Always dreamed of furnishing your home with iconic designer pieces? While furniture can be somewhat pricey, lighting is generally a more affordable (and less overwhelming!) place to start. If you’re a budding furniture collector and design enthusiast, these bold and iconic lamps should be at the top of your shopping list.
Tolomeo by Artemide
Image courtesy of Artemide
A classic of Italian lighting design, the Tolomeo table lamp is simple yet ingenious. It was originally designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina and is made of aluminium with a signature spring system. This means that the lamp can be adjusted to shine its light in any direction, making it lightweight and versatile.
Arco by Flos
Image courtesy of Flos
The Arco floor lamp is iconic indeed, forming a perfect arch that stands on a white Carrara marble base. The stem of this sleek lamp is made of satin-finished stainless steel, while the aluminium head was pressed, polished and Zapon-varnished. It swivels and can be adjusted to your ideal height as well.
Big Bang by Foscarini
Image courtesy of Foscarini
Designed by Enrico Franzolini and Vicente Garcia Jimenez back in 2005, the striking Big Bang pendant lamp is an explosion of geometric plastic sheets. Its vivid light is at its highest intensity right at the centre, blending into the edges of the white sheets as it spreads through the lamp’s structure for a soothing yet unforgettable statement piece.
PH Artichoke by Louis Poulsen
Image courtesy of Finnish Design Shop
The PH Artichoke pendant lamp was designed by Poul Henningsen all the way back in 1958 for the Langelinie Pavilion restaurant in Copenhagen, where it still hangs to this day. It consists of an impressive 72 metal sheets that open up around the steel frame like artichoke leaves, giving the lamp its peculiar name. Despite its age, it is still one of the designer’s most famous creations and an iconic pick for any modern household.
Melt by Tom Dixon
Image courtesy of XTRA Designs
One for the contemporary design enthusiasts, Tom Dixon’s MELT is the result of innovative vacuum metallisation in collaboration with design collective FRONT. Its shape is that of a distorted metallic globe that does its name justice with its soft form, translucent when on and aesthetically mirrored when off.
Raimond by Moooi
Image courtesy of Finnish Design Shop
If the Raimond pendant lamp makes you think of perfect geometry and scientific design, that’s because it was first created by mathematician Raimond Puts, who envisioned the architect Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome for his design. The lamp is made of a spherical steel net interspersed with small LED light bulbs, which are dimmable and gentle on the eyes.
Ellisse by Nemo Lighting
Image courtesy of Royal Interiors
Composed of two elliptical aluminium rings of different sizes, the Ellisse pendant lamp looks lightweight and delicate. Each of the rings can be turned and adjusted individually, making it a versatile and decidedly elegant centrepiece that adapts to most design styles. Its light is soft and diffused for a relaxed ambience.
Akari by Vitra
Image courtesy of Finnish Design Shop
Designed by Isamu Noguchi, Vitra’s Akari lamps put a cosy twist on modern lighting, inspired by the Japanese fishermen who used paper lanterns during night fishing at the Nagara River back in 1951. The designer’s rendition is handcrafted out of bamboo ribbing and translucent washi paper from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. It’s meant to replicate the warm glow of sunlight filtering through shoji (Japanese paper doors)—and it certainly looks very cosy.
Grasshoppa by Gubi
Image courtesy of Danish Design Co
One of the most remarkable pieces in Gubi’s collection of luxury furnishings, Greta M. Grossman’s Grasshoppa floor lamp has a striking geometric design with a sharp curve towards the head, making it a statement piece in any room. It’s available in a variety of colours, from Dusty Blue to Vintage Red, as well as a few monochromatic tones, all finished with a semi-matte sheen.
Pantop by Verpan
Image courtesy of Finnish Design Shop
The Pantop pendant lamp was first designed in the 1980s by Verner Panton and features a signature bell shape that pairs well with a more eclectic or retro-inspired interior. It is both playful and sophisticated and looks remarkably soft thanks to its rounded edges and smooth surface.
