase chandelier behind. 

The chandelier features nine hand-blown Classic Teardrop Pendants in colour Slate Grey.

A four drop Peardrop Cluster in Slate Grey was chosen to illuminate the characterful wood panelled entryway.

All photos courtesy of Amazing Productions.

Watch the series on catch up here (and see episode 1 for the Southport feature): https://www.channel4.com/programmes/george-clarkes-old-house-new-home/on-demand/71682-009

 If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

OUR SUMMER SALE OF GLASS LIGHTING IS NOW ON

This summer SALE is extra special as Esther Patterson, Curiousa’s founder and designer, has carefully curated a range of stacked lighting pieces specially for the SALE. She’s even created some brand new combinations using various stems, orbs and shades. So now is the time to make the most of our beautiful glass lighting with great discounts.

Take advantage of Curiousa’s July Summer Sale now.

More stock is added daily so please keep checking for details.

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Take a look at our Vintage Siren Wall Lights

The Siren Vintage Triple wall light shown here uses a vintage plate and bowl with a hand-blown glass dish.
Photo by Chris Webb. Wall art by Gina Watkinson. Interior by Maria Isabel Cordero Padilla

We’ve added new designs to our Siren wall light range, layering colourful hand-blown glass with luxury UK vintage chinaware.

Esther, founder and designer, has curated a selection of vintage pieces that work beautifully with their hand-blown glass, making each combination truly unique.

Esther said "There are so many gorgeous vintage bone china tableware pieces to choose from. The UK has a wonderful tableware heritage dating back over 200 years. These plates, dishes and bowls don't have to gather dust anymore and can be used to make beautiful statement pieces with a story of their own.”

The lighting designs are available in triple or double layers in large or mini sizes. Plus, there’s a wealth of glass colours to mix and match, so that you can play to your heart’s content.

SEE OUR VINTAGE SIREN WALL LIGHTS

Image supplied by Cole & Son.

If you’d like to speak to us about commissioning a lighting design in your home or commercial space, you can call us on 01629 826 284 or email studio@curiousa.co.uk.

The Curiousa & Curiousa Range of Bathroom Lights Brings Inspiration To Your Smallest Room

This modern bathroom design in a neutral palette features a pair of Curiousa & Curiousa Antonio glass pendants in Smoked Olive. Photo by Caroline Bridges. Project by TLA Studio.

The turning of a new year and the fast-approaching spring makes us look at plans for improving and reinvigorating our home space and so we’re pleased to announce that we’ve added even more options to our range of bathroom lighting designs.

Esther Patterson, Founder and Director at Curiousa & Curiousa, says of the new bathroom range, “There isn’t always a lot of choice for exciting lighting in bathrooms and wet areas – so we’ve challenged that notion, giving our customers the freedom to create a space that can still feel special and creates a true space to relax and enjoy.”

Pictured left: Mod Wall Light. Photo by Alex Parnell - Wilderness Reserve Cottages. Pictured right: Pear Drop Cluster. Photo supplied by Bethell Projects.

If you have a particular design or style in mind, there are endless possibilities with our lighting designs as each light is blown to your specifications, with 22 glass colours, 10 flex colours and 5 fitting finishes to choose from.

Pictured on the left, a 5-drop Pear Chandelier and on the right, a 3-drop Pear Cluster.

The understated elegance of the Cocoon pendants, pictured here hung as a pair on the left, echoes the quality of craftsmanship in this bathroom design. On the right a pair of wall mounted Tassel lights bring some Hollywood glamour to this bathroom space.

Every piece of glass we produce is hand-blown using age-old traditional techniques and is blown without moulds, formed and shaped solely by hand and tool, making every singly piece truly unique. Not only is every piece of glass hand-blown in the UK, but it is then hand finished and hand assembled right here in our studio workshop in the heart of Derbyshire.

View the full range of bathroom lights here.

If you’d like to speak to us about commissioning a bathroom lighting design or a piece for any other area of your home, you can call us on 01629 826 284 or email studio@curiousa.co.uk.

The Glowbules Floor Standing Lamps Have Been Shortlisted For Darc Magazine’s [d]arc awards

Pretty pastel stacked glass globes make for stunning floor standing lamp lighting designs. Photo by Chris Webb.

Curiousa & Curiousa’s two floor standing lamp designs from the new Glowbules collection has been shortlisted in this year’s [d]arc awards and we are thrilled! The [d]arc awards is hosted by Arc and Darc magazines and celebrates innovative lighting and interior design. The Glowbules are nominated in the [d]arc awards’ Decorative Kit Category, a category that showcases the ‘Best Lighting Products’ and is split into four categories: exterior, interior, decorative and technology.

