Textured Glass – ALCHEMY by ADesignStudio and Sarah Ellison

Words by Olivia Hides
Photography by Dave Wheeler
Images Courtesy Of ADesignStudio

ALCHEMY is a purposeful collaboration between Australian designers Alex Fitzpatrick from ADesignStudio and Sarah Ellison. The all-glass lighting collection pushes design and technical boundaries, drawing a dynamic presence from its uniquely textured shape.

Working with leading interior stylist and product designer Sarah Ellison, ADesignStudio has produced a series of glass pendants that celebrate craftsmanship, quality and distinctive design. “For ALCHEMY, I was fascinated by capturing varying tonal intensities within the densely coloured circumferences of the lights,” Alex explains. Imbued with a poetic illumination, ALCHEMY projects an organic strength, made possible through textured and coloured glass and a pebbled shape.

The collection is comprised of a table lamp, a wall light and pendant lights and features ADesignStudio’s signature crackled glass effect.

The simplicity of the design is coupled with an innovative execution, allowing each piece to appear stone-like and yet delicate. “The challenge was to disguise the electrical source so that each piece literally glowed like a mined jewel and emitted the brilliant patterning from our crackled glass,” Alex says. “For me, that’s where the ALCHEMY takes place – the conversion of a hand-made object into a seemingly natural element from the earth.” This experimentation is where ADesignStudio shines – the hybrid of traditional glassblowing techniques with metalwork and lighting innovations allows ALCHEMY to emerge as a unique undertaking.

ADesignStudio continues to work closely with glass artists in Sydney and Canberra, combining expertise with a range of industry leaders. “Lighting is the most powerful generator of atmosphere in any space and has been a product category my team and I have been exploring for some time,” Sarah reflects. “Having worked with Alex many times within my own brand, I didn’t consider anyone other than ADesignStudio for my first design collaboration in the lighting space.”

Imbued with a poetic illumination, ALCHEMY projects an organic strength, made possible through textured and coloured glass and a pebbled shape.

Alex designs the LED engines in-house, which permits him to easily manipulate the diffusion of light. “What’s unique about this range is that the physical shape and deep tone of the glass really does trick the eye momentarily into believing it’s looking at an exquisite natural stone,” he says. “Each piece of glass is totally unique. The pieces are blown and formed by hand and then polished into shape. There’s a general dimension and form we follow, but we allow the glass to do its thing, which is pretty special.”

The collection is comprised of a table lamp, a wall light and pendant lights and features ADesignStudio’s signature crackled glass effect. Available in clear, salmon and sepia tonalities and anchored by a brass base, ALCHEMY is considered in its refraction and its influence within interior space.

Alchemy By Adesignstudio And Sarah Ellison Collection Feature The Local Project Image 06

Imbued with a poetic illumination, ALCHEMY projects an organic strength, made possible through textured and coloured glass and a pebbled shape.