Hypebeast Visits: Tom Sullivan and Habitat’s Lighting Collection
The brand’s senior designer discusses his journey, ethos, and influences behind key pieces.
Following the last “Curated 5” episode featuring Harry Wakefield, founder of furniture curation platform in the corner, who broke down his favorite lighting from Habitat’s collection, we enlist the brand’s senior homeware and lighting designer Tom Sullivan for the latest episode of Hypebeast Visits.
As the brainchild behind many of the brand’s most iconic pieces, Sullivan approaches his creativity from a wholly inclusive lens. Aligned with Habitat’s philosophy of “democratizing design,” he strives to make his work as accessible as possible, viewing this as his primary responsibility as a designer. “How can I take a product that’s beautiful and make it more accessible without hampering the quality,” he explains. “You don’t need to be a design purist to appreciate beautiful design.”
Design is one of the few crafts applied to all aspects of daily life, and understanding the infinite possibilities behind “this powerful tool” helps realize that inspiration is everywhere – all that’s needed is to be vigilant of your surroundings. So, whether travel, hospitality, or researching craftsmanship from global cultures, Sullivan is “never switched off” when it comes to analyzing and appreciating his environment.
“What I’d like to be remembered for is accessibility and longevity. I don’t think design should be elitist, design is for all — everyone should be able to have something they love and that’s well thought-out.”
Possessing a passion for illustration, his journey into product design began once he saw his favorite artists diversifying their craft and translating their signature aesthetic into various mediums where “that’s how their graphics almost came alive.” Having worked on a range of homeware and soft furnishings for Habitat over the years, it was by chance that he found his calling in the lighting division. Not only did taking on a new challenge attract Sullivan to the discipline, but also past influential eras, freedom in material experimentation, and how it can provide a unique ambiance like no other homeware object. “I’ve never loved an area as much as lighting,” he says, “I feel comfortable and at home designing lighting that’s my final place.”
Given the importance he holds to functionality, designing lights was the ultimate form of function where “every light serves a different purpose in a home.” This versatility in both use and aesthetics, as well as the ability to impact a room, gives him ample opportunity to explore his creativity without limitations.
Whether it’s being enlisted as one of the designers for Habitat’s 60th-anniversary collection or leading the Morris & Co. collaboration, Sullivan’s resume speaks for itself. And it’s his ingenuity, vast knowledge, and reference pools that have propelled his journey’s success.
“It’s more impactful than you might realize. If you’ve got the right lighting in your environment, it can make or break a room.”
Hypebeast: What was your entrance into the world of design?
Tom Sullivan: I was first interested in graffiti artists and how they relayed their work from a canvas to a wall, then how they then translated that into products like vinyl figures and other items — that’s how their graphics almost came alive. It’s when it all started kicking in, that was the hook into product design for me.
What makes lighting different from any other product you’ve designed?
It’s a functional feature. Every light has a different output; you can have an ambient light which sets a mood, a task light that helps you focus, decorative lights, and uplighting that make a room look bigger.
There are three things that attracted me to it. One: I love a functional product, two; it makes a room, and three; it’s just impactful. It’s more impactful than you might realize. If you’ve got the right lighting in your environment, it can make or break a room — it’s a really thought-out area.
How would you describe your design ethos?
What I’d like to be remembered for is accessibility and longevity. I don’t think design should be elitist, design is for all — everyone should be able to have something they love and that’s well thought-out.
“The great thing about [mid century design] is longevity. That’s what furniture is, you want it to last because it’s a considered purchase. I’ve definitely taken inspiration from the products of that era.”
What era was a defining moment for you?
As a designer, you’re never switched off, I take inspiration everywhere. Art Deco buildings are great to look at – through structures, lines, angles, even how light emits through windows, you can really take inspiration from those sorts of things.
Mid-century is also close to my heart. There’s something about the way they played with materials in that era that was groundbreaking. The forms that were relevant then are still very much here now and work in a modern contemporary environment. They did something right, the great thing about it is longevity. That’s what furniture is, you want it to last because it’s a considered purchase, you want to know that it can live in your room for years. I’ve definitely taken inspiration from the longevity of products from that era – it shines through.