Darc Magazine, which is dedicated to decorative light in interior design and architecture, formed the peer-to-peer lighting design awards to shine a spotlight on creators within the lighting and design community. Once a jury of international lighting designers have determined the awards shortlist for this year, independent lighting designers, architects and interior designers will then be invited to vote on their favourite projects and products for each category so we have our fingers crossed.

During the summer of 2021, Esther Patterson, designer and founder of Curiousa & Curiousa, collaborated with internationally-renowned designer, Adam Nathaniel Furman, to create the Glowbules collection. The collection is a distinctive set of hand-blown glass sculptural light pieces launched at Future Heritage as part of Decorex International 2021.  

Since their launch at the show, the Glowbules have captured the imaginations of lighting enthusiasts with the calming palette of pastels semi-opaque shades in a distinctive style. They make for a stand-out piece for those that are looking to make a bold statement in their interior space.

The Glowbules Floor Standing Lamps have a calming palette of pastels. Photo by Chris Webb.

If you would like to find out more about our collaboration on the Glowbules Collection with Adam Nathaniel Furman, you can read more on our blog here.

View the Glowbules range here.

Find out more about the [d]arc awards over on their website: https://darcawards.com/

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk. You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Take A Look At The Curiousa & Curiousa January Sale

We’ve put together a January sale at Curiousa & Curiousa, so now is the time to make the most of our limited-time offer of 40-50% discounts on a selection of ex-display and slight seconds glass pendants and chandeliers.

Our sale includes Cocoons, Antonios, Retros, Classics and much more from our range. All of the fittings for the glass lights are all customised to suit so they can slot perfectly into your interior design scheme, with ten flex colours and five fitting finishes to choose from.

Take advantage of the Curiousa & Curiousa January sale now and get your hands on some of our beautiful hand-blown glass pieces for up to half the price. Click here to view our sale stock.

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Meet The Glowbules: A Future Heritage Collaboration With Adam Nathaniel Furman

Adam Nathaniel Furman in his studio. Photo by Gareth Gardner

International designer, Adam Nathaniel Furman and Esther Patterson, designer and founder of Curiousa & Curiousa, bring their skills together to create an exciting set of glass sculptural light pieces called the Glowbules.

Adam was invited, with Esther as collaborator, to create their range as part of Future Heritage at Decorex International, a leading showcase for emerging and established talents in British craft. There will be 10 designers, creating new, one-off pieces to be exhibited at the show at Olympia London, 10-13 October 2021.

Curated by Corinne Julius, Future Heritage will become a key highlight of the show once more. Future Heritage pioneers the promotion of contemporary craft where each emerging or established designer creates new, one-off pieces to be exhibited at Decorex.

Link to the Glowbule Collection Product Page

The Glowbule Beam Pendants are 1.2m in length, conjoining individually hand-blown orbs that create a continuous band of light to show off the material to its best effect. Photo by Chris Webb

Adam says "Collaborating during covid has often been difficult, but despite the challenging conditions, developing the Glowbules range with Curiousa & Curiousa has been an absolute and untrammelled joy, a ray of light in a difficult period that has hopefully given birth to a group of lights that others will find as hope-filled and happy as I do. The perfect testimony to a wonderful relationship & experience…".

The lights will be exhibited alongside the other designers’ work on the stand. With two 1.2m Beam Pendants, two 1.5m Floor Lamps, a Table Lamp and a Stacked Pendant, it’s sure to be a lighting design collaboration that will turn heads at Decorex.

This glowbule for one of the floor lamps blown by Derbyshire-based glass blower Jonathan Abbott. Photos by Gavin Repton

Esther says of the collaboration with Adam, “It was an amazing privilege to be asked to be part of the Future Heritage project at Decorex. Working with another designer like Adam is exciting in the way that it pushes me to search for solutions to make his vision happen. This project has thrown up many challenges, especially in this semi-pandemic recovery environment. New lighting designs are taking longer to realise and there have certainly been some nail biting moments, but I can’t wait for everyone to see the final designs - they really will stand out.”

The Glowbule Beam Pendant, hand-blown with fifteen glass orbs. Photo by Chris Webb

Esther in her studio in Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Photo by Gavin Repton.

The Glowbule Stacked Pendant and Table Lamp. Photo by Chris Webb

Glowbule Beam Pendant. Photo by Chris Webb

Glowbule Floor Lamps. Photo by Chris Webb

Link to the Glowbule Collection Product Page

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

As Seen On Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations…

A Curiousa & Curiousa 10-drop staircase chandelier has found its forever home in this renovated bank in Cornwall. Featured in mid-July on Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations.

