Tag Archives: lighting

Compact & Cute Lamp That Fits All Environments Is A Miniaturized Version Of A 1970s Lamp

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I have a soft spot in my heart for small yet sensational lighting designs that illuminate spaces with style and functionality. I truly believe a  well-designed lighting piece should not only have the ability to illuminate any living space but also add that extra oomph factor! I mean, of course, we need them to see in the dark, but as highly functional as they should be, a lighting fixture also needs to be aesthetically pleasing, adding an attractive and visually soothing element to your home or office space. And, one such cute and compact lighting design that I recently came across is the Lari Mini Lamp by Karakter.

Designer: Karakter

The Lari Mini Lamp is designed by Danish design brand Karakter, and it is the miniature and renewed version of a lamp that was originally designed by the late Italian architect and sculptor Angelo Mangiarotti in 1978. Much like the original Lari, this mini lamp features a rounded-square silhouette, amped by a ribbed central section that is constructed from hand-blown glass. The lamp has a rather distinctive and unique shape that is quite difficult to miss!

The little lamp consists of a glass volume made up of two bulbs that emit a warm white glow. The two bulbs are placed against a black oval-shaped base, creating a geometrically interesting piece. The Lari Mini lamp was designed to be more practical, functional, and accessible than the original full-sized lighting design, building a piece that is easier to use and place in your home. The lamp is rechargeable via USV-C cable, offering 12 hours of illumination once fully charged.

“Mangiarotti had a very specific approach to lighting,” said Christian Elving, co-founder and CEO of Karakter. “His designs seem to constantly play with the balance between soft sensuousness and robust practicality.”

The thoughtfully designed Lari Mini Lamp is quite versatile, and it was designed for domestic, mixed-use, and hospitality environments. You can truly place it anywhere – from cozy and comfy reading corners in your home to dining tables at elegant restaurants. The Lari Mini Lamp is created to find its place and spot in all kinds of environments.

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Top 10 Chique Lighting Designs To Illuminate Your Home With Style + Practicality

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Gone are the days when lighting designs were boring and typically designed objects that did nothing but add light to a living space. A well-designed lighting fixture should not only have the ability to illuminate any living space but also add that extra oomph factor! I mean, of course, we need them to see in the dark, but as highly functional as they should be, a lighting fixture also needs to be aesthetically pleasing, adding an attractive and visually soothing element to your home or office space. From a ghost-like chandelier to a unique book-mounted reading light– these innovative lighting designs are what you need to elevate your living or working space!

1. Sunne Light

Called the Sunne Light, this innovative solar light is self-powered and it harvests sunlight during the day to ensure your home is lit up throughout the night. The extraordinary sunlight-mimicking lamp collects solar energy, while also powering itself using that energy.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Sunne light features photovoltaic cells that are designed to be hung in front of a window. It is a suspended lighting fixture that collects solar energy through the day and then uses that energy at night to illuminate your home. It has an integrated battery that stores the solar energy it collects.

What we like

  • Collects solar energy and uses it to power itself
  • Remains suspended in air, not occupying any precious real estate in your home

What we dislike

  • Heavy price tag
  • Since the lamp is suspended, it could be difficult to clean and maintain

2. Chapeaux Table Lamp

The stunning Chapeaux Table Lamp is considered worthy to be part of a magic show. It is an enchanting and mesmerizing lighting fixture that will instantly grab your attention owing to its super unique design.

Why is it noteworthy?

One of the focal features of the lamp is the transparent pyrex body which is accentuated with a cylindrical steam that widens up at both ends. The bottom section supports and stabilizes the lamp while the top embraces the hat diffuser. Once the lamp is switched on, the entire body is highlighted with pretty subtle reflections.

