Colombo Wall Lamp by Oluce

Colombo is a wall 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: black stem chrome, anodic bronze stem black, and scarlet red stem chrome.

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. The wall version keeps the chromium-plated stem and lacquered wall fixing, with a height-adjustable reflector in lacquered aluminium that aims the light where it is needed. 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).

“The design is in fact one of the first domestic lamps to use the new type of bulb.”

Oluce, on Colombo

How It Was Made

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

Downloads

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

Why You’ll Love It

Colombo is a design icon in a wall-mounted form: the reflector swings and aims where you need light, next to a bed, a desk or a reading chair. 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, and its 2700K light has 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

Mount it beside a bed, a desk or a reading chair where the adjustable reflector can be aimed. It suits mid-century, modern and Italian-design interiors, and works well in a bedroom, home office or hotel suite.

Questions We Hear Most

How big is the Colombo wall lamp?

It is 15.8 in (40 cm) tall and projects 9.1 in (23 cm) from the wall.

Can the Colombo wall lamp reflector move?

Yes. The reflector is height-adjustable and pivots on the chrome stem, so it can be aimed for direct or indirect light.

Can I dim the Colombo wall lamp?

No. The sheet lists it as not dimmable.

What light does the Colombo wall lamp give?

It uses one integrated 24W LED, 3300 lumens at 2700K with a CRI over 85.

What finishes are available?

Black stem chrome, anodic bronze stem black, and scarlet red stem chrome.

Is there a matching floor or ceiling lamp?

Yes. Colombo also comes as a floor lamp and a ceiling/pendant lamp in the same finishes.

Who designed the Colombo wall 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 puts a design icon on the wall, with a reflector you can aim exactly where you need light and finishes glossy enough to be a focal point on their own.

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