If you have been watching Channel 4’s Remarkable Renovations fronted by George Clarke, you’ll have been taken on a tour of amazing house renovations around the UK. In the first episode, the home of Richard and Sarah Balding, of St Columb Major, near Newquay was featured, a remarkable transformation of an old bank that the couple snapped up for just £50,000.  It’s also home to a magnificent 10-drop staircase chandelier by Curiousa & Curiousa.

It is always great to get a glimpse of where our lighting designs are installed, and so we watched the show avidly to spot our chandelier in situ. There are also some fabulous touches put in place by the couple in ode to the building’s former use as a bank. The two-ton safe that was in situ in the building has been melted down to form a stunning bath for the property. Our chandelier can be seen from an enclosed bathroom area, leading the eye out and beyond to the view of the town beyond.

A window through from the enclosed bathroom space allows light through from the exterior wall on the other side of the staircase.

The staircase chandelier features 10 glass pendants in a range of bright colours to lead the eye from the bathroom to the borrowed view of rooftops in the town beyond..

The chandelier featured in this episode of George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations is a 10 Drop Bespoke Chandelier, each light piece hand blown to order. The chandelier is made up of five stunning glass designs in a number of vibrant colours from our Classic and Pear Drop ranges: Large Round in Purple and Emerald, Large Pear Drop in Blush and Yellow Ochre, Large Traditional in Aubergine and Evergreen, Large Teardrop in Turkish Blue and Yellow Ochre and Large Bowl in Garnet Red.

The chandelier features five glass designs in a number of vibrant colours from the Curiousa & Curiousa Classic and Pear Drop ranges.

The property has had no expense spared in the renovations, made possible perhaps by the bargain auction price of the home. A mix of classic and period features with a modern touch and plenty of colour has transformed this building into a house that has warmth and interest for the couple and their two small children. To chime in with George Clarke’s verdict on the design transformation, the Baldings have done an ‘incredible job’.

The rear elevation of the bank has a bright and modern feel that sets it a world apart from its High Street frontage, offering privacy in the enclosed garden. Photographer: Roy Riley.

All photos courtesy of @amazingtelly and Photographer Roy Riley

Watch the series on catch up here (and see episode 1 for the bank feature): https://www.channel4.com/programmes/george-clarkes-remarkable-renovations

 If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Celebrating the Makers of Derbyshire: Curiousa & Curiousa Feature In Derby’s Museum of Making’s Dedicated Events Space

A row of Classic Bowl Pendant Lighting hangs above the bar area in the Museum of Making’s dedicated events space.  Pictured here in Teal and Blush.

If you pay a visit to Derby Museums’ Museum of Making, situated in the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site, you might spot some bespoke lighting made by ourselves in the Museum’s dedicated events space, the Italian Mill.

Our striking, handmade Classic Bowl pendant lights capture the space’s natural light, featuring alternating shades in Teal and Blush that illuminate the slate coloured bar area.  Complemented by a copper backdrop the lights perfectly tie up the room’s post-industrial theme with a luxurious modern touch.

Curiousa & Curiousa also features in the ‘Make Works Derby and Derbyshire’ project at the Museum, a resource that aims to help people to discover skilled manufacturers and makers within the region.

In the video playing in the exhibition area at the museum, visitors get an insight into the hand blown glass process - here being fashioned into one of our iconic designs by a skilled glass-blower

Curiousa & Curiousa’s founder and Design Director, Esther Patterson, is glimpsed at work in the Wirksworth based design studio.

In the initial stages of this film-making project, a small team of volunteer filmmakers visited us to record a short informational video that now features on the project’s website. There is also a Make the Works installation at the Museum of Making, featuring our own video and those of other makers and businesses. A number of digital screens display the various videos, encouraging visitors to select which of the makers they want to find out more about. The project is a great way of showcasing the skills and creations of local craft and maker businesses in the area and we were thrilled to be given the opportunity to support, and be included, in such a unique project.  

Janine Derbyshire, Head of Visitor Experience at Derby Museums, explains why she got in touch with Esther back in March 2020 in anticipation of the Museum’s opening:

“When looking at the fixture and fittings for the bar in the Italian Mill, we wanted the space to look as designed and considered as the rest of the architecture in the building. Therefore, a palette of colours and materials were brought together to reflect the taxonomy of materials used in the galleries. We also wanted elements to be bespoke and represent local makers and the perfect example of this, was in our selection of pendant bowls to illuminate the bar.”

“Rather than purchasing off the shelf lighting, we approached local makers Curiousa & Curiousa as they were represented on Make Works Derby & Derbyshire: an online directory mapping local makers and manufacturers in different regions. In their listing, Curiousa & Curiousa outline their bespoke design and production processes when working with hand-blown glass in a vast range of styles and sizes. When visiting them to capture this film, we were captivated by the vibrant colours and intricate details of their designs, alongside their attentive approach to working with customers. This relationship allowed us to commission bespoke items that were individual, handmade and exquisite in design.”

