The Details That Complete a Room
A room can be carefully designed from floor to ceiling and still be defined by something much smaller.
A switch. An outlet. A dimmer.
These are objects we interact with every day, yet they are rarely given the same consideration as furniture, lighting or architectural finishes. Forbes & Lomax approaches these everyday elements differently — treating electrical accessories as part of the interior rather than simply as functional necessities.
The Everyday Object, Reconsidered
There is something interesting about the light switch.
It is one of the most frequently touched objects in a home, but one of the least considered from a design perspective.
Forbes & Lomax was established in 1987 after identifying a gap in the market for elegant electrical accessories inspired by the glass, nickel and brass switches of the 1930s. The company's first major response was The Invisible Lightswitch®, combining a transparent plate with a metal toggle and modern electrical technology. A familiar object became an opportunity for design.
The Wall as a Composition
Walls are more than boundaries. They are surfaces through which colour, texture, artwork, furniture and light establish relationships. A conventional electrical plate can interrupt that composition.
The Invisible Lightswitch® takes another approach. Its transparent acrylic plate sits flush with the wall and allows wallpaper or paint to remain visible behind it, creating a more continuous visual surface. The switch remains present. The wall remains the protagonist.
A Language of Materials
Forbes & Lomax also demonstrates how a small architectural detail can introduce material character. Brass brings warmth. Antique bronze introduces depth. Nickel silver offers a cooler expression. Stainless steel creates a more contemporary note.
The brand's range includes multiple finishes and configurations across switches, dimmers, sockets and other electrical accessories, allowing designers to create continuity throughout an interior. These details may occupy only a few centimetres of a wall. Their contribution to the atmosphere can be much greater.
Function Within the Interior
Electrical accessories are no longer limited to simple on-and-off functions.
Forbes & Lomax also offers momentary switches and controls that can work with lighting systems, home automation and other connected applications.
The evolution is significant. The electrical accessory becomes both interface and design element. It is something that is touched, used and seen — three forms of interaction that demand equal attention.
Crafted Down to the Smallest Detail
Forbes & Lomax continues to handcraft and assemble its plates at its workshop in Battersea, maintaining a direct relationship with the manufacturing process. The company describes its products as designed for longevity and durability, while also introducing recycled materials into parts of its range.
This attention is important because small details are repeated throughout a space. One switch may seem insignificant. A room filled with carefully considered switches feels different.
When Infrastructure Becomes Interior Design
The most successful interiors are rarely defined by a single gesture.
They are built through relationships between elements — architecture, furniture, lighting, materials and the objects we use every day. Forbes & Lomax occupies precisely this space between infrastructure and interior design.
Its products perform an essential function, but they also contribute to how a room looks, feels and is experienced. Because good design does not stop at the walls. Sometimes, it begins with what we touch every day.
Sources & Photos: Forbes & Lomax
