Rice Paper Floor Lamp | Wooden Frame

Turn it on and the light doesn't just illuminate — it breathes through the paper, softening everything it touches. That's washi doing what washi does.

The Maker

A paper studio in rural Sichuan makes the washi for this lamp by hand — the same way it's been done for 1,300 years. The lamp structure is assembled in a small workshop in Chengdu that specializes in lighting with natural materials.

The Place

Sichuan, China. Washi papermaking survived here because the mountain water is pure enough to pulp bark without chemicals. The studio sits beside a creek that freezes in winter — cold water makes the strongest paper.

The Craft

Washi is made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree, pounded into pulp, then scooped onto a bamboo screen by hand. Each sheet is thin enough to transmit light but strong enough to resist tearing. The lamp shade is formed by wrapping washi around a wire frame, with overlapping seams that create subtle variations in opacity. When lit, the light diffuses through the paper fibers, turning harsh electricity into something close to moonlight.

At Home

On a nightstand replacing the reading lamp. On a console table in the hallway. Above the bathtub. Anywhere you want light that doesn't demand attention — just presence.