I do not have fond memories of rattan. As a child, our rattan dining chairs did nothing but create hexagonal indentations on my bare skin—we lived in Miami, after all, where we spent most of our time in bathing suits. Later in life I inherited my father-in-law’s mid-century tubular steel and rattan chairs, which only reminded me of my childhood troubles with the material. But remove it from seating and put it elsewhere and rattan can truly be appreciated. Soft, warm, pliable, and geometric, rattan is a lovely starting point for lots of pieces, including Rattan Lamp by Formistry.

Rattan Lamp. Manufactured by Formistry.

Oval Pendant Lamp Transforms Asian Connotations

On display at Platform, the young talent zone at ICFF Singapore, Rattan Lamp takes “a readily available material” and turns it into a “design based on simple curves and lines.” Designed by Formistry, a lighting studio based in Singapore, Rattan Lamp uses a material commonly associated with Asia. But by crafting it into a clean, oval pendant lamp, rattan loses its ordinary associations. At 80 x 20 x 20 cm, Rattan Lamp is a great size for kitchen islands and dining rooms. It hangs from two ropes and contains two bulbs. And Rattan Lamp is finished with a neat edge and contrasting yellow stich.

But it’s the quality of light that really elevates the rattan of Rattan Lamp. By snaking its way through the regular holes of the material, the cast light creates dramatic and playful shadows. The bulbs also focus light downwards, illuminating the space below in a warm glow. Formistry, as the name suggests, pays close attention to form. It’s no accident that Rattan Lamp highlights a sinuous shape. Other Formistry lamps use buttons and bamboo to pay attention to the circle and line.

Via Design Boom.

About the Manufacturer: Formistry is a lighting designer based in Singapore. The company makes unique lamps out of everyday materials, transforming buttons, lengths of bamboo, and rattan into interesting pendant lamps that focus on form and shape.