When lighting designer Laura Premak wants to experience Christmas morning any time of the year, she takes a trip to her factory in the Deep South. There, she can watch coppersmithing artisans create handmade, one-of-a-kind copper lanterns and chandeliers in an age-old process that’s rooted in history.
Coppersmithing has been practiced for thousands of years and is one of the oldest crafts in the world. Not much has changed in the hands-on trade, and Premak has brought the old-world charm and durability of copper lighting to her clients. Her twist on the process—and what makes her copper lanterns so desirable—is that each one is truly one of a kind. She works with homeowners, builders, architects and designers to help them articulate their individual visions for bespoke lighting for their homes. She designs the lights based on her clients’ ideas and has each one handmade in the factory by trained artisans.
“We never resell a custom design,” says Premak. “Even if someone sees and loves one of our designs on social media, we don’t replicate it. It’s an individual homeowner’s vision, and we respect that. No other copper lighting company customizes every order like we do. That’s why the lighting manufacturer calls me the Queen of Custom.”
Even the smallest details, like a finial on a sconce, are customized. “I design and manufacture for homeowners who want a totally unique look, such as a recent Kiawah Island, South Carolina, homeowner who wanted something no one else in her neighborhood had. I sent her inspiration photos and pulled pieces from many different lights to determine what appealed to her. Then we designed a light like no other,” Premak says.
She begins the process by having a conversation with her customer. “They bring an idea, and we discuss it. I determine whether they are looking for ambience, task lighting or safety, and assess where the lantern will be mounted to make sure we design the right scale,” she explains. Premak considers ceiling height, the surroundings and nearby elements, such as shutters and doors, to ensure the size is a perfect fit for the home.
Only a handful of highly trained coppersmiths who are masters of their trade work on each custom light. They have trained for years in order to get into the trusted position of designing a bespoke light for a family, working their way up by designing individual components as they learn the full process. They use historical techniques but are constantly perfecting them with the latest tools and processes. “Each piece is a work of art,” Premak says. “No part of our lanterns are made in China or anywhere else except the USA. We practice the old-fashioned way of coppersmithing, which means that each piece is not perfect and has character, which makes it unique and special. Every light is authentically handcrafted, no part is machine made, and it is ready to be enjoyed for many years.”
All of the company’s creations are made of copper because of the metal’s durability, longevity and imperviousness to harsh outdoor elements. Even though it is resilient, copper is a pliable and moldable metal that is easy to sculpt into any design a homeowner can imagine. “Copper lanterns thrive over time, unlike other metals,” Premak explains. “They stand up against salt water, acid rain and solar rays. They can be cleaned to maintain their luster or allowed to naturally oxidize to a beautiful patina. They are just as striking hanging inside or outside. You can put one of our lights side by side with an imported lantern and see the difference in quality. Others may fall apart in the elements, but ours are custom-built to last.”
Coastal Copper’s artisans also customize the type of glass and the color of each light they produce. Customers can consider options such as seeded, tempered and antique restoration glass. The company can match any fabric or paint swatch to make a color for powder coating a light fixture. “My job is to get people thinking,” Premak says about the design process. “They don’t have to design just what they’ve seen somewhere else. The sky’s the limit.”
Coastal Copper has many repeat customers, which has helped the company reach its current milestone of celebrating a decade in business. “When builders, developers and designers work with us once, they come back,” Premak says.
For customers who need a fast solution, Coastal Copper offers a line of quick-ship lanterns that also are made to order. “We employ simpler metal-cutting techniques to help speed the process. In this way, clients can enjoy a semi-custom copper light with all the durability of a fully custom fixture in just three weeks,” says Premak. The quick-ship program was born during the pandemic, when designers’ overseas products were held up in port and local factories were closed. Premak answered the call for a solution with the new product line, which was received with great fanfare.
Premak has her finger on the pulse of lighting design trends. Even before she launched Coastal Copper, she worked in the lighting industry and developed deep ties with coppersmithing experts over the years. “It used to be that copper lanterns were associated with rustic log cabins, but that couldn’t be further from the truth today. Today’s homeowners are looking for more streamlined, modern lanterns with linear bodies. These transitional styles work very well on both modern and traditional homes,” she says. “In a time where so much is mass-produced, we value what it means for something to be handcrafted. I love helping customers create bespoke lighting from start to finish. Bringing their ideas to life is so rewarding.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.