Sometimes—most times—low-tech, time-tested ways are better than high-tech, newfangled methods. On our list of things that are better the old-fashioned way: real books (nothing like dogearing a page and seeing just how much you’ve already read); in-person grocery shopping (how else are you going to get in your impulse buys?); keys and locks (so much more satisfying than pressing buttons to open a door).
Recently we spotted the Tortuga Forma Baum Pendant Light, a cheery cloth pendant light that scratches our itch for objects that don’t require dense user manuals. The mechanics of how it works are easy to understand: hang it from the ceiling via two hooks; plug it in; and pull on the iron counterweight to adjust the height. C’est ca!
Turns out the lamp, while simple in design, is the result of a collaboration that spans the world. “[It] was sparked by an international collaboration across cultures and traditions,” says Andrea Hill, founder of Tortuga Forma, a Brooklyn-based sustainable home goods brand. “The textiles were designed in Cleveland by Dittohouse, made in Japan, and transformed into lamps by Chamusquina, an eco-conscious lighting workshop in Spain. We pulled everyone together into the same room.” (See our story about Chamusquina here.)
Here’s a peek at the appealing minimalist results of their creative mind meld.
Photography by Maria Algara, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of Tortuga Forma.



See also:
- Remodelista Reconnaissance: Michaela Scherrer’s Go-To Budget Ceiling Lights—for Less than $5
- Expert Advice: How High to Hang a Kitchen Pendant and Other Lighting Tips from Ravenhill Studio
- High/Low: Chic Portable Lighting, Indoor/Outdoor Edition
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