Tiểu Mãn

Tiểu Mãn, named after the solar term Grain Buds, is three small seagrass shades in a straight line on three black cables. Each shade is 24 cm across and more coarsely woven than Lập Thu, so the strands are thicker and the texture shows. It is made for long, narrow surfaces: a bar counter, a kitchen island, a desk against a wall.

Who makes it, and how

Lâm Văn Lộc bends three brass frames on the same wooden jig after softening the rod with a torch, about half a day per frame. Huỳnh Thị Mến weaves the three shades over a single mould so they match, then seals them with a matte moisture coat. Tô Minh Khang wires three 1.5 m black cables, fits three E27 sockets and runs the set for 24 hours.

What the light does

One 6 W LED at 2700K per shade, the yellow-white of an old incandescent, 18 W for the set, plus spares. Most of the light falls as three small pools 60 cm apart. The coarse weave leaks a little through its gaps, so the wall behind the counter warms slightly instead of going black. The person making drinks can see their hands; the person on the stool is not dazzled.

At Thềm Chiều café, the counter has one Tiểu Mãn set and the twelve tables have twelve 35 cm Hạ Chí pendants. The counter is the brightest spot, each table has its own pool, and the aisles stay darker.

Where it fits

With centres 60 cm apart, the row runs about 1.45 m including the shades. We use it over counters and desks of 1.6 m or longer.

• Ø18 cm (VND 3,000,000 for the set): a desk, a narrow counter, a low ceiling.
• Ø24 cm (VND 3,600,000): a bar counter or kitchen island.
• Ø30 cm (VND 4,800,000): a long café counter, a narrow dining table.

How high to hang it

Bottom of each shade 70 to 80 cm above the surface, all three level. Khang sets it on site, and over bar stools we ask someone to sit so the shades stay out of their eyeline.

Care

Seagrass: a dry cloth or soft brush monthly, no sprays. Over a working bar, keep the shades off the line of steam from the espresso machine or a kettle; steam dampens the fibre faster. Paper shades, even more so. Our note on rattan, seagrass or bamboo shades explains how the fibres differ, and the rattan page covers care for natural fibre.

Options people usually pick

• Black cable is standard for this set; brown or cream costs the same.
• Matte black frames to go with the cable, so the row reads as one line.
• Dó paper shades (giấy dó, made from the bark of the dó tree; +VND 300,000 each, VND 900,000 for the set, VND 4,500,000 total): for a desk in an air-conditioned room. See the dó paper page.
• Three dimmable bulbs (3 × 90,000 = VND 270,000) and one wall dimmer (VND 350,000): bright while working the bar, low when it is quiet.

Lighting a whole café? Start with the hospitality page. Just one counter? Send a photo through the light mock-up page.