Fine design is serious stuff, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be playful as well. With our Diabolo lamp line, there’s just a hint of whimsy in a lamp that is well-suited to either a residential setting or a professional work space. Designer Elvin den Haan had been exploring lamp designs with conical shades reminiscent of the classic Tolomeo table lamp. Then he hit on the idea of connecting two cones into a double-barreled shade and the result was an hourglass shape that reminded him of the “diabolo” that street performers and children of all ages the world over toss and spin for entertainment and amusement. So was born the Diabolo.
For the lamp shade, two white satin-finished composite cones are held together by an anodized aluminum connector within which the fixtures and electrical connections are hidden away. This structure is then connected to two round sticks – another element recalling the diabolo – by pins that allow the shade to swivel to any angle, so one beam of light can be focused on a work surface, while the other provides ambient lighting to the room. The preferred light source is a reflector flood lamp casting indirect light that reflects off the inside surface of the shade.
The Diabolo is available in four versions: a table lamp, a pendant lamp, a wall lamp, and a floor lamp. The table lamp is 57.5 centimeters high on a 29.3 centimeter base, while the floor lamp is 185 cm high on a 36 cm base. Playful and practical, any of the four versions will fit nicely in a living room or study in a private home, but equally well in a commercial setting like a lobby, meeting room, office, or restaurant.
