Louis Poulsen began as a company that sold tools and electrical supplies. When industrial and agricultural sectors began using electricity to an increasing degree in 1918, the company began to shift its focus, but it wasn’t until 1924, when designer Poul Henningsen joined the company, that Louis Poulsen began producing its visionary line of lighting. During that year, Henningsen worked with Louis Poulsen to take part in an international exhibition for decorative art held in Paris, the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs & Industriels Modernes. After Poul Henningsen’s bold designs, which often feature metal, earned the company a reputation for superior styling, Louis Poulsen finally produced its first lighting catalog in 1941. Since that time, the company has garnered an international reputation for superior craftsmanship and excellent design.
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LC Shutters—
A collection of pendant lamps by Danish/English designer Louise Campbell, LC Shutters “reflects innovative thinking.” A beautiful bell-shaped white shade features delicate cut-outs, enabling the lamp to shed light both from above and within. Soft rays of light emanate from the perforated pattern on the shade, which gives LC Shutters a soft illumination. Inside, an opal diffuser ball ensures glare-free light. Constructed of white, powder-coated aluminum, this suspension light has a soft, feminine elegance. In all white or with colored foils, LC Shutters adds a note of charm to any room. The colored version incorporates a whimsical, versatile palette with aqua, chartreuse, and watermelon.
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PH Artichoke—
Launched in 2010 after a decade of research, testing, and technical modifications, the Rubbie Bollard is the design of Peter Bysted, created originally for the Expo world exhibition 2000 in Hannover. Its rubber material is unusual and arresting for a bollard; and its shape is also unique: “The round top offers a seat for the tired pedestrian and the sturdy presence along a square, street or quayside will mark safe passage.” Instead of “just another bollard,” Bysted sought to create “a piece of urban furniture.”
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OJ—
A clever take on the lamp, OJ is deceptively simple. The creation of Ole Jensen, OJ appears to be “a simplification of the term ‘lamp’.” A white, powder-coated surface and even light distribution hide the small details that make OJ revolutionary. In particular, a rebellious cord comes out from an unexpected place higher on the table lamp, so “it can be lifted elegantly over the edge of the table.” The shade too is notable: its soft edges at the top and bottom create dual light, “giving the impression that the light is being squeezed out of the openings.” Anti-glare, distributed, and diffused, the quality of the light cast by OJ Table makes it a good task lamp; it spreads light over a large surface. Other models, such as the floor and wall lamps, give more direct light (good for reading).
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Rubbie Bollard—
Launched in 2010 after a decade of research, testing, and technical modifications, the Rubbie Bollard is the design of Peter Bysted, created originally for the Expo world exhibition 2000 in Hannover. Its rubber material is unusual and arresting for a bollard; and its shape is also unique: “The round top offers a seat for the tired pedestrian and the sturdy presence along a square, street or quayside will mark safe passage.” Instead of “just another bollard,” Bysted sought to create “a piece of urban furniture.”
Louis Poulsen is the company it is today thanks in large part to Poul Henningsen, “the creator of ingenious lighting solutions.” The company’s iconic lamps are found all over the world, because of their design and quality. Louis Poulsen products are known for their exceptional light control; the company understands the characteristics of light. At their laboratories, Louis Poulsen studies natural conditions that affect the performance and longevity of lighting—“salt, fog, hurricanes, extreme heat and coldness,” among others. Hence, Louis Poulsen is able to deliver avant-garde lamps that also have a long life.
