Meet the Yorkshire Maker of These Cool & Quirky Lampshades
Elizabeth Smallman from Mountain & Molehill creates her unique lampshades using vintage etchings and images
Tell us what you do.
I rummage around vintage encyclopaedias for characterful animal etchings which I collage into designs for lampshades and homeware. I want to honour the original artwork while adding a sense of story and fun. My shades are my most popular range and I pride myself that they are more than just appealing lighting. I combine a stylish monochrome foundation with carefully chosen touches of gold and vibrant pops of colour. Each piece is made by hand from start to finish, and I’m always up for tweaking a design for a bespoke option.
What’s your background?
While I don’t have any formal training (not sure that there is an official lampshade making qualification!) I have a background in the theatre and creative industries, and I have always fiddled about with crafty bits and enjoyed learning new skills. Design-wise I am constantly shifting as I learn new techniques, and while I have a clear house style I enjoy breaking my own rules when it works!
Originally, I outsourced the lampshade making, but after a few months it all fell through. It felt like a disaster at the time as I got the news while on holiday, six months pregnant and trying to cut back a bit. Once I had got my head around the problem, I realised it was the best thing that could have happened. I have total freedom to offer multiple options, I have very little waste as I only make to order, and I can try out new designs with no risk.
Where do you source your materials?
The vintage images come from antique books which I am constantly rummaging around for in boot fairs, junk shops and of course on eBay. I am trying to cut back on the books though as they take up a lot of space, so I have a few vintage print sellers who I call on when I am hunting for something specific.
For shows like Living North LIVE I display the shades on old lamps which I carefully restore and rewire, and have just discovered the auction houses around York are a fantastic place to find interesting bases.
Tells us about the inspiration for your designs.
Inspiration comes from all sorts of places. I often get fantastic ideas from customers and love catching up with them. My bestselling Dodo shade came from chatting to a fellow stallholder who mentioned that her dad loved dodos. Both my children love giving me ideas and ask how ‘their’ design is going. Probably the most successful idea was from my daughter who thought that a fox in foxgloves would be brilliant. Very, very occasionally I have a great idea which works straight away. Usually, I start with a concept which half works and have to fiddle around until something clicks – and sometimes success comes from deleting everything and starting from scratch.
What’s your typical day?
There is no such thing really! After I have dropped the kids off at school, I check to see what orders have come in as getting them out is my priority. There is usually a trip to the Post Office where the staff are incredibly kind to me as I lug in my huge boxes which take up all their spare space. Once I am caught up with orders it depends on what needs doing the most. Admin, marketing or designing. My husband often works from home, so we try to have lunch together which is always a nice pause in the middle of the day. Come three o’clock it is time to put my Mum hat back on!
What’s the hardest part of what you do?
Like most makers the constant juggle of the stuff I am good at and the bits I am not so good at is tough. I am constantly behind on marketing. I find social media is a drain on both my time and emotions, plus I like to keep my personal life to myself. Having moved to York 18 months ago I am starting from the beginning with real life events. The only way to find out which are right for me is to be there and give it a go. While I enjoy getting out there and meeting people in real life, it’s also exhausting.
What’s the best part?
Being free to work when I want is fantastic. Having moved twice in the past year and a half I have been able to shut up shop for the summer holidays and tackle the packing. I am looking forward to this summer when we can go on a proper holiday with no packing boxes in sight.
The moment I finish rolling a shade never fails to be satisfying. There is quite a lot of work left to do but the transformation from a flat thing to a fully formed shade has a magic to it.
Finally, feedback from my happy customers, especially with photos. I love seeing where my work ends up and catching up with people at shows.
Can you tell us about a favourite recent creation?
I completed a kingfisher design just before Christmas which has been an instant hit. The design has been years in the making. Originally it just wasn’t working but this year I took it in a slightly different direction which made all the difference, and it looks amazing!
What are you currently working on?
I am tinkering with a few badger designs. I have never made two designs with the same animal at the same time, but I have come up with two ideas I can’t decide between. As they are very different I decided to go for it.
Are you bringing anything new to Living North LIVE?
There are a few designs which I hope will be ready to show off for the first time. And as I always display my shades on restored vintage lamp bases which show off my work perfectly, it gives my customers the opportunity to get a truly unique combination of shade and base which nobody else will have.
Best place to eat/drink locally?
No3 Heworth. Always friendly and great sandwiches at a good price.
A podcast you recommend?
I listen to a lot of podcasts when making shades. My newest discovery is Josh Widdicombe’s Museum of Pop Culture. Nostalgic, funny and genuinely informative.
An item you couldn’t live without?
My blue-handled Phillips-head screwdriver. Sometimes it is borrowed and goes walkabout…
Best snack for a long journey?
Polos in the car but nothing beats a lunchtime pit stop at a National Trust café with a scone. (I am cream first, my husband is jam first. Obviously, I am right!)
