Behind the Design: Gracie

Art Deco glamour has always carried a certain confidence - bold, opulent, unapologetic. With the launch of Gracie, we’re reinterpreting that spirit through a softer, more understated lens: a pair of modern Deco designs that feel luxurious but with a quieter, more livable sensibility.

At the heart of the collection - comprising a table lamp and pendant - is a hand-formed volcanic frit glass shade designed by our Head of Creative, Hanna Russell. Belllike in form with a delicately frilled hem, each piece is individually crafted by master glassblowers in Portugal, ensuring no two are ever the same. When lit, the bubbled, lava-like texture of the frit glass softly diffuses light into a warm, ambient glow - creating an atmosphere that is felt as much as it is seen.

“It was always about the glass shade,” says Hanna Russell. “I see it as our take on Art Deco styling, but with a softly modern edge.” This balance of past and present is underpinned by our signature approach to materiality. “Rich, mixed materials are what we do best,” Hanna adds, “and they lend themselves perfectly to a modern Deco design.”

Gracie began as a sketch - a form that had been taking shape in Hanna’s mind long before it was put on paper. What followed was a highly tactile development process, where physical prototyping played a key role in refining the design. “When you’re working with a form this organic, it’s hard to truly read it on screen” she explains. “3D printing the design in-house was a crucial step in understanding its proportions and presence.”

Once the form was resolved, Hanna took the prototype to our trusted manufacturer in Portugal, where she worked closely with skilled glassblowers to refine the shade further. Its distinctive silhouette requires both precision and intuition: the dome top is shaped using a mould, while the frill is crafted entirely by hand, making each piece a time-intensive work of craftsmanship.

The Gracie pendant pairs the sculptural frit glass shade with brushed antique brass hardware, and a woven fabric flex. Petite in scale yet striking in presence, its gently flared silhouette is designed to cast light downwards - ideal solo by the bedside or clustered in multiples over an island or along a hallway.

The Gracie table lamp pairs the same handcrafted glass shade with a slim, tapered dark walnut stem and a two-tiered brushed antique brass base - a quietly architectural detail that acts, as Hanna describes it, “like a podium for the wood and glass to sit on.” Slender enough for a console or bedside table, yet impactful enough to anchor a space.

The volcanic frit finish - a signature Heathfield & Co technique - was a natural choice. “It doesn’t compete with the design,” says Hanna, “but quietly adds a layer of elegance.” The mixed material palette - smoked oak, brass, and frit glass - carries the same sense of restraint. Our newly developed brushed antique brass finish anchors the design, while the slim wooden stem bridges the glass and metal without competing with either.

Gracie is now available to shop. Read more about our design process at the Heathfield Studio.