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kettalbela
Kettal Bela is a lantern made from a single continuous length of rope wound onto a frame. Doshi Levien designed it in 2019, using the Bela rope the studio had created for Kettal two years before. Rated IP65 and listed for indoor and outdoor use, it is a piece of high end outdoor furniture that also lights the terrace after dark.
- Designer
- Doshi Levien
- Launched
- 2019
- Pieces
- 1
- Made from
- Bela synthetic fiber rope, Spool frames, E27 LED light source
rope that learned to glow
Bela started life as a textile. Doshi Levien developed the rope in 2017 as a new outdoor material for Kettal, intended for seats and backs, and it comes in 17 colors. With that many shades on the table, the studio saw a chance to light the rope from within. The goal they set was a lamp built from one uninterrupted length of rope, with the texture and lightness of a traditional handwoven lantern.
The frame comes from India. Every year the country holds a kite festival, and the streets fill with large spinning frames wound with bright kite string. Those light wooden reels gave Doshi Levien the idea for the spools that carry the lamp: the rope is clipped onto them and wound around, so the lantern keeps the look of a reel loaded with string.
The technical sheet is short and practical. The lamp takes an E27 LED bulb with a warm 2700 K light and 2000 lumens of output, and the fitting is rated IP65, which covers dust and jets of water. It ships with a 5 meter cable, about 16 feet, and a 120 V UL version is listed next to the 230 V one, which is the version that matters for an American terrace.
Bela can sit directly on the floor, hang from a beam or pergola, or serve as a standing lamp next to a sofa. A few lanterns in different rope colors can mark a garden path or light a dining table from above. Since the rope was made first for seating, the lamp sits comfortably beside Kettal outdoor furniture in woven or braided finishes, and the colors can be chosen to match or to contrast.
One length of rope, wound like kite string.
bela pieces
Every piece below is built to order. Prices come back by email with finishes and lead time for your address.
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how bela is built
A lantern with few parts, all of them in view. The drawing numbers them on a Bela floor lantern.
- 01Top spool the upper reel that holds the rope in place
- 02Rope winding one continuous length of Bela rope, clipped on
- 03Bottom spool the lower reel, set straight on the floor or deck
- 04Light source an E27 LED bulb, warm light at 2700 K
specifications
Materials as Kettal lists them for Bela. Sizes and finish charts come with the quote.
| Piece | Frame | Seat, top or shade | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lantern for the floor | Spool frame | Bela rope | Sits directly on the ground |
| Lantern suspended | Spool frame | Bela rope | Hangs from a beam or pergola |
| Lantern as standing lamp | Spool frame | Bela rope | IP65, indoor and outdoor use |
bela outside
Catalog photographs of the collection in use.
Bela was drawn by Doshi Levien. They took the kite string reels of an Indian festival and wound them with their own Bela rope to make a lantern.
Other Doshi Levien piecespairs well with
Collections that sit well next to Bela, by material and by scale.
//price on request
price kettal bela
Name the Bela pieces you want and where they will stand. Pricing, finishes and lead time come back by email.
- 01A Kettal specialist reads the request and replies within one business day.
- 02The reply lists the pieces, the finish and fabric options, and a price for each.
- 03Lead time and freight to your address are confirmed with the factory before you commit.
- 04Fabric and finish samples can ship to you before anything is ordered.