Lulu and Georgia Just Released a Chic, French-Inspired Light Collaboration – and It’s Proof That Lighting Should Never Be an Afterthought
Complete with thoughtfully designed pendants, lamps, and sconces, Huey's collection at Lulu and Georgia makes lighting anything but a background detail
Lighting can be an afterthought in home design – a supporting role to furniture and decor; something to come back to only after everything else is finished. But for Bret Williams, designer and founder of Canadian light brand Huey Lightshop, lighting is the star, and her new collection with Lulu and Georgia is proof.
Inspired by the thoughtful lighting ideas of Parisian apartments and boutique French hotels, the collection positions lighting as a foundational element within a home's design scheme – the detail you notice first and the detail you remember.
'The French interiors I'm drawn to never feel overly styled or precious; they feel collected. Nothing looks like it arrived all at once,’ Bret explains. ‘There's an effortless mix of antiques, thoughtful craftsmanship, and pieces that have earned their place over time.' Lighting, as Bret explains, is an essential element in that narrative, influencing the atmosphere of these spaces in a way that feels warm, inviting, and intimate. Her collection, therefore, attempts the same.
The Germain Wall Sconce might be small, but it's not insignificant. Use it to bring a warm glow to a hallway, bedroom, or reading nook.
Eleven meticulously crafted pieces constitute the collection, from elegant pendants in soft, curved silhouettes to angular table lamps and structured wall sconces. They're not made to quietly fade into the background, but to become key components of a room's lighting scheme, as if they've been there forever.
According to Bret, she explored a wide range of materials to develop the collection – like walnut, linen, ceramic, and metal – however, she was most excited to work with glass. 'I've always wanted to design more lighting with coloured milk glass, and this collaboration gave me the opportunity to push further into that material than I had before,' she tells me. 'Because so much of the collection was centered around warmth and intimacy, the way the glass softened and diffused the light became just as important as the silhouette itself.' Fixtures like the Camberry Pendant and the Camberry Flush Mount illustrate this.
With everything from pendants and sconces to floor lamps and table lamps, this collection has just what you need to create a layered lighting scheme in your home.
Though lighting is, first and foremost, a function-driven detail, it's also a stylistic feature that can greatly impact the atmosphere of a room – by way of illumination and decorative appeal. Bret recognizes this, and thus her collection blends practicality with visual interest and tasteful ambience.
It's her hope that each piece – from the large Germain Chandelier to the small Prairie Table Lamp – becomes an anchor, '[bringing] a sense of warmth and whimsy into people's homes,' Bret explains. 'More than anything, I hope they become part of the fabric of a space for years to come – the kind of objects that are lived with, loved, and eventually feel as though they've always been there.'
The Germain collection features this large floor lamp and an elegant, five-shaded chandelier – both of which radiate a soft, romantic glow.
As Bret says, 'lighting is the emotional layer of a home. It's often one of the last things people choose, but it's one of the first things you feel.'
If you feel ready to make lighting the star of your home's design scheme, then perhaps this collection is the perfect place to start. Shop the best of the Huey and Lulu and Georgia collaboration, below.
Shop Lulu and Georgia x Huey
This floor lamp is large and substantial but never domineering. Its fluted wood base resembles that of a column – strong, elegant, and effortlessly supportive of the shade that rests above. The shade itself adds a delicate flair to the entire arrangement – made of linen that's gently folded into place. This lamp is certainly a statement piece.
This pendant is one of Bret's favorite pieces from the collection. 'It captures so much of what I wanted this collaboration to be – layered, intricate, and full of small details that reveal themselves every time you look,' she explains. It's made from peach-toned milk glass that creates a soft, warm glow when lit. Plus, its brass rim and loop details add such character to the overall arrangement.
Though this table lamp's shade looks like fabric, it's actually ceramic – a playfully deceiving detail that makes the lamp that much more interesting. The inverted cone shape of its wooden base adds some architectural elegance to the lamp itself, and the pleated structure of its shade results in a unique and visually appealing light fixture.
Just like the floor lamp, the Germain Sconce is an elegant blend of softness and strength. Its structured wooden base firmly joins it with the wall, with a decorative, fluted arm outstretched to support the upward-facing shade. The pleated linen shade is a tasteful complement to the firm wooden base. And right at the bottom is a small brass knob – a tiny detail that completes the look.
Between its soft silhouette and its smooth glass shade, this pendant looks like a regal fixture. There's an immense amount of character in its design, too, resembling a storied family heirloom that's been passed down over decades. I'm particularly drawn to the tiny tassel that hangs from its shade – a whimsical detail that makes this pendant that much more attractive.
Just as the Prairie Table Lamp is made with a ceramic shade, as is this matching wall sconce. In a way, it'll look like art on your wall – art you can turn on to cast an ambient downward glow. I love its brass arm, too, and how its subtle sheen tastefully complements the wood and the ceramic.
If you're just beginning to think more intentionally about how to light your home, Bret likens it to the practice of slow decorating. 'I think the best thing you can do is live in your home for a little while before trying to perfect it,' she says. 'A home has a way of telling you what it needs. You begin to notice how you naturally move through the space, where you gravitate in the evenings, and where a little more warmth or light would make all the difference.' Rather than lighting your house all at once (and running the risk of buying light fixtures you hate), just take it slow, figure out what you need, and then act on it.
She offers another tip, too, which is to embrace variety. 'Don't be afraid to carve out small, cozy corners rather than trying to light every room the same way,' Bret explains. 'Add a table lamp beside your favourite chair, a sconce over a painting, or a soft lamp in a forgotten corner. Those little moments are often what make a house feel like home, and I really believe that when you romanticize your home, it has a way of shaping your everyday life in return.'
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