Making One-of-a-Kind Lamps, One Piece at a Time
A lamp in this collection is never a single object. Each one is made from a group of small and large pieces that are made separately and then brought together in my Mississauga workshop. Some lamps are entirely ceramic, some are entirely wood, and some combine both.
Why I make one of a kind lamps
Most lamps are designed once and then made many times over. I wanted to work the other way. With each handmade lamp, the decisions about material, proportion and finish are made as the pieces come together, not before. Two lamps may share a family resemblance, but no two are the same.
Many pieces, one lamp
Every lamp starts as a set of parts. A wide base, a tall column, a small ring, a tapered top. Each is made on its own, then tried against the others until the stack feels right. Changing one piece changes the whole lamp, so the assembly is where a lot of the design happens. Swapping a large section for a small one, or a dark surface for a lighter one, can shift the character of the lamp completely.
Ceramic, wood, or both
The lamps are made in three ways. Some are entirely ceramic, with every section shaped in clay and fired. Some are entirely wood, turned section by section. Others mix the two, so a turned wooden piece might sit between ceramic sections with different texture and colour. Each version has its own feel, and I treat them as different explorations, not variations of one design.
Wood lathe turning
Turning is one of the oldest ways of shaping wood. The piece spins on the lathe and the tool cuts the profile, which suits the rounded, stacked forms of the totem lamps. The tapers, the rings and the smooth sections all come from this process, and the grain of each piece is part of the result.
Pottery and ceramic work
Ceramic sections bring a different surface to a lamp. Texture, openings and finish change how a piece sits in a room and how light falls around it. Because clay is shaped by hand on the pottery wheel, each section carries small differences from the hand that made it.
Proportion and the totem form
A totem lamp is a stack, and each section has to relate to the one below it in width, height and colour. Getting those proportions right takes time, and it often means remaking a section until the whole lamp feels balanced. That patience is part of how I work.
Handmade in Mississauga, Ontario
Every lamp is designed and made in Canada, in my workshop in Mississauga. Working here keeps me close to every stage, from the first piece to the finished lamp.
Where to find them
These one of a kind lamps are available only through our website, tahirmahmood.com. Because each lamp is unique, once it is sold that exact piece is gone. You can also browse the wider lighting collection, or get in touch about a custom piece.
Frequently asked questions
Where are your handmade lamps made?
In my workshop in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
What are the lamps made from?
Ceramic, wood, or a mix of both. Each lamp is assembled from a number of separate pieces, some small and some large.
Are the lamps really one of a kind?
Yes. Each lamp is made as its own combination of pieces and is not repeated.
Where can I buy one?
Only through tahirmahmood.com
Tahir Mahmood
Designer & Founder
Tahir Mahmood Design is a Toronto-based luxury home decor and artisanal design studio. Each piece is designed by Tahir Mahmood and made in collaboration with master craftsmen in Canada and around the world.
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