The Logbook: Vol. 7
Thank you for your continued support and positivity as we venture through the first months of a new year, we couldn’t keep doing what we love without you. As we enter 2022, the promise of optimism follows and breathes new life into our interiors, embracing us warmly after a long day and playing host to creating memories with loved ones.
In our latest Logbook, we share our design discoveries over the last few months from our workshop in Falmouth, Cornwall. Our innovative and versatile designs will continue to explore an ever-changing home space, keeping you inspired as we journey together.
TR team.
Centred around the Latin word for ‘always’, Semper’s shifting form and changeable lighting effects is representative of the seasonal movement and varying light levels of the Sun’s path. Inviting change with its tilting layers, Semper caters for multi-tasking modern spaces and passes the curation of home lighting to the hands of the user.
Adaptable and intuitive by design, the versatile Semper Pendant can be positioned to eclipse its bulb by aligning all three layers in a horizontal ‘drum’ formation for a dramatic downlight, or angled to guide focussed beams of light by tilting each section to release a bright, directional display wherever you need it.
Take control. Embrace change. Surprise your space.
Handcrafted from sustainably sourced ash, oak or walnut wood, the Semper Pendant features a centralised, cylindrical wooden frame secured by a solid brass axis and two rotating outer timber layers.
Well suited as a standalone centrepiece, or as a self-curated constellation for greater impact. This clever wooden pendant is available in two sizes and will create a beautiful ambience in hallways, bedrooms and living spaces alike.
Summon nature inside and transform your space. The pinch of a potter’s hand, the sculpting skill in a steam bender's twist. Where traditional craftsmanship and innovative design fuse, The Green Range breathes new life.
A steam bent oval hoop of sustainable ash wood is skilfully forged together with an innovative curved scarf join that provides strength and stability whilst gently cradling a tactile, hand-glazed earthenware bowl. Thoughtfully designed to rest against your wall by a tan leather handle, the compact planter is perfect for showcasing your houseplants, herbs, or homegrown produce without taking up too much space. The Maya Wall Planter is well suited to living rooms, hallways, offices and kitchens and functions well as a standalone design or displayed in group formation.
Inspired by nature, shaped by steam, curated by you.
Looping to create eye-catching asymmetry, the Verso Wall Light is carefully crafted from one continuous length of sustainably sourced timber that soars around the warm glow of an exposed bulb to cast a beautiful blend of light and shadow. The innovative design allows for positioning at different angles to create focused lighting within your space, from cosy reading corners to hardworking hallways and calming bedside spaces.
Igniting creativity within your space, the Verso Range looks different from every angle and exhibits its varying form to add playful personality to a wide range of interiors.
An ornate marriage of balance and light, the Verso Range is an asymmetrical wooden work of art that welcomes a fresh perspective. Forged from the Latin word to ‘spin’, the sculptural Verso Lighting Range calls back to nature and showcases the gravity defying, swooping motion of falling leaves in the wind.
From dawn walks, finding inspiration and design prototyping, discover how our Founder, Tom, spends his busy working days.
Inspiration. Tom finds inspiration from across Cornwall’s landscapes, seeking beauty in the structure of rock formations and the unpredictable organic patterns found in nature.
Sketching. Finding a quiet place to put pen to paper and sketch ideas is a key step in Tom’s design journey. Taking shape from a simple line drawing, each new design is carefully considered.
Prototyping. Whether crafted from offcuts of other products,or formed from a piece of scrap paper, the prototyping stage of developing innovative designs is a varied step which conveys Tom’s newest idea in a unique and creative way.
Training and making. Every moment with Tom in the workshop is used to learn and hone new skills, whilst finessing the team’s steam bending techniques.
Future heirlooms. The journey of launching a new design continues with packaging each product safely and sustainably before waving it off to its new forever home.
It’s no secret that we are heavily inspired by the beauty found within our Cornish landscapes. Our Comber Range captures the power and grace of the Atlantic Ocean, designed to bring the motion of Cornish tides into your home.
The Neap Wall Light's elegant form carves a perfectly balanced path of light to brighten above and below. An intuitive lighting design that sweeps a soft ambient glow to far corners and suits an array of spaces.
Here’s our favourites from the creative design trends that are set to inspire our interior choices through 2022 and beyond…
Earthy Textures
Plaster, clay and lime washes on walls and contemporary home accents made from tactile, rich-toned materials such as wood, bronze, and leather will take centre stage in our homes.
Comforting curves
Easy on the eye and helping to curate a gentle, inviting atmosphere, curved furniture and homeware will be paramount to constructing a soothing oasis to return to after a long day.
Think Green
Experimenting with unique hanging installations, staircase gardens and incorporating indoor greenery into our homes will continue to flourish in 2022, with an emphasis on creating soothing, plant-filled environments.
Multifunctional Minimalism
Communal areas will continue to be open plan, offering a place to socialise freely, however the work and personal life balance will become more definitive.
