If there is an art to blending the charm of heirlooms with the freshness of modern design, Jessica Helgerson, of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, has undoubtedly mastered it. As the design director and principal of her eponymous studio, Helgerson is unveiling the Bobine collection, a series of table lamps that mark the studio’s first in-house product line. Aptly named Bobine – which is French for “spool” – the collection pays homage to the timeless craft of turned wood, a detail elegantly reflected in the lamps’ bases. Helgerson adds a touch of whimsy to each piece with the inclusion of a movable snail sculpture, a playful element that accompanies every lamp.
Available in an all-glass version or with a wood base option, Bobine caters to a wide range of tastes and preferences. The all glass lamps, with shades handblown by Vitrelux, come in seven colors that can be mixed and matched: Milk Glass, Sand, Caramel, Apricot, Soft Green, Deep Blue, Tomato, and Plum. The hand-turned bases, crafted by Hew Woodworking, come in oak and walnut. Ceramic shades, currently in development, will be produced by Schiller Clay Works with glazing by MakuMade. In the future, JHID plans to collaborate with artists to create limited edition, hand-painted shades.
We had to learn more about this whimsical collection (particularly the story behind the snail figurines!), so we chatted with Helgerson to get the scoop and find out what she has planned on the horizon for the studio:
The Bobine Collection beautifully marries traditional craftsmanship with modern design. Can you share more about the inspiration behind the collection and how the concept evolved from initial idea to final product?
For as long as I’ve been designing, I’ve balanced a reverence for traditional architecture and design with a love for the brightness and lightness of modernism. My interiors have long explored that balance, and now the products that our office is beginning to create are following that same balancing act. The Bobine lamp has at its root the shape of a traditional bobbin lamp, but then its color palette is playful, its curves are exaggerated, a glass shade replaces the traditional linen one.
The collection features a variety of materials, including handblown glass and hand-turned wood, with contributions from artisans like Vitrelux and Hew Woodworking. How did you approach the selection of these materials and collaborators, and what role did they play in bringing your vision to life?
A few years back I designed two lighting lines for Roll + Hill, Del Playa and Rue Sala, that explored, in wood and in metal, the shapes that turning on a lathe creates. Two years ago, during a visit to Murano to see a glass blower friend, I saw a candlestick that had those same pretty shapes but in glass. It got me thinking about a glass table lamp, and I sketched some early shapes on the train home. The lamp continued to develop during conversations with my friend Andi Kovel, at Esque, though another Portland glassblower, Lynn Reed at Vitreluxe, was the one to finally be able to realize Bobine’s precise and exacting shape. Andi is creating the ‘accompanying snails’ which plays so well to her strengths in creating delightful and beautiful organic shapes.
We loved the shape of the lamp so much we wanted to continue the material explorations and so we reached out to Sterling Collins at Hew, who is known in our area for his skillful wood turning. The porcelain shades, made by Minu at Schiller Clay Works, will be offered in a variety of beautiful glazes. The artisan creating the glazes is another frequent JHID collaborator; artisan Margaret Kuhn at MakuMade. We intend to also do limited editions of the porcelain shades that are decoratively hand painted, either by me or other designers in the office, or artists that we invite to collaborate with us.
We absolutely love the whimsical snail figurines that accompany the lamps. Who crafts them, and is there a particular story or personal connection behind this detail?
I had thought about little creatures who might populate the base of the lamp, and the snail , with its spiral shell and little personality-filled antennas was a perfect shape to translate into glass. As the porcelain shade developed, we thought a porcelain snail option would be nice as well. Sarah Bond, a Portland potter, makes each one by hand so they’re all special, all a little different.
Also with regard to the snail, and a little more personally, I have had a long love affair with the country of Mexico and particularly with the indigenous communities in Chiapas, its southernmost state. The Zapatista movement is the movement of indigenous liberation, and for their symbol they chose a snail in a spiral shell; a small creature, easy to overlook. The snail speaks of modesty, humility, closeness to the earth. The Zapatista movement spirals outward and backward, away from industrialism and toward old ways and small things; it also spirals inward via new words and new thoughts. What better friend to these lovingly handcrafted, modern and traditional, locally-made lamps?
Congratulations again on launching the studio’s first ever in-house product line! With this milestone achieved, what exciting projects or innovations are on the horizon for you and your team?
In the same slow way, we will be bringing out more small batch collections that are all thoughtfully handmade. Coming soon is a collection of flat weave rugs, as well ceramic mirrors inspired by one of my craft heroes Mithé Espelt, glass and ceramic candle sconces, and then perhaps in a year or so, a long-awaited line of furniture.
The just launched Bobine collection starts at $3,750 and is currently available at jhinteriordesign.com.
Photography by Aaron Leitz.
