Houston-based Visual Comfort & Co. is launching a new lighting collection in partnership with luxury Irish crystal brand Waterford. The collection is set to premiere at Fall High Point Market next week.
“Storytelling is at the heart of Waterford; each of our lighting collections has a unique and inspired narrative to share,” says Lee Critchlow, designer at Waterford. “By combining Visual Comfort’s expertise in light with the craft of crystal, we have moved storytelling from the tabletop to the living space, creating a series of bold lighting pieces — dialed up brilliance for spaces to entertain and dialed down ambiance for spaces to relax.”
Adds Visual Comfort’s Chief Design Officer Sean Lavin, “Partnering with Waterford has allowed us to merge their legendary crystal craftsmanship with Visual Comfort & Co.’s expertise in lighting design. The result is a collection that redefines how light and crystal interact, creating dynamic, beautiful environments that elevate any space.”
The debut collection presents chandeliers, pendants, wall sconces, floor lamps, and rechargeable accent lamps available in a range of finishes including Natural Brass, Bronze, and Polished Nickel.
The Copper Coast series is inspired by County Waterford’s Copper Coast, which is renowned for its rugged geological history and copper mining heritage. This series explores crystal’s ability to refract and bend light through deep optic olive cuts that symbolize natural minerals, and intense diamond karo cuts that represent the Coast’s rugged landscape. Each crystal component is handcrafted in Waterford Ireland by six master craftsmen, requiring nearly four hours of expert blowing, cutting, and sculpting.
The Blaze series is evocative of the Art Deco architecture of New York City, particularly the Chrysler Building’s metal-clad spire. The series showcases Waterford’s iconic “Blaze”cutting style across two crystal shades in a timeless linear expression.
The Circon series draws inspiration from the iconic Fresnel lens of the Hook Head lighthouse, which dates back over 800 years. This design features deep, concentric V cuts that radiate and refract light through a handblown spherical crystal diffuser.
The Killarney series is inspired by the grand, multi-tiered Waterford chandeliers of Westminster Abbey. The collection reimagines the chandeliers’ silhouette and the play of light while paying homage to the craftsmen who created them in secret under the code name “Killarney” at the Waterford factory in 1965. Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the Guinness family gifting the prestigious chandeliers to Westminster Abbey.
The Carraig series takes its name from the Gaelic word for rock. This series explores how faceted crystal forms can play with light to create a dazzling display of reflections. Inspired by Mid-Century Modern mobile sculptures, the angular brass frame creates a statement of balance.
You can see the Waterford series in person at the Visual Comfort showroom in the C& D Building during the High Point Market.
