Designer:Marcel Wanders, 2007.
Details:Aluminium shade with plaster diffuser, available in Glossy Black, Glossy White, Matt Gold and Matt Rusty Brown finishes, from £1,363, Flos.
Never one to abide by the rules, Marcel Wanders played with preconceived notions of what a lamp shade should be by designing a pendant with its ornate decoration on the inside.
Its glossy exterior has a sleek, modern look, while hidden beneath is ornate plasterwork more usually seen in majestic period and classical interiors.
‘In a former home of mine, I had a fabulous decorated plaster ceiling,’ Wanders explains. ‘I called it my Skygarden, as it always looked good even without me having green fingers, or taking care of it very well. I loved it so much that by the time I moved house, I couldn’t bear to leave it behind – I had to find a way to take it with me.’
Now, we can all enjoy a piece of classic architecture without ever leaving our sofas – just by glancing up.
Needless to say, it’s also a perfect piece of contemporary craft, with its glow diffusing downwards in a beautiful pool of light.
