Stehlampen

Choosing the right table lamp

A table lamp does two things at once. As our design director Fred notes, core lighting should be at eye level when seated, making a table lamp the most effective way to create an atmosphere that an overhead light cannot. But a table lamp is also a decorative object in its own right, adding texture, height, and character to a room, whether switched on or off.

Neptune's table lamp collection spans ceramic, glass, rattan, wood, and stone. Ceramic designs range from distressed, shell-inspired textures to deep glazed finishes and sculptural gourd-shaped forms, each bringing a different surface character. The Malton's fluted glass base diffuses light softly, while the Athena's handwoven rattan brings warmth that reads as strongly with the lamp off as on.

For those who want a wooden table lamp, the Dawes and Mason are crafted from FSC-certified ash, each hand-finished and unique due to the natural grain of the timber. The Highgate is a slim, lathe-turned solid oak candlestick table lamp suited equally to a bedside table or sideboard. For a statement piece, the Delphi is hand-carved from natural onyx, each lamp unique in its wavy shades of green and brown. For surfaces without a nearby socket, the Hanover cordless rechargeable lamp range offers up to 12 hours of battery life with four brightness levels.

Natural materials, considered craft

What sets Neptune's table lamps apart is the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship behind them. The wooden designs are hand-finished individually, with the natural grain of the ash or oak determining the final character of each piece. No two Dawes or Mason lamps are identical, and the same is true of the Delphi, where the wavy green and brown hues of the natural onyx vary from lamp to lamp as carved by skilled stonemasons in India. The Athena's rattan base is handwoven by artisans, and the linen shades that accompany the wooden designs are handcrafted rather than machine-made.

This attention to natural variation runs through the collection as a whole. Neptune's table lamps are chosen for the way they behave as objects in a room, not just as light sources. Positioned near a window, as Fred recommends, a table lamp allows a room to move naturally from daylight to evening mood. Paired either side of a bed or sofa, they bring balance and warmth to a scheme. It is this combination of natural craft and considered design that makes a Neptune table lamp as rewarding to live with as it is to look at.