Meet the Showroom: Tigermoth Lighting
Tigermoth Lighting has opened its first permanent base outside of its Berkshire HQ and workshop, in Design Centre East. Here, founder Harriet Daniels talks about the brand’s strengths and what to expect from the showroom, and reveals the industry-favourite chandelier that “our interior designer clients specify over and over”.
What brought Tigermoth Lighting to Design, Centre, Chelsea Harbour?
Since I started Tigermoth in 2009 we’ve had a showroom attached to our workshop in rural West Berkshire, but I wanted to create a London base for our trade clients that will make it easier to work with us. I have watched with interest Design Centre Chelsea Harbour’s development over the last few years, especially Design Centre East, which is home to some younger and less mainstream interiors brands as well as the well-known favourites. I feel that there is a real vibrancy and buzz around the harbour these days which I absolutely love being part of. When a showroom with beautiful high ceilings became available this summer, my mind was made up! Perfect for showing our larger pieces to clients.
What should we expect from the showroom?
Our design vision was to give our statement lighting pieces room to breathe and I think we’ve achieved that. There is plenty of seating and space and we encourage our trade clients to use the space to meet with their clients. We enjoyed hosting events in the showroom during Focus/23 in September and plan to use the space as an events hub moving forward. There are definitely no glaring lights, giving plenty of opportunity to see the subtle soft finishes which we use on all of our lighting.
Why should customers visit in person as opposed to looking/buying online?
Our lighting pieces are decorative objects: yes, they emit light, but in actual fact their true raison d’etre is to create an atmosphere in a space. You simply cannot convey that in an image. The hand-crafted finishes and materials that we use to create our lighting are a mark of quality and this is best seen in person. Finally, specifying decorative lighting, especially large statement chandeliers, is a high-pressure job! Our showroom team are trained to help you make sure you specify the right piece for the space and can make design suggestions. If you have an unusual or large project, it’s also possible to make an appointment with our design team to discuss design ideas.
What’s Tigermoth’s design philosophy?
Our designs are about using beautiful materials and British craftsmanship to create beautiful pieces that have strength but also lightness. I am the creative director and chief designer within the business and it’s part of my job that I will never lose as the business continues to grow – I love it!
Is there a ‘hero’ product that you feel sums up the brand, or that’s been a long-standing bestseller?
Our ‘Stem’ chandelier [pictured above] is a simple but elegant piece – we have two gracing the large table which is set across the back of the showroom. We launched this piece over a decade ago and it’s still really popular. It features a simple hexagonal central boss which is hewn from solid metal, the arms (stems) coming out from that support sumptuous silk shades. There are lots of armed chandeliers with silk shades available but this piece is special. There is so much attention to the design details, the grained texture of the metalwork and the rich soft finish. It conveys elegance and luxury without being brash, and that is I think why our interior designer clients specify it over and over.
What are some of the broad trends in your industry that you’re embracing?
We are seeing a lot of clients working on newer developments at the moment, and a lot of these residences have large atria and/or stairwells that need a statement piece. Creating these pieces, tailored for the space, is something that we specialise in. Designers also have the challenge of bringing in texture and depth to a new-build development and the rich depth of our finishes is something that helps them to achieve that. As the lead designer I love working with our clients to solve technical as well as aesthetic challenges, it’s my very favourite part of my job and it sparks so much inspiration for me. I truly love collaborating with our interior designer clients. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a finished project with a well specified chandelier at its heart!
What can we expect from the latest collections?
We plan to release a small update to our Alabaster collection next March with an entirely new collection due in September. More on that nearer the time!
What craftsmanship or innovation goes into Tigermoth’s products?
Each and every Tigermoth light starts its life in our countryside showroom in the village of Pangbourne in Berkshire. We are a small team and we are very focused on producing immaculate lighting, we obsess and worry over every detail and talk about it every day!
Is there anything else you’d like the Design Centre’s community to know about your brand?
We specialise in making bespoke statement chandeliers – we’d love to help you make the special piece for your scheme!
