Our company’s design and creative energy is deeply rooted in touch. There is no substitute for the cool, smooth surface of gesso; the sensual ivory grains of natural shagreen or the rolling glossy peaks and valleys of natural crackled lacquer. To touch is to truly appreciate their beauty and to ‘want to be touched’ is the starting point for how we go about material selection and development. 

We try our best with photography, but there is no substitute for the real thing and that is why our material swatches are such a crucial component of our relationship with customers who don’t have the opportunity to tour our workshops or visit our showrooms. Our trade representatives around the world rely heavily on swatches of the materials to convey the Alexander Lamont brand. We take the same care, time and attention in creating the various sized swatches of all our finishes as we do for any completed piece of furniture, lighting or accessory that carries the Lamont name. There are no short cuts to drying lacquer; polishing and sanding shagreen or flattening and cutting natural straw.

In reviewing material swatches this week, I thought it would be nice to send you images that conveyed this constant production of samples. They are in fact beautiful in and of themselves and could be used in jewelry. These are the smallest we make – just 1″ x 1.5″. I wish you could reach through the screen and actually touch them!

The author, Marion, is the managing editor of this blog, social media accounts and loves playing with the material swatches.