Materials That Hold Light
on raw silk, linen, paper, and the luxury of atmosphere
Lately, I’ve been drawn to materials that seem to hold light in a space. Raw silk, washed linen, handmade paper, parchment. Once I noticed the pattern, I began seeing it everywhere.
Perhaps it’s because I’m in the midst of bringing our old modernist house by the sea back to life. More and more, I’m craving materials that bring warmth to its clean lines and a certain glow to the rooms, especially in the late afternoon when the light starts to shift.
Maybe it’s also a response to how polished everything has become. So much of contemporary life happens on glowing screens and through perfectly rendered images. These materials offer something different. They feel human, slightly irregular and better for their imperfections
The Workstead raw silk collection stopped me in my tracks. The shades seem to emit a warm, candlelit glow even when photographed. The forms are restrained, allowing the material itself to take center stage. And then there are the tassels (which you know I love), a detail that feels both ancient and unexpectedly modern.
What interests me most is how these materials alter a room. It isn’t through color or pattern, but through atmosphere (the paper lantern that has the power to soften an entire ceiling plane, raw silk shade turns light into something golden and diffused, the way linen introduces a warmth that polished surfaces never quite achieve).
