I am certain there will be few people looking past Daniel Craig at what’s lighting up the room behind him in his forthcoming Bond film.
But one woman who is more than happy to stare at the background is lampshade designer Caroline Buck; it is her bespoke creations that will illuminate those famous ice-blue eyes.
This latest project is just one in a long list of exciting commissions for the designer. She recently supported the Starlight Children’s Foundation by making a series of shades designed by celebrities such as Johnatahan Ross and Bill Nighy, which are to be sold at auction in aid of the charity.
After studying for a City & Guild’s qualification in soft furnishing, Caroline began to diversify into lampshade design six years ago. ‘Somehow lampshades became my passion,’ she says. ‘I was drawn to this field as there seemed to be very little in the way of decorative shades in the shops, so I set about creating a variety of shades in my own designs.’
Caroline’s favourite commission to date are the pieces she made for a house renovation in Regent’s Park, ‘The inspiration came from the French designer, Jacques Garcia, and the shades were very opulent in style with beautiful trimmings such as heavy fringing, braid and tassels.’
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Each of Caroline’s pieces is made by hand using traditional methods. Tailored shades are usually made of silk and hand-stitched, while the rigid drum-shaped shades are created by laminating fabric onto PVC. These rigid shades can easily be made to co-ordinate with other soft furnishings as they can be constructed using pieces of leftover curtain fabric or even wallpaper.
Alongside creating brand new pieces, Caroline also takes great pleasure in restoring antique or tattered lampshades. ‘I find the restoration of old lampshades particularly satisfying’ she says, ‘I often get clients saying that their worn-out shade belonged to their mother or grandmother and they are delighted to see it restored to its former glory.’
Caroline cites Chelsea Harbour as one of her biggest design inspirations, ‘I love to visit there and see the latest interiors trends’ she says. Her own design forecast, however, is awash with metallic tones, ‘I predict a shift towards luxurious colour palettes of gold, pewter and bronze, and a move towards dramatic ceiling pendants rather than the ubiquitous downlights.’
