Coastal Inspirations with Tom Raffield
The natural beauty and spirit of Cornwall lie at the heart of every design created and crafted here at Tom Raffield. From the weathered cliffs and breathtaking Atlantic views to the textured heathlands and diverse woodland, the Cornish coast offers an endless source of inspiration.
We sat down with our Founder and Creative Director, Tom Raffield, to discover how his love for Cornwall influences his craft and inspires the design process.
How does the beauty of the Cornish coast inspire your designs and shape the creative process?
As a company, we take inspiration from natural formations. Our creativity can stem from anything – a piece of seaweed or an angle of a tree growing in the wild. I love walking in the countryside and am forever seeing new shapes and lines within nature, which feed into my work.
Our new Cove Lighting Range is a perfect example, featuring reimagined designs in colours inspired by the Cornish coves, from coastal sunsets to scattered seashells.
The organic shapes of the Cornish coastline and natural world are woven into every one of our designs. You’ll find the barrel of a breaking wave in our Drift Pendant, or the flowing forms found beneath the surface of the ocean in our Shoal Lighting designs. Each light is crafted to evoke a sense of tranquility.
I love nothing more than finding a quiet spot, then taking pen to paper, and sketching my ideas by hand. It’s the beginning of the journey for each design before it comes to life in 3D. Knowing that our designs are inspired by the beauty of nature, found right on our doorstep, is incredibly fulfilling.
How does steam bending and careful material sourcing shape your design process?
Creating our entire product range sustainably from sustainably sourced wood allows us to experiment freely and showcase the inspiration behind our ideas. Our process starts with selecting the right type of wood - often oak, ash, or walnut. These hardwoods have both strength and flexibility, making them ideal for crafting with. Wood is incredibly pliable and flexible when steam-bent, making the possibilities for design truly endless and unique.
Steam bending is a slow process, and at times can be a little unpredictable and labour-intensive. However, the low-energy and sustainable method of manipulating wood with no nasty glues and very low levels of wastage ticks all our boxes.
Using this eco-friendly method, we create unique pieces that will become heirlooms of the future. The artistry in our work is that the handcrafted shapes mean that no two curves are ever the same, and that’s the beauty of it.
How does life and work in Cornwall inspire your commitment to planet-friendly design?
Being fortunate enough to live in Cornwall means I’m constantly surrounded by nature, the rugged coast, vast woodlands, and green fields – and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Walking on the beach, building dens with my children in the woods or going for a swim or paddle boarding in the sea are all pursuits that make me feel connected to nature and allow me to recharge. It’s so important to every aspect of my life – in work and play! I truly believe we have it all here. I think that’s what makes Cornwall so special. There’s a lot of history, art and beauty, combined with what is a remarkable area to live in.
These simple pleasures are something that shouldn't be taken for granted, which is why sustainability is deeply important to me, and it’s echoed in everything we do at Tom Raffield. We all need to do our part, however small, to protect what we have and to prevent more irreversible damage.
Not forgetting, as a team, we love nothing more than getting involved with local beach cleans and tree planting activities, it’s truly part of who we are!
Posted: 15.08.25