The Faraway Tree Collection by willowlamp
Architectural interiors are experienced through movement. We read space vertically as our eyes travel upward, horizontally as we move laterally through rooms, and at the edges where walls, thresholds and circulation paths define how a space is navigated. Sculptural lighting design becomes most powerful when it responds to all three dimensions, allowing light to participate in the architecture rather than simply occupy it.
The Faraway Tree collection by willowlamp was developed with this spatial understanding at its core. Originating as a single chandelier inspired by the fantasy world of Enid Blyton, the collection has evolved into a family of lighting forms that address height, spread and proximity through related sculptural language. The result is a system of chandeliers and wall sconces that can be specified together to create a cohesive architectural lighting narrative.
The Faraway Tree as the Origin of a Sculptural System
The original Faraway Tree chandelier marked the beginning of the collection and established its defining characteristics. Inspired by the bowing branches of a forest canopy, the design blends nature-referenced form with architectural graphic clarity. Branches appear to bend poetically under the weight of fine metal ball chain, creating a sense of gravity and movement.
Illuminated from below by a concealed light source housed within a suspended uplighter dish, the chandelier casts dramatic branch-like shadows onto surrounding surfaces. The effect recalls dappled light filtering through trees, introducing atmosphere and depth without relying on brightness.
Available in standard chandelier diameters of 500mm, 700mm and 1000mm, as well as a wall sconce format at 450mm diameter, the original Faraway Tree established a versatile design language capable of moving between ceiling-mounted volume and wall-mounted edge conditions.
Horizontal Definition and the Elongated Faraway Tree
The Elongated Faraway Tree represents an evolution of the original round form into a horizontally orientated composition. Designed by Adam Hoets in 2009, this version responds directly to open-plan architectural environments where spatial definition is required without enclosure.
Horizontally elongated sculptural lighting plays a pivotal role in defining specific zones within large interiors, particularly dining areas, boardrooms and communal tables. The Elongated Faraway Tree performs this function through proportion rather than brightness. Its linear span establishes a clear spatial boundary beneath it, anchoring activity while allowing the surrounding space to remain open and connected.
Constructed from metallic ball chain and an intricate laser-cut steel framework, the chandelier casts a layered interplay of light and shadow in all directions. Three clusters of lamps, each housed within suspended glass spheres, introduce points of visual focus along the length of the piece. This distributed illumination enhances the sense of rhythm and movement, producing a lighting atmosphere that feels living rather than static.
The Elongated Faraway Tree is available as a suspended 1600 x 700 configuration and can be customised in finish and detailing to respond to interior material palettes. Its horizontal emphasis makes it particularly effective where architectural plans require clarity of function without visual separation.
Vertical Volume and the Enchanted Faraway Tree
Where the Elongated Faraway Tree extends across space, the Enchanted Faraway Tree occupies volume through height. Designed by Adam Hoets in 2011, this multiple-tiered sculptural chandelier transforms the Faraway Tree concept into a suspended mobile that engages fully with vertical architectural space.
Crafted from bowing, counterbalancing branches that hang from a central trunk, the Enchanted Faraway Tree introduces a sense of suspension and movement. The design is illuminated by two concealed electrical systems: hidden lamps positioned at the nodes between branches, and a suspended uplighter dish that washes light upward. Together, these elements create a dynamic play of light and shadow across the ceiling, extending the chandelier’s presence beyond its physical form.
Available in clusters of four, eight or twelve tiers, with a standard diameter of 1000mm and customisable drop lengths, the Enchanted Faraway Tree is suited to grand interiors such as hotel lobbies, atria and double-volume staircases. Its tiered structure allows light to be read sequentially as the eye moves upward, reinforcing height and spatial continuity.
Rather than dominating a space, the Enchanted Faraway Tree animates it, allowing architecture, light and shadow to interact continuously.
Edge Conditions and Faraway Tree Wall Sconces
While chandeliers define volume, wall sconces articulate the edges of space. The Faraway Tree wall sconce, derived from the original chandelier form, allows the collection’s sculptural language to extend into circulation routes, corridors and transitional areas.
Mounted at eye level, the sconce offers a more intimate encounter with the design. Light grazes surfaces laterally, enhancing texture and materiality along walls. Used rhythmically, wall sconces establish continuity between spaces, linking ceiling-mounted installations with the human scale.
Available at a 450mm diameter, the Faraway Tree wall sconce allows designers to maintain a consistent visual language throughout an interior, ensuring that lighting feels intentional rather than episodic.
A Core Collection with Architectural Adaptability
Across all its iterations, the Faraway Tree collection exemplifies willowlamp’s approach to design through a strong core collection. Each piece is fully resolved in form, structure and material logic, providing a stable foundation for specification.
Within this framework, customisation occurs in response to project requirements. Diameter, length, tier configuration, drop height and finish selection can all be adapted without compromising the integrity of the design. This allows Faraway Tree to function as a system rather than a singular statement, responding coherently to varied architectural conditions.
View an example of a custom 16 Tier chandelier here.
For architects and interior designers, this approach offers clarity and flexibility. Lighting can be specified as part of the architectural concept, confident that it will integrate proportionally and atmospherically across different spatial conditions.
Sculptural Lighting as Spatial Continuity
Taken together, the Faraway Tree chandelier, its elongated and multi-tiered evolutions, and the wall sconce form a continuous lighting language. Vertical descent, horizontal spread and edge articulation work in concert to shape how space is perceived and experienced.
Rather than relying on repetition of identical fixtures, the collection allows variation within consistency. Light moves through space with intention, reinforcing architecture rather than competing with it.
Specify the Faraway Tree Collection
The Faraway Tree collection demonstrates how sculptural lighting design can operate across vertical and horizontal dimensions while maintaining material and conceptual continuity.
To discuss Elongated Faraway Tree, Enchanted Faraway Tree, original Faraway Tree chandeliers or wall sconces, as well as scale, finish and custom configuration options, please get in touch.
Email us:
✉️ info@willowlamp.com