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Looking for creative table lamp ideas? These lamps were created by independent top designers around the world. Note that not all of these products are available for purchase, and some are just prototypes, so use these for inspiration for new ideas. See our post on unique modern table lamps to view products you can buy online today!
1. Aurelia Multi-Colored Jellyfish-Like LED Table Lamp
QisDesign, a Taiwan-based design studio has created the Aurelia lighting series. The LED table lamp is inspired by the beautiful underwater creature Aurelia, the Moon Jellyfish. The light evokes a sense of tranquility bordering on a trance state. According to the designer, “the energy-efficient LED lamp offers a delight for not only your eyes but also your sense of touch. With a three-way “touch ring” dimmer, it enables easy luminosity adjustment.
Glare is eliminated thanks to LED’s small-size characteristics, making it possible to hide the LEDs in the center. LED’s directional characteristic which lets the light reflect directly on the inner shade’s strips also helps create the translucent ambiance.”
Image Courtesy: QisDesign
2. Origami Table Lamp
Hamburg-based design studio Mirco Kirsch has created the Origami folded table lamp for Belt+Sund. The lamp is made from a single sheet of metal which is folded into shape by hand. The lamp holder is also precut and only needs to be folded up. The origami table lamp is available in various colors.
3. Robin Floor and Table Lamps
Sydney-based design studio Evie Group has designed the Robin floor and table lamps. The lighting collection gets its name from a bird-like aesthetic and the way in which the lamps can be maneuvered. The lamp body and frames are made from stainless steel with shades available in white, yellow, and black finishing. Both table and floor lamp are flexible and easily adjustable. Check out the pictures.
4. Ascent Table Lamp
Ascent is a unique table lamp created by Norwegian designer Daniel Rybakken for Luceplan. The lamp head is movable which moves along the stem. The light intensity changes from being turned off at the bottom position, to gradually ascending to the full intensity at the top, giving the user control over not only light intensity but also the spread of the light. The table lamp will be presented at the Salone del Mobile 2013.
According to the designer, “The visual elements of Ascent are all recognizable, from the classic head to the round stem, but it is the way you use Ascent that makes it different from existing lights. The gesture of sliding the head upwards for more light and down for less is a conceptual idea but at the same time an action that feels natural.
Ascent comes in two versions, with an anchor bolt for tables, or with a base. The anchor bolt is made impact resistant by having a co-molding of steel and rubber in the base, allowing up to 15 degrees of tilt of the stem. As to protecting the inner mechanics and electronics the head is made to rotate freely. These measures make Ascent suitable for larger public spaces as well as for domestic use.
5. Henk Table Lamp
Amsterdam-based designer Jos Blom has created the Henk table lamp. The base of the lamp consists of two birch plywood pieces that slide together to form a tripod. Two translucent plastic shells, held together by an elastic band act as a diffuser.
6. Heron Table Lamp
Heron is a flexible table lamp designed by Italian designer Enrico Azzimonti for Bilumen. The lighting unit features a flexible structure whose shape can be determined by those who use it. The shape can be changed by loosening and tightening simple joints screws. The lamp body is made of aluminum, a 100% recyclable material. The red cable, which flows along with the lamp structure, adds an essence to the grey color of the body. The lamp is available in two versions; one with the shape of the bell-like reflector’s silhouette and the other with a linear diffuser. Both lamps are equipped with energy-efficient LED lights. Check out the pictures.
7. Innovative “Bloom” Table Lamp
This innovative table lamp concept, the Bloom Lamp was designed by Patrick Jouin. In the designer’s words, “Inspired by the flower blossoms found in nature, this table lamp features a shade which collapses and expands to release or contain light. The shade of the lamp is 3D printed as a single piece, including hinges that in one movement, transform the shade from a bud to a blossom. And with the complexity of its design, the Bloom lamp succeeds in pushing even further the boundaries of 3D technologies.”
8. Leimu Table Lamp
Leimu is a glass and concrete table lamp designed by Magnus Pettersen Studio for Finnish design brand Iittala. From the designer, “Leimu is a table lamp which has a glass lampshade which sits on a concrete base. The glass is tinted in a copper color to produce a warm, atmospheric light and the concrete is made slightly darker to make it seem softer. The design is inspired by architecture, and wanting to bring a crude and cold material like concrete into an interior setting. The fragile glass and tough concrete is an unnatural pair, but it’s the contrast of the two materials which makes the design work.”
