1 Louvre Light
André Klauser & Ed Carpenter/
Established & Sons
Designed by André Klauser and Ed Carpenter of Established & Sons, the Louvre Light, with its aluminum slats and compound-curved corners, recalls the tight regularity of Venetian blinds and the rear windows of certain 1980s muscle cars. Whether you choose to see the racy reference or the workaday, the lamp’s long proportions and multifaceted, glare-free ambient light make it perfect for hanging over the dining room table. It comes in two sizes and a variety of metal finishes, including powder-coated and anodized aluminum or patinated brass (pictured).
2 Early Future
Ingo Maurer
Quite possibly the world’s first lamp powered by organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), the limited-edition Early Future takes advantage of this upcoming technology’s flatness and flexibility. Designed by Ingo Maurer in collaboration with OSRAM, the desk lamp features ten 132-by-33-millimeter OLED modules affixed to slight metal fins that jut from either side of an angled metal stem. Without large sockets or reflectors, the OLEDs achieve the sleekest possible profile, while the diffused light emitted by the radiant surfaces avoids stark shadows and reflections.
3 Progetto Oggetto
0808, 0809
François Azambourg/
Cappellini
French designer François Azambourg teamed with Italian manufacturer Cappellini to design this series of hanging and floor-standing lamps whose playful forms ride the line between haute couture and trailer park refuse. Made from crumpled metal sheets that are laser-cut and folded, the lamps make a polished play on crushed beer cans and automobile accidents. Available in a variety of polished lacquer finishes, including white, black, blue (pictured), yellow, red, and gray, the lamp’s inside is always white for optimum light output.
4 Double Stray
Inga Sempé
Artecnica Inc.
Inspired by the translucency of Chinese paper lanterns, Paris-based designer Inga Sempé’s Double Stray ceiling lamp for Artecnica transforms an ancient tradition through design-world fussiness. The paper blob of the lamp, more or less a cube, is slashed in vertical and horizontal strips, not unlike a Renaissance dandy’s doublet, creating varying intensities of light. Packaged flat, the paper lampshade unfolds accordion-like, revealing a creased or, if you prefer, moiré pattern. Available only in white, the lamp evokes a feeling of sultry, peek-a-boo innocence.
