The Georgian Restaurant, Harrods

The Georgian Restaurant, Harrods

The projects we handle come in all sizes, each with unique challenges. In early 2024, we collaborated with David Collins Studio to create canopy lampshades for dining tables in one of the world's most prestigious department stores, Harrods. The project was the refurbishment of Harrods' flagship restaurant, The Georgian. Dating back to 1911, The Georgian Restaurant featured grade II listed elements, including central chandeliers. David Collins Studio's design revived pre-war Art Deco splendour with plush banquette seating. Polished stainless and brass banquette lights with porcelain-coloured silk shades and Samuel & Sons braid complemented large chandeliers topped with porcelain silk canopy lampshades. 

The concept drawings revealed impressive 2.3m diameter canopy shades, which is among our largest ever. With multiple lampshades needed, we sourced silk from a single dye batch from Pongees Silk. The project required 218m of silk, with each of the 15 canopy shades, plus the sample, using 12m. A setback also occurred when fire treatment damaged 10m of silk. Our design and engineering team tackled the framework challenges for these massive shades, incorporating 12 accessible lamps and accommodating wiring for Italian crystal chandeliers. Due to size constraints, we removed floor sections to move the shades between levels at Iberian Lighting HQ. Special handling solutions included constructing a bespoke stand for our shade makers to hand-sew the silk fabric onto the frames. 

Each completed shade was placed on a transport frame with a custom dust bag covering it. Despite appearing enormous on ground level, the shades looked proportionate once installed. After-hours delivery required careful navigation through Harrods' cosmetics department to reach the 4th floor. As part of the brief, we also produced trimmed silk coolie table lampshades that were screwed down a banquette seating and pleated silk table lampshades. Notwithstanding the challenges faced and tight deadlines, the result is simply stunning with Iberian Lighting delivering outstanding results.

Photos of the Georgian Restaurant ©Alex Upton Photography