Ian Cameron is creative director at bespoke lighting brand Cameron Design House. We chat about the Finnish influence on his work, new venture Empty State and the joy of rebuilding a motorbike.
Please describe the Cameron Design House style. Cameron Design House specialises in the design and manufacture of bespoke sculptural chandeliers. All of our pieces are created to make a statement – designed to look beautiful whether they are on or off, like a piece of art.
You have connections with Finland, does this inform your designs? My family is from Finland and it is one of my favourite places in the world. Many of our designs are inspired by the Finnish culture, nature and landscapes. For example, the Helmi was inspired during a fishing trip near my Finnish hometown of Turku and the Inari, inspired by Lake Inari in Finland, is an organic exploration of light fluidity.
What appeals to you about designing lights? I’m inspired by everything around me and have always loved designing things – lighting is such a powerful tool to create different moods within a creative and bring a space together.
Do you offer bespoke as well as custom pieces? All of Cameron Design House’s pieces are bespoke and customisable in terms of sizing, configuration and finish. Our design team – based in St John’s Wood North London – works closely with clients to create a unique piece for each project. The pieces are designed to the finest detail to compliment the space.
What is your favourite piece in the Cameron Design House collection? The new Halti chandelier is one of my favourite designs; we recently launched this at Decorex. A statement design with contemporary flair, the piece is a sculptural exploration of gravity. Made of individually hand blown glass pearls strung on an LED ribbon with brass caps and available in an endless combination of strands, lengths and finishes – the possibilities are endless!
Tell me about your new sister brand Empty State? Empty State is a really new exciting brand for us which we worked on over lockdown and launched this September at Design London. Specialising in configurable modular pendants, the debut collection features six designs all of which are available in a curated selection of states and finishes.
What is your favourite possession? A couple of years ago I bought a vintage Honda CBX750 motorbike which I ended up stripping down to the frame and rebuilding. Once stripped down to the frame, I 3D printed parts, used clay to make the body panels and casted them from there to rebuild the whole bike with a new suspension. Sustainability is really important to me and being able to repurpose things is a passion of mine.
