These are the lighting designs that inspire top interiors experts

You can learn a lot about a person’s style from the lamps that inspire them. Here, we hear from three top interior designers about the iconic creations that have informed some of their most memorable rooms and why these pendants, table and floor lamps are ones that they keep returning to time and again…

Tatjana von Stein

‘We use Gio Ponti’s “Bilia” lamp, which is made by FontanaArte, in projects that have a modernist touch in their narratives, to enhance this aspect of the design,’ the founder of the eponymous studio Tatjana von Stein (formerly Sella Concept) tells us, adding that she is ‘a huge fan of lights that act as a piece of art’.

A recent example of this predilection includes the 1970s-inspired offices of ticketing-software company Dice in London, where the interior designer has used several silver ‘Bilia’ lamps throughout the space in ‘homage to the era’. One was strategically placed to illuminate the DJ booth (pictured below), while others adorn metallic bookshelves, creating nightclub-like nooks. ‘The metallic haven of Dice, which is inspired by the world of Gae Aulenti [the artistic director of FontanaArte, the lighting company founded by Ponti and Luigi Fontana in the early 1930s], lent itself so perfectly to the “Bilia” lamp. With its stainless-steel finish, it continues the metal story,’ explains von Stein.

Made from two geometric parts (a conical base topped by a globular opal-glass shade), the ‘Bilia’ has, since its launch in 1931, become one of the most recognisable lamps in the world, with its influence apparent in the work of contemporaries such as Tom Dixon – the base of his ‘Melt’ series adopts a similar conical form.

A true fan, von Stein also used the lamp in the Locke am Platz hotel in Zürich to create an inviting atmosphere in the bar. ‘Architectural lights are crucial to enhance a design and avoid any dark corners, but as a designer, I look to approach a space with an eclectic mix of lights across floors, walls and tables to create a welcoming mood,’ tatjanavonstein.com.

Studio Skey

Best known for its stripped-back style, which sits just on the right side of Scandinavian minimalism, Studio Skey, founded by Sophie Scott and Georgina Key, recognised that a dramatic light was needed to give the dining room of this villa in Portofino character. The duo set about sourcing an ‘Akari 120A’ – a pendant with a washi-paper shade and wide circumference by Japanese sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

‘Its generous scale works beautifully in the grand, double-height dining space of this particular project,’ explains Scott. ‘Its presence fills the vast five-metre-high ceiling void, yet its delicate materiality and spherical shape blend well with the minimalist architecture, offering a quiet balance between form and function.’

Scott and Key landed on a 1980s model from vintage design store Another September for the job. ‘This particular one has an aged patina that just adds to the beauty of the paper and enhances the character of the light, making the lantern even more captivating. At night, its glow can be seen through the house’s glazing, casting a moon-like presence visible all the way across the other side of the bay,’ notes Scott.

Though this light works as a centrepiece here, Scott is quick to emphasise its inherent, chameleon- like versatility. ‘The “Akari 120A” is a design classic for a reason!’ she says. ‘It has an extraordinary ability to harmonise with any space, whether old or new. This pendant perfectly embodies our “less is more” philosophy with its understated elegance, which is why it resonates with us so much. It is timeless and sculptural.’ studioskey.com

Tiffany Duggan

Since setting up interior-design practice Studio Duggan in 2011, Tiffany Duggan has become synonymous with a quintessentially London kind of luxury. Part of what makes her high-end residential and boutique commercial projects feel so opulent is her close attention to detail. Nowhere is this more evident than in her lighting choices, which often see timeless crystal-glass treasures adorn the walls.

‘We adore vintage Murano-glass wall lights in warm shades such as sherbet-yellow, peach or amber – they are such showstoppers and diffuse the most beautifully soft light,’ says Duggan. ‘I love their sculptural shapes and perfectly imperfect hand-blown quality.’ She has installed them in a wide range of places, from her studio base in west London’s Notting Hill to dining rooms in Holland Park (pictured), where she has used Barovier&Toso’s ‘Palmette’ sconce.

It’s created, like many of the brand’s designs, using the Bullicante technique – a practice used in Murano glassmaking that sees a metallic mould with spikes come in contact with molten glass to create a decorative bubbled effect within the piece. Despite being the oldest Venetian glass- maker of its kind, Barovier&Toso (whose designs can be found in ultra-luxe locations such as Four Seasons hotels and Louis Vuitton stores) is often used by Duggan to ‘bring a little edge to a scheme’.

‘We use the brand so often,’ she says. ‘Its “Felci” wall lights bring a little glamour to our studio and we have just fitted a large, smoky-hued piece by the brand in a moody- but-smart sitting room. They are just so easy to use, working excellently in both contemporary and traditional schemes. I would suggest giving them a little space and letting them shine.’ studioduggan.com