Light as a Butterfly

Is this the coolest? This Butterfly Lamp flew out at me from a Facebook post the other day by EcoFirstArt. Hand crafted of steamed, bent wood by British craftsman Tom Raffield, its playful, graceful shape is inspired by the movement of a butterfly in flight and, says the artist, “intercepts the light making intricate shadows and producing a stunning effect…”

Butterfly lamp
Butterfly floor lamp by Tom Raffield, based in Cornwall, England. The height is 5 feet, and the shade is 26 by 32 inches.

In addition to said stunning effect, this lamp would bring warmth and softness to a modern space and add visual sass to a traditional one. At $700 from EcoFirstArt, it isn’t cheap but it’s a lot of look for the money and not easily knocked off. There is also a pendant version for $675. (Type “butterfly lamp” in their search box)

Butterfly pendant light
Butterfly pendant light by Tom Raffield. Shown in walnut finish.

Funnily, it also reminds me of a fab Will Cotton portrait in the collection of a friend. (See post from December 27.) Don’t you get a kick out of these little aesthetic winks from the universe?

Will Cotton portrait
Portrait by Will Cotton. Photo by Max Kim-Bee of a David Easton-designed house in the Jan-Feb issue of Veranda.

Not surprisingly Tom Raffield’s other work is also wonderful. Have a look at his website. Here’s a tiny preview:

Woodbasket
Curled up by the fire: Woodbasket by Tom Raffield
Honeybee shade by Tom Raffield
This one's called the Honeybee shade. Now you know any girl with a house called Bee Cottage loves that.

Come to find out EcoFirstArt, purveyor of myriad beautiful objects and furnishings from sustainable sources, is located in Santa Barbara, just down the road from my part-time roost at Rancho La Zaca. Find them at 4366 Modoc Road, Santa Barbara, California 93110, 855-330-8360. Definitely worth a visit–cyber or otherwise.

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