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Photography: Top and bottom, Jenny Appleton Photography © jennyappleton.co.uk, all others, Andy Taylor-Smith andytaylorsmith.com

Kitchen Island Lighting Design

Simple and Effective: Three of a Kind

Pictured from left to right: Retros in Purple, Extra Large Traditionals in Slate Grey, Large Rounds in Sky Blue.

This is possibly the most classic and popular choice for kitchen island lighting, and it's not hard to see why. Three lights provide enough light to create a mood, but without creating too much visual clutter, and the single pendants can provide pops of colour while retaining elegant uniformity - a modest, sophisticated option. Here, the brighter the colour the bolder the statement, alternatively paler or more neutral colours can convey a more classic feel, such as the Large Slate Grey Traditionals, whereas the Large Rounds look really punchy in Sky Blue set against the off-white colour scheme. 

Lighting for High Ceilings and Big Spaces 

Pictured: A Suspension Bar in Dark Bronze with Aubergine Bowls

In spaces with very high ceilings, it can be good to break the space up a bit with a suspension bar, but that's not the only purpose it serves. Decorative lighting can often be left as an afterthought of the renovation process, leaving you to wonder how you're going to light the five pendant lights that you've fallen in love with, with only one electricity point in your ceiling. With a suspension bar, several pendants can be wired up to one point. The minimal fixtures can be a great solution to a sloped ceiling, and with the different colour and material options it can create a variety of looks, from 'industrial' Brushed Nickel, to sophisticated walnut wood or slick Chrome. If a suspension bar isn't your style, you could opt for a raft as an alternative.

In this kitchen, the client opted for five Large Aubergine Bowls to hang over their large kitchen island. Another elegantly uniform choice, and with so many pendants the same colour and size, the risk of looking a bit 'stiff' is avoided by suspending them at varying heights, which also helps to add a bit of dynamism in such a big space.

How much Light? Light Layering

Pictured: Bespoke Oshka in Teal, Lichen and Citron

Ask any interior designer and they’ll tell you the key to good kitchen lighting is layering. Although the decorative lights would like to take all the credit for lighting a room, your kitchen lights should be made up of a combination of lighting: task, ambient, and decorative. In this example LED task lights have been positioned between the decorative lights, allowing the decorative lights to create the mood, and the task lights to light the island. Regarding lumens and brightness, there's lots of great advice on the John Cullen website to help you decide how to create your desired level of brightness.

These lights are a take on our original Oshka design, with an extra Globe added to the top. With all lights being handmade to order, we can work with clients to make your design an original, which takes us on to our next point...

Drama and Originality

Pictured, first image: Triptych Stem, Triptych Dine, Triptych Orb, second image: Triptych Stem, Bubble Light, bespoke Bubble and bespoke Sculptural Stack.

In the day and age when kitchens are used for so much more than just cooking, you might consider putting something a bit more dramatic above your kitchen island, such as these trios of sculptural stacks, after all, kitchens are often the most popular room in a party. The first kitchen pictured here is a little special, as not only is it a show kitchen by Martin Moore, but it is also used as the setting for cookery masterclasses with top chefs, and there a bit of pizzazz is very welcome. If you are planning on doing something fabulous in your kitchen, you might want to opt for equally fabulous lighting to match. It all depends how you are planning to use it. 

Ceiling Strength

As with all lights you need to consider ceiling strength, but the bigger and more dramatic your lights are, the more weight they need to support, making sure the lights are fixed to a wooden joist above the ceiling is essential. If your joists aren't in the right place, you can ask your builder to install one for you. We give one metre of flex as standard, but you can have more or less - as a general rule for kitchen island lighting, you should aim for about 30-36 inches above the counter, that's about eye-height. 

Bulb Temperature

We've talked about Lumens affecting the brightness lights, but the colour temperature of the bulb is just as important to the mood of a room. If you're going for a bright white colour scheme, you should aim for about 3000 Kelvin, but warmer colour schemes can suit a softer colour temperature, of around 2700k, or below. With our lights we advise a warmer vintage style bulb, but with our more modern designs such as the Cordero, a G4 daylight bulb is a more suitable choice. See our bulb options here.

Pictured: A selection of lights from our Classic Pendant Range in Emerald, Yellow Ochre, Mocha, Garnet Red, and Teal. 

If you'd like to see more of our lighting projects, take a look at our projects page or gallery, or click here to contact us.

Photography: Top, Darren Chung, all others Chris Webb Photography (c) www.chriswebphotography.com

Spotted! Sandi Toksvig Visits Moat Cottage & We Get A Glimpse Of Our Glass Pendant Lights

The uniquely beautiful Moat Cottage on the Wilderness Reserve estate was featured in a recent airing of Channel 4’s Extraordinary Escapes With Sandi Toksvig …and we caught a glimpse of our lights that adorn this luxurious hideaway.

