Lee Broom - Product and Interior Designer

It is not very often that we are struck by pure creativity and indivividuality. But that was exactly what happened a few years ago when we were in The Shop at Blue Bird, on King's Road. There it was, in the middle of the store was the most unique and captivating piece of furniture we have ever seen and at that moment, we knew we had to have it. As collectors and admirers of vintage furnitures brushed with a touch of modernity, it was a moment to be seized. The talented designer behind this one of a kind work is the award winning Product and Interior British Designer, Lee Broom. The chair, also known as the "Luminaire Bergere", was founded by Lee in a flea market in North of Paris and became part of the Rough Diamond Exhibition at The London Design Festival in 2008. The chair was purposely left in its original condition with the exception of added turquoise neon lighting, highlighting its original craftsmanship. According to Lee, "it's a total one off and I carried it back to London all the way from a Paris market on the Eurostar myself. A complete labour of love." It is truly a testament to Lee's eyes for originality and by preserving its authenticity, the designer is respecting its original beauty while still able to create a one off art piece.

Lee designs and manufactures his own furniture and lighting collections as well as many retail spaces, restaurants, and bar interiors. With his own collections, I love and admire the fact that he remains true to British manufacturing techniques and craftsmanship by working closely with traditional craftsman throughout the entire process. This particular attention to details coupled with a raw talent for exquisite designs has earned Lee many prestigious recognitions over the years including the British Design Award, Crystal Bulb in 2012 as well as the British Design Award, Designer of the Year 2011. Below are some of my favourite pieces from Lee's own Products range: __________________________________________________________________________________ First up are The Clear and Frosted Crystal Bulb Table Lamps - Handcrafted and inspired by traditional whiskey glasses and decanters

Frosted Crystal Bulb and Decanterlight Chandeliers (Decanterlight is inspired by the original vintage collection released back in May 2010)

Pieces from the Salon Collection - Six pieces of furnitures inspired by the 1930s with a contemporary edge

Carpetry Sideboard and Console Table - These were manufactured with a technique dated back to the early 17th century known as the "Wilton looms"

Part of the Rough Diamond Collection, this "Club Chair" has a limited release of only ten

"Electric Louis" is part of a limited edition of twenty five as shown in the Neo Neon 2007 Collection

Also part of the Rough Diamond Collection, the limited edition of fifty "Bright on Bistro" bentwood chairs that were rescued from a tea house in Brighton, England, and have been beautifully transformed

Besides working on his own collections, Lee has designed many well known retail, restaurant, and bar spaces over the years. For example, his first project was for the Nylon bar in 2002 that led to the Best Bar Nomination by London's Evening Standard.

The Lancaster House where Lee was chosen alongside other British designers to transform the location that played host during the recent Olympic Games into a showcase of modern art and design. Shown here is the only room that was dedicated to just one designer, the Gold Room, where Lee displayed his collections of modern and contemporary pieces connecting the past and the future

And finally, to all the shoes fans out there, Lee created a magical world of Christian Louboutin located in the world's most famous department store, Harrods, with inspiration from iconic landmarks throughout London

Lee's own label was launched in 2007 and we were happy to learn of the recent opening of his first shop in London's Shoreditch called Electra House. One can also find Lee's beautiful creations with various dealers throughout Europe, the U.S., Asia, and the Middle East. Nevertheless, his work has yet to make its way to Latin America but I have no doubt that not before long, his unique designs will be showcasing in this part of the world. His work is quite simple but eloquently resonates that old glamour that so many artists today try to replicate but they lack originality and heart. As for our piece of treasure, its place in our home forever reminds us of that special day of great discovery that forever opened our minds to a world of possibilities, imagination, and the true meaning to "labour of love." __________________________________________________________________________________ All Photos credit Lee Broom / Background Info at www.leebroom.com __________________________________________________________________________________ *Upcoming Posts - Bid Farewell to 2013 in Style / Spring and Summer 2014 Fashion Lineup / Fashion Makeover