Golden lining, honeyed light
Invisible by day, it changes everything as night falls. In praise of a precious detail.
First, we fall for a fabric: a pleated lampshade in linen or a gathered lampshade in Liberty. Then the lamp is switched on, and it is the inside that speaks. A golden lining stays discreet in daylight. In the evening, it sets the whole mood of a room.
The alchemy
Gold has a particularity: it holds back part of the blue light and reflects all the rest, hence its yellow gleam. Silver reflects everything, and looks colder.
Slipped inside a lampshade, this precious lining transforms the light of the bulb before it escapes. It comes out warmer, amber, close to candlelight.
- A flattering light for faces, patinated wood, fabrics and coloured walls.
- A light that settles: directed towards the table, the book, the wall, rather than diffused.
- An object that lives, lit or unlit: up close, the golden interior catches every reflection.
An end-of-day light
In the evening, light that is too blue is not our friend: it delays the sleep hormone, as Harvard University points out. Make way for low, soft, warm lights. The golden lining accompanies this ritual: we switch off the ceiling light, switch on the lamps, and the room draws in around a few islands of honey.
A golden heritage
Pairing gold and light is one of the oldest gestures in decoration. From medieval gold grounds to the Byzantine mosaics that so inspired Klimt, gold is the material that plays with light: depending on the lighting, it turns matt, satin or brilliant, as the Belvedere museum in Vienna recalls. A gold-lined lampshade is its intimate version, on the scale of a lamp.
Light, according to decorators
"For me, lighting is everything," Martin Brudnizki told Galerie magazine. The star decorator behind London's finest addresses gilds ceilings and scatters brass for its warm glow. On the terrace at Annabel's, bespoke table lamps orchestrate the passage from day to evening. His rule: small warm sources at eye level, rather than a uniform light falling from the ceiling.
Three addresses to inspire
Bemelmans Bar, The Carlyle, New York. A 24-carat gold leaf ceiling, small lamps with amber shades on every table: the legendary Upper East Side bar is bathed in honeyed light. The perfect lesson: gold above, low light, and the whole room glows.
The Britely, Los Angeles. By Martin Brudnizki: gilded ceilings punctuated with mirrors, brass everywhere, cascading chandeliers. Here, gold plays the role of a lining on the scale of the room.
Annabel's, London. On the club's terrace, table lamps and lanterns are enough to tip the evening. Proof that a warm, well-placed light changes a place.
Bringing it home
- As a pendant above the table: the light falls golden on faces and tableware, as in the finest restaurants.
- A pleated lampshade at the bedside: a soft glow for the evening, and a discreet gleam even when switched off.
- In the living room: a large lamp to create an island of warm light near the sofa.
- With a Liberty, a blockprint or a dark fabric: the fabric gains depth, and the light escapes, golden, from the top and bottom.
- With a warm bulb: the candlelight effect is complete.
At Dalma
Our pleated and gathered lampshades are shaped by hand, and several are lined in gold silk, like the peacock green Eugenia, an iconic piece from our first series. An almost secret lining, designed for the evening: it warms the light, sets it where it is needed, and turns each lamp into a small hearth.
