Any manufacturer with a name as odd, intriguing, whimsical, and downright unpredictable as “whyrHymer” must put their money where their mouth is, so to speak. So I’d expect nothing less from whyrHymer principal and lead designer Brandon Morrison than the eclectic Manhattan Series no. 5 Pendant Light. This appealing pendulous spectacle is comprised of black walnut, blackened bronze hardware, and a nickel-plated shade.

Manhattan Series no. 5 Pendant Light. Designed by Brandon Morrison. Manufactured by whyrHymer.

whyrHymer’s Manhattan Series Pendant is a Spectacular Spectacle

The Manhattan Series #5 Pendant requires a bit of analytical deconstructing. At first glance, the piece might appear a bit disconnected—not least because the three distinct materials are so alluring in their own right—but once the observer takes in the whole, he/she is sure to grasp the subtle connections that link the whole.

The circular flush-mount of solid black walnut contains lovely dark striations which link it to the central, cylindrical shafts of blackened bronze hardware. And the show-stopper of the piece—the plated nickel shade that gleams and glitters like a bejeweled funhouse mirror—references both via the cap pieces (the very same black walnut), as well as the handful of dark stones inset into the shade.

The eclectic nature of the Manhattan Series light renders it exceptionally versatile and appropriate for a wide range of decor. I can picture it with the Vermeers in a well-moneyed Amsterdam penthouse, as easily as I can imagine it in among the reclaimed wooden beams of an Aspen chalet.

About the Manufacturer: The origins of L.A.-based whyrHymer come part and parcel with a couple of amusing anecdotes. The first involves founder and lead designer Brandon Morrison’s “eureka” moment (“why pay for something I can teach myself to build?”); and the second concerns the company’s bizarre and engaging name: a native of Louisiana, Morrison chose the name when a thickly-accented friend in the Bayou state mangled the pronunciation of Brandon’s dog. Thus, from “Weimaraner” and Morrison’s eye for innovation and hand for fine woodworking, whyrHymer was born. In addition to offering the world an exquisite collection of fine furniture and lighting, Morrison gives generously to worthy causes—“donating 3% or more of the purchase price of each item to various children’s charities around the world.”