Where have you taken inspiration from over the years?
I love music. It’s a mood lifter and I feel lighting does a similar job. I’m really lucky that I also get to travel quite a lot for my job. The architecture, designs, and just how different continents and cultures do things differently — it’s so inspiring. For example, if you look at Japanese rice paper lanterns, they’ve been around for hundreds of years and still look great. The craftsmanship that comes out of different countries is amazing.
In college, mixed media artist Jasper Goodall was someone I looked up to a lot. I can still see the influence now 20 years later, just utilized in a completely different way, especially how I try to play with and adapt materials to see what will work together.
“The archive is definitely becoming more influential […] Longevity is a key part of it and some products have been in the range for many years.”
Talk us through your design process when conceptualizing a new product.
I still like using pen and paper, and I love the research side of creating. Everything I do needs to be well thought-out and considered, so I take the time to do that. I also like talking about my ideas – the interaction and teamwork aspect — I’m not a solo guy. I’m a part of a team and I need the bounce back.
I also like to know the parameters of what I’m working with. I work in a commercial environment, sometimes there are price tags attributed to products. It’s very much dependent on the task, if someone says we need a new table lamp but it’s got to be £40 GBP, or if someone said fill your boots, do what you want to do — they’re two very different missions, and I know what I can do for one versus what I can’t do for others. For the Portobello Lamp from the 60th anniversary collection, for example, I wanted to take something from the archives, update it and put my spin on it — I knew exactly what the end result was going to be from the beginning.
How does Habitat’s archives play a part in your work?
I quite like the term reimagined, and the archive is definitely becoming more influential. It’s proving to resonate with customers well, especially following the success of the 60th anniversary collection. Longevity is a key part of it and some products have been in the range for many years, so the archive is always a great place to start to think about What materials were they using? What sizes were they making things? What colors were they playing with?
Your work spans a variety of influences, how do you balance the different styles in your designs?
I’m in a position where I know that I’ve got multiple customer preferences to look after and it’s not a one-size-fits-all, everyone has different tastes and it’s making sure that all of our customers have something they want to take home and love. It’s always about covering all bases with our product offering.
“One thing Habitat does is value design. I feel listened to and valued, and having your voice heard is so important.”
Highlights of your career?
The deeper I can go on something, the more fulfilled I feel. If I can get into the skin and bone of a task, I’ll always appreciate it more because it’s been a process of love and hate.
I’m so grateful to have worked on the 60th collection in particular. It was an amazing experience and looking back at all the things I’ve done in my career, it really stands out. The storytelling made it so special. But the great thing is that new projects always top previous ones. It’s never-ending.
What were the main influences behind some of the latest Habitat collections?
There was a time around five to 10 years ago when chrome was king. Now, it’s changed and more people are looking into brass. Marble has also come back around. It’s quite a luxurious material, and just the right amount in a home works well.
With other pieces like the 60th-anniversary collection, it stays quite true to the roots of mid-century design. The color palette is primary so you see more work on hypergloss red. We took a slightly different approach for the Morris & Co collaboration, however, because we had an amazing brand to work with. It was two heritage British brands coming together and the primary research consisted of going to the Morris houses so the task was very different.
How do you keep your designs fresh and complementary to a contemporary consumer?
Travel. Getting out, seeing things, and challenging ourselves. As a design team, it’s really communal, we’re like a family, we bounce ideas back and forth, challenge each other respectfully, and work closely together. There’s also always that little bit of your own personality coming through in products too. One thing Habitat does is value design. I feel listened to and valued, and having your voice heard is so important.
Where do you see the future of Habitat’s light and homeware division heading?
Bigger, braver, and carrying on with the mission of democratizing design and making it accessible. That’s what is important to me. Being bold, taking risks, and making sure that everyone can get a part of that if they want to.
To explore and shop Habitat’s latest lighting and homeware ranges, check out the brand’s website now.
