Breaking News

F5: Amber Pan Talks an Amsterdam School Lamp, a Favorite Book, Sculptures + More

1:31 PM ,

Amber Pan has long been interested in shaping environments, and she even earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture with buildings in mind. Yet what she thought was a set path became a detour. “I realized my true passion lies in interior design, which I see as a kind of stage for mise-en-scène,” Pan says. “A space can tell a story with a quiet, almost silent power—you can sense who the main character is just from the details around them.”

Pan had always loved to bring flair to different rooms, but she knew this pursuit was more than a hobby when she purchased her own place and designed it entirely in her own style. She loved doing that for herself, and was confident that it could also resonate with others.

A woman in a white outfit stands against a beige wall in a minimal, warmly lit room with wooden floors, a wooden chair, an Amber Pan on display, and a round hanging light.

Photo: Courtesy Amber Pan

She eventually teamed up with Michelle Song, and the pair founded London-based interior architecture firm Studio ŪMA. In celebration of imperfect beauty, the patina of time is welcomed, not erased. Oxidized metals, weathered wood, and softened edges are embraced rather than discarded, each a record of transformation. Whether it is a residence or a commercial project, Pan balances intention with restraint in places where cultures, histories, and materials meet.

There are many layers to her work, but Pan’s favorite part is the messy, chaotic stage when she can throw ideas around with abandon. Even though there are times of uncertainty, trial and error is essential, and makes the moment of clarity all the more rewarding.

Pan hopes to one day explore how stories are told visually, seeing her aesthetic come to life on the silver screen. “In many ways, interior design and filmmaking share that same language,” she notes. Both are about creating a world through space, light, and composition.”

Today, Amber Pan joins us for Friday Five!

A black Amber Pan upright piano with sheet music stands against a mauve wall, next to a plant, a chair with a mug, and two framed artworks above. A lamp and sheepskin-covered bench are placed in front.

Photo: Yushi Li

1. Bleached Tree Vine

A sculptural remnant of nature, its bleached curves feel both fragile and powerful, grounding the space with an organic sense of time and imperfection.

A minimalist metal sculpture by Amber Pan featuring a long, thin rod and a small shape at the end is displayed on a wooden table against a plain gray wall.

2. Sculpture by Sasa Works

I love the unlikely balance between the delicate metal leaf and the weight of the mining chain on either side; elements you wouldn’t expect to coexist, yet through the varied lengths of the sculpture’s arms, the artist Craig makes them rest in perfect equilibrium.

A modern chair is placed against a pink wall with a textured black artwork by Amber Pan above it. A stack of design and art books sits on the dark wooden floor to the left of the chair.

Photo: Amber Pan

3. Chair by Bořek Šípek

The first designer chair I ever owned, it represents a moment of awakening—where function, emotion, and playful craftsmanship unexpectedly converge.

A lamp with a spiral base by Amber Pan sits on two books, one titled "CHINESE PAINTING," against a wall decorated with white bird and willow branch designs.

Photo: Amber Pan

4. Amsterdam School lamp

With its weighty form and warm glow, it brings a sense of architectural gravity and old-world romance into the room.

Cover of "In Praise of Shadows" by Tanizaki, featuring two white birds, reeds, a dark background, and a moon or sun partially obscured by clouds with an amber pan of light cast across the scene.

5. In Praise of Shadows

A book that continues to shape how I see space, light, and absence, teaching me that what is left unseen often holds the greatest beauty.

Works by Pan

A cozy reading room with tall windows, bookshelves filled with books, wooden chairs, an amber pan on a low table beside books and mugs, and a floor lamp. Sunlight streams softly through sheer curtains.

Photo: Yushi Li

Brook Green Flat
An abstract, painterly apartment within a Victorian building in West London, thoughtfully reimagined to preserve the original bones of the space while introducing a palette drawn from the city itself.

A sunlit sitting area with two wooden armchairs, a sculptural side table, modern lamps, and tall windows with cream shutters is softly illuminated by an amber pan of light.

Photo: Felix Speller

South Kensington Residence
Set within an 1860s Victorian townhouse in South Kensington, the space unfolds as a time capsule where the elegance of the old world converges with contemporary art and detail.

A minimalist living room with two wooden chairs, a low wooden coffee table, a shelf with books and decor, and a large abstract painting featuring warm amber pan tones on the wall.

Photo: Kenneth Lam

Fulham House
Tucked within a classic terraced house beside the Thames in London, the space serves as both the new home and studio of Michelle Song, co-founder of Studio ŪMA; a sanctuary shaped by the spirit of the East where life and work intertwine.

A mid-century wooden desk with scattered papers and stacked books is paired with a fuzzy white chair; an Amber Pan rests nearby as abstract artwork hangs on a mauve wall in a softly lit room.

Photo: Amber Pan

Her Room Breathes showcase with Larry’s List in Shanghai
A special curatorial project set within the historic Guang’er Warehouse, an industrial relic on Suzhou Creek, Shanghai. The showcase asks: what makes this room hers? Taking shape as a living environment where every object participates, the interplay of furniture, lighting, and artworks create a shared skin between human and environment.

Anna Zappia is a New York City-based writer and editor with a passion for textiles, and she can often be found at a fashion exhibit or shopping for more books. Anna writes the Friday Five column, as well as commercial content.

Adblock test (Why?)



from Design MilkInterior Design Ideas for Your Modern Home | Design Milk https://ift.tt/M6bVDKh
via Design Milk

No comments

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )