We have been editing since 1985, when the company was first founded. Editing means preparing a work (often someone else’s product) for publication, just as at a book publisher does, but in our case, we also ‘edit’ objects. Based on a process of reflection, we select, produce, protect and distribute furniture and lighting products that we are excited to welcome into the Santa & Cole family and with which we are proud to co-exist at home, in a hotel or at the workplace. We believe that an editor’s greatness resides, not in its powerful corporate scale, but in the quality of its product catalogue. Over a period of thirty-five years, more than eighty creators have contributed to a rich catalogue of products originating in very different contexts, by renowned designers such as Miguel Milá or Ilmari Tapiovaara. Our focus is not the present market, but the future one; not Barcelona, but the world; not fashion, but history.

All the products we edit answer a question or respond to a need, and each one stands by its response. We begin with an intellectual process consisting of reflective enquiry and selection of ideas, and we then seek the very best designers to implement them. The next step is to choose the most suitable materials and processes for each case and to identify the industrial craftsmen, primarily in Spain, best suited to produce the pieces. Having our suppliers nearby enables us to ensure uncompromising quality of craftsmanship.

Our goal at Santa & Cole is to provide our authors with a stimulating environment, technical support, conceptual discussion and constructive criticism so that, together, we can supply products that provide good solutions and further our mission, which is to offer the world well-designed products that improve our day-to-day lives.

Santa & Cole was founded by Javier Nieto Santa, Gabriel Ordeig Cole and myself in 1985, during a decade of upheaval in Spain when anything seemed possible in the wake of the dictatorship. The early days, creating unique lamps for some of Barcelona’s most famous bars, soon led to commissions to light the homes of regular patrons of some of those venues. At a time when halogen lamps (cool to the touch, with a bluish light) were all the rage, Santa & Cole advocated the use of natural materials like wood, stitched cardboard or ribbons. It was a transition from cold technology to human warmth. Since LED lighting stormed onto the scene at the dawn of the 21st century, we have continued our quest for light that enhances the beauty of objects, shadows and people. We remain committed to creating ambiences and moods, night and day, that serve to improve habitability at home or elsewhere.

We believe craftsmanship is the best instrument to obtain a solution that is not harsh or gaudy. In this case, craftsmanship is wedded to industry by means of hands that are not desensitised by repetition, and we prioritise proximity production. At Santa & Cole we are believers of serial manufacturing and handcrafted products. Examples of industrial design include the porcelain of our Cirio lamp, the ribboned screen of Trípode or the flexible cherry wood structure of Cesta, indispensable details to offer users the right experience. It is precisely these details that evidence the skill of the craftspeople who lovingly tease out each object, something quite out of reach for a machine alone.

People and objects meet around light. Light creates spaces, arranges them, structures them, even enables them. Editing lamps means fostering ways of life; thinking about light is thinking about how we live. Good lighting enhances your comfort, is more relaxing, and nurtures good conversation; it can improve your work day, or help you see yourself as more attractive. At Santa & Cole, we reflect on the great influence of artificial light in everyday life, its effect on spaces and people.

We are delighted with how well Tekiò is being received internationally. London-based designer Anthony Dickens’ inspiration for this piece were traditional washi Japanese paper lanterns. Tekiò combines aged-old craft techniques with warm dimming LED technology; it is a contrast between the ancestral and the avant-garde, using highly technical structures covered with paper made by hand in Japan. The result is a unique object that is welcoming and invites contemplation.

Our catalogue comprises a range of objects of highly diverse origins and uses that share an approach to design that reflects a particular way of life. Lighting pieces that move us and accompany us, such as Lámina. We chose this system for our own offices due to its formal clarity and general light, which does not cast shadows. Lámina is a system that advocates the benefits of reflected light with simple, obvious forms that hide nothing and show everything. It is a pendant lamp that is not designed to dazzle.

We would like to convey our concept of comfort, our philosophy, to people who do not yet know us, by means of our catalogue. And our aim is to continue with the same passion as ever, editing the objects that identify us.