A calm bedroom, a guest room that welcomes visitors and a home office you do not dread have one thing in common: light that does not shout. These nineteen lamps come from four makers: Yamagiwa (Tokyo), Asano (Gifu, Japan), Humble (Amsterdam) and Coolicon (Britain). Each diffuses its light through a material you can feel, such as pine, paper, spun fiberglass or enamel.
Quick picks: which lamp suits my project?
| Your project | What it needs | Good picks |
|---|---|---|
| Bedside | Gentle, low, close to the pillow | Jakobsson Pine Table Lamp, One Table Lamp, Donguri Washi Floor Lamp |
| Guest room | Easy to move; works for any visitor | Firefly Table Lamp, Tawara Washi Floor Lamp, Mari Washi Floor Lamp |
| Home office desk | Focused light at work height | Jakobsson Pine Table Lamp, Standard Original Pendant, Air Table Lamp |
| Reading corner | Floor lamps at seated height | Jakobsson Pine Floor Lamp, Mayuhana Mie Floor Lamp, Mayuhana Yugami Floor Lamp |
| Over a bed corner, entry or dining table | Soft overhead glow | Mayuhana Mie Pendant, Mayuhana 2 Mini Pendant, Hibit 60 Washi Paper Pendant |
How do I choose a lamp for a calm room?
1. Start with the material. Thin European pine gives the Jakobsson lamps a warm, reddish-orange glow. Spun fiberglass spreads the Mayuhana light softly in layers. Washi paper, as in Asano’s Gifu lanterns, makes a soft white lantern glow. Enamel and LED shades, from Coolicon and Humble, give a more focused pool of light for reading and work.
2. Keep the bulb small. Our listings show how gentle these lamps are: the Jakobsson small table lamp tops out at a 6W bulb, the Asano floor lamps at 15 to 25W, against 100W for the Mayuhana fiberglass series.
3. Match the power source. Humble lamps run about 140 hours per charge and can sit anywhere. Plug-in lamps such as the Jakobsson table lamp and the Asano floor lamps need an outlet. The Coolicon and Mayuhana pendants are hardwired, so plan for an electrician.
Which lamps suit a bedside or guest room?
Think low, small and easy to switch on half-asleep. The cordless Humble lamps are ideal for guests because they work anywhere, and the Asano paper lamps look as calm switched off as on.
Yamagiwa Jakobsson Pine Table Lamp, Small
Best for: A nightstand
Thin European pine; 13.4 in. high, 10.2 in. across. E17, max 6W; made in Japan.
The small footprint and 6W maximum keep the light gentle.
Humble One Table Lamp
Best for: Nightstands, window sills and guest rooms
Cordless rechargeable LED; 7.7 in. high, 3.3 in. across, 0.7 lb; indoor and outdoor; IP65; about 140 hours of warm light per charge. Designed by Humble founder Jorren Teertstra with APE Amsterdam (2018, the first Humble lamp).
No cord and no outlet needed.
Humble Firefly Table Lamp
Best for: A guest room, desk or dinner table
Cordless rechargeable LED; indoor and outdoor; IP65; 3000 mAh battery; about 140 hours of light per charge; included USB-C cable or Qi charger (sold separately). Designed by the Humble studio, Amsterdam.
A fabric or frosted shade over a brass base, portable all evening.
Humble Air Table Lamp
Best for: A slim bedside or desk position
Cordless rechargeable LED; IP65; 3000 mAh battery; about 140 hours of light per charge; Qi station (sold separately) or included USB-C cable.
A slim stem that takes almost no surface.
Asano Donguri Washi Floor Lamp
Best for: Beside a sofa or bed, a reading nook or an entry
Mino washi paper shade, steel plate base with veneer; 19.5 in. high, 12 in. across. E17, max 15W; indoor; made in Japan.
A traditional Gifu lantern in an acorn shape; lightweight and easy to assemble.
Asano Tawara Washi Floor Lamp
Best for: A slim spot beside a bed or in a hallway
Mino washi paper shade, steel plate base with veneer; 19.5 in. high, 11 in. across. E17, max 25W; indoor; made in Japan.
A barrel shape like a rice bale, in soft paper light.
Asano Mari Washi Floor Lamp
Best for: A guest room or a low bench
Mino washi paper shade, steel plate base with veneer; 19.6 in. high, 14.5 in. wide. E17, max 25W; indoor; made in Japan.
A round ball of paper light; the widest of the three.
Which lamps suit a home office or reading corner?
Here you need a slightly taller or more focused source. The large Jakobsson table lamp (19.2 in. high) suits a desk-side console. The 53 in. Jakobsson floor lamp and the Mayuhana floor lamps bring light to a reading chair without a table.
Yamagiwa Jakobsson Pine Table Lamp, Large
Best for: A dresser, sideboard or console in a bedroom or guest room
Thin European pine; 19.2 in. high, 14.2 in. across. E26, max 60W, 120V; inline cord switch; made in Japan.
A reddish-orange glow that shows off the grain of the pine.
Yamagiwa Jakobsson Pine Floor Lamp
Best for: A reading corner or beside a bed
Thin European pine shade on a slim stem; 53 in. high, 15.7 in. across. E14, max 6W; made in Japan.
Warm light at seated height without a table.
Yamagiwa Mayuhana Mie Floor Lamp
Best for: Floor-level glow beside a low bed or bench
Spun fiberglass on a steel frame; 19.5 in. across and 19.5 in. high; black or white. E26, max 100W; indoor only; made in Japan.
A sculptural light by architect Toyo Ito that doubles as an object.
