Our classic flexible bamboo pendant light shade.
It’s our original lighting masterpiece, and at this point a timeless favorite. Its elegant design features handwoven bamboo, meticulously crafted using traditional techniques without glue or wiring – just a masterful weave.
What makes this light shade extra special, is it’s flexible woven design. It allows you to effortlessly shape it into a variety of stunning forms.
Unpacking Your Light Shade
To achieve those beautiful light shade shapes, first we need to unpack and prepare the shade. We’ve created a quick video guide demonstrating how the shades arrive folded for convenient shipping, how to unpack them, and then how to transform them into their natural form.
How To Shape a Rattan Light Shade
Okay, let’s get into it.
The Video Guide
If you’re short on time or simply want to see it in action, check out our video guide. It’s not that long, under 3 minutes, and quickly shows you how to shape your bamboo light shade.
Accessories for shaping your light shade
Included with your flexible light shade are the following accessories:
- Cord stoppers
- Twine / String
- A short stick
Step 1: Create a gap on the bottom of the basket & thread string though
Using the supplied stick, make a small gap between strips of bamboo on the underside of the basket. The gap or hole just needs to be large enough to thread the string through.
Thread the string through this newly created gap (so that the string is going inside the basket), and then tie a knot in the end.
Repeat this process on either side of the basket.
Step 2: Make gaps at the top of the basket & thread string up through them
Now we repeat the process at the top of the basket.
Make a small gap in the bamboo at the top of the basket. Thread the string out from the basket, through that small gap.
This time, instead of tying a knot, thread the string through a cord stopper.
Again, repeat this process on both sides. You should have something that looks like this:
Step 3: The fun part! Making shapes with your pendant light shade
Now, the fun part! By pushing the cord stopper open and pulling the string tighter, you can deform the light shade.
Experiment with different levels of deformation and flex on either side of the light shade.
When you are happy with the shape of your light shade, you can cut the string for a cleaner look. You can also remove the cord stoppers and simply tie a knot in the string instead.
Enjoy making playful light shapes and experimenting with different looks for your setup!
How the Shape of a Pendant Shade Affects Interior Design Ambience
Pendant light shades shape (hey!) the aesthetic of your space. The shape of a pendant light is super important – just as important as size or style in our minds. Along with bulb choice, the shape of a lampshade influences how light dances around your room and the mood it creates. All three aspects: shape, style, and size – combine to create what is hopefully a cohesive interior design look.
Not sure what shape of pendant light is best for your space? You’re in luck! The Lanna Passa fish trap pendant light is known for its flexible, handwoven bamboo design, exemplifying how a single shade can adapt to multiple forms.
Why Lampshade Shape Matters
Firstly, the shape of a pendant shade, or rather, the form, can help determine the direction and quality of light. When we talk about form here, we’re taking into account how enclosed the pendant shade is as well as the overall shape.
Take, for instance, a wide, open shade, or indeed, a pendant shade that is loosely woven like ours. This kind of form will evenly cast light fairly broadly in a space, which is great for illuminating larger areas. Most ideal for living rooms or dining spaces, we’d say.
Then there are more narrow, elongated shades that are enclosed along the length. Usually these have small openings at the top and bottom where light is directed and can escape. These will focus light downward, and so it becomes lighting suited for task-oriented areas like kitchen counters or reading desks.
Aesthetic Versatility & Functional Benefits
Finally, the obvious aspect – different shapes can create different stylistic vibes. A spherical light shade has that classic look, whether modern or traditional in style. Round-shaped light shades have a soft and balanced feel that complements pretty much any design style, even brutalist interior design.
On the other hand, an oblong or cone-shaped pendant light usually adds a bit of a rustic or bohemian touch. Dare we say they have a bit more character than their round shaped counterparts. They tend to make the best lighting for a farmhouse or coastal aesthetic or something with a little eclectic feel.
The ability to reshape our bamboo light shade by compressing or expanding it gives you the best of both worlds, and some other worlds too!