What we like

  • Features a floating light source, that subtly conceals all the technical bits

What we dislike

  • Since it is transparent, it needs to be cleaned regularly, to ensure it doesn’t have a dirty/murky appearance

3. Amber Crystal Light

Gingko’s Amber Crystal Light looks like a fortune-telling orb that rests on a wooden base, with intricate designs etched into the center of the glass orb. Once you switch the light on, the art scatters light in different directions, producing a stunning glowing effect that borders on visual magic.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Crystal Light features five different artworks within the crystal orb – dandelion, galaxy, the solar system, Saturn, and a motif of Earth as a globe. The different motifs represent different emotions such as hope, serenity, curiosity, and a genuine love for space, science, and nature.

What we like

  • Offers up to 16 hours of stunning illumination with gorgeous designs

What we dislike

  • The lamp seems quite fragile and breakable, so should be kept away from kids and pets

4. Soft Serve Lamp

The Soft Serve Lamp is an adorable lighting design by Stockholm design studio Crème Atelier, and mimics a “swirly ice cream”. It is available in a range of delicious sorbet colors!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Soft Serve lamp is 3D-printed and is inspired by pastries and desserts, which in my opinion makes a great source of inspiration for lighting designs.

What we like

  • Made to order, which makes the entire production method pretty swift and sustainable according to the agency

What we dislike

  • Seems more decorative than functional to be honest

5. Emotional Lab Light

Dubbed the Emotional Lab Light, this unique and ethereal-looking lighting design was created by interior designer Hania Jneid. Jneid was inspired by chemistry sets, and she drew influence from them to create her eclectic and elaborate floor lamp.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Emotional Lab floor lamp includes a tall and slender metal lamp that provides support to multiple beaker-like glass vessels that illuminate any space they’re placed into with a warm and inviting flow.

What we like

  • Influenced by the designer’s childhood memories of chemistry lab

What we dislike

  • Looks easily breakable and fragile, and not very moveable

6. Skyview

Dubbed Skyview, these lamps can be utilized for light therapy, but they also manage to be quite aesthetically pleasing. They are designed by Bios by “documented scientific research”, which means they can simulate exposure to sunlight in the comfort of your home.

Why is it noteworthy?

The lamps can simulate sunlight even when the sun is not out. They’re also well-designed, allowing them to naturally merge with your home, ensuring they don’t look out of place in your living room, bedroom, or home office.

What we like

  • Can be programmed to adjust to the time of day and the natural light outside

What we dislike

  • Hefty price tag, which may not be accessible to everyone

7. Bowie 2.0

The Bowie 2.0 is a genius reading light that illuminates not only the pages of your book but also your entire room. The light is designed like a leather fashion accessory that can be clipped onto the left and right sides of your book cover.

Why is it noteworthy?

The LEDs are built into the light’s strap, casting a soft and lovely glow that is still strong enough to let you read in the pitch dark. It casts warm LED light on your pages, letting you read with ease, turn pages, and move around without the light causing any discomfort,

What we like

  • Features touch-sensitive brightness settings built in that let you adjust the LED brightness to suit your needs and requirements

What we dislike

8. Ghost Chandelier

As its name suggests, the Ghost Chandelier is ghostly and ghoulish yet quite graceful. It is a simple and alluring lighting design, that instantly captures your attention, and has you completely mesmerized.

Why is it noteworthy?

Created by Kristian Sofus Hansen and Tommy Hyldahl of NORR11 for the Danish design studio, the artistic lighting design intends to cast a myriad range of shapes and patterns in your home. The stunning piece is inspired by minimalist art.

What we like

  • The chandelier looks different from different viewpoints
  • Builds a moody and seductive ambiance in your home

What we dislike

  • Looks difficult to clean and maintain

9. Matin Lamp

Designed by Inga Hempe, the Matin Lamp is a contemporary and modern interpretation of a common lighting fixture that uses a steel wire frame to condense the form to its most basic.

Why is it noteworthy?

Its unique pleated lampshade gives a distinctive character to the product, creating a play of shapes and shadows that contrast with its plain block of color.

