Eucalyptus, the most recent chandelier from Ochre, is emblematic of the lighting that has made this company the source for downtown-chic illumination since it was established in London in 1997. Made of unexpected materials (in this case patinated brass or pewter and twisted silk) and exuding the tactile qualities of hand-wrought modern craftsmanship, it has a contemporary, approachable feel while retaining a certain sense of organic glamour. The same inventiveness from the company’s three partners, Joanna Bibby, Harriet Maxwell Macdonald, and Solenne de la Fouchardière, also informs Ochre’s bespoke chandeliers, a business that is growing exponentially. “It wasn’t like we decided to do it,” marvels Maxwell Macdonald. “People just started asking.” People like iconic designers Andrée Putman, David Rockwell, Kelly Hoppen, James Rixner, Alison Spear, and Candy & Candy. These custom creations range from the glittery crystal specimen uncoiling sensationally downward through several floors of a spiral stairwell in a Paris residence (specified by Putman) to concentric layers of horn suspended from the ceiling of a dining room in Arizona (specified by S.C. Wall). Materials run the gamut: glass, horn, chain mail, metals, coconut shell. Prices generally start in the four figures and, for completely bespoke versions, climb well into the tens of thousands. (212.414.4332, www.ochre.net)
