Who knew that a man named “Pavel” could be so subtle and elegant. Owing, in large measure, to the new craze for functional exercise, that name is forever connected in my mind to the “hard-style” Russian pastime of lifting solid iron “kettlebells,” as the sport’s self-appointed guru is one Pavel Tsatsouline. Perhaps the inverse of those heat-forged implements of manliness, the most auspicious of the many materials of Pavel Eekra—creator of the Crimean Pinecone Lamp—are the piece’s semi-transparent veneers of natural maple. These wooden scales are cut so very thin that they stop just short of transparent, yet they’re perfectly sufficient to let the lovely illuminations shine through.

Crimean Pinecone Lamp. Designed by Pavel Eekra.

Count the Many Ways the Pinecone Lamp will Beautify Your Space

Just as with its organic antecedent, your curiosity may tempt you into trying to unpeel the Pinecone Lamp to decipher the secret of its assembly. And likewise, any such attempt is doubtless doomed to failure. The material and aesthetic integrity of both Pinecones hinges on the relationship of each of the 56 wooden plates to each. Very like the inscrutable artichoke as well, Crimean Pinceone functions “without an internal skeleton due to rounding forms… the plates form gaps through which light passes, and the boards themselves are also slightly transparent… this creates a particular pattern of light from the outside and downward.”

The overlapping shakes of maple also establish an unusual and elegant ambiance that, on the one hand, reminds me of a vintage wood-paneled and irresistibly rustic cabin from the 1970s and, on the other, of a new breed of rough/country millennial chic. Either way, Pavel’s Pinecone has a modern feel with a mid-century appeal. You’ll find it brightens your space with practiced aplomb.

Via Yanko.

About the Manufacturer: Pavel Eekra, designer and founder of Moscow’s Eekra studio has at his disposal a quite impressive arsenal for creating his burgeoning portfolio of lighting and art. Eekra employs lasers, CNC cutting, conceptual forming, and “also by hand.” The designer’s output is diverse. From the utilitarian sculpture of the metal and plastic “Techno Planet” to the absolutely organic experimentation of “Maple Gradient” to the refined appeal of “Crimean Pinecone,” Eekra clearly has a lot on his creative and conceptual plate and, lucky for us, there’s sure to be much more to come.