Our Scandi Story
One of our most iconic designs to date, the Skipper Lighting Range continues to inspire a Scandinavian aesthetic in a wide range of interiors. Available in a range consisting of nine different styles, from floor lights to wall lights and pendants. Where pared back design meets our signature curves, the wooden Skipper Lighting Range by leads the charge.
It's how you style it...
The Skipper Pendant - your way!
We’ve collated our favourite bedroom interior styles that are set to trend in the months ahead and promise to soothe and relax, tempting a great night’s sleep. Homely touches help ease anxieties of the outside world and make for a welcoming space to hibernate from the cold weather.
Scandinavian Inspired – A peaceful Scandi-inspired space is achieved by incorporating simple, natural layers with subtly colourful accents.
Modern Rustic – Bold, geometric shapes pair with natural, cosy textures to achieve a welcoming, yet structured atmosphere.
Pure Nature – With sustainable, biophilic design continuing to dominate interior trends, organic shapes and silhouettes offer vibrancy and excitement to bedroom spaces.
Planet. Making an impact without having an impact on our planet. Everything produced by our team is handcrafted locally at our BREEAM Excellent workshops in Cornwall, using the age-old process of steam bending - a low energy method requiring only water and heat.
Product. Crafting heirlooms of the future, we’re committed to making superior quality pieces that are loved and stand the test of time. At every point in our process, we are driven by longevity, responsibility, and doing what’s right. We work closely with various different suppliers who know and understand the quality we need in order to make our long-lasting homewares. All of our designs are handmade exclusively using wood from sustainably managed woodlands, this gives us confidence that our quality homewares are responsibly sourced and consciously crafted.
People. We believe in providing great opportunities for future generations. Exemplary design and craftsmanship call for time and dedication, so we invest. Our investment in our team means that every member of our thriving team brings skill, knowledge and expertise to the table. Whether it be woodwork wizardry, CAD expertise or a talent for mathematics, each member offers something different and unique.
Create the illusion of space and light with our unique wooden mirror collection. Brightening interiors by reflecting natural daylight through your home, whilst providing functional beauty, our steam bent range holds a selection of designs bound to invite a second glance…and a third…
Meaning ‘Moon’ in Cornish, the Loer Pendant showcases a translucent glass orb with clouded bands of warm celestial white light which suspends within a sleek halo of supple ash wood. Held in place by brass detailed fixings that reflect the soft illustrious glow of the spherical globe when illuminated, the opulent Loer Pendant looks equally as eye-catching when switched off. This contemporary wooden light is suited to an array of interiors and property styles and looks particularly striking suspended in clusters.
Enhancing your space with unique patterns of light and shadow, a striking, wooden floor light can transform your space effortlessly whilst tying your interior style together.
Leven Floor Light - With a blend of Scandinavian and Art Deco aesthetics, use this wooden tripod floor lamp to brighten a myriad of contemporary living spaces that call out for sophisticated illumination.
Skipper Floor Light - In the Skipper, sustainable ash, oak or walnut is hand-shaped to create an open light that casts out and up, in a bright, bold contrast of light and shadow.
Cage Floor Light - A riot of energy by day, a shower of shadows by night. On or off, the Cage's interplay of textures, movement and light invites a closer look.
Mooring Floor Light - A naked bulb haloes out light, bright and striking in the dark. Use the Mooring Floor Light to illuminate specific areas or create ambience in your space.
Timeless Table Lights
Invite warm illumination into your home with a handcrafted table light. Whether your space is a minimalist’s haven populated with carefully curated forms, or a maximalist oasis filled with bold designs, we offer a wide range of table lamps to suit.
Tell us a bit about how Flexi-Hex™ started?
FH: Flexi-Hex started in early 2018 when twin brothers, Sam and Will Boex, recognised the amount of plastic pollution ending up in marine environments. A poor experience buying surfboards online pushed them to look at developing a sustainable alternative to bubble wrap that was 100% plastic-free, recyclable, and compostable.
How do you test your packaging quality and effectiveness?
FH: Our packaging has passed European drop tests from 1.2m and our own drop tests from 4m. We are confident in the strength of our packaging and have helped many brands reduce their breakage rates to less than 1%….
Why is sustainability important to you?
FH: Like Tom Raffield, we are very lucky to be based down in beautiful Cornwall. We love that we have the ocean and its surrounding landscape on our doorstep to enjoy during the workday, but unfortunately the effects of climate change and the plastic pollution crisis are becoming more and more apparent...
Each design that comes out of our workshop is handmade to last a lifetime of happiness – guaranteed.
Pushing back against ‘throwaway’ culture, we craft heirlooms to the highest standard, ensuring each artisan design will stand the test of time. We pride ourselves on producing sustainable homeware and lighting pieces that are timeless, and finished with expert attention to detail, from our Cornish workshop.
Posted: 03.03.22
Updated: 01.06.23