A Gentleman in Moscow
This project was quite a challenge! We had to create lights for the Hotel Metropole from a book, based on the 'Belle Époque' style. This was when the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau were big. Craftspeople could show off their skills back then. We had to create over a dozen old-fashioned lights, mostly without normal lampshades. Instead, we used big globes for the lobby floor lamps, special glass for some wall lights in the corridors, and fancy lights for the restaurant columns.
We also made some lampshades for the main character's bedroom and the Shelyapin Bar. We even made some cool Art Deco table and bar lights with little pleated silk shades peeking out from under brass tops. We teamed up with a local artist, Anna Acciarini, who made busts for the crystal column lights in the lobby. The idea for these came from an old Art Nouveau jewellery piece by Ferdinand Zerrenner. It was hard work, but the results were amazing!