Fosbery Studio

Brutalist design has a distinctive look, very identifiable and usually made of stark geometric forms in raw material such as concrete, steel and brass. Function is the main purpose of the design, with decoration restricted to angled shapes with thick sides. We were able to make a small batch of these to the exact specifications of our client, using a mix of traditional spinning and cutting techniques for the shades and modern 5 axis CNC machining for the body. The result is a stunning piece of modern engineering with a traditional aesthetic.

There is no escaping it, lampshades take time to make. When everyone is talking AI threatening creativity and jobs, I think we can all agree that it is going to take a lot longer to replicate the dexterity of hands and to pair this with a creative mind. As time goes on, these skills that can't be automated are going to be the ones we really value. Maybe we are going to go back to seeing human making as the pinnacle of luxury? For now we continue to enjoy making beautiful shades from stunning fabrics, for you to love and appreciate. Hand-stitched to ensure a fine finish, no glue means no stiff fabrics and no discolouration over time.

Have you ever seen a lampshade with this fitting? It's an American method of fixing lampshades and if your base has been made with this method you must use a lampshade with the same fitting for it to work. The good news is we are able to offer this finial fitting on any of our standard lampshades. To see more information about the types of fittings we offer, the variety of lampshade shapes and sizes, visit our website - www.fosberystudio.co.uk/products/lampshades

Featured shade in our marbled fabric - Brook, colour - Jade

When you are a custodian to an ancient building, such as this 18th Century Oast house, it is so important to embrace and celebrate the features that make it unique. The challenge is then to add modern elements that still work. Our client knew they loved our Oast pendant, but we needed to increase the scale of the light to work with the space, making it almost twice the "standard" 1.2m length. We scaled everything, even the spokes, so they worked with the huge scale of the Oak beams in the roof. Lastly, using a dark Oak veneer to mirror the aged Oak finish to the beams and black scorched edges merged the lines between the contemporary meeting table and the historic construction. We love bespoke and a challenge, so get in touch if there is something you need, that you just can't find.

Kitchen lighting, it should stop with the ceiling spots. Ambiance is created when lighting corners with indirect warm lamps, just as has in her latest kitchen design. Our Ripley has been used in the corner as a warm brass detail in daylight, which will later add ambiance to dining situations when lit.

Behind the scenes of a design studio, it has been a busy week here, which ironically means we don't get to post as much.

In September we are publishing our new brochure, this will include all of the new designs we are creating this summer, and many more photos of our work. Keep watching here to see the new designs as they launch.

Are you designing a restaurant and need lights to last the test of time? Our Rye table light is available with washable shades, so can be placed on individual tables and washed between sittings. We even offer spare shades to be ordered separately. Trade discounts are available on request or by registering online for the Trade Portal www.fosberystudio.co.uk/trade

Our exclusive marbled fabric design is available in a range of carefully selected colour combinations, the Sapphire colourway is particularly popular and can be made into any pleated or card-lined shade on our website. If you are looking for marbled textiles for upholstery, we can also print bespoke runs onto a range of upholstery fabrics including linens and velvets.

Scorched wood is one of our favourite finishes, not just because it's fun to do and smells great, but because the final finish is stunning, a deep dark black, with the grain raised, so it feels like drift wood. We seal the FSC sourced wood with a natural beeswax and buff to a soft satin sheen. Simply gorgeous, completely natural and no need for chemical stains.

Running the final test on this Oast pendant in the workshop. Every light, is hand made to order in your choice or wood veneer. The light can be suspended via two solid rods or, if you have a large, double-height space or pitched ceilings we can also hang via brass chain in your choice of finish. Trade discounts are available on request or after registering online for the Trade Portal.

Shades of white on the workbench this morning. A collection of different pleats in Porcelain douppion silk, Unbleached cotton and Ivory douppion. A calming view after a busy weekend.

Coming soon, we can't wait to reveal a brand new table light, our first light using ceramics and made less than 4 miles from our studio. We can't share too much, but soon, we will introduce you to the light and the ceramicist involved in making our dream a reality.

Are you starting on a kitchen renovation and want to know how to make the most of your lighting?

We are very excited to introduce our first ever workshops this summer, hosted by our Founder, Daniel in our own lighting showroom. Spaces will be limited and we expect a lot of interest, you can book online for either our morning or evening workshop, where we will introduce you to the four main types of lighting, the best practice in planning your lighting scheme as well as some of the key tips and tricks on making the most from layering your lighting for different scenarios from atmospheric dining to practical task lighting.

