Back to the future: Classical and retro design luminaires

The Philips New Vintage range, which uses metallic materials, includes a remastered classic desk lamp inspired by a Louis Kalff, Dutch design guru, original from 1957, meeting the demand for retro designs in the home. In contrast, the new Philips Smart Volume range of pendants elegantly juxtapose light and shade. All luminaries use high-quality, LED light bulbs. 

As the leader in LED and home lighting design Philips appreciate that it’s not just the quality of light that is important, but also the way light is experienced and the choices they make about materials and form. They have designed each range with a distinctive personality and light effect, so you can choose the one which speaks to your imagination, whether it is the Louis Kalff mid-century classic remade, the Surrey range with an industrial edge, or the Smart Volume that creates a bold play of light and shadow.

Louis Kalff, a Dutch architect, joined Philips in 1925 and worked to transform the branding and advertising of the company from what he deemed to be old-fashioned, to a contemporary vibrant brand. Moving from graphic design to product design, Kalff started developing lighting, resulting in some of the most iconic silhouettes and shapes ever produced by Philips. Today’s launch of the Philips Beauvais table lamp, within the Philips New Vintage range, has been inspired by the 1957 original Kalff ‘Z’ lamp and has been brought up to date with an LED light bulb. 

Continuing the theme for retro and nostalgia, the Philips New Vintage lamps range includes the ‘Surrey’ pendant. Incorporating a metallic finish, in black and copper, the ‘Surrey’ suits an industrial style kitchen, and would hang over a dinner table, providing a talking point with friends at your next party.

Perfect for those looking to make a bold statement in their home, the Philips Smart Volume pendants range is a collection of stunning center pieces designed for contemporary living. Constructed with sculpted, high-quality materials which delicately interconnect, the pendants are designed for maximum impact whether turned on or off. When illuminated, the lamps’ unique shape, create a stunning display of light and shadow, transforming any room into an art space. 

Also, the Philips Smart Volume pendants are designed with functionality in mind and are delivered in a flat pack. The pendants slot together with ease in just a few minutes, ready to provide beautiful light in any room. 

All Philips lamps use Philips LED light bulbs, with some of the lamps already integrated, delivering high-quality, uniform light that reflects colors naturally. They have been developed expertly to provide the same light quality throughout their lifetime. Lasting for over 15 years, they save more than 80% on energy versus traditional, incandescent light bulbs. 

The new Philips lamps are available from September 2016.