What we like

  • The lamp is a harmonious contrast of order and chaos with repeating patterns of flowers, petals, and leaves

What we dislike

  • The lamp may be too quirky and eclectic for some

10. Nebula Desk Lamp

Designed by COG Design Studio, the Nebula Desk Lamp is a basic yet defined form of lighting built via repetition, transformation, and an innovative and unique combination of distinctive geometric shapes.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Nebula Desk Lamp was designed by giving a subtle and formative beauty to flat shapes using three-dimensional changes in direction and bending. This creates a refreshed and interesting form for a lighting design.

What we like

  • The innovative design gives the impression of a nebula in space, which lends the design its name

What we dislike

  • There is no option to change/customize the design as needed

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Cute table lamp concept mimics a man with an umbrella under the rain

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We can take a lot of ideas from nature, but sometimes the source of inspiration can be our own selves. The human figure, after all, is a truly complex design, and it’s capable of portraying a wide range of forms and emotions. Sometimes, that spark even comes from the most mundane of situations, like sitting on a park bench or walking under the rain with an umbrella. The latter is apparently what gave birth to a rather cute little lamp designed to stand on your desk, table, or shelf, generating a sense of playfulness and calm, emotions that some people feel on a rainy day.

Designer: Heeyeol Yang

Different people associate rainy days with different emotions. Some feel lethargic and sleepy while others are their most productive in the midst of the pitter-patter. Some feel a bit of anxiety, especially when trapped under the rain, but there are actually those who can stay still and calm while standing under an umbrella. This is the inspiration for Rain Man, a concept design for a lamp that is truthfully more open to interpretation than what the designer intended.

On the one hand, the name alone directly points to the form that the lamp tries to imitate. The flat cone on top is like an umbrella, while the lever that supports it is the figure’s arm. The lamp itself is an extreme generalization of the human head, and plenty of metaphors can probably be drawn from how a person’s face and presence can light up those gloomy, rainy days.

At the same time, it’s also possible to see the figure a bit differently if you don’t take the name into consideration. The umbrella becomes a wide-brimmed hat commonly found in Asian countries, held high in greeting when coming across another person. In either interpretation, the focus is on the human figure and its relationship with its surroundings, be it rain or shine.

The concept design has other interesting features beyond its anthropomorphic shape. The umbrella (or hat) can be lowered or raised as desired, scattering the light or focusing it toward a single direction. Overall, the lamp has a certain charm that makes it a lovely piece for your living space, greeting you and your visitors with a simple, calm gesture.

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Nature-inspired pendant lamps add a minimalist and intricate aesthetic to your space

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One of the things that can make your space look more elegant, stylish, and beautiful is to have lamps that will complement and enhance the room. There are a lot of well-designed lamps, light fixtures, and chandeliers out there that you can choose from and there’s always room for more. If you’re looking for something a bit more minimalist but still will stand out when you place it in your room, here are a couple of pendant lamps from Claymango.

Designer: Gamini Rawal for Claymango

The Lily Pendant Lamp is of course inspired by the Lily flower and is designed to represent “love, devotion, and purity”. It streamlines the six petals into just three, achieving a minimalist and simple aesthetic. It also has an eco-friendly finish as it uses rattan as its main material. It can stand alone as just one pendant lamp or you can group it together with other lily lamps if you need something bigger. It can be used for both task and area lighting.

The Spiral Pendant Lamp meanwhile is inspired by the rhythmic movements that the fishes make when they’re looking for food in the ocean. Therefore you get some swirls and twisty forms but still with a minimalist aesthetic, using its bamboo weave design to blend with neutral and boho feels. The fixtures that are designed as a pair can serve both as pendant lamps and chandeliers with the light suspended through the cylindrical diffuser.

These pendant lamps are minimalist but also somehow slightly intricate in design. If you have an aesthetic that fits the lily concept or the spiral concept, these would be a pretty nice addition to the room (if ever they will come out of the concept stage) as they are both functional and decorative.

