Porta Romana, which translates as “Roman Gate”, is a British brand which creates unique handcrafted lighting and furniture.

We have been drawn to Porta Romana’s lighting designs since the company was formed in a tiny London workshop in 1988. It is the sculptural forms and the finishes that make us want to use their designs in our interiors. Our Design Team visited the Porta Romana workshop last summer and experienced first-hand how important craftsmanship is in the design process.

With each new collection comes the challenge of creating new finishes. From convincingly aged plaster, to perfecting the patina of a mussel shell, each new finish works in harmony with the design.

Porta Romana’s new Bohème collection was created with with Viola Lanari, an artist working in handmade plaster. Her designs add a sculptural feel into any scheme. We used them for the cluster of pendants and bedside lamps at the Kit Kemp edit for the Blithfield stand at Focus earlier this year.

Another favourite collection is by Tord Boontje, whose interpretations of natural motifs can be seen on a decorative chandelier in this suite at Charlotte Street Hotel, set against a hand painted mural. The intricate design creates enchanting shadows in the evening light.

In this small London penthouse flat, the ‘Twig’ console table adds a natural and organic feel, and does not take up too much space. In the same flat, we paired one our favourite designs, the pumpkin lamp, with a drum shaped ikat shade.

Earlier this year, we hand painted two different variations of Porta Romana’s Ridley Lamp to auction for charity. We created a ‘Multicoloured Lamp’ which is a happy design. The lamp base and shade are treated as a whole and linked by repeating elements on the shade.

The second lamp was inspired by my Sailor’s Farewell dinner service collection with Wedgwood. The Sailor’s wife is waving farewell with her scarf blowing in the wind, surrounded by motifs of the sailor’s adventures on the high seas both above and below the waterline. The textured lampshade echoes the feeling of waves at sea.

We are also designing new pendant, standing and table lamps for our latest projects in New York. Stay tuned!