Yamagiwa Mayuhana Yugami Floor Lamp
Best for: A corner beside an armchair or bed
Spun fiberglass; about 21.5 in. across, 21 in. high; black or white. E26, max 100W; made in Japan.
A larger, softly irregular form for floor-level light.
Which pendants give calm light from above?
A pendant frees the surfaces below. Mayuhana pendants come in four sizes from 14 to 20 in. across, Asano’s Hibit is handmade in Gifu, and the Coolicon enamel shades throw light down over a desk or shelf.
Yamagiwa Mayuhana Mie Pendant
Best for: Over a bed corner, an entry or a dining table
Three nested spun-fiberglass shades on a steel frame; 20 in. across, 19 in. high; black or white. E26, max 100W, 120V; hardwired with a 5.5 in. canopy; indoor only; made in Japan.
Light filters through several layers into a soft, even glow.
Yamagiwa Jakobsson Pine Pendant, Large
Best for: A bedroom or home office ceiling
Rings of thin European pine, clear lacquered; 21.26 in. across, 15.35 in. high. E27, max 13W; ceiling pendant; indoor only; made in Japan.
A faithful reproduction of Hans-Agne Jakobsson’s 1960s design; the wood turns the bulb into a warm glow.
Yamagiwa Mayuhana 2 Oval Pendant
Best for: Over a desk or a seating corner
Spun fiberglass; about 18.5 in. across, 14 in. high; black or white. E26, max 100W; made in Japan.
The oval shape spreads light wider than a sphere.
Yamagiwa Mayuhana 2 Sphere Pendant
Best for: A small dining table, an entry or a bedroom corner
Spun fiberglass; about 17 in. across, 16.5 in. high; black or white. E26, max 100W; made in Japan.
A woven globe that looks lit even when it is off.
Yamagiwa Mayuhana 2 Mini Pendant
Best for: Small bedrooms, over a desk, or in a pair
Spun fiberglass; about 14 in. across, 13.75 in. high; black or white. E26, max 100W; made in Japan.
The smallest Mayuhana, easy to hang in twos.
Asano Hibit 60 Washi Paper Pendant
Best for: Over a bed corner, a dining table or an entry
Rice paper on a continuous spiral of bamboo filament and a wire armature; white or black cord; handmade in Gifu, Japan. One of four sizes (45, 60, 75, 90).
A lantern you hang, in the same quiet paper light.
Coolicon Standard Original Pendant, 9 in.
Best for: Over a desk, a shelf or a bedside
Vitreous enamel; shade 9 in. across and 6 in. high (228 x 150 mm); hardwired with a ceiling canopy; 15 colors. First patented and produced in 1933; made in Britain again since 2015 (maker).
A focused downlight with a century-old shape.
Coolicon Standard Original Large Pendant, 15.75 in.
Best for: Over a home office desk or a small table
Vitreous enamel; shade 15.75 in. across and 9.6 in. high (400 x 245 mm); hardwired with a ceiling canopy; weight about 3.3 lb.
The same 1933 profile at a larger scale.
Who makes these lamps?
Yamagiwa, founded in Tokyo in 1923, makes the Mayuhana series designed by architect Toyo Ito (listed as a Pritzker Prize winner) and a faithful reproduction of Hans-Agne Jakobsson’s 1960s pine lamps. Asano Shoten, in Gifu since 1917, makes traditional Gifu lanterns from Mino washi paper. Coolicon’s enamel pendant was first patented and produced in 1933 and, per the maker, has been made in Britain again since 2015. Humble, in Amsterdam, launched with the One in 2018, designed by founder Jorren Teertstra with APE Amsterdam. (All facts from our product listings.)
Why it’s worth the investment
A lamp you switch on every evening deserves to feel good when it is off. These are designs with long histories: pine and paper crafted in Japan, a 1933 enamel shade, and a cordless lamp that follows you from room to room. Thin materials diffuse light more kindly than a bare bulb, and small bulbs and good proportions do the rest. Pick one hero lamp for the room and a modest second light; that is how designers build calm. See also our guides on bedside sconce height, desk lamps for a home office, lighting a reading chair, cordless table lamps and the holiday guest bedroom.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best lamp for a bedroom nightstand?
Choose a small, low-glare lamp that fits the nightstand. The Yamagiwa Jakobsson Pine small table lamp is 13.4 in. high with a 6W maximum, and the Humble One is 7.7 in. high and cordless, so it needs no outlet.
Do Humble lamps need to be plugged in?
No. Humble One, Firefly and Air are cordless rechargeable LED lamps; our listings state about 140 hours of light per charge and an IP65 rating. The Firefly and Air include a USB-C cable, and a Qi wireless charger is sold separately.
What is a Gifu lantern?
Our Asano listings describe a Gifu lantern as a traditional Japanese washi paper lantern. Asano Shoten, founded in Gifu, Japan, in 1917, makes the Donguri, Tawara and Mari floor lamps with Mino washi paper shades.
Which pendants suit a home office?
Coolicon enamel pendants focus light downward onto a desk or shelf, and the 9 in. and 15.75 in. sizes suit different desk widths. Both are hardwired with a ceiling canopy. For softer, even light, choose a Yamagiwa Mayuhana fiberglass pendant.
Who designed the Yamagiwa Mayuhana lamps?
Our listings credit Toyo Ito, a Pritzker Prize-winning architect, for the Mayuhana series. Yamagiwa, a Tokyo company founded in 1923, makes the lamps in Japan from spun fiberglass shades on steel frames.
Need help choosing for your room? Contact our design team, or browse table lamps, floor lamps and pendant lights.
Dimensions, materials and specifications are from our product listings; sizing guidance is rule of thumb.