If you have been watching Channel 4’s Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig you might have watched the episode that featured Moat Cottage at Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk. The series sees Sandi touring various parts of the UK looking for sanctuaries to get away from it all, with the venues she visits with various guest celebrities as company having an emphasis on luxury living.

We’ve been commissioned many times by the Wilderness Reserve to supply lights in lots of their properties, and we recently featured a newly updated Chapel Barn Estate refurbishment on our blog, highlighting the stunning ‘snug’ festooned with several of our Ume Silk Lanterns. 

So we were excited to get a glimpse of the interior of Moat Cottage in this episode where we were able to spot our lights hanging in the various rooms of the cottage.

Two Pear Drop Lights hang in this serene bedroom in the Wilderness Reserve’s Moat Cottage.

Relax in a deep bath at the end of a hard day’s rowing around the cottage’s moat! The bathroom is fitted with a Tassel Light that features a 1-metre-long handmade tassel, and that adds to the opulence of experience in this venue.

Moat Cottage is a fabulous setting for a luxurious getaway at the Wilderness Reserve, where every detail is attended to and the furnishings are the ultimate in quality

Watch the series on catch up here (and take a look at episode 1 to see our lights!): https://www.channel4.com/programmes/extraordinary-escapes-with-sandi-toksvig

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Curiousa & Curiousa Lights Adorn the Beautiful Rooms of Isabel Cordero Padilla’s Home

Isabel Cordero Padilla’s home was featured in The Observer this week.  She is pictured here in her vibrant dining kitchen; a carefully balanced mid-Century look using leaf greens and yellow ochres, and some fabulous wallpaper by Timerous Beasties.

In the 31 January 2021 publication of The Observer, Isabel Cordero Padilla’s beautiful home was featured, where readers could learn more about the inspiration behind the interior design choices made by Isabel in putting each room’s theme together.

Esther, founder of Curiousa & Curiousa, has been good friends with Isabel for many years, and many of Esther’s lights hang in her home, some of which were designed in collaboration with Isabel as site-specific pieces.  These photos, taken by top photographer James Balston, show off Isabel’s talent for colour and layout.

A pair of Dine Lights are suspended above the dining table in the kitchen space, complementing the fresh verdant hues of the stools at the table.

This chandelier design on the left became the Tiger Lily Chandelier, and was designed in collaboration with Isabel. The chandelier on the right is called the Isabel Chandelier and hangs in Isabel’s bedroom sharing its name with its co-designer. Photo credits: Chris Webb

Isabel plays with colour wonderfully, adding an accent of bright colour here and there throughout her home.

A bespoke stemmed pendant light hangs by the bedside against the backdrop of wallpaper that was ripped back in a brave move by Isabel to expose the original paintwork on the wall underneath.

You can read the full article here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jan/30/bring-me-sunshine-the-derbyshire-home-with-echoes-of-southern-spain

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Esther Patterson’s Feature In The English Home Magazine’s Design Series Rounds Off 2020

Esther Patterson is Curiousa & Curiousa’s Design Director, and was featured in the final The English Home magazine Design Series of 2020.

2020 has been a challenging year to get through. At Curiousa & Curiousa, we've been lucky enough to live and work in a lovely part of the country, which has really sustained us through this difficult time. As in many businesses around the world, we've had our worries this year but we're glad to say we're still going strong and it's thanks to all our customers that have loved and believed in our products.

At the very end of 2020, we were honoured to be included in the English Home Magazine Design Series, a series of interviews with top names and brands from the interior design industry, a collaboration with Decorex International. Our Design Director Esther Patterson was interviewed by the magazine, exploring her inspiration and creative journey.

The Cocoon Light started life as a one-off piece that founder Esther Patterson designed specially for over her dining table with a view to launching it the following year. Photo credit: Dan Duchars.

The interview explores Esther’s original spark of inspiration that led to her producing the lighting designs Curiousa & Curiousa is best known for, after seeing ancient hand blown Egyptian glass pieces at the V&A.  The use of vibrant colour has always been a constant source of inspiration for Esther too, who loves creating the colour palettes that play such a pivotal role in her designs.

Since these first step beginnings 10 years ago, new design inspiration is drawn from everyday experimentation with different materials, texture and colour, with Esther’s home being a showcase for experimental designs and prototypes, such as the Cocoon that was launched in summer 2020.

Experimentation with slip cast bone china during lockdown has given Esther fresh inspiration.

Esther also shares with English Home magazine her experimentation during lockdown with slip cast bone china that she has been working into stacked and layered designs alongside the glass that is a mainstay of her collections. Watch this space in 2021 for more news on this though!

