Louis Poulsen is world-renowned as an innovator in modern Danish lighting, but this wasn’t the goal from the start. Founded in 1874 by Ludvig R. Poulsen as a wine importer, the business went through several incarnations before its first pendant lights came to fruition. Through its designs, the company helped establish the foundations of good lighting — function, comfort and ambience — that are now standard in modern furniture design.
In 1924, Danish architect Poul Henningsen partnered with Louis Poulsen & Co., then an electrical supply company, to create what’s now known as the Paris lamp. This design, which incorporated three layers of curved metal disks, created ambience with its indirect light instead of glare. Shown at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris — the exhibition that brought Art Deco design to worldwide attention — the Paris lamp was awarded a gold medal. This led to Poulsen and Henningsen working together on several lighting pieces, including the popular PH pendant light with its concentric shades for the Forum Building in Copenhagen. These high-profile projects helped make Louis Poulsen a go-to purveyor of innovative lighting design.
One of the company’s most well-known lamps is Henningsen’s PH Artichoke lamp (1958), with its 72 copper leaves artfully placed to conceal the light bulb, prevent glare and promote a warm, alluring glow in any room. Another is the steel and die-cast zinc AJ lamp (1960), which Arne Jacobsen designed with an adjustable angled shade for his commission for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. The company has also worked with notables such as Verner Panton and Alfred Homann as well as, more recently, Louise Campbell and Oki Sato.
In 2010, the company was awarded the American Institute of Architects’ Honors in Collaborative Achievement Award; it was the first lighting manufacturer to receive this honor. In 2018, the company was acquired by an investment subsidiary of Investindustrial VI L.P.
Still headquartered in Denmark, the brand continues to produce its high-end lighting for both indoor and outdoor use, manufacturing both classic icons as well as new designs. “We design to shape light,” states Louis Poulsen. In doing so, they have also shaped culture.
Find a range of new and vintage Louis Poulsen floor lamps, table lamps and other lighting and furniture on 1stDibs.
Large 'Flindt' Indoor or Outdoor Wall Light in Black for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Christian Flindt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large 'Flindt' Indoor or Outdoor Wall Light in Black for Louis Poulsen. A circular, wall-mounted fixture that brings bold, sculptural illumination to both indoor and outdoor spaces....
Aluminum, Steel
'Flindt' Indoor or Outdoor Wall Light in Black for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Christian Flindt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
'Flindt' Indoor or Outdoor Wall Light in Black for Louis Poulsen. A circular, wall-mounted fixture that brings bold, sculptural illumination to both indoor and outdoor spaces. The s...
Aluminum, Steel
Small 'Flindt' Indoor or Outdoor Wall Light in Black for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Christian Flindt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Small 'Flindt' Indoor or Outdoor Wall Light in Black for Louis Poulsen. A circular, wall-mounted fixture that brings bold, sculptural illumination to both indoor and outdoor spaces....
Aluminum, Steel
Large Poul Henningsen 'PH Wall' Outdoor Sconce for Louis Poulsen in Raw Copper
By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large Poul Henningsen 'PH Wall' Outdoor Sconce for Louis Poulsen in Raw Copper The 'PH Wall' is part of the revolutionary three shade system developed by Paul...
Copper
'LP Grand Surface' Flush Mount Lamp for Louis Poulsen in Champagne
By Louis Poulsen, Christian Flindt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
'LP Grand Surface' Flush Mount Lamp for Louis Poulsen in Champagne. The first 'LP Grand' came into existence in 2016 after Louis Poulsen approached the prize-winning Danish designer...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Lucidi & Pevere Hand-Poured ‘Aplomb’ Concrete Wall Lamp in Maroon for Foscarini
By Lucidi Pevere, Foscarini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lucidi & Pevere Hand-Poured ‘Aplomb’ concrete wall lamp in maroon for Foscarini Designed by Lucidi & Pevere and produced by Foscarini, the Italian ...
Concrete, Metal, Aluminum
Copper Wall Sconce by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A nicely patinated sconce in copper designed for outdoor/indoor use.
Copper
Christophe Pillet Ceiling and Wall Lamp 'Berlin' Small by Oluce
By Christophe Pillet, Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ceiling and wall lamp 'Berlin' designed by Christophe Pillet in 2017. Adjustable wall lamp giving indirect led light in metal. Manufactured by Oluce, Italy. Christophe Pillet designed Berlin, an object that calls into question the common understanding of the ceiling light, turning its traditional discreet character upside down to transform it into an elegant and decorative feature. Available in the ø40 and ø50 ceiling versions or the ø30 version for use either as a ceiling light or wall light, Berlin takes the form of a thick metal ring with a slender profile enclosing a disc of wire mesh glass...
Brass
Christophe Pillet Ceiling and Wall Lamp 'Berlin' Small by Oluce
By Christophe Pillet, Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ceiling and wall lamp 'Berlin' designed by Christophe Pillet in 2017. Adjustable wall lamp giving indirect led light in metal. Manufactured by Oluce, Italy. Christophe Pillet des...
Brass
Louis Poulsen, Outdoor Wall Lamp by Cristian Flindt
By Christian Flindt, Louis Poulsen
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Louis Poulsen, outdoor wall lamp by Cristian Flindt We have three size: Small 20 x 6 cm - 800 euro, Medium 30 x 8 cm - 1000 euro, Lagre 40 x 10 cm - 1300 euro. Contact us before ord...
Metal, Aluminum
Christophe Pillet Ceiling and Wall Lamp 'Berlin' Large by Oluce
By Oluce, Christophe Pillet
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ceiling and wall lamp 'Berlin' designed by Christophe Pillet in 2017. Adjustable wall lamp giving indirect led light in metal. Manufactured by Oluce, Italy. Christophe Pillet designed Berlin, an object that calls into question the common understanding of the ceiling light, turning its traditional discreet character upside down to transform it into an elegant and decorative feature. Available in the Ø 40 and Ø 50 ceiling versions or the Ø 30 version for use either as a ceiling light or wall light, Berlin takes the form of a thick metal ring with a slender profile enclosing a disc of wire mesh glass...
Brass
Christophe Pillet Ceiling and Wall Lamp 'Berlin' Medium by Oluce
By Christophe Pillet, Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ceiling and wall lamp 'Berlin' designed by Christophe Pillet in 2017. Adjustable wall lamp giving indirect led light in metal. Manufactured by Oluce, Italy. Christophe Pillet des...
Brass