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Solar-powered streetlights spin and move to chase the sun

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We see plenty of solar-powered products today, ranging from simple lamps to complicated electronics. But despite the sustainability benefits these offer, there’s no escaping the fact that they do need to soak up the rays to actually work. That’s not much of a problem if the devices have large batteries that can be used when the sun is out, but not so much for smaller objects that have to be smarter in how they get some sunlight. The sun, unfortunately, never stays still, and other atmospheric conditions could make an area less exposed from time to time. To help alleviate that problem, this design concept for solar-powered street lamps takes inspiration from Mother Nature in order to seek out the sun where it shines the brightest.

Designer: VANTOT

When people talk about street lights, most will probably imagine lamps on top of posts. These lighting fixtures are designed to be stationary in order to be reliable landmarks as well as to make them more convenient to reach and maintain. That restriction, however, might pose a problem for solar-powered street lamps because they will always be at the mercy of the sun’s location. When clouds cast shadows or buildings rise to block the sun, these lamps might lose their one and only source of power.

The Sunseeker is an experimental solution to that problem that uproots street lights and sets them on a chain rather than on a post. This frees the hanging lights from staying in one spot and lets them move freely along the chain. It might be a strange capability, but it makes sense when you consider that the light sensors on each lamp actually detect where sunlight shines strongest and then move or turn the lamp’s solar panel to face that direction.

It’s definitely an odd feature, but one that can actually be seen in nature. The sunflower, for example, is famous for how it always faces the sun, a trait that is even more important for solar-powered devices. In this manner, the Sunseeker lights can move where the sun is, ensuring that it will always be at peak performance when the day star finally sets.

In addition to implementing a critical function, this sun-seeking behavior puts a playful spin on the lamps, pun intended. Crowds can be amazed and entertained as the circular panels slowly move and spin to match the direction of the sun. But even when they’re staying still, the lamps exude a character that is almost otherworldly, especially with how they look like a fleet of tiny UFOs lining up in the night sky.

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Ambient lamp can be controlled by touch or smartphone connection

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I don’t really think much about the aesthetics of lighting in my house. As long as I get the light that I need at different times of the day, I’m okay. But for those that like mood lighting, lamps are the best way to add more ambience to your room or space. Most of these lamps are well-designed but aren’t really built for a tactile experience. So if you’re looking for both, this concept for a “softer” lamp may be something to look forward to.

Designers: Pinar Aydogdu, Deniz Ozsuslu, Naren Yildirim

The Pofu Lamp is a concept for a lighting device that also doubles as a charging hub for your devices. But that in itself isn’t what makes it different from other lamps and chargers in one. Its selling point is that you can interact with it by squeezing and touching the lamp which is made from silicone material instead of plastic, giving it a softer and warmer touch. It also uses ABS plastic construction so you get a glossy finish and is able to support magnetic charging stations. You have the option to control it through touch or through your Bluetooth-connected smartphone.

Squeezing the lamp once will turn it on or off while a long squeeze will start the Bluetooth connection. When you do a double spin, you can remove the top and then turn the charging base into a charging hub. The lamp also gives two different modes depending on what you need the light for and maybe your mood as well. You get the usual warm yellow light which you can use at any time of the day and then you get the well-being mode which will adapt the color tones depending on the time of the day like with morning, noon, and evening.

The lamp itself has a triangular dome-like appearance and looks a bit softer compared to other lamps, at least from the product renders we’re seeing. The fact that it has a more tactile approach to controlling it while also having the option to still have a smartphone to control things like power, mode, and device connections. No word yet if this concept will eventually see the light of day.

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Sculptural wall lamps bring an otherworldly aura inspired by sunflowers

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A lot of designs these days take their cue from nature, perhaps the greatest designer that ever existed. Some simply use natural forms as their starting point while others imitate them almost completely. Yet there are also others who try to interpret organic shapes in a different way, resulting in a design that is both familiar yet almost alien. This wall lighting, for example, takes inspiration from the tiny disk flowers inside a beautiful sunflower, but the play of light and shadows gives it an almost hypnotic appearance, whether the lamp is actually on or not.

