Page 59 - Lighting Magazine May 2018

of years old and has a very mystical culture. The ancient Japanese revered it as the breath of a white dragon because it represented perfection, and the crystals are piezoelectric – they release energy when you squeeze them. I think it’s one of the most exciting materials we’ve ever worked with!”
When it comes to lighting, Oulton’s team em- ploys their own complex hand- nishing processes using simple tools and time-honored techniques.
“A lot of our lighting collection is made using K9 optical glass, and that’s because it’s much lighter than crystal so you can use it in big installations,” he comments. “It also has be er clarity than crystal; it di uses the light for a so er, mellower glow.”
The inspiration for the lighting designs o en harkens back to the past, but with Oulton’s stamp on it. “We take inspiration from Georgian England to Art Deco to Mid-Century design — classic, vin- tage forms, but we reinvent them with a modern viewpoint,” he notes. “Materials are always key, and we’re constantly searching for new, innovative materials to work with. As well as working with rock crystal, we’ve also used marble in some of our pendants, like Odeon and the new Discs pendant. Now that’s not an easy material to work with when it comes to lighting, but you get this incredibly at- mospheric e ect when the light shines through it, almost like moonlight.”
Just as his designs pair both historic and mod- ern touches, Oulton is not averse to using LED in his lighting designs. “I like the classic aspect of incandescent bulbs and the warmth of color, but that said, LEDs allow us to achieve new shapes and incorporate a light source in a product where
it wouldn’t be possible using classic incandescent bulbs,” he remarks. “I guess for us, LEDs are a means to an end to achieve designs that really push the boundaries.”
Not one to follow trends, Oulton nds his clien- tele is as eclectic as his designs. “We make things we love and hope other people will love them just as much,” he says. “What we make isn’t trend- driven, it has character and soul, and that’s something that we hope resonates with people everywhere from New York to Dubai to London.”
When it comes to decorating their homes, Oul- ton nds most consumers fall into two key modes: relaxing and entertaining. “People generally fall into one of those camps,” he quips. “I don’t think that’s a trend; it’s how people live. Some of our collections are directed at complete relaxation — big slouchy sofas to sink into, pared-back storage so you can hide everything away and just chill. Then in contrast, we’ve got incredibly elegant and re ned pieces for people who love to host at home — more upright sofas so you can lean into conversation, dramatic lighting, and lots of ‘con- versation starter’ pieces,” he explains.
“When you look at our collection as a whole, it spans the full spectrum and that’s because ul- timately what we’re trying to do is give people a great experience, however they want to live. I do think that in this virtualized and digitalized world we live in, there is a growing feeling that we really need to reconnect — either with yourself or with others. Whether it’s down time or entertaining, it’s about engaging the senses and feeling alive. That’s an energy that we try to embody in all of our products.” 
“The
crystals are piezoelectric — they release energy when you squeeze them.”
lEft: This room set- ting features Oulton’s new Rock Crystal Rain chandelier.
right: Oulton prefers to use K9 optical glass in his crystal lighting xtures because of its lighter weight and so er glow.
May 2018 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 55