Did you know that enameling dates back as far as ancient Egypt? We can’t get enough of the more industrial variety here.
Enamel shades rose to prominence during the industrialisation of the early 1900s and were a common feature through mills and workshops across the country.
Urban Cottage Industries founder Stanley Wilson spotted their potential and helped pioneer an industrial lighting boom in the UK back in 2007. Stan recalls: “Vintage industrial lighting wasn’t used for people’s homes but the redundant textile mills of Yorkshire were full of it. I had lighting skills and passion for rooting out the old stuff. What began as a hobby spilled over into my professional life”. Starting out with reclamation, Stan then endeavored to bring enamel shade manufacturing back to Yorkshire.
Here are some of our favourites:
Blend
Crisp white enamel shades offer an opportunity to blend your lighting into a space.
The Coolicon shades used here add depth to the space without compromising the neutral aesthetic. With its precision-machined opening, the Coolicon offers a tasteful spread of light making it perfect for a dining area.
Colour pop
If blending into the background isn’t really your style then opt for a burst of colour.
Bright carmine red industrial shades have been used here to contrast the laid-back pastel tones of the kitchen units. Far from jarring, this juxtaposition draws the eye and creates a playful palette with true colour-pop flair.
So we’ve seen how colour can make an impact but what about shape? The angled shade, with its off-kilter stance, offers the ability to direct light with greater focus.
Perfect for accentuating a feature wall, display or artwork, the angled shade can be employed in a muted tone to focus the eye elsewhere.
Blend
Crisp white enamel shades offer an opportunity to blend your lighting into a space.
The Coolicon shades used here add depth to the space without compromising the neutral aesthetic. With its precision-machined opening, the Coolicon offers a tasteful spread of light making it perfect for a dining area.
Colour pop
If blending into the background isn’t really your style then opt for a burst of colour.
Bright carmine red industrial shades have been used here to contrast the laid-back pastel tones of the kitchen units. Far from jarring, this juxtaposition draws the eye and creates a playful palette with true colour-pop flair.
Accentuate
So we’ve seen how colour can make an impact but what about shape? The angled shade, with its off-kilter stance, offers the ability to direct light with greater focus.
Perfect for accentuating a feature wall, display or artwork, the angled shade can be employed in a muted tone to focus the eye elsewhere.
Task lighting
An enamel factory shade doesn’t necessarily need to be large.
The enamel kitchen shades, measuring just 190mm in diameter, offer the perfect task lighting centrepiece.
Utilised here with the Maria Banjo wall light, the kitchen shade shakes its prescriptive title and offers perfect task lighting for any space.
A deep glossy green contrasts beautifully with the muted tones employed in this stripped back reading nook.
Mix and match
Why limit yourself to one styling solution when you can mix and match? The Factorylux enamel range offers the flexibility to develop multiple looks in the same space. At the Venue Halifax, task lighting and enamel pendants intertwine to give this wedding reception space a real industrial edge.
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