Our craft competences
Workshops in Brussels
At the beginning of the 1980s, Stéphane Davidts set up his workshops in the old Saint-Job neighborhood of Uccle. Little by little, his company made its name in the interior design sector by providing technical assistance in the manufacture of lighting fixtures and lampshades.
In 1991, the workshops were definitively established on the chaussée de Waterloo, on the edge of the Bois de la Cambre, a unique and unmissable site in the south of Brussels, famous for its beautiful surroundings.
The company is located in a former copper workshop, a producer of copper and brass art objects. The workshops are much larger, easier to access and, above all, the many techniques on site, mastered by experienced craftsmen, offer new production opportunities.
The skills of the new team and the design of Stéphane Davidts have led to the creation of a new range of lighting fixtures with contemporary and clean lines, combining all these invaluable craft traditions. The Lighting Collection was born.
A unique metal
All lamps are made of brass, a copper-based alloy, ideal for creating the most beautiful metal objects. Since the Bronze Age, this yellow metal has never ceased to fascinate, not only because of its color, but also because of the subtlety of its transformation and the variety of applications it offers. It is an added value in itself.
The experience of our employees has taught us a love and passion for this metal, and each element of a luminaire is made by hand. The whole company shares the traditional values that transform and embellish this metal: from cutting to threading, from turning to tapping, from embossing to welding, from patina to any other finish. Each step gives our lighting fixtures a precision and "top of the range" quality, far superior to any other "industrial" production.
Values and skills that which are precious to us
People are at the heart of our company. The work in our workshops is traditional and conventional. The irreplaceable hands, the techniques learned by the elders and passed on to the young, and the skill of our faithful employees, sublimate all materials with respect. This is reflected in the quality and precision of each of our creations.
Each component of our lighting fixtures is designed and manufactured by our craftsmen. It is a collection they are very proud of. This gives them a lot of pride and motivation.
Brass repousse work
One of their skills is brass repousse work. This practice is very old. Carried out on a lathe, similar in appearance to a wood turning lathe, brass embossing consists of progressively deforming a sheet metal disc a few tenths of a millimetre thick to fit the shape of a mandrel that is wedged against the disc. The mould is a solid tool placed on the lathe and has the exact shape of the part to be obtained.
Once the lathe is running, the craftsman applies pressure on the disc to deform it, in a back and forth movement, with a tool with a rounded end, resting on a stop placed in front of the lathe. To deform the metal, the craftsman needs a lot of strength, which he draws from his arm muscles. He manages to increase his thrust and keep his balance by pushing his whole body on a large leather strap placed on his back and attached to his machine.
When the brass deforms, the spinning causes the metal to harden. The metal then has to be annealed to make its mechanical properties softer again. Annealing is achieved by raising the temperature of the metal to 850°C with a propane gas torch. For large parts, several intermediate anneals are necessary to repousse the brass.
Silver brazing
One of their skills is silver brazing. Soldering is a joining technique widely used in the work of luminaires but also in jewellery making.
This assembly process establishes a metallic solder between two brass parts with a filler metal. This soldering is carried out with the help of a silver alloy, which is present in soldering rods. The silver melts at a slightly lower temperature than the brass.
The welder first heats the brass parts in the area to be brazed with a torch. When the temperature of the metal is close to 800°C, the silver brazing rod is brought close to the brass: the silver melts and the parts are joined together by capillary action.
The flame of the torch is fed by a clever mixture of acetylene and oxygen and the brazing is carried out at temperatures between 800 and 1100°C.
You can discover this technique in the video shot in our workshops and online on our homepage.
Various metal finishes
The Lighting Collection offers a wide range of metal finishes: bronze, satin brass, nickel, chrome or white and structured black. The Lighting Collection owes its reputation in this field to a few teams of craftsmen who are particularly skilled in the execution of these beautiful finishes.
Prior to the application of the finish, all metal parts of our luminaires are prepared by the polisher. He will start by sanding with an abrasive belt to remove all manufacturing scratches and excess silver solder. To give them a mat appearance, he will brush them with a rotating brush.
Next, a team of bronziers applies the different patinas on the brass: brushed bronze or light bronze. By electrolysis, chrome or nickel is deposited on the brass.
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For obtain a mirror-polished appearance, the polisher polishes on a cloth pad placed on a lathe at very high speed (3,000 rpm). The pad is coated with a special paste, the high speed and the heat generated give the brass a smooth, bright and shiny finish.
The varnisher finishes all brass parts with a protective varnish to preserve them from oxidation.
Handmade lampshades
One of our skills is the making of the lampshades that adorn most of the Lighting Collection. In a vast and luminous workshop, certainly the most beautiful and most efficient in Belgium, a motivated and experienced team makes and produces a large number of lampshades with care and attention to detail.
Pencil tracing and scissor cutting allow any lampshade template to be reproduced in a roll of fabric. With a choice of 1.000 different templates (shapes and sizes) and more than 180 references of materials and colors, the possibilities are many and varied.
The lampshades are then measured, glued and mounted on metal structures. A wide range of shapes and sizes are feasible.
To finish the lampshades, the fabrics are edged with a fine edging of tone-on-tone fabric. The glues are applied with a roller or a brush and all the fabrics and edging are glued by hand.
In the same workshop, we cover the interior or exterior of lampshades with gold leaf. The gold-leafed lampshades give a luxurious, high-end look to your luminaire.
The lampshades are truly "handmade", giving them a finish of unique precision. They give the Lighting Collection a unique decorative touch. A wide range of materials, fabrics and colors are offered with subtlety and style.
Designer of lighting fixtures
Stéphane DAVIDTS is a designer of exclusive lighting fixtures and is known for the excellence of his suspensions, floor and table lights, his wall lights, reading lights, painting lights and spotlights. A pure, recognizable design with a timeless style.
The keys to success: a creation in phase with the needs of the customers, a careful selection of the raw materials and a total control of the manufacturing process.
In his workshops, Stéphane DAVIDTS relies on the know-how of his employees, but he also provides them with the best contemporary tools to continue creating and proposing new creations.
The "handmade" lampshades give the Lighting Collection a unique "decorative" touch. Stéphane Davidts integrates a wide range of materials and subtle, stylish colors.
These are the considerable assets of the Lighting Collection. Discover some of the most beautiful creations by visiting the website or browsing through the catalogue.
Other achievements
We work closely with many professionals in the field of decoration. Together, we realize lighting for various projects: hotels, restaurants, private homes, public buildings, etc.
In our workshops, the design and implementation of these lamps are carried out in consultation with the customer and faithfully meet his wishes. To illuminate new living spaces, the customer's request is accompanied by a complete service, combined with a total control of the production process and a meticulous selection of high-quality raw materials.
These are further assets for these 100% Belgian luminaires, which are highly appreciated worldwide by demanding customers, decorators, interior designers and designers.
The Stéphane Davidts luminaire that you buy will be a pleasure to look at and will remain an excellent choice for many years to come.