In Conversation with HausLights

What did you want HausLights to represent as a natural evolution of your craft? 

Over nearly two decades of blowing glass, Laurel and I made hundreds, if not thousands, of lights for other designers and makers, including Jardan, Coco Flip and Len Lighting. It became a testing ground for what a good lighting design looks like from a maker’s perspective. A successful handmade glass light must work in a production run, and the cold process of drilling must be considered so the fitting and finish hold up. The best outcomes happen when designer and maker share knowledge, and it dawned on us that this is us; we should be making our own lighting. 

Creating lighting from molten glass demands both precision and intuition. How does the process influence your designs, and what role does experimentation play in your studio? 

Intuition matters in glassblowing, but it only comes through experience. Years with the material builds familiarity, which leads to precision. Our experimentation is an extension of that. It is like needing the 72 set of Derwent pencils to illustrate the rainbow. With confidence in our skills, experimentation becomes fluid, and we keep pushing colour in search of the next incredible combination. 

Colour is a defining feature of HausLights. How do you approach colour and shape to create pieces that feel sculptural yet balanced within a space? 

We approach colour in glass a little like paint, mixing unexpected combinations into harmonious palettes that feel surprising, but resolved. Inspiration is in the everyday, from peeling paint on an old shopfront to the sky at dusk. In terms of shape, we gravitate to forms we love making in glass, usually soft, organic silhouettes that suit the material in a looser and uncompromised way. 

What does handmade design mean to you, and why do you believe it resonates so strongly with contemporary Australian homes? 

Handmade design is life. With technology moving fast, it feels crucial to preserve and elevate Australian handmade work. Our pieces are designed to last a lifetime, if not heirloom status, and we make them with heart and by hand, backed by the highest technical skill in glassblowing. Supporting Australian artisan products is more than buying an object. People choose to value craftsmanship and become part of our collective story, and seeing our work in their home is the highest honour. 

How do you see HausLights continuing to evolve, both creatively and in the way lighting shapes atmosphere, mood and everyday living? 

HausLights will keep evolving through new designs and colourways. As colour enthusiasts we are attuned to how light shapes atmosphere and mood, so we will keep exploring new ways to bring light into spaces. We are open to collaboration, and what will remain constant is our love for what we do and our chosen material of glass. This is just the beginning for HausLights, and we are so excited to see how far we can take our designs.  

 LEARN MORE 

https://www.hauslights.com.au/