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Behind the Design: David Trubridge

Exclusively at Lumens: Ebb Swell Pendant by David Trubridge.

Behind the Design:
David Trubridge

Designer David Trubridge draws inspiration from our natural surroundings, traditional cultures and even environmental happenings. His luminaires reflect his love of the earth and the need to protect it, with a true passion for environmentally friendly design.

For New Zealand designer David Trubridge, inspiration is in great abundance. His muse is nature—a source that is known for constantly delivering something fresh and new. But Trubridge's designs are careful and intentional, curated into a collection that is organic and ethereal in its aesthetic, and thoughtful and sustainable in its craft. We caught up with David to explore his inspirations.

Your catalog has grown over the years but not as rapidly as most lighting manufacturers—how do you decide to bring new designs to the market?

I believe in quality not quantity. I can’t bring myself to create a whole lot of new lights for the sake of it. In fact, I have a real problem with this obsession with the new. It degrades what we already have. It is a deliberate consumer construct to get people to buy, where the need to sell is greater than the need to buy. I think we should start savoring and appreciating what we have, rather than expecting designers and producers to constantly titillate us with something new. So much newness can only be inferior, often resorting to gimmickry for the sake of it.

Not all of your lighting designs seem to fit together from an “aesthetic” comparison—is there a common theme in your work?

As a designer, I would be silly to restrict myself to one common aesthetic, as that would only appeal to a limited clientele. We have tried to address our creativity to a variety of aesthetics so that a wider range of people can fit them into different looking spaces. For example, the Ebb lights were designed for spaces that feature limited color palettes, and where the natural color of wood is out of place.

Many fixtures in your catalog will cast brilliant shadows with the correct space positioning and lamping. Is this effect accounted for in your design process or just a great side effect?

Absolutely! Who needs wallpaper?! You can hang a bare light bulb from the ceiling to create functional light at night, but it is a cold, depressing form of light, which is why you see it in prison cells. Shadow patterns generate a warmth and visual texture that makes the space a pleasant and even enriching one to be in.

The material used in the David Trubridge lighting range is predominantly bamboo plywood. Is this an effort to be eco-friendly or a necessity to achieve the desired aesthetic?

I have always worked with wood and remain loyal to it, though of course bamboo is not strictly wood; it is a type of grass. It is the perfect fit for both our environmental concerns and for my natural aesthetic.

New Designs


David Trubridge with one of his designs at the 2017 World Wood Day.

You recently participated in World Wood Day. Can you tell us about what you created there and your experience?

I built a very lightweight plywood SUP board. I am a keen surfer/paddler/windsurfer, so it was inevitable that I would apply my design experience of lightweight plywood structures to these boards. The event was an amazing experience with masses of woodworkers of all types assembled from all over the world. We were all put up in the old Queen Mary at Long Beach and worked in the Convention Center, while an equally global mix of musicians played to us.

Who is your favorite designer?

Nature, because we will never ever get close to being so good.

What do you enjoy most about the lighting and furniture industry?

When someone says to me, “I love living with one of your lights. It makes me happy.”

What’s next for David Trubridge?

We need to do a lot more work on the new outdoor range, assimilating feedback from the Milan show and doing testing in the weather. I am really enjoying the paddle boards and would like to take this further. Other plans are secret so you will have to watch this space!

Some brands are excluded.

Alessi, Artek, Arteriors, Artkalia, Bambrella, BDI, Bernhardt Design, Blomus, Blu Dot, Calligaris, Cane-line, Carl Hansen, Cherner Chair Company, Chilewich, Copeland Furniture, Driade, dweLED, Ethnicraft, Fermob, Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting, FLOS, Fredrick Ramond, Gan Rugs, Greenington, Gus Modern, Heller, Herman Miller, Hinkley, Hubbardton Forge, Huppe, Iittala, Kartell, Kebe, Knoll, Lafer, Lafuma, Lechuza, Loll Designs, Loloi, Luceplan, Lyon Beton, Magis, Marset, Midj, Minka Aire Fans, Modern Fan Company, Modern Forms, Modloft, Modloft Black, Moooi Carpets, Nanimarquina, Nelson Bubble Lamps, Nomon, Petite Friture, QLOCKTWO, Roll & Hill, Secto Design, Teckell, Toulemonde Bochart, Visual Comfort, Vitra, Vondom, WAC Lighting, ZANEEN design. Some eligible brands may include items that do not qualify for this promotion. This list is subject to change at any time. All open-box, clearance, light bulbs and some sale items are also excluded from this offer. Cannot be combined with any other offers or past orders.

Discount does not apply to furniture, clearance or open-box items.

Brand exclusions:

*Exclusions apply. Certain brands prohibit discounting and are excluded from this offer:

&Tradition, Alessi, Artek, Arteriors, Bambrella, BDI, Bernhardt Design, Big Ass Fans, Blomus, Blu Dot, Calligaris, Capital Lighting, Carl Hansen, Casablanca Fan Company, Cerno, Cherner Chair Company, Chilewich, Contardi Lighting, Copeland Furniture, Corbett Lighting, Craftmade, Currey & Company, Cyan Design, dweLED, EcoSmart Fire, Eglo, Elan Lighting, ET2 Lighting, Ethnicraft, Fanimation Fans, Fatboy, Feiss, Fermob, Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting, FLOS, Fredrick Ramond, Fritz Hansen, Gabriel Scott, Gan Rugs, George Kovacs, Greenington, Gus Modern, Heller, Hennepin Made, Herman Miller, Hinkley, Hubbardton Forge, Hudson Valley Lighting, Humanscale, Hunter Fans, Huppe, Iittala, J. Adams & Co., Juniper Design, Kebe, Kichler, Knoll, Lafer, Lafuma, Lechuza, Loll Designs, Loloi, Louis Poulsen, Luceplan, Lyon Beton, LZF, Magis, Marset, Maxim Lighting, Metropolitan Lighting, Midj, Minka Aire Fans, Minka-Lavery, Mitzi - Hudson Valley Lighting, Modern Fan Company, Modern Forms, Modloft, Modloft Black, Monte Carlo Fans, Moooi, Moooi Carpets, Nanimarquina, Nelson Bubble Lamps, Nomon, Oxygen Lighting, Pablo Designs, Petite Friture, QLOCKTWO, Quorum International, Regina Andrew, Robert Abbey, Roll & Hill, RS Barcelona, Savoy House, Schonbek, Sea Gull Lighting, Secto Design, SONNEMAN Lighting, Stickbulb, Studio M, Tech Lighting, Teckell, Terzani, The Great Outdoors: Minka-Lavery, Toulemonde Bochart, Troy Lighting, Vibia, Visual Comfort, Vitra, Vondom, WAC Lighting, Zaneen Design

Some eligible brands may include items that do not qualify for this promotion. This list is subject to change at any time. Clearance, light bulbs and some sale items are also excluded from this offer. Cannot be combined with any other offers or past orders.