On Balancing Traditional Craft with Modern Design
Curio: Your lighting feels deeply rooted in tradition, yet very contemporary. How do you navigate that balance in your work?
Naomi Paul:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to textiles in all their forms - across fashion, interiors, and even industrial applications. But it was only when I learned to make cloth with my hands that I truly understood my medium. My fascination lies not in surface decoration, but in the act of making - stitch by stitch, precisely and intentionally.
The way I craft three-dimensional forms feels very much like working with clay. I guide the yarn slowly, adjusting tension, adding stitches, shaping with care until the form finds its balance. That rhythm is ancient, rooted in handcraft. But in its refinement and purity, I see something modern. The use of crochet to sculpt light - there’s a quiet innovation in that.
On Sustainability and the Ethos of Low-Impact Making
Curio: Your studio places strong emphasis on sustainability. How is that embedded in your process?
Naomi Paul:
Our approach is inherently low impact because we make everything by hand. No machinery, no fuel - just a birch ply hook, a continuous strand of yarn, and a skilled maker. We only create to order, and because of the nature of the technique, we produce no waste.
Most of our collection is made with long-staple Egyptian cotton, which we source from a family-run mill in Italy. They oversee every step of the process - from growing and milling to spinning and dyeing - all in adherence to ethical and environmental standards (Oeko-Tex 100 certified). It’s important to us that the integrity of the material mirrors the care of the making.
On the Philosophy Behind Simple Shade
Curio: Your Simple Shade collection feels essential - both in form and philosophy. What inspired its development?
Naomi Paul:
Simple Shade is about reduction. It captures the essence of what a shade is, but with transformative potential - especially in multiples. Its silhouette is sleek, wide-brimmed, and elegant, yet it collapses completely flat, which is unique within our studio collection.
There’s a quiet influence of Japanese design in its conception - the way it treats object and space as one unified experience. The result is clean, purposeful, and graceful. Nothing is extraneous.
Simple Shade 03 Solid Clementine Pendant by Naomi Paul
On Adaptability Across Interior Spaces
Curio: How do your designs adapt to different kinds of interiors - from residential to commercial?
Naomi Paul:
Our work is tactile, sculptural, and subtle, which allows it to integrate effortlessly across different architectural genres. We’ve seen our lighting soften everything from contemporary office spaces to period townhouses. It brings warmth to entry halls, calm to boardrooms, and a sense of intimacy to bedside tables.
More than anything, I want the pieces to offer a feeling - something joyful, grounding, and enduring. They’re made to last a lifetime, both materially and aesthetically.
Jupe Solitaire Harlequin Pendant by Naomi Paul
On Materials: The Elegance of Cotton and Brass
Curio: Egyptian cotton and brass are central to your work. What draws you to these materials?
Naomi Paul:
Our Egyptian cotton yarn has been in development for over a decade. It’s a fine, knitted cord created in collaboration with a yarn specialist. Its unique tension and waxed finish allow us to sculpt with precision while giving the surface a soft, luminous quality.
I often pair the cotton with untreated, hand-polished brass. There’s something deeply satisfying in how they interact - one matte and tactile, the other smooth and reflective. Together, they create a quiet contrast that feels timeless and intentional.
Bringing It All Together
Naomi Paul’s lighting sits at the intersection of craft and contemplation. Each piece is a distillation of material knowledge, poetic form, and ethical production. In a world that often moves too quickly, her work reminds us to pause - to find rhythm in repetition, and beauty in restraint.
Explore Naomi Paul’s collection at Curio, where each piece is made by hand, made to order, and made to last.
