We are great admirers of Noguchi lamps for their delicate beauty and powerful simplicity. Quite a few of us here on staff, in fact, have at least one of the iconic Japanese midcentury lights in our homes.
An Akari Ceiling Lamp, Model L5 from the Noguchi Museum Store hangs in the lofty living area of this Brooklyn apartment.
Photograph by Bruce Buck, from An Eclectic Apartment Inspired by Japanese Storage Chests in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.
Architect Jess Thomas chose a Noguchi ceiling light for her own living room.
Photograph by and courtesy of Kate Sears; styling by Kate S. Jordan, from The Sentimental Minimalist: A Young Architect’s Bed-Stuy Townhouse Makeover.
Photograph by Richard Powers, from A Modernist Vacation Retreat in Australia, Rental Edition.
A pair of Noguchi lanterns illuminates the space.
A Noguchi Floor Lamp Model 10A anchors a corner in the lobby of a Malibu inn.
Photograph by Laure Joliet, from Hollywood-Style Zen in Malibu: Nobu Ryokan Guesthouse on Carbon Beach.
Photograph by Laure Joliet, from Shift to Neutral: LA Jewelry Designer Kathleen Whitaker’s Radical Transformation.
Jewelry designer Kathleen Whitaker upgraded her Noguchi pendant light with a cloth-covered cord and a brass ceiling plate.
Various Noguchi ceiling light designs hover over this museum restaurant in Copenhagen.
Noguchi lights are arresting enough to hold center court in public spaces—yet understated and intimate enough for bedrooms, like this one.
Photograph by Kate Sears; styling by Kate S. Jordan, from The Sentimental Minimalist: A Young Architect’s Bed-Stuy Townhouse Makeover.
Photograph by Mariko Reed, from 7 Ideas to Steal from the Manufactory in SF by Commune Design.
A galaxy of trend-resistent Noguchi lanterns illuminates the dining area of Manufactory.
Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista, from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Fabr Studio in East Williamsburg.
A mini Noguchi elevates the kitchen scene at an architecture firm.
A Noguchi ceiling light both highlights the humble materials used in this tiny plywood-lined beach house.
Photograph by Marcia Mihotich, from Two London Creatives Shore Up a Tiny Beach House, Ikea Hack Kitchen Included.
A Noguchi table light placed on the floor is an unexpected touch.
Photograph by Richard Round-Turner, courtesy of Lisa Jones, from A Star Is Born: A Rehabbed London Maisonette from a Newly Minted Designer, High/Low Secrets Included.
Five to Buy
The Globe Akari Lantern is available in five sizes ranging from 12 by 12 inch ($200) to 47 by 46 inch ($1,800), from the Noguchi Museum, in Long Island City, New York, which carries the full line of Akari designs.
Noguchi light sculptures feature handmade washi paper and bamboo ribbing, supported by a metal frame.
Akari means “brightness” in Japanese.
The Noguchi Lamp 3A is 22 inches tall and 11 inches wide; it’s available at Surrounding for $275.
The Akari Floor Lamp UF3-Q measures 57 by 22 inches; $525 at Surrounding.