Despite its name, Chant, the newest lighting creation by British designer Lee Broom, doesn’t raise its voice. Instead, it emanates a quiet presence that transcends function. “I am increasingly understanding of how important light is to people, and not just from a functional aspect but from an emotional aspect also,” Broom shares. Originally conceived as a chandelier for his 2022 Divine Inspiration collection, Chant has evolved into a portable table lamp that continues to explore the poetic power of light. “In that respect, the name Chant is very pertinent for this light, given its roots in spirituality and meditation.”
Although Broom is often drawn to the Brutalist architecture of his English upbringing, it was a building in Paris that shaped Chant’s design. The Maison de Verre – or “House of Glass” – constructed in the late 1920s, is composed almost entirely of glass blocks. That architectural detail became the starting point for Chant. “To soften its cubic silhouette I incorporated this circular indented detail into the glass which directly references the glass blocks from the Maison de Verre house,” Broom says. “The result is a table lamp which looks very modern but at the same time looks very classic and almost retro.”
Chant marks a milestone for Broom as his first-ever portable light. Designed to move effortlessly from terrace to living room, bookshelf to balcony, the lamp offers versatility without compromising elegance. Forgoing plastic in favor of hand-blown glass, brushed metal finishes, and a more sustainable material palette, Chant feels elevated and substantial in all the right ways. “I wanted it to feel luxurious and have a weight that only hand-blown glass can offer,” Broom notes. Fully weather-resistant and equipped with four dimming levels, it can light an alfresco dinner party and later transition indoors as a soft nightlight – delivering up to 40 hours of illumination on a single charge.
Whether you add Chant to a single quiet corner or scatter multiples throughout your home (“It looks great grouped in multiples,” Broom suggests), the lamp invites stillness and a sense of pause. Broom, on the other hand, is forging ahead. “I am working on some ideas that don’t involve lighting,” he confides. “I have a list of things I have always wanted to create and I decided this year, it was about time I started.” We’ll be here to report when his next bright idea takes shape.
Chant is available in frosted and clear glass, with three sophisticated base finishes: brushed gold, brushed silver, and brushed bronze. To learn more about the Chant portable light by Lee Broom, visit leebroom.com.
Photography by Felix Speller.