Read the full interview on the English Home website: https://www.theenglishhome.co.uk/decorex-2020-curiousa-curiousa/

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Guest Blog Feature: The Joy Of Using Coloured Glass In Lighting Design

Handblown glass making is an art that requires enormous amounts of skill to make the most beautiful of lighting from this amazing material.

This month, we’ve got a guest blog post from interior designer Lindi Reynolds who we’ve worked with on a number of projects.

I have been working as an Interior Designer in and around London now for 15 years, and with each passing year, the experience gets richer and richer, thanks to companies like Curiousa and Curiousa, who hold at their centre the importance of creativity and innovation within their field. That is why I, Lindi Reynolds, partnered with Curiousa and Curiousa to share my love for using coloured glass in interior design.

Curiousa and Curiousa are creators of exquisitely beautiful hand blown glass lighting solutions. Their glass shades come in 23 different colours, in varying sizes, shapes and formats, and they are all hand made by master artisans of glassblowing, or ‘Gaffers’ as they are more affectionately known. This is an ancient art form, dating back to the first century BC, so it is heartwarming to see that it is still alive and well and, judging by Curiousa’s continued success, that it is valued and adored by people the world over for its human touch.

A glass lighting shade being brought to life by Curiousa & Curiousa’s talented glass blowers.

Not for the faint-hearted, this art form involves fire, molten sand and a long blowpipe, a set of extraordinarily good lungs, creativity, patience and stamina. Every piece is individually formed, so there is no mechanisation involved in this creative process, and that’s plain to see in the products themselves.

Glass shades are handblown in a range of shapes, styles and colours to bring together in unique designs.

The commitment to the craftsmanship of each piece really is quite extraordinary. What this means for people like me, and my clients alike is that lighting design really does become a thing of joy. Light is a wonderful thing to start with, but stream it through coloured glass and something very special starts to happen. With 23 colours to work with and countless possibilities for construction, the creative process shifts from the Gaffer to the end consumer as the ideal colour and shape combination is decided upon prior to installation.

Lighting is one of those endlessly interesting areas for Interior Designers, because of course, it does and must provide a very functional purpose. Every home or workspace requires a combination of purely functional lighting and character lighting. As its name suggests, character lighting needs to be more than just functional - it must become an art form in its own right and that is what Curiousa manages to achieve every time. Each pendant, each wall light or each cluster of coloured pendants is something with a unique personality. The only aspect you need to watch out for with these little beauties is that you have balanced your scheme perfectly to work in unison with them because these purveyors of light have beautifully strong voices and will need to ‘tone’ with the rest of the room just perfectly.

As a colourist and lover of the arts, working with a company like Curiousa is pure joy! That is because they have at their heart the perfection of their art form and innovation. As a designer I know to manage the success of our designs through the products that we source. The products themselves are just as important as the way in which we offer them up through our designs. With Curiousa’s coloured glass treasure trove, I may as well have died and gone straight to heaven!

Our sincere thanks to Curiousa & Curiousa, who always show a very high level of product knowledge at the specification stages of lighting design, and are always happy to go the extra mile.

Lindi Reynolds

Lindi Reynolds is an interior professional with over fifteen years experience, working with clients in London and South-East England. She has started the Artist Appreciation Initiative to showcase work of talented local artists and to highlight that ‘Interiors without great art are never complete’. Most recently, her Lakeside project in Esher was shortlisted for the International Design & Architecture Awards 2020 in the Residential £2.5-5 Million Property Value category.

We’re Loving The Newly Redesigned Martin Moore Showroom In Notting Hill

Martin Moore’s Notting Hill showroom has had a re-fit presenting a reimagining of an old favourite with a New Classic kitchen design

The Martin Moore Showroom in Notting Hill is filled with bright, natural light that emphasises the fresh, contemporary look of the recently refitted kitchen design showroom space.

The palette of pale neutrals, dramatic blues and greens are the perfect colour scheme to allow the materials, textures and colours in this redesigned kitchen to truly shine through. Our multi-coloured Sculptural Stack Lights lead the eye, suspended over a marble topped central island; featuring a Triptych Orb, a Triptych Stem and a Triptych Dine in a colourful mix of hand blown glass shapes.  We think they have found their perfect home!

The kitchen design in the Notting Hill showroom is a contemporary interpretation of the Classic collection, the New Classic kitchen features flat panels and delicate round mouldings on the doors. The kitchen is showcased with Sub-Zero & Wolf appliances marrying state-of-the-art function with a sleek, stainless steel aesthetic.

This latest showroom revamp follows the redesign of the Fulham showroom’s interior space, and it is always a treat to see the new, contemporary twists of these reimagined designs that remain in keeping with Martin Moore’s hallmark style.

