The Forest as a Beginning
Everything begins in the forests surrounding Tbilisi. It takes a trained eye to collect branches and fragments already shaped by nature - fallen, broken, transformed over time. Not every piece will do. What we look for is something with a distinct form, character and a quiet story - something that can continue its life across different interiors and environments for years to come.
Naturally dried wood and twisted branches all come together in the workshop to begin a new journey.
The Process in the Workshop
In the workshop, each piece of wood goes through several stages of processing. First, it is cleaned. Since wet wood tends to crack, we work only with fully dried material. Then comes surface treatment: removing damaged parts, deciding whether to keep or strip the bark depending on how the wood reveals its best texture. We use sandpaper of varying grits until the surface becomes soft and smooth to the touch. Finally, we apply oil or natural varnish - this protects the material while highlighting its details: holes, knots and everything that gives the wood its individuality.
Crafting Light
While the wood dries, we begin selecting the lighting elements and crafting the electrical components. Each detail is assembled by hand. The cord, which carries the electrical wire, is wrapped in hemp thread, giving it a more natural and warm appearance. Some lamps remain minimal, defined simply by the expressive shape of the bulb, while others are completed with vintage elements, like lampshades found at flea markets, adding another layer of individuality.
A Second Life
In a world where objects are made quickly and lose their value just as fast, DAE’s handmade lamps offer an alternative - a way to reuse what already exists, to preserve and transform it.
A piece of wood that has fallen and can no longer continue its natural life finds another path. It becomes a lamp - one that fills homes with warmth, brings quiet joy and sparks small moments of wonder. In this way, it is still alive.
Why It Matters
By reusing dried wood, no new trees are cut, waste is reduced and a more harmonious relationship with nature is created.
Each lamp is unique and cannot be replicated. This is the essence of natural materials: every crack, every curve is alive - a mark of authenticity. A sign that this object was once part of something much larger and now carries a new story in a new form.
The Light You Live With
If you look closely at a DAE lamp in your home, you might see the day it was carried from the forest into the workshop. You might sense the moment its second life began. So when you turn it on, know that you are not just lighting a lamp — you are unveiling the quiet, magical stories of the forest. And with objects like these, even our everyday lives begin to hold a different meaning.
Explore the collection
Discover handmade wooden lamps by DAE • დაე
https://dae.ge/en/collections/handmade-wood-lamp