Designer: Rollo Bryant

It’s probably not common knowledge, but the flower that most people “see” when looking at a sunflower is actually a flower head that’s made up of a bunch of tiny flowers called disk florets. It’s a rather unique arrangement that becomes even more enchanting when you learn about it, giving the sunflower an otherworldly character. That’s the kind of character that the Aureole collection of wall-mounted lighting tries to embody, not just in its appearance but also in the material used to create its mesmerizing form.

The lamps use quartz sand for its main body, a material that’s often used for moulds that are then used to create other objects. In Aureole, however, the sand is the final product instead, and its production pushes the envelope of both what the material can be used for as well as the 3D printing technology employed for creating the complex structures of the lamp’s shape.

That shape is almost like a maze of intersecting curves or an array of raised bits swirling around the center, trying to recreate the appearance of those disk florets without being too literal. They only suggest the general shape of the sunflower head but still leave plenty of room for artistic interpretation. Closer inspection reveals a more intricate network of lines and curves, almost like the structures that bees and ants leave behind in their hives and homes. While completely natural in inspiration, it almost gives the lamp an alien-like vibe as well.

Once the light shines from beneath an opaque black disc in the center, the wall-mounting lighting takes on a completely different personality, ethereal and mesmerizing. Thanks to those complex 3D structures, the light casts shadows in unique and intricate ways, creating an eerie atmosphere that seems to lock your eyes in a swirling spiral of yellow and black contrasts. Because the light is coming from behind the disc, there is also an element of mystery to the aesthetic, as if watching a solar eclipse corona burst into a dizzying pattern. Either way, the Aureole wall lamps definitely captivate people’s minds and imagination, a true conversation starter in any setting.

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Half-folded lamp brings back memories of paper toys and makeshift tents

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Who said lamps have to be tall structures or well-formed shapes that spread their light perfectly, either in all directions or in a single trajectory? Of course, more utilitarian lighting does need to follow certain requirements, but those that aim to set the mood have more freedom to express themselves in other, sometimes imperfect ways. This table lamp, for example, isn’t going to help you with your reading or your work, but will probably tickle your imagination or bring up sweet, playful memories thanks to its rather unusual shape that is reminiscent of the folded paper toys that we make in our childhood.

Designer: Jihoon Shim

At first glance, you’d probably not even think of this piece of folded aluminum as a lamp. It looks more like a sheet of metal that was haphazardly folded diagonally to create an incomplete pyramid that could topple over at any minute. Of course, the shape and fold of the design are carefully made to ensure a stable form, but it’s that visual sense of instability and misalignment that gives it a playful and whimsical character.

That becomes even more apparent once you turn on the lamp in a dark room. Most of the light naturally comes out from the large opening in front, but there are also a few rays that slip through the bottom gap produced by the uneven fold of the structure. If the shape of the lamp in the daytime reminds one of clumsily folded paper toys, the light at night might make some remember the makeshift tents they build indoors and the incandescent lights they turn on to read in the dark or scare their friends during those slumber parties.

The material chosen for the lamp also contributes to its unfinished appearance. Instead of hard stainless steel, anodized aluminum was chosen instead, giving it an almost industrial and raw appeal. It also diffuses the light in a unique way, making it bounce off rough surfaces rather than the shiny and almost perfect surface of stainless steel. The Half Lamp is an interesting way to add a special nighttime atmosphere to a room, generating not just light but also a bit of joy while you dream of happy childhood days.

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An Inflatable Lamp That Adds A Pop Of Color To Any Room

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In the realm of design, creativity often finds inspiration in the most unexpected places. The SQUEEZE lamp stands as a testament to this philosophy, pushing the boundaries of conventional lighting by embracing air as a central design principle.

Designer: Eva Ausmann

SQUEEZE is not just a lamp; it’s a whimsical exploration of form and function. Crafted from TPU-coated nylon, the lamp embodies a harmonious fusion of material innovation and aesthetic appeal. The choice of materials ensures constant air pressure, creating a lightweight yet sturdy structure that is both dynamic and resilient.

