Our Story…
Jake Smith and Sunae Reilly are the creative couple behind Found and Forged Lighting Co. The couple, from Woodburn, NSW, have a passion for rustic and industrial design, drawing from the natural environment around their home, which is situated where bush meets coast, for inspiration.
The design of their lights is a collaborative process, which often begins with finding an interesting piece of wood on their daily walks with their dog, Lou. Jake and Sunae swap ideas, and draw up designs together, before Jake begins fabricating the pieces in their home workshop, with Sunae picking finishing touches, and handling the business side of things.
Jake draws on his knowledge and experience as an electrician to assist in the fabrication process, and in understanding the finer points of lighting design, while Sunae draws on her interest in interior design for her contributions.
Each Found and Forged piece is completely unique, as no two pieces of wood have the same features, even if cut from the same log. Lighting from Found and Forged Lighting Co. is sure to be a conversation starter in your home.
Where it started…
After the 2022 Flood in the Northern Rivers, a lone glass pendant light was one of the only things intact in Jake and Sunae’s home… Until they smashed it while removing their swollen doors in the strip out. When they were finally ready to move back into their home 6 months later, they looked at the bare bulb hanging in the hallway and wondered, what should they do? Replace the whole light? Buy a new shade? They’d been salvaging logs washed up on the beach in the aftermath of the flood, for creative projects for a while at this point, and that’s when they decided that they’d make a shade out of a hollowed log in the interim, while they decided what to do.
It suited the rustic/industrial style of their home so well, that it ended up being a permanent fixture, and the first prototype of their signature cut long pendant lights. With a little bit of refining of the design and fabrication techniques, one year later, Found and Forged was born!
They’ve continued to use wood salvaged from the flood in their first run of lighting available for sale, all seasoned and treated appropriately for use. Making something beautiful from the tragedy they experienced has given Jake and Sunae a creative outlet that is helping in their recovery process.
