Digging through the market’s myriad options for that perfect something—be it a big-ticket item or a small (but statement-making) detail—can be more than a bit overwhelming. That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you, scouring the globe for the best of the best: The Short List!
• • •
While we can’t time travel back to the 1970s, we can still experience some of the era’s best decorating moments in the present. It’s no surprise that with their sculptural shapes and tactile finishes that feel just as fresh as they did 50 years ago, these nine stunning lamps—all era originals—are still in production today.
-
Tizio Table Lamp
This 1972 task lamp by Richard Sapper uses two counterweights to create the ideal balance between form and function. $730. artemidestore.com.
-
Medium Uovo Table Lamp
The humble egg (or uovo) is elevated to high-art status in Ben Swildens’s 1972 design; the satin finish of the blown-glass exterior mimics its real-life counterpart. $730. fontanaarte.com.
-
Wire Table Lamp
The cage-like wire base and white plastic shade of Verner Panton’s 1972 creation plays on the shape of a light bulb. $565. hivemodern.com.
-
Lampadina Table Lamp
A tongue-in-cheek take on a bare light bulb, Achille Castiglioni’s 1972 design features a power cord that wraps neatly within its base. $175. usa.flos.com.
-
Atollo Table Lamp
Vico Magistretti used two light sources—one in the shade and another in the cylindrical base—for double the ambiance in this 1977 glass lamp. By Oluce, $1,685. dwr.com.
-
Parentesi Ceiling Lamp
Castiglioni collaborated with Pio Manzù in 1971 to create the “parenthesis”-shaped steel tube that connects to a floor-to-ceiling-spanning cable. $465. usa.flos.com.
-
Coupe Table Lamp
Designed by Joe Colombo, this aluminum lamp uses visible wires to cause a statement-making effect. By Oluce, $1,445. rousehome.com.
-
Foglio Wall Sconce
The sensuous curves of postmodernist Tobia Scarpa’s painted-steel wall light were inspired by his own shirt cuffs. $395. usa.flos.com.
-
Snoopy Marble Base Table Lamp
Yes, this cartoonishly exaggerated piece—by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni—is named after that Snoopy. $1,295. usa.flos.com.
