A different kind of light

Starting all over again

As we wrote back in November, we are working at remodeling a house here in Lewiston. So far we have painted the entire main floor, had the hardwood floors refinished, upgraded kitchen lighting, and had some minor plumbing work done. Now that spring has arrived, we’re also working outdoors – thinning out shrubs, pruning trees, and sorting out the landscaping that had been neglected for a number of years.

We’re nowhere near done, but the place is livable, and getting more so every week.

Before we moved to Portugal, we sold or gave away all our furniture. When we decided to move back, we sold the small amount we’d purchased over there. So we’re furnishing this latest house completely from scratch. That’s giving us an opportunity to create a more unique and intentional environment than we’ve ever had before.

Defining the style

The house was built in 1960. It’s a very typical ranch-style house, with a low roofline, wide soffits, crank open windows, Formica countertops, and built-in plywood cabinets throughout. It might have been a one-owner. (We bought it from an estate and didn’t get a lot of history.) It’s not mid-century modern, though we’re borrowing from that style. We think of it as “Atomic” – 1960’s modern, leaning into the Jetsons era, without the flying cars.

As we shop for furniture, we’re looking for items that have that “modern” vibe”, while also following:

So far we’ve done all our furniture shopping online. What we’ve seen in the local stores runs more toward overstuffed couches with reclining backs and cup holders. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just not what we’re looking for.

We’re always looking for things that are different – well designed, well made, and attractive. Where possible, we like to buy from small businesses, B-corps, and individual artisans.  Mary has found several things for us on Etsy.com.  This post will focus on one of them.

The Plumeria lamp

One of Mary’s latest finds is a handmade wooden light fixture. It was created by Vien Nguyen, an artisan in Da Nang, Vietnam.  Vien makes handmade lamps “inspired by Mother Nature’s Dearly Beloved Creations”.  Her shop on Etsy is Enlightening Decor.

When Mary showed me Vien’s shop, we instantly agreed – “We have to have one of these lamps!”.  It was one of the last things we needed to finish the remodel of our dining room. This is the one we picked.

We placed the order, knowing it would be several weeks before it arrived. Then we would have to assemble it.

Excellent communication

When dealing with small businesses or artisans online, communication is sometimes difficult or impossible. Not so with Vien. Throughout this transaction she has been conscientious and diligent about keeping us informed about the status of our order and when we could expect to receive it.

She quickly acknowledged our order and asked us to choose between pine and birch wood, sending us photos of each.  We selected birch. 

It took her almost 2 weeks to make the lamp.  She sent us a note when it shipped and estimated it would take 7 – 10 business days for it to arrive in the US and then another 1 ½ to 2 weeks to be accepted through Customs.  At that point, the shipment could be tracked.

But after 2 weeks, Vien notified us that the package had still not arrived in the US and delivery would likely be delayed.  With all the turmoil around trade wars and tariffs, we were not surprised.  (We just hoped our package would arrive without a 47% tariff tacked on!)

Less than a week later, Vien let us know that the package was at a USPS facility in Dallas, tracking was active, and we should expect delivery in a few days.  Sure enough, we got it 3 days later.  The packaging was bullet proof. 

Assembling the light

Vien sent us a link to a very detailed Google document that contained instructions on how to assemble the lamp.

When we opened the box, we found 21 separate groups of parts, all tightly wrapped in plastic film.

All of the wooden pieces – frame and petals – were precisely made, nicely finished, and were clearly marked with part numbers that matched the instructions.

The round frame went together easily.  All of the parts fit together without difficulty and the finished frame was light, but also felt sturdy.

There were twelve sets of wooden “petals” that fit into slots on the frame.  Again, everything fit nicely.

Once all the petals were in place, we were excited to see what the light would look like when it was installed.

Hanging the light

The only problem we had with this light was that Vien’s instructions did not cover how to hang it.  At first, as we tried to install the light fixture in the frame, we weren’t certain we had the right parts.  We traded several notes and photos with Vien on Etsy over the next day.  Despite the time difference (Da Nang is 14 hours ahead of Lewiston), Vien responded very quickly, explaining how the parts were used.

With a little bit of head scratching, we were able to get the light hung without any problems.  

The finished product

We finished hanging the light around 3:00pm on Tuesday, but waited until evening to take a photo so we could see what we anticipated would be dramatic lighting effects on the walls and ceiling.  

There will be more like this

We’ll be adding our 5 star review for Vien on Etsy.  

Buying from an artisan half a world away can be a fraught experience.  But our dealings with Vien were great. As we continue to furnish the house, we’ll be looking for more one-of-a-kind items to make our space “our own”.

Until next time,

Mary and Mike

The Cook and The Writer

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Have you purchased a one-of-a-kind item for your home? How was your experience? Leave your review in the comments below or via the Contact Us form.