One glance at this lamp, and you might mistake it for funky home decor. This inflatable lamp is not just a source of light; it’s a conversation starter, inviting onlookers to marvel at its unique design. The lamp’s agility is owed to welded joints in the TPU-coated nylon, and the material-specific properties of the stretched membrane, allowing it to seamlessly adapt to various environments.

This lamp goes beyond mere aesthetics by integrating practical features into its design. The lamp can be effortlessly attached to the edge of a table through the pressure created between two air cushions at the bottom, demonstrating an ingenious marriage of form and function.

Adding a touch of technological innovation, squeeze features an integrated air pressure sensor to control its light. The sensor reacts to the membrane being pressed, offering a unique and interactive lighting experience. This dynamic control mechanism adds an extra layer of engagement for users, making it not just a luminaire but a tactile experience.

Sustainability takes center stage with this lamp. When deflated and folded flat, the lamp not only becomes incredibly lightweight but also minimizes transportation costs and emissions. In the context of this luminaire project, the use of air as a design element showcases its potential to create resource-saving solutions, replacing traditional material-intensive constructions.

The lamp understands that personal style is diverse, offering the lamp in three different colors. Whether you prefer a subtle elegance, a vibrant pop of color, or a classic hue, Squeeze allows you to tailor your lighting to suit your individual taste and stand out in your interior spaces.

The minimalistic design of this lamp ensures that it seamlessly complements a range of styles – from modern to contemporary and minimal. Its soft geometry, combined with a splash of color, brings a playful yet sophisticated element to any space, making it an ideal choice for those who appreciate simplicity with a touch of flair.

Squeeze definitely stands as a beacon of innovation in the world of lighting design. Through its ingenious use of air as a central design principle, this lamp not only illuminates spaces but also illuminates the possibilities that emerge when creativity and functionality coalesce. It transcends the conventional, offering a unique and captivating addition to any interior.

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Upcycled skateboard factory rejects transform into warm wall lighting

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Recycling is a great way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, but the process itself can sometimes have some negative impact. There’s still a lot of energy and water involved in converting materials into something usable again, and there’s also some loss when the original design gets destroyed in the process. Upcycling is a more efficient and time-saving alternative, but not everything can be upcycled and not everything that can be upcycled can be used in newer and better ways. Sometimes, it takes a bit more creative thinking to transform one thing into a completely different thing, like how factory seconds from skateboard manufacturers are turned into these understated yet elegant wall lamps.

Designers: Michael and Mariel Upton

Skateboards are objects that bring up images of speed, tricks, and devilish stunts. They’re hardly associated with warmth, subtlety, or even light. Of course, these associations aren’t inherent in the shape of the skateboard’s wooden deck, which makes them open for reuse and reinterpretation, as the case of this trio of wall lamps demonstrates, providing stylish lighting that hardly gives a clue to their origins.

Considering the long oval shapes of skateboard decks, not to mention their upward curved ends, you definitely wouldn’t be able to guess that these wall lights are exactly made from those wooden parts. That’s because these pieces of 7-ply maple wood are taken from factory rejects, decks that obviously didn’t make the cut. Since the shapes of these boards are too specific for general use, they often end up simply being discarded. They’re thankfully made from wood, so they’re biodegradable and have fewer harmful effects on the environment, but they’re still waste and, more importantly, wasted opportunity.

Upton thankfully has the wonderful idea of using those boards to provide ambient lighting as well as a piece of minimalist wall art. The discarded decks are cut to create a shorter and straighter oval shape and then paired with lighting hardware on the back. Each of the three variants, namely, Heru, Cuna, and Mara, get a square piece of original art that becomes the visual center of the entire fixture. With this, even if the light is off, the designs act as decorative pieces that enhance a room’s ambiance in a subtle way.

When the light is on, however, you get a warm ambient halo of light that sets a calming and relaxing mood in any space. The light is emitted from the back and is reflected on the mounting surface, making it look softer and avoiding painful glare when you look in its direction. The wall lamp projects a character of calm and warmth, definitely not something you’d expect from a speedster skateboard that it would have become in some other lifetime.

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