Have you noticed that paper lantern lampshades have been making a quiet resurgence? I’ve seen them popping up here and there in glossy magazines and online and although they never really went away, they’re definitely having a moment again and you could make much worse decisions than to pop a few in to your home if you’re looking for pendant lighting.
I prefer a large statement one, keeping it uncluttered and simple, but you could also have a cluster of different sizes at different heights, or even hung super low as bedside lamps.
In 1951 Isamu Noguchi designed the first Akari Light Sculpture, modernising the centuries old paper lantern, and adapting it for use with electricity, but still made from mulberry paper and bamboo as it had traditionally always been. Attempts to patent the round version of his lamp apparently failed as it wasn’t deemed to be different enough from the originals. Paper lanterns had been already been mimicked before the Akari was designed, though the Akari itself has has no doubt inspired the many modern versions we see today.
They remind me of my childhood where not a single room in every one of the many rental houses I lived in with my mother was without one - it was literally one of her first decorating tricks on moving-in day, and you can bet your bottom dollar nothing has changed there!
A lampshade solution that’s easy to install in seconds - no waiting or paying for an electrician. They come in a multitude of sizes and these days different shapes too, although I prefer the simple sphere myself.
I’m tiring of a few light fittings in my house, and I’m definitely considering replacing them with paper lanterns. Hung low and large, they’re classic and effortlessly cool, omitting a soft diffused light and importantly obscuring the view of ugly bulbs from below.
Be warned though, hung too high or indeed purchased too small, they revert back to basic student accommodation status, and not in a good way, so wherever possible, go as big as you can for maximum impact. And stick with white or ‘natural’.
I’ve stuck to the classic paper sphere here, but the original Akari, often made to order, has been offered in over 200 different designs over the years, and in the more affordable realm there are loads of other options to be had too - different shapes, colours (if you must!), and fabric versions too.
Here’s my pick of the best, starting from just £1.75 from Ikea, you don’t get much more affordable than that!
[Afflliate links marked with *]
1. Regolit Pendant Lamp Shade- Ikea
2. Hay Rice Paper Shade - Utility Design
3. Vitra Akari Pendant - The Conran Shop *
4. White Ribbed Ball Light Shade - B&Q