They say life imitates art, but for New York-based designer and ceramicist Eny Lee Parker, it might be the other way around. For her new Lulu and Georgia lighting collaboration, Renaissance still lifes and a glittering trove of antique jewelry at the Met find new form in artistic, occasionally tongue-in-cheek fixtures for the home.
Eny’s signature surrealism shines through every imaginative piece. A ripe cherry becomes a table lamp; a wall sconce takes the overflowing shape of an oil-painted cornucopia. ‘There’s also a mix of romance and humor in this collection that feels very New York to me,’ Eny tells Homes & Gardens. The grit, the glamour, the bijoux version of beauty come through most clearly in the impossible shine of the all-chrome Almahdi duo. ‘I was especially inspired by old jewelry in the Met archives, including link chains, silver tones, and those small, sculptural details you find in vintage pieces.’
As is the New York way, the collection is meant to be styled with a little eccentricity. ‘I don’t think everything needs to be perfectly symmetrical,’ Eny says of her sconces, which can behave almost like standalone art. 'I like using them to create little moments around a room, whether that’s flanking a bed or mirror or placing one somewhere unexpected.' Sometimes, that means smack dab in the center of a wall, gallery-style.
From the den to the dining room, let the lighting lead. It might be all the creative direction you need.
‘Stop thinking of lighting as something you figure out at the very end. Start with it earlier in the design process and let it inform the room,’ says Eny. The Met wouldn’t build a new wing and decide on the art later. Why should your living room?
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