9. Alux Lamp-cum-Table
Alux is a multi-functional furniture unit that acts as a bedside table, an occasional table, and a lamp. It is designed by Mexican designer Christian Vivanco for Almerich. In the designer’s words, “According to The Maya mythology, Alux is a creature similar to a goblin or a naughty elf that lives in the forest; welcome to the inspiration for this project.
Alux is the perfect solution for small spaces; thanks to its dual functionality lets it be a bedside table, an occasional table, or a hallway lamp. Alux takes the idea of a table lamp to the most literal conclusion, incorporating both terms in one product. It adds a whole new meaning to the term ‘table lamp’.”
10. Hobo Portable Lantern
Hobo is an innovative portable lantern design created by Molo Design. The unique bag lamp uses energy-efficient LED lights. The Hobo lantern emits a light source through its delicate pattern of translucent fibers. You can carry the lamp in your hand while walking in the dark or it can be simply hung to the wall using a cork or nail. The Hobo Lantern is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. This versatile mobile luminary is inspired by the urban nightlife of Zona Tortona during design week.
Here is some information by the designer, “This natural felted wool bag is perfect for day-to-day use and is available in natural heathered grey or black. The elliptical base transitions to meet in a straight line at the bag’s opening which fastens with hidden magnets. This geometry creates a generous three-dimensional volume that is both visually unique and practical in its capacity.
11. Dami Furniture and Lighting series
“Dami” is a series of furniture and lighting units created by Korean designer Seung Yong Song. The furniture and lighting series is named after a Korean verb meaning ‘put in’. The Dami series is consists of baskets of different forms and sizes. Each furniture and lighting piece is created using traditional Korean grille design which makes them light and sturdy. The Dami series is made from a modern eco-friendly material called Valchromat using CNC processing technique.
12. 005 Lighting Collection
Tel Aviv-based designer Naama Hofman has created the 005 Lighting Collection. At first glance, the lamp looks like a normal fluorescent tube, but it is actually an acrylic tube containing 180 energy-saving LED bulbs. The acrylic tube is held by a glass piece. The collection consists of four lighting units.
13. 123 LED Light
123 is a simple LED table/reading lamp created by Italian designer Federico Floriani. The minimal lighting unit is composed of three parts, two metal legs, and an oak main body. According to the designer, “The project aims to be as simple as possible, there is nothing superfluous in it.
Based on this purpose the legs wrap around the oak body using the only elasticity of the metal and the main wood shape can be orientated in any direction, pointing the beam to the user’s liking.
123 is a desk light which uses led technology and structure abstraction to explore new aesthetics and leave behind the classic bulb lamp shape.”
14. 360° Lamp
Poland-based industrial designer Magdalena Chojnacka of Bongo Design has created the 360° lamp. The minimalist desk/reading lamp is made from one piece of solid pine block. According to the designer, “The 360° is a result of minimalistic approach with no compromises, the head is made from one fine selected pine block, carefully crafted into the final shape, which thanks to a specially developed smart spring mechanism enables full 360° rotation and stabilization at any angle so that you can always adjust the light direction. The stand is made from quality powder-coated steel. Its warm light provided by the advanced Led bulb by Philips ( included ) brings the atmosphere to any space.”
15. Afillia Lights
Italian designer Alessandro Zambelli has created the Afillia lighting collection for Exnovo. The lighting series consists of six lighting units, three table lamps, and three pendant lights. The base is made from Swiss pine and the diffuser is 3D printed polyamide.
From the designer, “Stripping away the frills poses the risk of coming up against bare essentials, sometimes in a highly visible way. A fine example is Alessandro Zambelli’s new lights, designed for .exnovo. He calls the collection “Afillia,” a name borrowed from botany. In-plant terms, it means leafless, though not lifeless: surely an apt image for a collection of luminous essentials and airy voids.
