Cleonice Travertine Pendant Light

Three materials in one fitting is usually one too many, and this pendant avoids that by giving each a clear job. Travertine provides the weight and the texture, wood supplies the warmth and the join between the parts, and frosted glass does nothing decorative at all except hold and soften the light. Nothing is there twice.

Travertine is the element that carries the piece. Its natural pitting means every stone section differs slightly, so the fitting you receive is not identical to the photograph, and the surface catches light along its pores rather than reflecting it flatly. That gives an architectural presence a moulded shade cannot match, particularly when hung low over a table where it is seen close up.

The frosted diffuser produces a gentle ambient glow instead of a directed beam, which suits a dining room, a bedroom or a quiet living space. Stone is heavy, so use a ceiling fixing rated for the load rather than a standard plasterboard anchor. Dust it with a dry cloth, keep detergents off the porous stone since marks can be permanent, and have it installed by a qualified electrician. A warm low-wattage bulb behind the diffuser suits the stone better than a bright cool one, which flattens the natural texture. Hung as a single piece it reads as sculpture; hung in a pair it reads as a scheme.

• Materials: Travertine stone, solid wood, frosted glass
• Light: Gentle diffused ambient glow
• Character: Natural stone variation on every piece
• Style: Minimalist architectural
• Use: Dining room, bedroom, living space
• Note: Heavy fitting, use a load-rated ceiling fixing
• Care: Dry cloth only, no detergents on stone
• Installation: Hardwired, qualified electrician