As floor lamps go, there are very few that could be considered household names, but designer Achille Castiglioni's Arco Lamp is definitely one of them. A masterpiece of Italian design, the Arco Lamp features a graceful arch of stainless steel, rising from a base of solid black or white marble.
Originally conceived by Castiglioni in 1962 to provide the flexibility to light specific tasks without the need for overhead lighting, the Arco Lamp became an instant hit among interior designers for its simplicity and elegance, while its modernism has ensured its continued popularity among the style-conscious to this very day.
Widely considered a classic of modern lighting design, the Arco Lamp has also found its way into the popular consciousness through being featured in many films, from 1962's James Bond movie Dr. No to this year's Iron Man 2.
One slight drawback for the average consumer however, has always been the astronomical price-tag. While the sixties originals are now collectors items, even the official Flos reproductions come in well over the £1000 mark, with some retailers charging as much as £1500 (nearly 00).
The continued popularity of the lamp however, coupled with the resurgence in modernism in contemporary interior design have led to the production of replica Arco Lamps at the more down to earth price of around £200-250, putting this beautiful floor lamp within the budget of the average consumer.
If you are considering buying a replica Arco Lamp, there are a number of factors you may want to keep in mind before making the purchase. Chiefly among these is the sheer size of the lamp. At over 2 metres tall, it really needs to placed in a room with fairly high ceilings - not only because it wont fit in a smaller room, but because to really show off its grandeur, the lamp should be given the space so that its elegance is not cramped by its surroundings.
Another point to bear in mind is the weight of its marble base - roughly 50 kilograms, which while keeping the arched stem of the lamp firmly on the ground, makes moving the lamp after it has been placed in a room more than a little tricky. This being the case, it is often best to place the lamp in a corner, as there is less chance of anyone bumping into it - important if you have small children for instance - and the length of the stem should more than compensate for the lamp being out of the way.
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