Whether you’re looking forward to a family beach break, a romantic getaway or simply cuddling up at home, summer is always the season for getting stuck into a good book. A good reading light is an essential companion to help you make the most of those long hot evenings, creating the ideal environment for relishing the simple pleasure of reading.
Varying vastly in design, function and features, a reading lamp should hit the sweet spot between task and ambient lighting. It should illuminate a small area with a warm, diffuse light at a close distance, allowing you to focus on your page, but not so intense that it keeps you awake for hours. Apart from providing effective light to read by, a reading lamp should bring an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy to your space. We’ve selected a range of designs that are both practical and stylish, lending a soothing glow to any interior.
One option that you may not have considered for reading is a wall sconce. Designed by Martín Azúa, the Dots reading lamp is a compact, circular luminaire offering effective, focused illumination. It can be positioned in the corner of a room, angled over a bed or directed towards a comfortable chair, sending a cone-shaped beam of light precisely where needed.
Available in solid wood or lacquered in four elegant Chromatica colours, the Dots collection consists of various designs, including two ambient lamps. A single star to read by when deployed alone, multiple luminaires will produce a galaxy of beams and halos, connecting your space with a symphony of light.
Slick, refined and understated, the Pin wall lamp is a state of the art design from Ichiro Iwasaki. Perfect for late night reading, this sophisticated fixture allows you to adapt the intensity of light, selecting a stronger beam to illuminate the page or a softer glow for a more ambient mood. Its simple geometric form is almost playful, incorporating a choice of one or two adjustable heads designed to delicately arc over a sofa, chair or bedside table.
The collection offers seven unique options, each design featuring a flawlessly integrated LED light source and available in four elegant finishes; black, white, cream and green. In addition to the reading light, several fittings can be configured as a contemporary mural, positioned to interact with each other in a graphic dance across the wall.
Designed by Jordi Vilardell and Meritxell Vidal, the Suite wall light collection doubles up as a convenient storage facility. Depending on the desired effect, the user can choose from a range of different models: a simple shelf, a shelf with a discreet reading lamp, a shelf featuring a luminous stone, or an ambient wall sconce. The shelves incorporate an invisible LED tucked underneath, offering an ambient bedside glow.
Ideal for a private nook in the living room, the Suite table lamp comes in two sizes with a set of two or three shelves and the option of incorporating the luminous stone or reading lamp. As well as a convenient space to store books and magazines, each design offers a distinctive lighting effect. The shelves lend a dynamic, geometric look, while the stone offers a softer, more natural aesthetic.
The ideal accompaniment for whiling away the evening in a cosy sofa or armchair, Arik Levy’s North Floor Pendant presents an elegant, deconstructed design that connects floor and ceiling with three distinct components: a triangular shade fitted with an LED light source, a slender stem, and a counterweight at floor level. In addition to its stylish silhouette, the North Floor Pendant is highly adaptable, allowing the reader to direct light precisely over their page.
In the second iteration of the North Floor lamp collection, between two and four rods protrude out from a sophisticated base, configured at differing angles for maximum versatility. Available in four unique finishes and boasting push button control, this fixture brings style and functionality to any interior.
For a sophisticated personality, the Mayfair table lamp offers a sleek and refined alternative to the traditional 19th-century bouillotte table lamp. The work of designer Diego Fortunato, it features an intriguing play of straight lines and curved contours, combining a contemporary approach to aesthetics with cutting edge technological features. Its powerful LED light source and dimming capabilities make this the perfect light for dipping into this season’s best seller, while six vibrant finishes promise to bring a touch of cool to a contemporary residence.
Perfectly proportioned, the Mayfair Mini casts a contained pool of diffuse, downward light, ideal for dipping into your favourite classic during the small hours. Four glossy finishes offer an informal juxtaposition with the fixture’s refined form, and an opening at the top of the shade balances the brightness below by lending a subtle radiance to the stem above.
A light to grab and go, the portable Mayfair Mini is powered by a rechargeable battery and can be moved exactly where needed via its slender stem. Take it outside to enjoy a relaxing evening in your garden or bring it on holiday for some late night poolside reading. Whether you’re into crime, fiction or fantasy, the Mayfair Mini will bring warmth and wellbeing.
