Beautiful, elegant, softly glowing... alabaster is a luxurious natural wonder and the foundation of Art Deco-style lighting. We've completely fallen in love with this uniquely translucent stone and created a new range of alabaster wall lights
As well as its natural beauty, the softness of alabaster makes it easy to work with, and alabaster has been fashioned into a huge range of decorative objects and works of art over the centuries, from fine sculptures and elaborate carvings to canopic jars, ornate boxes, jeweler, vases – and, of course, beautiful lighting!
The unique qualities of alabaster have made it a popular material throughout history and up to the present day. Alabaster has been utilised by a whole host of different civilizations around the world, from the Ancient Egyptians and the Etruscans, through ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire, across mediaeval Europe, and beyond – alabaster pots even graced the ancient tombs of the Pharaohs.
Art Deco enjoyed a range of different influences, from Ancient Egyptian and Mayan motifs to the abstract industrialism of Constructivism, and the stylised geometric shapes of Cubism. The pure, smooth marble-like finish of alabaster fitted perfectly with the Art Deco ethos and its emphasis on artistry, luxurious materials and clean, elegant lines.
One of the really magical things about alabaster is the way it transmits the light: it has a lovely translucent quality, and when used in lighting it emits a soft, mellow glow. Different types of alabaster have different levels of opacity, and it ranges in colour from pure white to cream and beige, with beautiful marbleised bands of colour which are caused by impurities in the stone – meaning that every piece is truly one of a kind.
Art Deco lighting has a timeless elegance which remains popular today, and with some well-chosen alabaster wall lights it's easy to recreate the Art Deco look and feel in your own home – whether it’s as part of a wider design theme, or if you just want to add a touch of classic Art Deco glamour without going full-on flapper.
...And that's just a few of them.
If, like us, you’ve fallen for the natural charms of this sensational stone, head on over and view the full range of alabaster wall lights here.
