Inspiration often strikes in the most unexpected places. For Mischa Couvrette, founder and lead designer at Hollis+Morris, the genesis of the captivating Beaufort lighting collection emerged during an transatlantic flight from Copenhagen. A serendipitous conversation about ice and climate change sparked a profound exploration into the depths, transparency, and intricate formations of frozen water.
“For years I have been drawn to the beauty of ice above a body of water, the layered gradients, the shifting transparency, and the mysterious world concealed beneath the surface,” Couvrette reflects. “That conversation ultimately inspired us to conceive of a light fixture that holds that sense of hidden depth and quiet mystery.” The result is the Beaufort Collection, a series of luminaires that don’t merely mimic ice, but rather embody its ethereal qualities through masterful design and material interplay.
Translating Nature’s Artistry into Light
Rather than a literal interpretation, the Beaufort Collection delves into the essence of ice through a sophisticated dialogue between material and illumination. Each fixture begins with a meticulously crafted half-cylinder of rough-sawn solid oak or walnut, featuring softly rounded ends. This wooden shell is then expertly carved from within, ingeniously concealing the lighting technology while creating a precise chamber that dictates the flow and escape of light.
The Dance of Wood and Acrylic
Completing this elegant equation is sandblasted acrylic, forming the other half of each fixture. Its stepped shoulders and faceted surfaces meet the carved wood in layered planes, generating subtle, captivating shifts in depth even when the light is off. The true magic, however, unfolds when the fixture is illuminated. Light filters through the translucent acrylic in soft, graduated hues, an effect deliberately designed to evoke the varying density and breathtaking transparency found within natural ice formations.
This harmonious relationship between the warm, grounding wood and the cool, ethereal acrylic serves as the fundamental building block for the entire Beaufort Collection. Hollis+Morris demonstrates remarkable ingenuity by repeating, mirroring, and rotating this singular core component, allowing each fixture to adopt a distinct silhouette and unique light distribution.
A Versatile Array of Illumination
From Sconce to Statement Piece
The collection showcases its adaptability across a range of forms. The Beaufort Sconce offers a minimalist yet impactful presence. The M2 Horizontal Pendant, a symmetrical marvel, mirrors two components to cast light both upwards and downwards, available in four versatile lengths ranging from 13 to 60 inches.
Orbital Elegance and Grounded Glow
Pushing the boundaries of repetition, the R5 Horizontal Pendant features five elements arranged in a striking circular composition. This can be suspended horizontally to create an almost orbital, celestial fixture, or rotated vertically to transform into a compact, captivating lantern. The same ingenious arrangement, when placed on a surface, becomes the distinguished Beaufort Table Lamp, offering a grounded yet equally enchanting glow.
The Beaufort Collection masterfully transitions in orientation and scale, from sconce to pendant to table lamp, all while preserving the intrinsic material tension at its core. It’s a truly fitting design philosophy for a collection inspired by the dynamic and ever-reshaping beauty of ice formations, continually sculpted by the interplay of time and light.
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