The Afillia range of six lighting accessories consists of three table lamps and three pendant lights. The base or socket ring is in Swiss pine, a premium wood from the Alto Adige mountains, hand-crafted according to the region’s ancient traditions. The wood fitting locks on to a light diffuser in polyamide (also known as nylon fiber), sintered by professional 3D printing.
The centerpiece of each accessory is a diffuser that embraces and embellishes space. Delicate, lace-like patterns with their geometrical pinholes give rise to two-dimensional origami in thin, curvaceous spirals. Free to waver at will, the light casts fleeting shadows, then beams into unexpected focus, forming compact halos, round and bright. This is energy in fluid form, in the no-man’s land between stuff and shape, air and light.”
16. Bloom Table Lamps
Bloom is a series of three table lamps created by Norwegian Designer Kristine Five Melvær. The organic shape of the lamp is inspired by the forms of nature. The shades of the lamps may be associated with buds, fruits, and water while the seams in the construction are reminiscent of fibers. The lamps are made from steel and printed canvas.
17. Boya Lamp
Boya is a simple table or bedside lamp crated by Outofstock for US-based furniture company Environment. The design of the lamp is inspired by the beacon lights and marine buoys. The base is made from solid American Oak or Natural Maple and the lampshade is grey tinted blown glass. The tinted glass diffuses the light and creates a warm atmosphere.
18. Brahma Lighting Collection
Designer Jordi Blasi has created the Brahma lighting collection for Barcelona-based company Pedret Lighting. Presented at the Light & Building 2012, the Brahma lighting series includes pendant, flush, wall, floor, and table lamps. Each lamp in the series is made of solid brass and porcelain lampshades.
19. Cajonlight
Madrid-based architectural studio Kawamura-Ganjavian has created the Cajonlight. It is a minimalist lighting object that can sit in various positions providing versatile lighting options. Here is a description from the designers, “Cajonlight is an intriguing object. When switched off, its faceted volume and missing face give it a mysterious character. When switched on, its capacity to rest in different positions and its bonfire-like light turns it into a versatile and mesmerizing object. There is also a softly padded upholstered version.”
20. Dama Table Lamp
Barcelona-based Australian designer Tom Allen has created the Dama Table Lamp for eco-design company Lucirmás. The table lamp is made from upcycled, recyclable, and sustainably certified materials. The lamp is inspired and made from 5-liter glass vessels commonly used for storing wine and oil in Italy. The glass lampshade is easily removable which makes cleaning very easy. The base of the lamp is made from beech wood.
21. Frame Lamp
Designer Arnaud Lapierre has created the Frame Lamp in collaboration with Paris-based company Triode Design. Following is some information from the designer, “First of all, the frame is a scattering effective and functional light rail. It is a clear line volume, almost nothing. Eyes are caught by the drawing of blank lit. The light is almost mysterious, weightless on a tray blank, which can hold objects. First, “Frame” operates like a painting, a composition, an everyday still life dramatized by the light: an image.
Then came a second removable element: a shade made of asymmetric folds like a suspended curtain. It will cast light in a different way and will give a second graphic vocabulary to the object: it will transform a mysterious light in contrast display then play with the reflective properties of the material.”
22. Hello Dude Lamp
Hello, Dude lamp by designer Markus Johansson features a cap that you can turn and tilt to change the direction and intensity of light. The lamp has a plastic screw inside the cap which makes the cap go up and down. You can raise the cap up and down to change the intensity of the light or tilt it to change the direction of the light. The table lamp is made of steel and glass.
23. Ka Lighting Collection
Designers Daniel García & María José Vargas of Spanish studio Woodendot have created the Ka lamp collection. The lighting collection consists of three models, Ka XL, Ka M, and Ka S lamp. Ka XL is ambient light, Ka M is a reading lamp and Ka S is a table lamp. The hand-crafted lamp is made from natural materials and features a clean and sustainable design with careful attention to detail. Each model in the collection is available in two finishes, black and white.
24. Lamparini
Lamparini is a collection of handmade table lamps created by Peru-based design studio Ayllu Collective. Each lamp in the lighting series is made out of pine wood. The design is inspired by the Wabi-sabi, a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The lamps are available in three colors, brown, red wine, and green.
