One thing this year has certainly given me is a much deeper appreciation of spending time with my nearest and dearest in our inner-city garden.
And while my summer plans may no longer include enjoying a relaxing dinner at a Copenhagen restaurant, or sipping drinks on the balcony of a design hotel in Stockholm, it doesn’t mean I can’t bring a little of the Scandinavian style to my own home.
One of the ways I’m recreating the holiday mood is with portable lamps. You’ve probably guessed by now that I’m a bit obsessed with Nordic lighting, how it’s designed, and how it’s used to create that all important feeling of hygge.
But at this time of year, when our homes and gardens become one free flowing space, portable lamps are a fantastic way to add ambience and drama to any outdoor area late into the evening. Plus, thanks to them either being charged by a USB connection or solar panels, they are also a great way to softly light those awkward corners inside the home on a damp, grey day too.
Living in a property that dates back to the 1930s, my home hasn’t got an abundance of sockets and switches, and these little lamps allow me to add pools of light to bookcases and coffee tables without lots of messy wires. I usually only need to charge my MENU Carrie Table Lamp and HAY PC Portable Lamp once a week, and combined with lots of candlelight they make the perfect backdrop whatever the time of year.
Below I’ve rounded up 12 of the best Nordic style portable lamps. When I say ‘best’ I really mean my favourites, whether that’s in terms of design, craftsmanship or price.
From left to right:
- MENU Carrie Table Lamp, £150, Utility Design
- Louis Poulsen Panthella Portable Table Lamp, £175, Skandium
- HAY PC Portable Lamp, £65, AMARA
- MENU Column Table Lamp, £150, Utility Design
- &Tradition Setago Table Lamp, £89, Heals
- Astep Nox Table Lamp, £964, Nest
- &Tradition Lucca Table Lamp, £121, Nordic Nest
- Eva Solo SunLight Bell Table Lamp, £87, Nordic Nest
- Nordlux Sponge To Go Lamp, £44, Nunido
- Ikea Solvinde, £8, IKEA
- Blomus Ani Lamp, £95, Utility Design
- Marset FollowMe Lamp, £178, Finnish Design Shop
I must admit I am looking to add to my portable lamps collection, and currently finding it hard to choose which one I’d like for our living room. Which one would you choose?
Image 4 by Nicola Capper. All other images courtesy of the brands featured.
Want to find out more about Nordic lighting design? Then why not read my chat with Malene Lytken, author of Danish Lights: 1920 – Now.
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