There's a particular validation that comes when a piece earns its place in a curated editorial spread. It speaks to the object itself: that it holds up under scrutiny, that it belongs in the company of thoughtful design. When the same fixture appears in both Portrait of Portland and Portrait of Seattle in Volume 68's Eye on Design, that's not coincidence. It's a statement.
The Onda Pendant by Grupa made exactly that kind of entrance. Portrait Magazine's Eye on Design pages are a carefully assembled mix of architecture, interiors, craft, and material culture: the things designers and their noteworthy clients are genuinely paying attention to. Being included once is notable. Being featured across both regional editions of the same volume signals something more: that Onda resonates with the Pacific Northwest design conversation at large, aligning with the aesthetic sensibilities of two distinct but overlapping creative communities.
So what makes it worthy of a double inclusion?
A Familiar Form, Entirely Reimagined
The Onda's premise is disarmingly simple. Take the classic PAR light bulb, a shape so ordinary it's practically invisible, and use it as a starting point for something altogether more refined. Grupa, the Croatian design studio behind the fixture, didn't abandon the form. They elevated it, crafting Onda entirely from hand-blown opal glass with a gradient finish that moves from deep, vibrant hues at the top to a soft, ethereal white base below.
The result is a pendant that feels at once familiar and completely new. The silhouette is recognizable, even comfortable. But the material execution, the way color dissolves through the glass, the warmth of the opaline surface, the slight variations inherent in the hand-blown process, gives it the quality of a bespoke object. Something rare enough to stop you mid-step across a room.
Every piece is slightly different. That's not a caveat; it's the point. This artisanal production means no two Onda pendants are identical, and for clients and designers who value the hand of the maker, that distinction is paramount.
The Duality of a Well-Designed Light
One of the most underappreciated qualities in a pendant lamp is its presence when unlit. Too many fixtures demand attention only when illuminated, then recede into visual noise. Onda works differently.
Unlit, the opaline glass has a quiet, sculptural presence. It holds its color (whether that's blue, green, ochre, peach, brown, or gray) and reflects its surroundings with a subtle depth that reads as an object of genuine material interest. It functions, in effect, as part of the room's composition even when no light is passing through it.
Switch it on, and the character shifts. The warm, focused glow it casts adds depth and atmosphere, pulling the room into a different register: more intimate, more layered. The 3000K color temperature keeps things feeling natural and inviting rather than clinical, which makes Onda particularly well-suited to premier hospitality environments, residential spaces, and anywhere atmosphere is integral to the design brief.
This duality, calm sculpture by day, warm presence by evening, is what separates a light fitting from a lighting experience.
One Pendant or Many
Onda is confident enough to stand alone. Positioned over a kitchen island, a reading nook, or a boutique display, a single pendant makes a clear, intentional statement. The six available colorways allow it to be tuned to complement a palette or chosen to create deliberate contrast.
But the fixture reveals another dimension entirely when installed in clusters. Multiple Onda pendants grouped together, perhaps in varying heights, perhaps in a mix of complementary hues, create a rhythm and richness few pendants can achieve. The hand-blown variation between each piece, rather than working against a grouped installation, actually enhances it. The result feels curated rather than repeated.
For designers working on hospitality projects, residential great rooms, or retail environments with significant vertical volume, that scalability is genuinely useful. Onda adapts to the ambition of the space.
What the Portrait Feature Means
Portrait Magazine has served the Pacific Northwest design community for decades. Its Eye on Design pages are trusted by the architects, interior designers, and tastemakers who shape how this region's homes, hotels, and spaces look and feel. To appear in those pages, and in both the Portland and Seattle editions simultaneously, is to be recognized by an audience that approaches objects with real discernment.
For At Five, this moment reflects something we believe in: the idea that the best European design doesn't need explanation. A piece like the Onda doesn't ask for appreciation. It simply earns it through its material quality, its craftsmanship, and its sophisticated presence in a room.
Grupa's work has always reflected this. The studio's commitment to thoughtful form and honest materials puts Onda in a lineage of European lighting design that prioritizes lasting resonance over fleeting trends, which is precisely the kind of fixture that holds up across the seasons of a project, and across the pages of a magazine that knows the difference.
The Onda Pendant by Grupa is available now at At Five. Explore the full range of colorways, download the spec sheet, or reach out to our team to discuss how to elevate your next project.
