Japanese Rice Paper Table Lamp | Minimalist Zen Tripod Lamp With A Washi Style Paper Shade

Rice paper is the softest diffuser used in lighting, and it behaves differently to glass or fabric. Light passes through the fibres rather than bouncing off a surface, so the whole shade glows evenly and the source disappears completely, which is why washi lanterns have been used in Japanese interiors for centuries and never really been improved upon.

The tripod base is a modern addition and a practical one. Three legs sit stable on an uneven surface where four would rock, and a slim metal frame keeps the visual weight at the bottom of the lamp low, so the paper shade stays the thing you look at rather than the structure holding it up off the table.

Buy it now for a bedroom, a living room, a study or a quiet corner where the alternative is a harder light. The LED is included and it runs at two hundred and twenty to two hundred and forty volts with a simple switch on the cable rather than a dimmer. Paper is fragile, so keep the shade away from damp, from direct heat and from anything that could catch or tear it, and dust it with a dry brush rather than a cloth.

• Shade: rice paper in the washi lantern tradition, glowing evenly
• Base: slim three legged metal tripod for stability
• Light: LED included, 220 to 240 V, simple switch control
• Effect: the source disappears completely behind the paper
• Suits: bedrooms, living rooms, studies, offices and hotels
• Care: keep away from damp and direct heat, dust with a dry brush