British Design Focus: the Cantilever Collection by Irene Banham

In the latest in our British Design series, we take a look at Irene Banham's Cantilever Collection. Small bespoke pieces for the home incorporate clever angles and features showcasing Irene's love of precision engineering and modern aesthetics...Drawing inspiration from the angles found in civil engineering, the Cantilever Collection features lamps and cake stands making clever use of design solutions normally seen on a much larger scale. The Cantilever Cake Stand combines precision engineering and beautiful aesthetics to provide a talking point over tea. Two platters slot into a tapered post, and can be removed when not in use. The design recalls the elegant diving boards of the 1930s.The All Angles lamps are made using London Plane and American Black Walnut, and feature colourful cables which are left on show to add interest. The ‘through wedged tenon’ joint at the top of the lamp is an interesting ‘engineering’ feature and the lamps also showcase the beautiful grain found in the woods used. London Plane wood has a lovely grain pattern which gives an almost textured look, and the American Walnut has a rich dark colouring which provides elegance in any setting. The London Plane lamp is approximately 62cm high and the walnut lamp is approximately 50cm high overall. Each comes with 3m of cable (including cable length integral to lamp) and bulb. The bulbs are modern versions of a vintage filament style bulb and have LEDs in place of filaments which means that they are very energy efficient and will last thousands of hours. Visit Artisan AlchemyArtisan Alchemy is a contemporary gallery in the Jewellery Quarter district of Birmingham. The area boasts the largest community of designer makers in Europe. The gallery is also host to Artisan Artemy fine jewellery. The Gallery fuses a long tradition of making with innovative modern design. As a result, it’s the perfect day out for design lovers. It really is an artistic hub. We are also dedicated to offering an excellent service so you can choose a special piece for yourself or a loved one. Our friendly staff will be happy to help you either in person or by telephone. Visit soon! The gallery also rents out workshops to local creative businesses. You can view the work national and internationally-recognised designers at Artisan Alchemy, 85 Caroline Street, Birmingham B3 1UP. Learn more about our opening times here.