Lee Broom | Illusions in Light & Form

There are designers, and then there are storytellers. Lee Broom is unequivocally both. With a background steeped in theatre, fashion and the peculiar British genius for eclectic elegance, Broom’s creations are more than objects; they are orchestrated moments of wonder. Lighting that doesn’t simply illuminate but commands attention and furniture that feels like a whispered story mid-sentence.

For The Aficionados, Broom represents something vital in British design: a playful, intelligent fusion of tradition and futurism. In a conversation that reads like stage direction, he invites us into the scenes behind the spectacle.

“My background in theatre has always been an influence in everything I do,” Broom explains. “I was a child actor for a decade and trained in performing arts before moving into fashion and eventually design, so that sense of narrative, spectacle and emotional connection has always shaped my creative output. Whether I’m designing a lighting installation or a piece of furniture, I approach it as a moment of storytelling.”

And it shows. His lighting pieces from the Observatory series, including Eclipse and Orion, and the ecclesiastically inspired Divine Inspiration collection, are closer to performances than products. These are sublime exercises in sculpted light, movement and spatial drama. With British heritage coursing through his design language, Broom walks a fine line between reverence and rebellion.

“I honour the rich history of craft, style, and eclecticism from my British heritage by reinterpreting these traditions through a modernist lens,” he says. “Blending classic techniques and silhouettes with contemporary forms, materials, and unexpected details. I think it’s about respecting the past while challenging conventions to create pieces that are timeless yet forward-thinking.”

The grandeur of a Georgian cornice is translated into the curve of a chair; the ornamentation of Brutalism appears in crystal and steel. And always, materiality is more than aesthetic: it is an emotional strategy.

“Material choice is central to how I shape emotion and narrative in my work,” Broom tells us. “I look for materials that not only serve a function but also convey atmosphere — whether it’s warmth, lightness, or tension. My background in theatre taught me the power of setting and illusion, and I apply that same thinking to design. Every material I use is selected for how it can enhance the story the object tells.”

Over the years, Broom has become synonymous with lighting that seduces and surprises. His Crystal Bulb Pendant, launched in 2012, was a breakout piece that won a British Design Award for its fusion of cut-crystal tradition with modern LED technology. It was a single gesture that made old-world elegance newly desirable. The Nouveau Rebel collection continued this material storytelling, using hollowed Carrara marble to diffuse a soft, internal glow, revealing how stone could become weightless and translucent. More recently, the Vesper chandelier — a floating composition of brushed-metal cubes and orbs inspired by Birmingham’s Brutalist architecture — has cemented itself as a modern icon, winning multiple awards and acclaim for its spiritual, architectural presence.

Whether working solo or in collaboration, as in his luminous Cascade collection with Lladrócrafted alongside Spanish porcelain artisans, Broom’s designs speak across cultures and disciplines.

“Collaborations allow me to step outside my usual methods and absorb new traditions. Working with Lladró’s porcelain artisans in Valencia... we pushed the limits of porcelain to create something both culturally resonant and technically innovative.”

Broom’s career path reads like a tightly edited montage: child actor, fashion student at Central Saint Martins, Westwood protégé, and then, almost by accident, an interior designer. “A key turning point came at 17,” he recalls, “when I won a national design competition judged by Vivienne Westwood... I began helping bars in London with their interiors, which quickly grew into a business and, ultimately, led to my first furniture collection in 2007. That experience confirmed that design, particularly shaping physical spaces and objects, was the medium where I could tell stories most authentically.”

From the soft theatricality of sculpted light to the sharp tailoring of form and silhouette, Lee Broom’s work lives in the interplay between discipline and dream. His is a distinctly British vision: cultured, slightly eccentric, always refined. It finds its natural stage in the spaces we love most: those that move beyond hospitality to become immersive, atmospheric experiences.

With British heritage coursing through his design language, Broom walks a fine line between reverence and rebellion

Dark timbers moody lighting, large antique globe | Lee Broom: British Lighting Designer Shaping Stories Through Illumination and Craft |The Aficionados

Lee Broom: British Lighting Designer Shaping Stories Through Illumination and Craft |The Aficionados