Small States: Feltmark’s Wald lighting combines simplicity and function, multiple giveaway winners

Update (5/16 12:01pm): Our winners are: @snazzyq, @yozh, @Demonoid55, @i3erica – thanks everyone for entering our giveaway!

As we continue to cover companies that manufacture in the United States, a recurring theme has come forward. Many of these brands do not have the resources of larger companies, while that may have some downfalls, it also pushes them to think outside of the box and do more with less.

A lot of the products that we feature in Small States have a simplistic design that achieve the same goal as much more complex offerings. Generally, these solutions are more complementary of the minimalistic design found in many household products.

One Los Angeles-based startup that we recently came across is a wonderful example of this. Feltmark manufactures beautifully simple lights that manage to look stylish without much in the way of extras. It truly is an example of the “more is less theory” and today we get to share these products and give a few away as well:

Feltmark was born at the Art Center College of Design in California where David Okum was going to school. What originally started as a company with his namesake, transitioned into its current name as a distinct effort to put more of a focus on home goods. According to David, simplistic design was a goal from the beginning:

These are things that I wanted in the house, they are very simple pieces that in some way are unique even though they are so simple. There is a though process here, we aren’t just creating a lamp but we are wanting to fill a very unique function.

In a very short period of time – just a few months in fact – Feltmark has managed to create a very aesthetically striking design. The initial release is a lamp named the “Wald” – pronounced “walled” – which quite literally means a lamp against a wall. It is a light that has a clean look while managing to also have a few precise details as well, a balance that is hard to find in many products.

The light itself is proclaimed to be a “stripped down floor lamp” that focuses on the bare essentials. A single aluminum rod extends from an outlet, jetting upwards to a block of wood that is highlighted by a brass knob and accents. The socket is wrapped in a solid block of white ash or black walnut. With a simple turn of the knob, the light comes to life, providing a warm glow that spreads throughout a room due to the lack of a lamp shade. Feltmark even made the plug-in 360 degrees rotational so it can work with any outlet, vertical or horizontal. It is available in three ($139) or four ($159) foot lengths depending on your needs.

Feltmark’s lamp is surprisingly versatile, because it stays so close to the wall it doesn’t take up much space. It’s a solid auxiliary option that complements higher wattage built-in lighting. Aside from its function, the Wald is simply gorgeous. It is a conversation piece for anyone that sees it, never failing to garner a reaction. Renters will find it to be a nice alternative to other options, making for a nice way to mix up the decor. The ability to dim the light and more color choices would be nice additions, it will be interesting to see how this product evolves to fill more needs. No matter your situation, the Wald is a wonderful addition to any space.

This week, we’ll be choosing four lucky winners to receive a Wald lamp from Feltmark. To enter this giveaway, follow @9to5Toys on Twitter and retweet the article. If Facebook is more your thing, Like us and share this article with your friends. We’ll choose the winners next Saturday. Good luck!

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