You know Isamu Noguchi lamps—even if you don’t think you do. For design lovers, the late Japanese artist’s lamps are just one extension of his many contributions to modernism, which include towering, amorphous carvings of rock and stone, and the honing of his sculpture-for-use philosophy. But even if you’ve never heard of Noguchi, you’ve almost certainly seen his cultural influence if you’ve ever stepped foot inside an IKEA and taken home a rice paper lamp.
That’s not to say Noguchi invented paper lanterns, which have been a staple of Japanese culture since the 11th century, but he gave them a 20th-century twist. “In 1951 [he] visited the town of Gifu, Japan, known for its manufacture of lanterns,” explains the Noguchi Museum, “[and] designed the first of his lamps produced by the traditional Gifu methods,” only he morphed the lamp shapes to have an ethereal, almost sentient presence; they had heavy-set bottoms, bulbous growths, and twisted frames. He called them Akari, a term that implies both illumination and weightlessness. “Akari has its rationale in being in relation to people,” he said. “I was told early on that all a young couple needed in starting life together was a ‘futon’ and an Akari above—a pad and a light, that is, not only just light, but the Akari because it has a shape, a sense of being.” Heavy Duty Wire Baskets
Fast-forward to today, where Akari lamps have resurfaced in popularity alongside other highly Pinterest-able, wavy aesthetic pieces such as the Memphis Group Design’s Ultrafragola mirror, Togo sofas, and other blob-core pieces. Remember Troye Sivan’s dreamy Architectural Digest home video tour? It was full of Akaris in order to give off “a soup of light,” in the words of the pop singer, who clearly understood the key to these lamps’ success: They make everything sexy by proxy. They’re the design equivalent of giving a room one of those soft-glow Instagram filters that makes you look like a sexy, poreless marshmallow.
Alas, Akaris ain’t cheap. Taking home a lamp from the Noguchi Museum’s gift shop will cost you upwards of a few hundred dollars, and most archival pieces on auction sites such as 1stDibs and Chairish can cost thousands of dollars.
Good thing we’re design-loving hermits with only 1.5 friends (the pigeon nesting on our fire escape counts), and all the time in the world to get elbow-deep into the internet to find you the best deals on Noguchi lamps, and their Japanese-inspired doppelgangers.
When you hunt for Noguchi-esque lamps online, use search terms such as “rice paper lamp,” “bamboo lamp,” “wabi-sabi,” or “Japanese-style lamp”; and make a habit of peeping sites that love the Japandi design aesthetic such as Muji, HAY, West Elm, Wayfair, and Cost Plus World Market. You can also find a surprising amount of affordable Noguchi-style lamps on Amazon, but they sell out fast:
Whether you’re looking to zhuzh your home with a little minimalist, mid-century design, or you’re sick and tired of having a reading lamp that looks like an IV pole, the world of Noguchi-inspired lamps is a surefire way to cast your home—and your life—in a more magical light. Here are some of our favorite affordable alternatives, from hanging pendants to oversized floor lamps and more.
Etsy is one of the best places to find both authentic Akaris and their dupes. Not only can you take home a nightstand-sized paper lamp, but there are even XL boys that would look chic on the floor of your living room:
Again, don’t forget to peep Amazon’s selection of rice paper lamps for side tables and nightstands, which includes this these long boys.
Looking for a more unique take on Noguchi-style lamp for the nighstand? Peep these colorful Japanese paper lamps from vintage sellers on 1stDibs and BEAMS JAPAN. They definitely deserve to get anthropomorphized in a Hayao Miyazaki movie.
Noguchi’s pendant lights ranged from bulbous paper lanterns, big and small, to misshapen disks and twisted designs. Amazon is home to both a set of cocoon-like lamps that would look gorgeous above any dining table, and globe pendants going for less than $50.
Wayfair’s Astri 1 pendant lamp has an impressive five-star average rating from reviewers, including one who writes that lamp’s atmospheric glow makes for the “perfect addition [to] our nursery.”
West Elm’s “Cirrus” pendant is a little pricier, and it legit looks like an alien is trying to crawl out of its center—in a chic way.
A standing Noguchi floor lamp can go for over $4,000, but the good ol’ design elders at Wayfair, Amazon, and Cost Plus World Market have given us column-like floor lamps that work in any room. Wayfair’s Levitt floor lamp is a major bestseller on the site, because it has an enticing, wiggly shape and gives off tons of light according to reviewers. Bring it home while it’s 21% off.
If you’d like something with a bit more structure, the paper floor lamp at CPWM has a more tubular structure and a firm rattan base. Pair it with a sprawling monstera plant for the perfect ambiance this winter.
If you’re always thirsty for more storage (same), this Japanese-style floor lamp is a VICE editor favorite, and a stylish way to highlight your tchotchkes under the warm glow of a reading lamp. These babies have a 4.6-star average rating from Amazon reviewers, including one fan who writes, “They were easy to put together, and [we] absolutely love them.”
The perfect alternative for the Vitra Akari 10A, this Japanese-style floor lamp is another Amazon bestseller that will bring some much-needed visual interest to our living room. Not many floor lamps can boast such a lightweight frame, unique silhouette, and gauzy glow for under a hundo.
See? We feel more relaxed already.
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