Washi Rice Paper Floor Lamp with a Sculptural Shade

Paper does something to light that no other shade material quite matches. Glass reflects, fabric absorbs, but layered paper scatters light through its own fibres, so the surface glows unevenly and the lamp looks lit from within rather than lit from behind. That is why these shapes have been made the same way in Japan for generations and why they still look calm in a modern room.

Where a low floor lamp belongs

At 23.6 inches tall this is deliberately low for a floor lamp, sitting nearer the height of a side table than a standard lamp. That changes how it works in a room. Light comes from below eye level, which is restful, and it fills a corner rather than lighting a task.

Beside a sofa, in an empty corner, or next to floor cushions is where it earns its place. It is not a reading lamp and it will not light a room on its own, so treat it as one layer among several rather than the main source in a living room. A pair placed at opposite corners of a living room works better than one, since low light from two directions removes the shadows a single lamp creates.

Living with a paper shade

The honest trade-off with paper is durability. It is not washable, it will mark if handled with dirty hands, and a determined cat or a knock from a vacuum cleaner will tear it. Dust it with a soft brush or the low setting on a vacuum, never a damp cloth.

In return you get something no plastic or glass shade offers: a surface with visible fibre and texture that changes with the light. At about 3.5 pounds the lamp is also light enough to move easily, which matters if you rearrange a room, though it does mean it should sit somewhere it will not be knocked.

Bulb choice and one thing to confirm

The socket is E27, the standard screw base, and LED is the right choice here for a reason beyond efficiency. Paper and heat are a poor combination, and an LED bulb runs cool enough that the shade is never at risk in a way an old incandescent lamp would be. A warm 2700K lamp suits the paper best.

One thing to check before ordering. The supplier data lists the lamp as supplied with a three-color bulb and a UK plug. A UK plug will not fit a North American outlet without an adapter, so please confirm with us which plug your unit ships with. Everything else about the lamp is unaffected.

We accept returns for damaged or unused items within 14 days of purchase. Your satisfaction is our priority.