Her majesty The Lamp is an essential part of a modern interior. Without a lamp, the space in which we live and work is deprived of the beauty of shapes, shadows, and the play of light, which provides numerous opportunities for improving the interior. And if you want to understand the history of interior design, just look at the lamps, maybe even the most ordinary ones in your living room. The appearance, shape, and material of the lamp speak of the time when they were created, and also the customs, trends, and tehnology.
Lamps represent the unity of art, craftsmanship, and functionality, and that is why they are so unique and significant.
The first lamps appeared in Neolithic times, they were stone, oil lamps. People have always strived for beauty and not only for functionality, so the ancient Greeks designed terracotta lamps decorated with various ornaments. Everyone would like to have such a lamp adorning their home even today.
Many centuries later, industrial mass production made it possible for everyone to have lamps, while technology made even more attractive designs possible. Styles were mixed on the lamps and today we recognize the beauty of the Renaissance, and romanticism depending on the inspiration of the designer.
The electric light bulb was, of course, a turning point and introduced lamps into most homes, replacing candles and fireplaces. From then – until today, the art of designing lamps has become more and more popular, and the only limit is imagination. And all of them began to be classified into certain styles that marked the time of their creation, as is the case even today.
Let’s mention just some of the artists, for example, Emil Galle made exceptional glass lamps inspired by plants, flowers, and nature. Louis Comfort Tiffany made famous glass lamps that capture sighs even decades later. House Of Hackney is recognizable for its lamps in the shape of pineapples, apples or animals. Mass production is present today, but there are still design studios that produce designer pieces in limited series and by hand with great craftsmanship.
Of course, we all want light and beauty to enter our homes. But with this beauty, there is more and more talk about saving resources and energy. Thus, LED light has significantly contributed to savings in electricity consumption in recent years. Of course, this did not spoil the beauty of the lamps. On the contrary, technological innovations provide additional opportunities for design improvement, but also a playfull game in interior design.
image: Lasse Jensen
