I covet : Original BTC

Since taking part in the 30 Day Challenge this month and spending time focusing on my personal interiors style, I've become aware of my ever increasing desire for tough, industrial style lighting.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to start replacing my blousy, feminine fabric lampshades, but I have realised the importance of mashing it up a bit.  There's plenty of ceilings, walls, surfaces and nooks in everyone's home to integrate a variety of lamps, in my view too much mitchy matchy, samey samey is a pretty dull and boring. Lighting that's flexible where you can create pools of light that fall onto and highlight personal items or drop over your shoulder whilst reading a book and can be picked up and moved elsewhere for a change is very beneficial. 

I was aware in a subliminal sense of Original BTC as I love their Task and Primo table lights and their Stanley copper pendant light but I had not realised who the company was or extent of their range until I sourced their stripey Circle Line pendant for my bedroom, a couple of rather lovely bone china lamps which are currently on my wishlist until I book an electrician to come and install a new circuit for me.

Original BTC are a UK company that was established in 1990.  Their stuff is all produced, hand assembled and painted in Oxford and Stoke-on-Trent. What's rather lovely is that, according to the company's product information, the stripes of the Circle Line pendant are painted in the Stoke-on-Trent factory by a lady called Carol. To me, knowing the identity of the assembler and having an insight into how a product is created is very appealing feature.  You can read more about the history of Original BTC and the founder Peter Bowles here.

Here's my selection of OBTC favourites:

Task * Primo * Circle Line * Stanley * Drop One * Pembridge * Phane

Have a fun weekend lovelies.  I'm off to a disco tonight for a local Dyslexia charity, the roller boots are staying at home.

Chalk and Cheese and Glass

As I mentioned in Friday's post, we were in a studio in London on Saturday shooting a project for one of our corporate clients.  The story centred around a face-off between a heavy metal drummer and a brazilian dancer, one of them had to be the winner, prove their respective skill is most impressive and have more staying power than their opponent.  It was incredible seeing the light and shade in their performance and the juxtaposition.  With some fantastic lighting skills from my hubby and faultless directing from James Tonkin, it made for an incredible little film.  It's always interesting being on-set and although I've done this before, I've not experienced the process from start to finish.  So I played the chief-cook-and-bottle-washer come production assistant on the shoot, as well as helping our dancer and friend, Sara into her barely there costume.

The film is currently in post-production and once it's gone public, I'll share it with you.

Here's a couple of stills from the shoot, images of both Sara and Kobi.

Check out Sara's costume.  I have to say that I was a bit disappointed at first as I thought it would be a really colourful number but it did suit the style of the story.  Those intricate glass beads and silver sequins sparkled beautifully in the light as she moved her hips.  All dainty and beautiful with a bird-like poise compared to the grungy, down and dirty look of Kobi.

Image credit - Emma-Jane Richards

And being an interior design junkie, Sara's costume inspired me into thinking about glass embellishments for the home, the sort of items we can easily add to our interiors to make a big statement and add some delicate sparkle and sheer glamour.  Check out these latest bespoke lighting designs in glass by UK artists, a bit pricey I assume but you get the idea.

 1 * 2 * 3 * 4

It always amazes me how the possibilities are endless when creating things in glass.  Beautiful.

Enjoy!