Article: MEET DINA PATEL - Founder of Hue & Shades
MEET DINA PATEL - Founder of Hue & Shades
MEET DINA PATEL - Founder of Hue & Shades
I first discovered Dina’s work during a styling project, where her handwoven lampshades instantly elevated the space with their subtle play of colour, light, and texture.
Since then, I’ve had the joy of collaborating with her on two bespoke shades , both “Sorbet Stripe” and “Tutti Frutti” are custom-designed to reflect the vibrant, colour-rich identity of The Forever Curates.
Her brand, Hue & Shades, is a celebration of craftsmanship, colour and slow design — meticulously handwoven in her Surrey studio using natural and recycled yarns.
I’m thrilled to share more about her creative process and inspirations in this Q&A.
Q. HUE & SHADES BEGAN WITH A SALVAGED LAMPSHADE AND A CREATIVE SPARK- WHAT DREW YOU TO LAMPSHADE MAKING IN THE FIRST PLACE ?
A : I grew up surrounded by making — learning sewing, patchwork, and crochet from my grandmother (and other women in the community), and watching my mum create entire outfits for school events. That early influence gave me a lifelong love of hands-on craft.
After having children, I felt a strong pull to step away from screens and return to those skills, creating things that could be cherished for years. The lampshade part happened almost by accident — I spotted an old frame with its fabric falling apart, grabbed some yarn, and made something for my kids’ bedroom. From there, I didn’t lose interest — I only grew more excited by the possibilities.
From there, I’ll sketch ideas and work with frame makers to figure out what’s possible in production. But honestly, a lot of it is quite organic — you have to trust the process and see where it takes you. Not every idea works in real life the way it does in your head, but even those “failures” often spark something new, and that’s part of the fun.
Q. YOU'VE SPOKEN ABOUT USING RECYCLED AND NATURAL YARNS - WHAT ROLE DOES SUSTAINABILITY PLAY IN YOUR PROCESS AND SOURCING?
A. Sustainability has always been important to me, though I think it’s less about being “all or nothing” and more about doing what you can, where you can. That’s why I love upcycling old frames and sourcing remnants or leftover yarn — things that bigger companies don’t want but smaller makers can reimagine.
I was lucky to find a recycled yarn supplier near my parents, and once I started experimenting with it, I fell in love with its texture and versatility. It’s become a core part of my process.
Q. HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE DESIGN INDUSTR SHAPED THE WAY YOU APPROACH YOUR CRAFT TODAY?
A. Working in design has meant the things like colour, form and light play a huge amount in the way I will visualise a piece. My work has always had a very harmonious feel and I think this shows even with my bolder lampshade combinations.
With a background in design it means making string lampshades isn’t just about making string lampshades. It’s about solving problems, creating mood, presence and balance in spaces that work. Sometimes interior designers will come to me with an exact idea of what they want, but most of the time customers don’t know and it’s about solving their lighting needs.
Q. YOUR LAMPSHADES HAVE EMOTIONAL RESONANCE - HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL WHEN THEY SWITCH ONE ON IN THEIR SPACE ?
A. Choosing items for your home isn’t about curating a picture perfect look. Its about creating a joyful environment that echoes people’s individual personalities. Its a place that should feel safe and warm when people can be themselves. As such I want their lampshades to echo that, a feeling of personal colour and cosy warmth, creating the right mood in a home that is inherently their own and nobody elses.
Q. TELL US ABOUT YOUR SET UP IN SURREY - WHAT IS YOU MAKING ENVIRONMENT LIKE, AND WHAT RITUALS KEEP YOU GROUNDED CREATIVELY?
A. My environment has been interesting to say the least this last year. We had to move most of our belongings out of downstairs which flooded in 2024 to upstairs. So my space has been quite cramped and chaotic for my liking! I’ve found this last year whilst not having the most efficient setup it’s good to take space and time to get out, refresh and reset. Inspiration is never usually in your four walls and just taking that time out to be present with people and things around you really helps to reboost your creativity.
Q. WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR MOST MEANINGFUL COLLABS / COMMISSIONS SO FAR.
A. My most meaningful collaboration was very early on when I started making shades. When a client reached out to me she didn’t know what she wanted at all. After a short discussion we realised she really wanted to embrace the entire recycled concept as it really aligned with her values. She had wall lights already and posted them to my studio where I took them apart and reimagined them with a bespoke colour way. Being one of the early shades I made its was really meaningful, but also realising how I helped understand and shape her vision.
Q. AND FINALLY - WHAT IS NEXT FOR HUE & SHADES? ANY COLOURS< MATERIALS OR IDEAS, YOU ARE EXCITED TO EXPLORE IN THE COMING MONTHS?
A.Recently I’ve been exploring some new designs with a batch of remnants I found. It will be an exciting limited edited set of Geo shades. I also want to keep experimenting with yarn and sculptural shapes more. And finally I really want to look at collaborations with other designers, I think the best work comes from working with other incredibly talented people, and I’d love to see what we could create.
THANK YOU SO MUCH DINA! It's been such a pleasure to find out more about your background and processes behind Hue & Shades xxx