Colombo Pendant Lamp by Oluce

Colombo is a ceiling lamp with a chromium-plated stem and a height-adjustable reflector in lacquered aluminium, designed by Joe Colombo for Oluce in 1970.

It comes in 3 finishes: lacquered black with chromium-plated stem, anodic bronze with chromium-plated stem, and scarlet red with black stem.

The Design Story

Oluce, founded in Milan in 1945, worked with Joe Colombo on a lamp built around the wave of halogen lighting then new to the home. Colombo was one of the first domestic lamps to use the new bulb type, and its clean base, chrome stem and adjustable reflector answered the era’s demand for technological function in a simple shape. Over 40 years later the family, made as a floor, wall or ceiling lamp, remains a top seller in the Oluce catalogue.

The Story

To mark its 50th anniversary, Oluce updated the Colombo family with a modern LED version. On the ceiling lamp, the reflector swings on its stem to give both direct and indirect light. The design is held in museum collections, including the Die Neue Sammlung in Munich, the Museum für Angewandte Kunst in Cologne, and the Kunstmuseum in Düsseldorf.

The Designers

Joe Colombo was one of the major Italian designers of the postwar years and died in 1971 at the age of 41. Oluce describes his work as an optimistic look toward the future rather than a nostalgic one. He designed integrated living cells such as Visiona ’69 for Bayer and compact self-contained objects such as the Mini-Kitchen of 1963. His other works include the Bobby cart and the Elda armchair (both 1970), a chair for Kartell (1968) and the mp lamp (1972).

“clean shapes and technological functionality”

Oluce, on Joe Colombo’s Colombo lamp

How It Was Made

Colombo is made of lacquered metal and aluminium with a chromium-plated stem. Oluce builds the ceiling fixing, stem and adjustable reflector in Italy, sharing the same reflector and finish palette as the floor and wall versions.

Downloads

• Technical sheet (PDF)
• Assembly instructions (PDF)
• Product details sheet (PDF)

Why You’ll Love It

Colombo is a design icon in a compact ceiling fitting: the reflector pivots to send light up, down or across a room. Pick the glossy Scarlet Red for a bold accent, the warm Anodic Bronze for a quieter room, or the Black for a shape that disappears into almost any interior.

Made for Real Life

The 24W LED is integrated, so there is no bulb to change. The sheet lists it at 4100 lumens; Oluce’s maker page lists 3300 lumens for the Colombo LED source, so check with us if exact output matters for your room. Color temperature is 2700K with a CRI over 85. The lamp is not dimmable and is CE rated. Wipe the chrome and lacquered metal with a soft dry cloth and skip abrasive or solvent cleaners.

Product Details

Where It Shines

Hang it over a reading chair, a desk or an entry table where the adjustable reflector can be aimed. It suits mid-century, modern and Italian-design interiors, and works well in a living room, bedroom or hotel suite.

Questions We Hear Most

How big is the Colombo ceiling lamp?

It is 23.6 in (60 cm) from ceiling to reflector, with an 11 in (28 cm) reflector.

Can the Colombo reflector move?

Yes. The reflector pivots on the chrome stem so you can aim it for direct or indirect light.

Can I dim the Colombo ceiling lamp?

No. The sheet lists it as not dimmable.

What light does the Colombo ceiling lamp give?

It uses one integrated 24W LED at 2700K with a CRI over 85; our sheet lists 4100 lumens, while Oluce’s product page lists 3300 lumens for the Colombo LED source.

What finishes are available?

Lacquered black with a chrome stem, anodic bronze with a chrome stem, and scarlet red with a black stem.

Is there a matching floor or wall lamp?

Yes. Colombo also comes as a floor lamp and a wall lamp in the same finishes.

Who designed the Colombo ceiling lamp?

Joe Colombo designed it for Oluce in 1970, and Oluce updated it with an LED source for its 50th anniversary.

Why We Love It

Colombo brings a design icon to the ceiling in a small, precise fitting. The reflector aims exactly where you need light, and the glossy finishes give it real presence.

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