Wood has many uses, from providing heat, furniture and raw building materials, but now it has another one, namely providing illumination. Californian designer Paul Foeckler of Split Grain came up with a beautiful wooden lamp, which would look great in any home.
The lamps he creates are made of reclaimed wood, so each is a unique creation just like no two pieces of wood are exactly the same. The process of creating a lamp begins with Paul foraging for the wood in the area where he lives. He collects branches and other larger pieces of wood from fallen or damaged trees, such as California Coastal Monterey Cypress and Ash.
The idea for the lamps came to Paul when he began considering that pieces of wood are actually too beautiful to just burn. The original exterior texture and shape of each piece of wood is already beautiful. But further experimentation led him to discover that different splitting techniques and sawing the pieces afterwards, created even more interesting grain patterns and formations. Through the repetition of slices, these qualities were revealed even further, and by illuminating them from within, the grain intricacies come into gorgeous prominence.
After collecting the wood, he first cross-sections them until he gets pieces he’s satisfied with. To add the light bulb he first hollows out the piece of wood. He then adds aluminum, which acts as a heat sink. Next, the lamp is sanded down, followed by applying a layer of clear urethane for protection. Some of the lamps are then attached to metal posts, which act as supports for the lamps while enhancing their natural beauty. The process is finished by inserting a low-voltage, energy-efficient LED light bulb.
The creation process is quite labor intensive, and according to Paul it can take him up to 100 hours to create a single lamp. But the end result is certainly worth it!
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