25. LM Box
The LM Box is a mood-creating lamp created by Norwegian design studio Domaas/Høgh. The boxy lamp has two illumination surfaces and magnets hidden inside the side wooden panels. By using different magnetic elements, you can use the lamp for different functions other than just for lighting. The lamp is made of birch wood and steel
According to the designers, “The user is involved in the process of realizing the potential of the lamp. The lamp has two illumination surfaces, which makes it very versatile for accent lighting and to illuminate the room it is in. By using the magnetic elements, you can hang up a piece of paper, your keys, or other small items. You can also write a happy note on the surface of the lamp. The lamp can be placed on a table, hanging on the wall, maybe on your nightstand or in the office.”
26. MCE Lamps
Note Design Studio has created the MCE Lamps for Belgian design brand PER/USE. Each lamp in the series consists of a hand-blown gradient colored glass bowl and a wooden frame base. The wooden frame was inspired by the mathematical illustrations and optical illusions by M.C.Escher, Oscar Reuterswärd, and their likes. The glass bowl can be tilted to direct the soft light. Available in three different sizes, the MCE lamp series was presented during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2014.
27. Mia Lamp
Mia Lamp by Italian designer Federica Bubani for Fabbian is a little lamp composed of two white clay volumes. The first volume serves as the base and the second volume holds a fluorescent light bulb. You can arrange the cone-shaped top volume in different positions to change the direction and brightness of the light.
28. Milan 2012: GUS Table Lamp
Designers Patrycja Domanska and Felix Gieselmann have created the Gus Table Lamp. The design of the table lamp is based on the shape of the classic gas lamps. The lamp has a cylindrical base with a cone top, powder-coated in steel blue or simply white, and a lampshade made of opaque white or clear glass. The Gus Table Lamp will be on display during the Milan Furniture Fair 2012 at the MOST as part of Designersblock.
29. Mush Lamp
Designer Claudia Garay of Madrid based practice Garay Studio has created the Mush lamp. It is a cordless table light with a built-in rechargeable battery and LED bulb. From the designer, “Mush Lamp is a family of cordless table lights including button, cone, and pan. The form is derived from a Mushroom, with a standard base and different head options. The base cylinder, made from natural beech wood houses the battery, LED, and mechanisms, while the head in ceramic and wood chips acts as a diffuser to create a warm ambient light that can be adjusted with a dimmer switch to suit the chosen environment. The cordless lamp allows for the freedom of use in different locations within the home, office, restaurants, etc…
Mush Lamp projects up to 300 luxes of warm light from its different heads. In its regular mode, its dimmable LED will emit 200 luxes for more than 6 hours on a single charge and will be completely charged in 2 hours.”
30. Naica Lamp
Designers Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri of London and Verona-based design partnership Something have created the Naica Lamp for Ligne Roset. Inspired by carbide lanterns from the past, originally used by miners, the lamp is shaped like a cavern with a hollowed-out inner surface that softly reflects the light. The electric cable doubles as a handle to easily move the lamp from one spot to another. The Naica lamp is available either in white or with a red-colored inner surface.
31. The New Old Light
Taiwan-based studio Kimu Design has created the New Old Light. The design of the lamp mimics the traditional appearance of a lantern. From the designers, “By using the flat border to emulate the traditional appearance of lanterns, The New Old Light continued its style in the plane quadrant.
With the change of the wood proportion of The New Old Light, which produced the extension of breathing in a virtual space, the air particles seem to be paused at the moment of light on.”
32. Paris 2012: Sunset LED Table Lamp
French designer Alban le Henry has presented his latest creation Sunset, an LED table lamp at the Paris Design Week 2012. As the name indicates, the LED table lamp is inspired by the sunset. The lamp gives out diffused light similar to the setting sun.
33. Pirouette Table Lamp
Pirouette is a table lamp inspired by an old-fashioned wooden spinning top and its whirling movement. Created by Italian design firm Studio BAAG, the table is made from turned oak wood with brass details and opaline plexiglass. When not turned on, the simple design of the lamp makes it a decorative element.
