Words: Izzie Price
How’s the ‘back to work’ shift treating you? Perhaps you’re back at the office full time: hot-desking, queuing for the kitchen’s one and only coffee maker, making frantic calls to IT about why the photocopier seems to be printing every page in varying shades of orange — in other words, all those typical office experiences that make up the workplace.
Or, maybe, you’re still working from home; whether that be full time, or a few days a week. WFH has its pros, of course; but attempting to work without those office luxuries that we all took for granted can take its toll — luxuries like decent lighting. So with that in mind, it’s about time you stopped squinting at your desk and invested in an efficient, aesthetically pleasing desk lamp. It’ll make your WFH lifestyle not only more bearable, but also more enjoyable; and every modern man should make sure his interior decoration is on excellent aesthetic form at all times.
(Even if you’re not working from home — get a desk lamp anyway. It’ll always look good; and it’ll stand you in good stead for when you set up your own business.)
For a comfortable glow: Panthella 320 Table Lamp
Designed by renowned Danish designer Verner Panton for Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen, this lamp is nothing short of a Danish wonder. It celebrates 50 years of the Panthella lamp (if you weren’t familiar with the Panthella before, you are now); and appears in three striking finishes. We’re partial to the brass, but it appears in an attractive chrome or eye-catching opal, too…
Harking back to 1971, the Panthella is something of desk lamp royalty. This latest iteration boasts a cast aluminium base, and appears with an injection-moulded opal diffuser. The light floods directly downwards (so you won’t need to worry about any harsh glare); and it creates just the sort of gentle, soothing glow that’ll make the frantic pace of working from home infinitely more comfortable.
For maximum efficiency: The Tech Bar Desk Lamp
On first glance, it actually looks a bit frightening; and it certainly doesn’t look anything like a desk lamp. But rest assured, a desk lamp it is: and a scarily efficient one, too. As you’d expect from such a contemporary gadget, it’s composed of aluminium and stainless steel (among other materials); and its efficiency primarily stems from its ability to charge three smart devices simultaneously.
But that’s not all. With an adjustable lamp colour (including ten variations of white levels: five cool and five warm, together with the potential to combine various levels of each colour) and an adjustable brightness, too, it has touch sensitive controls and a lamp arm that rotates 90° in both directions (as well as being height adjustable). In short, it seems there’s nothing this lamp can’t do; so you may as well let it make your life considerably easier.
For a minimalist look: Mini Mais Plus Que Cela Je Ne Peux Pas Table Lamp
If a minimalist design is your preferred aesthetic, we’d recommend whipping out your Visa card right now and ordering this lamp without further delay. Its title may be a convoluted mouthful; but in every other sense, this desk lamp fully embodies the spirit of the well-worn phrase, ‘less is more’.
It was designed by reputed French architect Rudy Ricciotti for cutting edge Italian company Nemo, which is known for its bold statements: and if you’re thinking it has a slightly industrial air to it, you’d be right. It was crafted according to traditional methods, from rough metal; and with its indirect light, it’s the perfect interior decoration talking point for your office space.
For a spectacular centrepiece: Halcyon Desk Lamp
First things first: it’s not cheap. But if you’re in the mood to really push the boat out, we’d strongly suggest pushing it in the direction of this breathtakingly luxurious desk lamp. Built by global interior designer Kelly Wearstler, it comprises multiple precious materials; and it’ll instantly set the tone for any home-working space.
It boasts a slick, metallic design, thanks to the use of high-quality brass — brass that’s been fused with solid natural quartz to create a lamp that exudes both light and elegance in equal, refined measure. It’s both natural and utterly unique: the only downside is that you’d most likely gaze at it so much, you’d struggle to get any work done.
For shrewd innovation: Lumio Book Lamp
If shrewd innovation is your preferred desk lamp aesthetic, then this lamp is likely to be right up your well-lit street. Masquerading as a hardcover book, it seamlessly transitions into a sculptural light when opened; thanks to its interior lamp body crafted from water-resistant Tyvek ‘pages’, which are home to an LED module. Shrewd innovation, indeed.
Designed by Max Gunawan for Lumio — a company that specialises in invigorating the senses with each of their products — the lamp opens to 360 degrees, together with magnetic pegs that enable it to be mounted to any metal surface, or the option of a leather strap: if your desk lamp of choice takes the form of a pendant lamp. With its Buckram cloth cover, it’s the lamp that keeps on giving.
For tired eyes: Luigi Table Lamp
Ever been to 180 House? If you have, you may recognise its influence in this table lamp; and if you haven’t, this lamp may well induce you to sign up for a Soho House membership (such is its power and aesthetic attraction). The famed members’ club was the inspiration for this particular piece of interior furnishing; and the lamp is sure to aid your home interiors in becoming infinitely more glamorous.
Crafted from moulded white glass, it bears a domed shade with a glossy, almost silken sheen. The light ebbs out from every inch (not just from underneath the shade); and the overall effect is that of a soft glow; perfect for keeping on your home office desk or bedside table alike (and just the thing for that 8:00am virtual meeting, when your eyes haven’t quite woken up…).
For flair and fun: On Lines Table Lamp
Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel — and described by him as: “A simple and precise game. A game of colourful surfaces” — this lamp will positively guarantee you don’t do any work; because you’ll spend every office-based hour customising, reorganising and refitting your lamp.
‘Lamp’ doesn’t really do it justice. In line with Nemo’s modus operandi, it’s technologically outstanding — being touch-dimmable, with an integrated switch — and as we’ve already hinted, you can position the diffusers (crafted from methacrylate and available in two contrasting colour themes) to configure both light and transparency as you see fit. It’s a work of art; and with this lamp, home working is about to get a lot more fun.
For a bold statement: Seletti Wonder Bubblegum Lamp
Let’s face facts, gents: this lamp won’t be for everyone. If there was ever a ‘love it or hate it’ desk lamp iteration, this would be it. It’s a statement; it’s bolder than any desk lamp has the right to be; and it’s sure to have your dinner party guests making trips to your office purely to wonder aloud at your desk lamp audacity.
But we always like to champion artistry, creativity and innovation; and so if those are values that you similarly like to cheer on, this lamp may well be the one for you. Crafted from resin and glass, it hails from Italian company Seletti: and it might just transform those long home working days from the unutterably dull to the lightheartedly carefree. We can hope, anyway.
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