Table lamps have always been a beacon of light to dark corners, but it’s their ‘off� mode that really transforms the room. Think of them as a decorator’s best friend, boosting any space with a quick fix of texture, height and colour. And that’s before you’ve even turned them on. While the lamp base takes centre stage, the lampshade has become ‘the new cushion cover accessory of the lighting world, providing a quick room update,� suggests Bath-based interior designer Sean Symington. ‘A rattan shade adds texture, linen adds warmth and cosiness, while printed designs provide pattern,� he continues, and each of these styles are just as impactful when the lights are dimmed.

The flexibility of table lamps is another argument for their popularity. You don’t need to make a long-term commitment to placement or invest in concealing wires. Used on a console in the hallway to provide a warm welcome one month and placed by your sofa-side for a cocooning wash of light the next. ‘I love the idea of using lamps on a drinks� trolley, or nestled into bookshelves. It creates an atmosphere and draws you into a moment in the room,� says Sean, who often uses a pair of lamps at either end of a desk rather than a more obvious directional task light. ‘We recently used two large lamps on a kitchen island instead of overhead pendants for a more flattering low-level light and unexpected decorative element in the room.�

Lamps can be dainty accessories or dramatic pieces of sculpture. Take our new solid oak Dawes table lamp with its curvaceous spherical design and handcrafted linen shade. It was influenced by the revival of the bobbin style, once popular in the mid-seventeenth century for adding a feeling of decadence to otherwise plain furniture. The glow-up treatment promotes lamps to structural objects of desire in their own right. Equally, our solid oak Mason table lamp has a distinctly recognisable design, moulding itself into the shape of an iconic chess piece and finished with a modern brass base. You’d be forgiven for mistaking it as a piece of art whether the lamp is on or off.

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Lighting lessons

Artwork in above photo:ÌýGreen Grapes,

A room that is filled with colour and pattern will, by its nature, not lack visual stimulation. But for those who favour this season’s more calming, neutral shades, how can one create a scheme with enough character and interest to delight the eye, while keeping to a restrained and serene palette?

The key, says interior designer Sarah Vanrenen, is to think in terms of texture. ‘One should never have too much of any one textile, for example,� she says. ‘It’s important to create an interesting palette by mixing woven fabrics with velvet and linen.’�

Other surfaces, too, can play their part in this play of contrasts: a glazed ceramic lamp base paired with a rattan shade will instantly add a note of intrigue to a room; the tactile quality of natural oak furnitureÌýcan tone down the sumptuousness of a velvet armchair or ottoman; and a textured, off-white rug (such as Neptune’s new jute Saunton rug) brings variation to the eye without the need for bold colour clashes.

Balance is also a vital element to consider when working with an understated interior scheme. While Sarah believes that ‘bigger is better with regard to most things � bigger lamps, bigger cushions, bigger beds wherever possible�, she also points out that proportion must be taken into account: ‘An enormous lamp and shade teetering on a spindly little table is not a good balance.�

The same applies when considering the shapes of furniture and accessories that are combined in a room. While the curved and rounded forms that have come to the fore in recent years bring a welcome dose of softness and comfort to a space, the friction that comes from juxtaposing such pieces alongside others executed with sharper silhouettes makes both styles more appealing. Sarah recommends pairing traditional upholstery with modern, clean-lined furniture andÌýart, for example, but it could be as simple as placing a collection of curvaceousÌývases and jugsÌýon aÌýchest of drawersÌýor installing a softly scalloped raffia ceiling light, like the newÌýMarina pendant, above a linen laden bed.

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Play with shape, texture and contrast in this way, and a neutral, understated scheme need never be boring, but will be rich in variation and visual interest.

Even in the spring and summer months, there will be north-facing areas that feel gloomy without proper lighting, and according to Lauren Quelch-Woolls, head of product at Neptune, a variety of sources that can be fine-tuned independently give a room the ability to transform from day to night all year round. ‘All our ceiling lights are compatible with dimmer switches, which are a necessity,� she notes, ‘and our new table lamps have dimmers too, so the light can be adjusted to your preference or requirements.�

Good lighting is just as important in the brighter summer months as it is during winter, says design journalist Claudia Baillie, not least because a beautifully shaped or textured lamp brings both style and light to a room.

As well as offering such functionality, Neptune’s spring/summer 2024 lighting collection is crafted from a palette of natural materials including raffia and rattan, as well as shapely ceramics in glossy and textural finishes guaranteed to add richness and character to a space. ‘We were heavily inspired by the coast, but instead of obvious references, we wanted to create an organic collection that feels soothing and elemental,� continues Lauren. ‘Scalloping is key, and we translated this trend in our own way, ensuring that our designs remain timeless rather than overly decorative.�

The Marina pendant, she says, is a highlight, as are the woven rattan Athena lamps and the new ribbed glass Malton lighting collection. The Caspian table lamp (available from May) is one of Lauren’s favourite designs. ‘The glaze is a beautiful deep green, and the uneven surface adds real movement.�

The coastal theme continues outside with the solid brass Emerson wall light with ribbed glass shade, which has recently been rated for exterior use. ‘The great thing is that the lights can all be styled in bedrooms, living rooms and kitchens alike,� says Lauren. ‘The pieces are incredibly versatile, and we can’t wait to see how people use them.�

Rattan, wicker. Wicker, rattan. The words have come to trip off the tongue interchangeably, because we all know what we mean � the woven wood-y products that are increasingly popping up in homes. But for when it next comes up: rattan is the core of a vine-like plant (there are over six hundred varieties) whereas wicker is a style of weave. So, rattan pieces are made from rattan stems; wicker products can be woven from multiple materials, including rattan. Cane is the tough outer skin of rattan, if you want to add an extra layer of complication.

Something of a marvel, rattan is renowned for its inherent strength; it’s remarkably hard and durable, yet lightweight and flexible enough to be skilfully bent and woven into intricate forms. Found predominately in the tropical forests of South East Asia as well as parts of Africa and Australia, it grows upwards, climbing trunks and branches at phenomenal speeds, reaching up to two hundred meters in length and coming in as one of the world’s fastest growing plants. Joyfully sustainable, it regenerates speedily and grows all year round, before being carefully harvested by hand from the wild.

Harnessed over two thousand years ago by indigenous cultures, rattan was initially used for weaving furniture, baskets, utensils, and tools. Skilled artisans often created intricate designs specific to their community, embellishing function with beauty and meaning, and passing making techniques down the generations. Sailing to Europe in the seventeenth century as trade routes expanded, its ‘exotic� feel fascinated Victorians, and tying into the nineteenth-century trend for all things handicraft, rattan furniture officially announced its arrival into the era’s interiors scene as part of the 1851 Great Exhibition.

Style icons such as Italian designer Gabriella Crespi gave the unassuming material a cosmopolitan rebrand in the 1960s and 1970s, rattan becoming the go-to for a sophisticated yet serene home as a free-spirited antidote to the preceding cold, hard lines of modernism. Today, the rattan renaissance is part of the contemporary movement towards embracing the relaxing ambiance nature brings indoors, as well as its obvious sustainable credentials.

Neptune’s new season lighting collection is infused with ageless eco-elegance. In rattan, the vase-shaped Athena table lamps are a laid-back, organic twist on classical ceramics, while the art deco-esque scalloped edges of the pendant and wall lights adopt a whimsical, romantic feel when woven. Each piece is a journey along the design timeline with its roots deep in the ancient jungle.