34. Plug Lamp
Stockholm-based design studio Form Us With Love has created the Plug Lamp for Swedish lighting brand ateljé Lyktan. It is a small table lamp with a built-in electrical socket that can be used to power smartphones, computers, and other gadgets. In the designer’s words, “It seems like we’re always in need of a plug socket to charge our computer, tablet or smartphone. For this particular reason, Form Us With Love has designed Plug Lamp for ateljé Lyktan – a lamp with a bonus of an electrical socket.
The Plug Lamp has a bulbous shape and a base in molded and powder-coated aluminum, here the plug socket is displayed centrally, making it a decorative detail. The light itself is concealed by an opal glass shade and the lamp is dimmable.
By integrating the socket in the lamp it also takes away that annoying process of searching for a socket or having to unplug something in order to access an electrical point.”
35. Relight
Relight is a desk lamp created by Finland-based designer Saehee Her of Cool Enough Studio. The table lamp is hand made using white wood. It uses a lighting bulb by Laes Globe 125mm Opal. The Relight measures 130x 150x 130 mm.
36. Rim Lamp
Paris-based Japanese designer Jun Yasumoto has created the Rim lamp. The desk lamp has a very minimal and simple construction. A light bulb is fixed behind a flat suspended lampshade which rotates around the light source. The lamp structure is made of steel, aluminum and the lampshade is made of fabric. The desk lamp gives out a soft and warm lighting effect. The Rim Lamp was presented at the Paris Design Week 2012.
37. Sara and Bob Lamps
Paris-based designer Dan Yeffet has created the Sara and Bob table lamps. Each lamp is made out of two glass volumes that intersect, one acts as a body and the other as a diffuser.
38. Screens Lamp
Dutch designer Marc Th. van der Voorn has created the Screens lamp. From the designer, “The light source illuminates the 3 screens one by one creating a landscape of light. You can compose with the three screens, creating your own light-scape. The three acrylic glass screens are laser cut. The foot of the lamp is artisan made from solid Oak or Belgian freestone.”
39. Sheet Lamp
Sheet is a minimalist table lamp created by Danish design bureau MadeByWho. The lamp is made from a 6mm corian plate and a 6mm MDF plate. When turned on, the Sheet emits a warm light and when turned off, it becomes a sculpture. According to the designer, “The warm color from the wood, lights up the white corian, and makes the two materials fit together. The idea with the lamp was to create a thin lamp that easy can be mass-produced. The design is held simple to make it fit into every thinkable environment.”
40. Sisifo Lamp
Designer Scott Wilson of Chicago-based studio MINIMAL has created the Sisifo Lamp for Italian lighting company Artemide. The Sisifo lamp has a hybrid design that blends a task lamp with a table lamp. The designer wanted to create “a large diffused disk of light that gracefully balances and easily rotates 360 degrees to direct a soft, powerful light source.” The Sisifo Lamp was introduced in Milan during the Salone del Mobile 2012.
According to the designer, “With its spherical central articulation, Sisifo guarantees maximum freedom in directing light with minimum encumbrance at the base, allowing use on both larger tables and smaller bedside surfaces. The light consists of a smaller footprint weighted base that employs a double ball joint, allowing the floating light panel to be positioned as desired. The lamp head and light source utilize micro lenticular surface details to amplify the light output. Sisifo’s generous adjustable diffuser eliminates unwanted harsh shadows and provides a soothing familiar feeling.”
41. Skog Lamps
Norwegian designer Caroline Olsson has created the Skog lamps in collaboration with Magnor Glassverk. The lighting collection consists of several lamps in different sizes, shapes, and colors. The lamps are made in mouth-blown crystal glass with a base in oak made by using the technique of woodturning.
In the designer’s words, “The design is inspired by the large forests surrounding Magnor Glassverk. Skog is the Norwegian word for forest. Simply place a few of the lights together on the floor or on a table in order to create your own little forest. Skog is my final exam at the bachelor’s program at Akershus University College.”