Martin Moore’s Notting Hill showroom is at: 176 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RW and there are eight other showrooms nationwide.

The Martin Moore showroom in Fulham had a revamp earlier in 2020, featuring a random collection of our Classic Glass Pendant Lights that inject colour into this beautiful kitchen design.

AND… what is more? We’re now really excited to announce that we’ll be taking appointments at the Martin Moore Notting Hill and Fulham showrooms (245 Munster Rd, Fulham, London SW6 6BS) for our clients who are based in the South East.  So if you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission for your kitchen or bathroom and are looking for an IP45 rated piece, then get in touch with us to make an appointment.

You can get in touch with our friendly sales team on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk for more advice.  Download the new brochure or our new Look Book to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Bright & Bold & With Fabulous Scale! Take A Look At The Wilderness Reserve’s Chapel Barn Estate

A magnificent Ume Lantern adorns this lustrous interior design in one of the lodge bedrooms in Chapel Barn on Wilderness Reserve’s Chapel Barn Estate. Above the sleeping area is an open plan bathroom, where two Wall Lights offer soft lighting above the clawfoot bath.

We’ve been watching with excitement as our friends at the Wilderness Reserve fit out more rooms at the luxuriously appointed Chapel Barn Estate in Suffolk.  Featured here in this blog are just a few pictures of some of the rooms that have been interior styled by Shapesbylolo in the Chapel Barn property on the Estate, and are the latest rooms to receive a switch up in style. 

The Chapel Barn Estate itself features 7 different properties that centre around a Tudor farmstead – a traditional Suffolk long barn - from the 16th Century.  Tucked away in a sleepy corner of Suffolk, the quality of interior furnishings in these luxury holiday properties is second to none.  This attention to detail is in keeping with the extravagant and unforgettable experiences that guests have come to expect of the venue.

Another of the lodge bedroom features three Tassel Lights that fill the double height space perfectly. The eagle eyed amongst you will also spot a few of our lights up on the mezzanine too!

As can be seen from these shots, no expense has been spared in the quality of furnishings and the finish of many of the interior design special touches that can be spotted around the place.  For this latest project, we supplied 8 Ume silk lanterns in a range of sizes and colours, 3 Tassel Lights with sumptuous 700mm and 1000mm tassels and a range of other glass pendants and wall mounted glass lights.

This isn’t our first commission for the Wilderness Reserve though. We’re proud to have supplied over 90 glass pendants and silk lanterns to date, making our finely crafted pieces very much a part of the experience at Castle Barn Estate.

Suspended throughout the colourful snug area are seven more Ume lanterns, with and without tassels, that add a textural lift to the bright colour scheme for this central social space in the property.

We have over 10 years’ experience in producing lighting designs for all sorts of interior spaces. Whether you are looking for a statement piece for a room in your home, a large stairwell you’d like us to design a multi-floor chandelier for, or you are looking to fit out a commercial interior, we can talk through your ambitions with you.

Get in touch with our friendly sales team on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk for more advice.  You can download the new brochure or our new Look Book to see our full range, or take a look at our range right here on the website.

New Product Launch Alert! Meet the Cocoon, Silky Elegance & Understated Beauty

Curiousa & Curiousa’s new product launch, the Cocoon light is a beautifully understated elegant design. Photo credit: Chris Webb.

We are pleased to announce the latest addition to our hand-blown glass pendant light range - the Cocoon. This elegant new design has been developed by Esther Patterson, the designer behind Curiousa & Curiousa and is hand-crafted here in our home in Derbyshire, making every piece unique.

A clear hand-blown glass shade cocoons an elegant and compact brushed brass fitting and small inner cup. The beautiful light is finished with a hand turned walnut fluted stem and Antique Gold twisted fabric flex.  All these elements come together to create an organic, elegant and understated light piece with that attention to detail that’s so important.

The new Cocoon Light from Curiousa & Curiousa started life hanging over the dining room table in Design Director, Esther Patterson’s home. Photo credit: Dan Duchars

Esther further explained the background to the light. “I originally designed this light for my own dining space. I needed it to speak out with quality but also be slightly understated as there was so much else going on in the room, such as my son’s rather loud figurative wallpaper.”

“I really needed something to compliment and not clash with the space. I just love simple crafted materials so for me the marrying of the cocoon shaped hand-blown clear glass shade and hand turned walnut stem really do make me very happy indeed".

The new Cocoon light is shown here coupled with a Piccolo bulb for a warm glow, and finished with a hand turned walnut stem and Antique Gold flex. Everything about this design oozes an easy elegance. Photo credit: Chris Webb.

