When we saw Sharon Marston’s sculptural lighting installations, it was literally love at first sight. The London-based artist seems to have done everything since establishing her studio in 1997, from customizing lighting for Ritz-Carlton and Tiffany & Co. to Dolce & Gabbana and Harrods. Specializing in bespoke pieces that can be customized and tailored to the needs of any client, her chandeliers use fiber optic technology in ways rarely seen. By combining the pieces with specially-chosen materials and colors, much of Marston’s dramatic work looks like it was dreamt up by Lewis Carroll himself.
Considering the fact that browsing her website is akin to falling down the rabbit hole, we’ve selected some of our favorite installations, spanning public and private spaces—we even included a well-known Hollywood film. If you want to see her designs in person though, you can visit any of the public spaces her pieces are featured in or head to her studio’s showroom in London, which is open by appointment only.
Crockfords Private Club
Location: London, UK
The lounge in Crockfords Private Members Club
Type of Light: Custom Flight light; woven polymer, end emitting polymer fiber optics
“This imposing piece was commissioned by the prestigious Crockfords Private Members Club and Casino to take center stage at the grand entrance lounge. Shades of lilac, mauve and cream were chosen to complement the club’s chosen color scheme.”
Radlett House
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Dining room in a private residence
“Designed for a private residence in Hertfordshire, this scheme consisted of two pieces selected to suit two very differently [styled] interiors. For the classic formal dining room, a soft and sumptuous Pleat light in complimentary shades of champagne and cream.”
Dublin House
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Stairwell in a private residence
Type of Light: Ghost light; mirror polished steel, hand-blown glass, end emitting polymer fiber optics.
“A long slender version of the Ghost light for the stairwell of a private residence in Dublin. The brief was to create a dynamic feature throughout the stairwell, culminating in an explosion of light at the base.”
Jung Shiau Boutique
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Hearts on Fire Jung Shia, Jewelry Boutique
Type of Light: Pleat light; woven polymer, end emitting polymer fiber optics
“Designed for the Hearts on Fire Boutique, this Pleat light has been created in shades of lilac, mauve and cream woven polymer.”
The Hesperia
Location: Barcelona, Spain
The Hesperia Hotel, restaurant
Type of Light: Custom April light; mirror polished steel, polymer, glass side-emitting fiber optics
“This project consisted of a scheme of two pieces sitting side by side and was commissioned by the Hesperia Hotel chain for the opening of their new flagship hotel developed by The Richard Rogers Partnership in conjunction with local architect Alonso Balaguer.”
Mirror Mirror Film
Location: UK Tour
Type of Light: Custom Laelia light
“Providing a dazzling backdrop to the Queen's palace in the film Mirror Mirror, the three-meter-tall giant Laelia light sparkles elegantly over Julia Roberts’ throne. 6,000 pieces of hand-blown glass leaves were delicately assembled on set.”
The Levin
Location: London, UK
Stairwell of Levin Hotel
Type of Light: Custom April light; mirror-polished steel, polymer, glass side emitting fiber optics
“The enormity of the Levin Hotel stairwell provided a rare opportunity for this piece. The custom designed April light drops a dramatic and awe inspiring 18 meters through the central column, softening the geometric uniformity of the space and scattering color and light throughout.”
Order of St. John
Location: London, UK
Gateway entrance to the Order of St. John Clerkenwell
Type of Light: Custom Willow installation; woven brass mesh, willow cane, polymer end emitting fiber optics
“This decorative, entrance installation envelopes the space in a dazzling torrent of hand-crafted woven brass mesh petal forms, which are intricately gathered on to cascading polymer fiber optics. Echoing notions of nature and growth, this design has been selected specifically to provide visitors with an aesthetically delicate, yet luxurious, experience as they enter through the space into the garden courtyard of St. John. Visitors to the space will be able to walk through this awning of willow canes that are intertwined with fiber optics, creating a myriad of subtle glowing knots and gleaming pinpoint speckles that embellish the gateway entrance, providing visitors with numerous points of interest.”
The Grange Park Opera
Location: Hampshire, UK
Auditorium, Grange Park Opera
Type of Light: This installation was sponsored by Swarovski and uses a mixture of topaz, Bordeaux, rose, and clear crystals across three Flight and three Laelia designs. Swarovski crystal, woven polymer, end emitting polymer fiber optics.
“The lights hang magnificently below the Greek revival ceiling of the theatre built in the old orangery of this early 19th century house. The Flight lights are installed on to winches, which are motorized enabling them to be raised during a performance.”
Mauboussin
Location: Singapore, New York, and France
Mauboussin Boutiques
Type of Light: Custom Flight lights; woven polymer, end emitting fiber optics
“A series of custom made Flight lights for the Mauboussin Jewelry in numerous boutiques in France, Singapore, and the USA. Each of the lights are suspended in dazzling white, gold, and vanilla hues above the cabinets adding further sparkle and opulence to the pieces of jewelry themselves.”