42. The Fossil Lamp
Designer Neil Conley from Manchester UK has created The Fossil Lamp. The lamp is made from amberized borosilicate glass. It contains three metal connectors, a filament bulb, and a touch-sensitive dimmer switch. According to the designer, “Intended as a living museum piece, the lamp is the preservation of Thomas Edition’s first truly reliable bulb, invented circa 1880. Resembling a fossil preserved in amber, the lamp demonstrates the transition of the filament from an object of fundamental functionality, to its place today as an icon of design heritage. A representation of the beauty of innovation, the bulb is now retired to life behind glass, as a true industrial fossil.
Blown using laboratory glass production methods, with an amber finish ordinarily used to prevent the contents of chemical vases and drug vessels from deteriorating, the capsule form is a reference to the material’s scientific heritage. Whilst the finish itself enhances the notion of preservation.
The pulsing dimmer switch enables the user to ‘breath life’ back into the filaments, establishing the warmth and magnetism that sets traditional bulbs apart from many contemporary lighting solutions.”
43. Totem Lamp
Paris based designer Alexandre Dubreuil has created the Totem Lamp. The lamp is made of solid concrete. A thin, donut-shaped lighting element sits on the concrete column. From the designer, “Towards a quest of fundamental, the design strictly focuses on the way volumes and materials are associated. The lamp uses the material richness to overtake the function and appears as an abstract sculpture. The peripheral lighting serves the function and the object itself.”
44. Turn Lamp
Norwegian designer Caroline Olsson has created the Turn Lamp. The lamp is inspired by the old workbench used in the traditional Norwegian wood workshops. You can adjust the brightness of the lamp by turning the screw-like tightening mechanism. The elegant lamp is made of birch wood and hand-blown glass.
45. Up Table Lamp
Stockholm based Mattias Ståhlbom of TAF has created the Up table lamp for Danish brand Muuto. The lamp has a funnel-shaped rotating shade. The direction of the light can be changed by rotating the shade. According to the designer, “Up lamp mixes light and shadow to create a cozy and warm atmosphere anywhere it is placed. Through the profile of the lampshade, Up elegantly interacts with the surrounding walls and ceiling. Inspired by the outline of industrial rooftops, Up directs a warm LED light upwards, while the 360 degrees rotating lampshade and a smooth flicker-free dim function allow you to control both the light and mood in your room.”
46. Woodspot Table Lamp
Italian designer Alessandro Zambelli has created the Woodspot wooden table lamp for Seletti. The lamp is made in Pinewood with a natural finish and assembled and varnished entirely by hand. The diffuser is available in ivory white, flesh pink, and pastel green. The Woodspot will be showcased at the next edition of Maison et Objet, from 5 to 9 September 2014.
47. Tokonoma Lighting Collection
Israeli designers Albi Serfaty of Aqua Creations and Eitan Ben Tovim have designed the Tokonoma lighting collection. In the designer’s words, “The inspiration for this collection came from Tokonoma, a Japanese style reception area in which objects for natural and artistic appreciation and inspiration are displayed. The Tokonoma lamps were created in the spirit of such objects. The collection is refined and strikes through understated aesthetics and contemporary design.
The materials used are handmade felt for the shades, and wood for the supporting stands. Aqua’s artisans make the felt in four different finishes, using the finest merino wool and pure silk. Each finish represents one of the four seasons; Harn for Spring, Natsu for Summer, Aki for Autumn, and Fuyu for Winter. The wooden stands are shaped by digital wood carving. The lamps are powered by digitally dimmable LEDs, operated and controlled by touch.”
48. Wat – A Lamp Powered by Water
Wat is an innovative ambient lamp designed by French designer Manon Leblanc. This unique lamp uses few drops of water to generate light. Energy is produced by a hydro-electric battery composed of a carbon stick coated with magnesium powder. When water is added to the battery, it creates an electrochemical reaction which in turn generates light. It surely is an innovative and versatile lighting unit to showcase in your living room or office. Check out the pictures.
49. Wiwo Lighting Collection
The Wiwo lighting collection by Israeli designer Haim Evgi highlights the contrast between two totally different materials, oak wood, and wire iron. The name Wi-Wo comes from the materials used, wire iron and wood. The lighting units are available in different shapes and sizes including trapezoid, cone, and cylinder. The unique design of the lighting units allows you to use them in three different modes, ceiling lights, table lamps, or floor lamps.
