The Atelier Story
Atelier is the result of an organic relationship – a rare collaboration between an esteemed Australian interior designer and two of the world’s most celebrated glass artists, who have combined their talents to create a small, carefully considered collection of lamps and vases that are destined to become modern heirlooms.
Award-winning Sydney interior designer Alexandra Kidd has been creating beautiful, timeless homes in Australia and around the world for over 20 years. Her lifelong fascination for glass led her to the door of Ben and Kathy Edols, Australia’s premier glass artists, where she became a firm friend and a dedicated collector of their work.
The Art of Glassblowing
Glassblowing is a hot, gruelling and often frustrating process. But therein lies the challenge and appeal for the artists who dedicate their lives to this ancient craft – the opportunity to transform a glowing orb of molten glass into something truly magnificent.
The techniques of glassblowing have remained largely the same for thousands of years, with molten glass gathered at the end of a hollow pipe, which the maker then blows, swings and rolls to create a one-of-a-kind piece that can never be fully replicated. Hot glass moves and changes as quickly as a tide, making each finished piece a remarkable accomplishment.
As a result, each Atelier glass lamp base and vase is bespoke, with no two exactly the same. Crafted by skilled glass artists in Canberra, an Atelier piece is a thing of beauty – equal parts delicate and robust, and bearing the unique marks of its makers.
A Special Collaboration
Atelier is a rare collaboration between award-winning interior designer Alexandra Kidd and premier Australian glass artists, Ben and Kathy Edols, whose work is admired and collected around the globe.
A good friend of the acclaimed artists and a dedicated collector of their works for many years, Alexandra set her heart on a collaboration that would allow her to express her lifelong love of glass, while showcasing the pair’s exceptional talents. Her persistence paid off and the result is a collection of limited-edition handcrafted table lamps and vases set to become modern heirlooms.
The Prima Collection
The Prima Collection comprises four limited-edition table lamps in colours including Dark Violet, Neutral Grey, Granite and Naturel, plus a selection of complementary vases.
Each item is handcrafted by skilled glass artisans in Canberra using traditional glassblowing techniques, creating unique pieces with their own personality, idiosyncrasies and individual expression.
Materials
Only the finest materials are used to make Atelier lamps and vases. Handblown glass, crafted by skilled artists in Canberra, is paired with either French linen or pure silk lampshades, which are individually handmade in NSW. Meanwhile, all metal components are custom-designed and engineered exclusively for Atelier in NSW.
Australian Made
Local craftspeople are at the heart of Atelier and we’re fortunate enough to work with artisans across Australia to design and craft our designs.
Every piece in the collection bears the imprint of the passion, expertise and artistry of its skilled makers, bestowing it with a one-of-a-kind beauty. By nurturing established and emerging artisans, we are able to keep our production 100% local.
The glass is handblown in Canberra, while in NSW, the lamps are wired and assembled, lampshades are handmade, and metal parts are machined and finished.
All Atelier lampshades and metal components are custom-designed and bespoke. Due to strict laws and standards regarding the use of Australian-Certified parts, the electrical cables and switches on the lamps are the only standard parts used.
Designed for Longevity
Longevity is sustainability in its simplest form – designing pieces that are durable enough to last, with a timeless beauty that transcends passing trends.
Atelier lamps and vases are not production pieces. Each one is lovingly handcrafted by skilled glassblowers in Canberra, imbuing it with exceptional quality and unique character.
Designed to enrich the spaces they occupy with joy and functionality; Atelier pieces are intended to be used and enjoyed by the current generation and then passed down to the next. It is a philosophy that has underpinned Alexandra Kidd’s interior design work for over 20 years, and which she now brings to the Atelier product range.
As every piece is handmade and bespoke, the collection is deliberately limited in numbers.
Mindful Packaging
Alexandra Kidd’s passionate belief in supporting local makers and the environment extends beyond the Atelier products themselves to the packaging they arrive in, all of which is responsibly handmade in Australia.
Each limited-edited Atelier table lamp and vase arrives in eco-friendly cardboard packaging, which is made from brown kraft card manufactured in Victoria. Inside, the piece comes safely nestled inside a beautiful calico dust bag that is hand-sewn in Sydney, NSW. Even small details, such as the branded sticker, support local industry – the sticker is produced using water-soluble adhesive and printed in Sydney.