In our fourth instalment of the Design Series, an editorial collaboration between Decorex X The English Home, we catch up with Esther Patterson – Designer and Director of stunning lighting brand Curiousa & Curiousa. Known best for their bespoke installations and unique glass designs, we learn more about Patterson’s ambition to continue their legacy of traditional craftmanship.
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Finish the sentence
When I was a child, I wanted to… have my own small holding with sheep, goats, and chickens ...when I grew up. I became a designer as I wanted to do that too, but I was a better designer than a farmer
The thing that makes me most excited about lighting design is… the endless possibilities; when you’ve designed something, and it gets lit up – magic!
My favourite city in the world has got to be… London, I’m just biased of course
The best thing about wintertime for me is… walking with crisp blue skies and low light
For the full interview with Esther Patterson from Curiousa & Curiousa, pop onto The English
CURIOUSA & CURIOUSA COLLECTIONS
The interview: a sneak peek
There were so many questions that we were eager to pose to Esther Patterson about her delightful lighting brand Curiousa & Curiousa. Wishing to start at the beginning, we enquired as to why she chose glass as a core material for her designs.
“I remember the first time I saw some of the V&A’s collection of ancient glass, blown by the Egyptians, created from the sand dunes that surrounded them. They’re truly miraculous and such special, iridescent objects, each with their own story to tell,” she recalled.
ESTHER PATTERSON: DESIGNER & DIRECTOR OF CURIOUSA & CURIOUSA
In terms of following a particular philosophy, Patterson likes to draw inspiration from various mediums such as photography, art, and anything else she comes across. This tends to influence her choice of colour palette and the forms used within the brand’s lighting arrangements.
“I’ve never been too much of a minimalist! Although saying that, there is a balance. For me it’s about creating a space with interest, colour composition and a certain amount of space to allow some key pieces to breathe,” Patterson explains.
What really marks Curiousa & Curiousa out as such a remarkable lighting brand is their use of traditional glass blowing techniques.
“All our glass is blown to order, and we have four or five glassblowers working from various locations around the UK at any one time. […] We don’t use moulds either, so every single piece of our glass is free blown and shaped literally by hand and by tool. This creates a totally unique piece of glass every time.”
“We do have a great tradition of glass working here in the UK and hopefully Curiousa & Curiousa is playing its part in keeping those skills alive.”
Thinking back to their experience as a Decorex exhibitor, Patterson recalled the ‘great buzz’ of the show floor: “I just love catching up with all the other exhibitors I’ve gotten to know over the years. You meet people from all over the world and it’s lovely hearing all the positive feedback. The show has really helped Curiousa to thrive over the years. We always do Decorex - even if we don’t do any other show, we’ll always do Decorex.”
Read the full interview with Esther Patterson from Curiousa & Curiousa on The English Home website here >>.
CURIOUSA & CURIOUSA GLASS BLOWING TECHNIQUES
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