Decor: Calabarte Hand Carved Gourd Lamps
[Image credit: Standing Gourd Lamp XI – Calabarte]
Oh…my…goodness…how incredibly beautiful are these lamps and light fittings from Calabarte, a business based in Lodz, Poland that was founded by Przemek, a Polish artist-designer. It took a while for the fact that they were made from gourds to sink in, because I saw the lit versions first; and illuminated they look like glass reminding me of the Art Deco glasswork style. Found in Africa and Asia gourds, also referred to as calabashes, have long been collected for their; functional qualities as bowls, spoons, scooping utensils, water bottles and drinking cups; and decorative qualities, usually painted or etched with traditional motifs.
The ones used for Calabarte’s lamps are collected in Senegal sourced by Przemek who then creates the finished product back in Poland. The designs are hand-carved and manually perforated with the aid of a drill in what must surely be a delicate and painstaking process to ensure, amongst other considerations, that as the intricate designs are engraved parts of the white membrane that need to remain visible are not accidentally pierced. Each lamp or pendant produced is one-of-a-kind, determined by the shape of the dried gourd and the designs themselves have an Eastern/Mediterranean/North African quality about them in terms of the intricate pattern styles, but in fact have been inspire by fractals, nature and evolution. There is also a range of individually hand-carved globes that add an elegant touch to a study or library.
[Image credit: top, Standing Gourd Lamp X;
bottom, Hanging Gourd and Standing Gourd Lamps – Calabarte]
The lamp gourd is supported by a stem, which is wrapped with waxed string and mounted onto a wooden base that has been polished with Italian natural oil. The Calabarte logo and the month in which the lamp was carved are burned into the underside of the base.
[Image credit: Gourd Lamp Bracket IV Hemisphere – Calabarte]
I love the way the light casts unusual and mesmerising patterns on the wall; perfect for creating mood lighting in a bedroom, soft light in a study or living room; or simply highlight an alcove in a hallway.
…fruits of the earth enhanced with skilled hand carving techniques
Additional information sourced from:
http://homeinteriordesigninfo.com
Additional details:
For further information about Calabarte and order enquires visit: www.calabarte.com
