Originally woven in small lakeside villages in central Mexico, these curious beehive shaped baskets were made for fishing. The locals call them “nasas”, which translates as a reference to their shape and purpose as a “pot”. Tied in bunches, they are submerged in the lake. Each nasa is cleverly woven with the ends of the ribs left long so that once the curious fish goes in, it cannot get out. After being hauled in with the catch, the empty egg shaped baskets are hung up to dry in casual groups. Who would have thought that these utilitarian basket would shed such a gorgeous light when used as lamps!
The baskets we choose for lighting are most commonly woven of split reed or long vine. They range in size from roughly nine inches and rather round to over thirty inches. The longer they get, the more they have the appearance of a beehive.
If you have had the chance to see these basket lit up, then you know how romantic a light they shed. In tropical resorts along the coast of Mexico, they are hung under palapa thatched palm leave roofs. Basket pendant lights are often seen in high end homes as a break from the typical manufactured light fixtures and contrast the architecture with warm organic luxury.
Considering the environment where you are going to locate your Mexican pendant basket lights will give you ideas of how your pendant basket lights should be hung. If it is a more modern or industrial space, you could use a simple thin chain or even a lamp cord set that’s strong enough to hold the woven basket shade with no other support. My favorite is to use a jute rope. You will see that there is a synergy with the materials of the two elements that works. If you have the time to do it, you can unravel and then re-twist the rope around the lamp cord in order to hide it.
Groupings of Mexican basket lights are reminiscent of how they are seen in the small villages where they are made. Try gathering a bunch by the ropes and bringing them together in bunches of five or more. Each bunch can be hung in a corner or on the edge of a roof. When the lights come on, that forgotten space will come alive with the warm mystical glow of the basket lights. Be sure to choose amber colored bulbs.
We came up with an idea to create a huge disk or canopy for hanging large groups of basket lights for a magnificent affect. The disks are first suspended from the ceiling and then multiple basket lights are hung from the disk. These groupings are perfect for the center of a dining area indoors or outside. Using brightly colored LED ‘party’ bulbs will make an exciting center piece for an area or event.
At Santo Coyote Restaurant in Mexico, Rocco’s Tacos and also at No Mas! Cantina, you will see dozens of basket lights hanging in the trees. They look like naturally formed hives in the trees by day, but, at night, they lit up basket lanterns are truly magical. They are also great for an outdoor event like a destination wedding or late summer garden party. There are many creative ideas in which to use these basket lamps to create a magical canopy of light.
Basket lights look great hanging under a pergola or trellis. Spreading them semi randomly under the gazebo keeps the look organic and spreads the light out to completely illuminate the area, as shown in the photos below at restaurants Osso Brewery and Tortuga Cantina.
There are a few different ways that basket lights are made. In the more southern coastal regions, thin wire is used to form the elongated shapes. In Puerto Vallarta, this type of basket light makes a big statement at the restaurant “Fajita Republic.” Here they vibrantly hang in groups along the sidewalk and throughout the tabled dining room.
Vacation homes are the perfect location for basket lights. But imagine how awesome a series of baskets would look in a staycation home! Making your backyard into your own escape! Coastal towns like Careyes on the “Costa Alegre” of Mexico have many beach homes that have incorporated illuminated nasas as part of the décor.
Making a chandelier from multiple basket lights is a casually elegant way of lighting a dining table. The warmth and organic feel makes a great accent to sleek modern décor and also works in mountain homes or in a shabby chic casual abode.
Since we love inventing things, we came up with a huge basket light that you can actually sit in! We call it the Nest Chair. Original inspiration was a hanging birds nest in Puerto Vallarta. Turns out the south of the border Oriole builds a hanging nest a little more elongated than his northern cousin. After some initial sketching and proportioning on paper, we began working out the form in one of our artisan’s shops, near the border of Jalisco and Colima. The final result is a beautifully natural looking hanging chair that is so comfortable, you can spend the afternoon lightly swinging with a good book. This is the perfect chair to hang under a Palapa – pure tropical relaxation!
One day out at market in a small town in Guerrero, we discovered a series of basket makers and began a conversation with them. Soon, they had invited us to travel into the country to see how they make baskets. Splitting cane and laboriously weaving the stiff stock is how they spend their days. The result is a sturdy tall cylindrical basket. Very utilitarian for every day life … and … upside down … a wonderful woven basket lamp shade.
There are so many forms to baskets. The Mexican bread basket has the form of an upside down umbrella. Flip it over and hang it up and it makes a marvelous shade for a light. The bigger bread baskets can be used to fill a large space in a restaurant or hotel lobby.
The final take away is be creative with your space. Basket lights are a great way to step away from manufactured, cold, boring, run-of-the-mill, big-box-store, opposite-of-unique lighting fixtures. Add some personality and move your business miles ahead of the competition.