Rice paper lamps
THE RICE PAPER LAMP - FROM TRADITION TO HOT LAMP TRENDMost of us have owned a rice paper lamp at some point, but now it's back in modern decor. For many, the rice paper lamp is an easy and cheap solution that primarily belongs in rooms and hallways - but it can do much more than that. The Japanese design with its dreamlike expression comes back time and time again and deserves better than a reputation for being a patchwork solution. You're probably familiar with the red paper lanterns with fringes and gold detailing that were used for carnivals and celebrations in East Asia. In connection with the annual Mid-Autumn Festival in China, the lamp has a traditional place. Here it symbolizes the light and warmth of the sun and is a prayer to the sun to return after winter. The rice paper lamp we know is still used for parties and celebrations, but is an evolution of the East Asian lamp. Especially in Europe, the rice paper lamp was very popular in the 80s. But the lightweight material was quickly overtaken by the industrial design of steel, alloy and plexiglass. Over 40 years later, the lamp finally became part of modern interior design, with several popular brands creating impressively beautiful rice paper lamps that added a stylish Asian look to the home.
Tradition meets modern design
In recent years, the rice paper lamp has become one of the hottest trends in interior design. We see them everywhere in home magazines and social media - both circular and oval, in all different sizes and colors. The giant version lights up the living room at different heights, while the lamp in large clusters creates a whole galactic universe.
At the Danish design brand New Works, the focus is generally on shapes, colors and materials that complement each other. Their interpretation of the rice paper lamp Lantern, which is a great example of what happens when you mix retro design with new materials. The lamp, which from a distance looks like a rice paper lamp, is made of frosted glass, which, like the rice paper lamp, provides a calm and diffused light.\ In addition to a beautiful pendant, Lantern is also available as a floor, wall, ceiling and table lamp, which works really well in the cozy zones of the home - for example, as a night light or a floor lamp in the living room that provides cozy lighting for the room.
The popular matte glass is also used for Foscarini's take on a modern rice paper lamp - Rituals. The magic is conveyed with a super exciting "cut" in the surface that creates a graphic effect and brings to mind the original design - rice paper drawn over a flimsy bamboo skeleton.
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Conversely, Ingo Maurer has used the material of the rice paper lamp and combined it with the shape of a classic lampshade in the design of Maur Pendant and the accompanying series. The thin paper is stretched over a metal skeleton, creating a different and decorative lamp, but with the characteristics of a rice paper lamp - soft and pleasant lighting.
The rice paper lamp is most often seen round, but is also available in many other shapes. The stylish Formakami from &Tradition is clearly inspired by the shape of Asian rice paper lanterns. With a black stained oak ring, the lamp has a stylish and modern look. The designer himself, Jamie Hayon, says that the lamp represents a point where the past becomes the new. The lamps fit easily into &traditions DNA, where they strive to combine tradition with modern design.
If you want to combine the warm cozy lighting with a sculptural expression, take note of the range of Grispaper lamps from Vitra. Designer Isamu Noguchi started designing light sculptures in 1951 - inspired by the Japanese paper lanterns and umbrellas. The sculptures were named after the Japanese word for 'Light' - 'Akari', and today consist of a series of more than 40 lamps produced by Vitra.
Choose from pendants, table lamps and floor lamps to give your surroundings the warm and calm lighting we know from the rice paper lamp - atmospheric and decorative lighting for the whole home.
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If you're more into the familiar round rice paper lamp, you'll find Rice Paper from HAY. With a bamboo skeleton, the lamp has a light and elegant appearance that gives a floating and dreamlike feel. It is available in three different sizes, with a diameter of either 50, 60 or 80 centimeters. Place one large or a cluster of several small rice paper lamps above the sofa arrangement, where they give a nice fullness and the soft light has a great effect on the room. The simple lamp brings calm and balance to the interior, bringing the ceiling and floor together to create a complete unit. Highlight the lamp by hanging it in front of a colored wall to create a unique and personal expression in your interior.
Rice paper lamps in the modern interior
Whether you choose lamps made of rice paper or a lamp inspired by rice paper and made of frosted glass, you get the cozy soft lighting that the lamp is known for. The soft and pleasant light creates a relaxing atmosphere, which is one of the basic principles of Nordic interior design. The semi-transparent materials, organic shapes and mostly white or off-white colors are unique to the Scandinavian style.\ Many of the furniture classics designed in the 20th century by Danish designers are strongly inspired by Asian design. The timeless furniture classics that are popular in Scandinavian interior design are therefore a perfect match for the Japanese rice paper lamp. The rice paper lamp is a true design classic that never goes out of style. As natural materials come into focus - due to environmental concerns and the desire for cozy and relaxing lighting - paper has generally become a welcome material in lamp design.