Though of course if it’s the silhouette you love but you want to inject a little colour, it can also be blown in any of the colours in our range. The light is available in 23 different colours, 10 different flex colours and 5 finishes.

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range or take a look at our range right here on the website.

Follow Us On A Curiousa & Curiousa Journey Over The Last 10 Years

Curiousa & Curiousa’s Design Director Esther Patterson set up the brand a decade ago, with several key milestones along the way that has shaped the business.

We never thought that our 10 Year Anniversary at Curiousa & Curiousa would turn out the way it has under the influence of Covid19 globally.  That said, the brand has evolved through many changes along the way, and we are now open again for business, creating quotes and designing commissions even though delivery and installation has been temporarily on hold.

Our summer party plans have been delayed, but we wanted to celebrate our journey nevertheless by showing some of key milestones and turning points we’ve reached over the years since Esther started the business in 2010.

We thought we’d let our images speak for themselves, so scroll on and take a look at some pieces from our collections that have been really important to us over the years.

The Tassel Light shown here was designed as a response to a collaboration with “Tassel Queen” Jessica Light, who Esther met in 2010 at London Design Week.

An early important ‘milestone’ piece for us was when Esther collaborated with Jessica Light. She met Jessica at London Design Week in 2010 and has worked with her ever since.

She hand-makes these beautiful tassels with dip-dyed ends (pictured above), which was paired with a Classic Teardrop to create the Tassel Light pendant. The addition of this wonderfully opulent material added a new dimension to what we could achieve in Esther’s designs.

Experimentation with combining wood and glass resulted in the Lotus Dine Light pictured here.

In Curiousa & Curiousa’s early years, Esther soon began experimenting with combinations of wood and glass, creating beautiful designs and textures resulting in lighting designs such as the Lotus Dine Light.

“I’m instinctively drawn to pure materials such as the combination of wood and glass – they make a beautiful partnership”, says Esther of this design.

Each light can be totally customised with different glass colour options to create a design unique to your interior.

The Tiger Lily Chandelier pictured here is one of Esther’s favourite chandeliers, created in collaboration with her friend Isabel Cordero, who had commissioned the piece.

The 23 colour options in the rapidly expanding range of individual lights and shapes, lent itself to starting to play with colour and layering of glass to produce designs such as the Orb Modern and Dine Light pictured here.

The Dine Light pictured to the right above, was inspired by the classic silhouette of the Louis Poulsen light, first spotted by designer Esther whilst watching an episode of the Scandinavian noir-thriller “The Killing”. 

See the Orb Modern on our website: https://www.curiousa.co.uk/orb-modern

And the Lotus Dine light: https://www.curiousa.co.uk/dine-light

The Siren range of wall lights are wall-mounted – and sometimes ceiling mounted! - glass and bone china pieces that look as effective as singular focus pieces as they do when arranged in groups.

The Siren range of wall lights are an eclectic collection of glass and bone china pieces in an almost endless combination of colours, finishes and sizes that marries two materials Esther loves working with most – glass and china.

As Esther first started her collection back in 2010 using bone china pieces she’d slip-cast herself, it felt only natural to later use gold lustre bone china plates in combination with hand blown glass.

“We’re based in the Midlands, which has a fascinating heritage of china tableware; and we’ve noticed there’s a feeling of rebirth within this industry and a real surge of interest in ceramics.”

Experimentation with semi-opaque glass brought a whole new dimension with the gently diffused light they offer, and the Acid Drops were born!

Silk Chinese Lantern statement pieces aren’t just for interior designs!

Working with silk to make the Ume Lantern range has been a departure for Curiousa & Curiousa, best known for hand blown glass lighting design, but has enabled Esther to get back to her roots, working with textiles and print design again.

These lights make a statement hung in interior spaces, and our portable IP45 versions make an even bigger statement outdoors!

Over 70% of Curiousa & Curiousa’s range of lights are available as IP45 compliant versions for use in bathrooms and wet areas.

Esther started working on a new bathroom range back in 2015 and after lots of experimentation, the first pieces were born. Curiousa now offers over 70% of their range as IP45 compliant for bathrooms.

Esther says of the collection, “Back then, lighting for bathrooms were very white and chrome – so I felt that bathroom lighting need a shake-up.  With our range on offer, I think we’ve achieved that!”

Take a look at the full range of bathroom lights on the website: https://www.curiousa.co.uk/bathroom-lighting

A trip to the Murano region of Italy yielded a collaboration with Fabio Fornasier, a master glass blower specialising in a mirrored finish. Esther designed the Fabio in ode to this collaboration..

If you would like to talk to us about a bespoke lighting commission then get in touch with us on +44(0) 1629 826284 or email us on studio@curiousa.co.uk.  You can download the new brochure to see our full range or take a look at our range right here on the website.