Object of Desire: Tortuga Forma Baum Lamp

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.
Above: “I sought the expertise of Molly Fitzpatrick, founder of Dittohouse and known for her vibrating prints and unflinching use of color, to develop timeless patterns with a contemporary edge. The resulting ‘broken stripe,’ ‘soft checker,’ and ‘the comb’ bear the signatures of a Tortuga Forma design,” says Andrea. Photograph by Helena Goni.
Above: From a photo shoot in Girona Spain at the Chamusquina workshop (home of the original Baum Lamp). “The shantung woven textiles have a textural richness and a luminosity that I see as drawings with light,” says Andrea.

Above left: The wiring can be customized for EU or US standard socket use. Above right: The cord and iron counterweight is available in natural or black.
Above: The Baum Pendant Light (pictured in large) is available in three patterns, three sizes, and two colorways (from $400).


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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