New - Kitchen lighting design workshop
Duration - 2.5 hours
Location - Fosbery Studio showroom, 26 Guildhall St, Folkestone, CT20 1DZ
Price - £65 (early bird, book by the 3rd June)
Price - £78 (book after the 3rd June)

We make custom and bespoke lampshades and this week we made these cute little scalloped shades in cream card. A simple little shade that glows beautifully with the scalloped cut edge adding an extra layer of detail.

We can make card shades in all sizes and shapes, we can even print full colour onto the card, we would love to see these with a coloured line running along the scallops and the top edge, what do you think?

It's 5 years this month that our wonderful queen of the seam, Katrin, started working here at Fosbery Studio. We finished early a few weeks ago to grab some beautiful tapas from , and to unwind after a busy few months. Why isn't the candle in the desert? Well, it turns out we weren't allowed to light the sparkler as it would set off the fire alarms! But the staff were lovely and sorted out a little candle anyway 🥰

Today we have introduced our latest table light. The Sorrento is a design based on an Italian 1920's classic. It combines our brilliant brass finishes with a stem decorated in small vertical ridges and finished with a carefully crafted lampshade.

They are great on consoles or as statement pieces on the corners of a bar or concierge desk. As with all of our lighting, these can be customised online in a range of metal finishes. Our shades are made-to-order and you can choose from a beautiful selection of silks, linens or provide your own material. If you are looking to bring back even more glamour from the Art Deco period, why not ask us to add fringe or decorative trim?

Great party in East London for the launch of the fabric house - CC Moulton, hosted in the beautiful East London Cloth shop, where we spotted a few of our Rye table lights lingering amongst the Campari. Our lights are perfect for recreating a spot of glamour in bars and restaurants too.

Lampshades start from simple beginnings, a pair of sharp scissors, some fabric, needle and thread, from this point anything is possible, that is why we don't stock lampshades, we make them to your order. By choosing the shape, size, fabric and finish you have 1000's of options available on our website, more than any shop could stock.

The Cascade wall light is a perfect addition to modern rustic interiors, this style of interior relies on natural materials, soft lighting and layers of texture and fabrics. The contemporary design of the Cascade, with its use of turned wood, forged brass and the flowing fabric shade sits in this scheme perfectly.

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Washable lampshades, we think we are the first to have created a light with a completely washable lampshade. It may sound like an unlikely thing to do, but after more than 10 years replacing tired lampshades in hotels across the world, many of which have had drinks and food spilled onto them, we knew that we wanted to design a light, to suit modern restaurant and bar interiors, that would allow the client to wash the shades, and even better, have spare shades, so as one shade is washed the spares are put out, just as table cloths.

The final design looks like a simple idea, but like all good ideas, the design is in the refinement of the ex*****on, we started with a far more complicated design, one with velcro and buttons and lots of stitching, all would have made it very hard for the light to be dressed after every wash. At each stage the size and the pattern was revised until we came to what we have today. A shade that is hand-cut and carefully finished in our studio with neat hemming overseen by our Studio Manager, Katrin.

Understated elegance is probably the best way to describe our Cascade wall light, it is the perfect example of exquisite detailing, carefully considered to make it look like a simple light, with each element working very hard to provide a timeless elegance. The design bridges the natural styling of Hygge and Skandi interiors, but also works excellently to provide glamour to luxury spaces. As well as versatile the light is practical, with the hand cut and stitched fabric shade made to be removeable and machine washable.

The workbench this morning, 10 Cascade wall lights, wired and ready for testing. These lights have been made in a combination of Satin brass and Scorched timber finish, they will then be fitted with the signature draped fabric shade in unbleached cotton. It is amazing how much the choice of finish changes the personality of these lights, it makes them incredibly adaptable with a carefully selected range of finishes to work in all interior schemes.

Another shipment this week to America is this Rye table light in the stunning artisan silk, designed and sold by . It is part of a collaboration with the fabric merchants and Fosbery Studio, we currently have their Sottofondo Ikat fabric and this Marino stripe silk on our website to order. We took this shot moments before the light was packed and collected for its new home in the USA. We quite like the contrast between the workshop background and the pristine finish on the light, what do you think, should we photograph more in here?

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We have been blessed this month with lots of great images and stories coming from our clients. As a young manufacturer these real life pictures are important as it is hard for us to create them in the studio as often as social media demands. So for all of our new followers, welcome! Our founder, Daniel is on holiday this week so we couldn't post a happy picture in the studio, so here he is at a rum distillery in Gran Canaria - he loves a factory tour, look how happy he is, or is that the rum?! 😉

Tiny toilets, they need a lot of attention and mustn't be overlooked. We love this little loo interior by featuring our Cascade wall light, yes, our Cascade comes with the option for it to be IP44 rated, so you can have pretty bathroom lights, not just practical.

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Featured light - Cascade wall