1920’s, originally as a nursing facility for wounded servicemen. Today, the iconic building is home to luxurious apartments which retain incredible original features. It has the only listed view in Britain which looks across Petersham Meadows and the River Thames beyond.
Last year one of the most sought-after apartments was undergoing a complete refurbishment by the talented interior designer (Mima Studios). Nicola Rickett met Mima and the wonderful owners on site and was asked, on the spot to create bespoke chandeliers. Not one to be daunted easily by such a request she immediately put pen to paper and began to sketch her initial thoughts for a luminaire to replace the existing chandelier which was situated directly above the dining room table.
This was in fact just one of three in the room and would lead to an additional request for 12 matching wall lights.
The chosen concept draws inspiration from the surrounding views of rolling hillsides, cascading through the treed landscape down to the River Thames below. This vision translated into an organic yet contemporary design—emulating a bundle of branches tied together with a silver bow.
Working within the constraints of a Grade II listed building presented many unique challenges. Ceiling fixings needed to be minimal, drivers could not be in the ceiling, and we had to use the existing lighting circuitry with no additional cabling. The client desired full control of the lighting with scene capability and so Casambi Bluetooth wireless mesh protocol was chosen as a discreet, scalable solution that provides human-centric lighting with no physical trace.
The chandeliers are a metre tall and have 18 branches which are spaced radially at a variety of angles and lengths, projecting from a central drum. Mounted at the tip of each branch is a Swarovski crystal, designed to refract natural sunlight during the day and to cast a soft orange glow in the evening. This was achieved by using our dim-to-warm LEDs which can be tuned all the way down to a stunning, sunset like 1800K.
The interior design features a soft colour palette of muted greys, greens, and burnt oranges. To further enhance this aesthetic, we chose a flawless black nickel finish for the chandelier which provides subtle reflections and contrast. Weight was a key consideration and so Aluminium was used throughout to minimise load on the historic ceiling. All bespoke parts were precision engineered in London by Elior’s sister company (Thameside Engineering). The fitting was designed with maintenance and end of life in mind and so can be easily disassembled, upgraded, and eventually recycled.
The contemporary chandeliers look fabulous in the historic, double height living space and perfectly complements the rooms grandeur and elegance. It is a fantastic example of the creativity, engineering, and quality that Elior delivers for bespoke commissions.
