Arum Lamps by ferm LIVING: One Petal Shade in Four Formats

The Arum series from ferm LIVING takes one idea, a curved metal shade hung from an arch like a leaf from a stem, and builds four quite different lamps from it. This piece looks at what defines that shade, how each format carries it, and where each one earns its place in a home.

The shade: a single curved petal

The name is a fair guide. An arum flower is wrapped in one large curved bract that hoods the centre of the bloom, and the Arum shade works in much the same way. It is an organically shaped piece of aluminium, open on one side and gently cupped, suspended from a curved arch of powder coated iron. Seen from the side it reads as a leaf or a petal; seen from the front it becomes a soft hood that hides the bulb.

The inside of the shade is finished in matte off-white. That detail matters more than it sounds. A glossy or metallic interior would throw hard reflections and show the bulb as a bright point, while the matte surface spreads the light into an even, softened glow. The outside takes the colour of the lamp, so in Cashmere the shade looks warm and almost papery, and in Black it becomes a crisp graphic shape against a pale wall.

Because the shade hangs from the arch rather than sitting on top of a stem, every Arum lamp has a slightly off-centre balance. The corded table and floor versions answer that with a base of solid black marble, which works as a counterweight and gives the series its contrast of heavy stone below and light metal above. On the corded table, floor and wall versions the direction of the shade can be adjusted, so the light can be pointed down at a page, angled towards a wall or turned away from the eyes.

Arum Table Lamp: the compact original

The Arum Table Lamp measures 20 cm wide, 53 cm high and 34 cm deep, and weighs 2.9 kg, most of it in the solid black marble base. That weight is what lets the shade reach forward over the edge of the base without the lamp tipping. The structure is powder coated iron, the shade aluminium, and it takes an E14 bulb. A 2.6 metre black fabric cord with an on/off switch runs from the base, long enough to reach a socket behind a sideboard or below a desk.

At 53 cm high it sits comfortably on a bedside table, a console in a hallway or the corner of a desk. The 34 cm depth is worth noting: the shade projects forward, so allow a little clearance in front of it rather than pushing it against a shelf. It comes in Cashmere and Black. Cashmere blends into light oak and linen; Black makes more of the silhouette, which suits a plain white wall where the outline can be read clearly.

Arum Floor Lamp: the same balance at full height

The Arum Floor Lamp stretches the same composition to 136 cm high, with a width of 25 cm and a depth of 42 cm. It weighs 11.7 kg, again largely in the marble base, which keeps the tall arch steady when the shade is angled. Materials and electrics match the table version: powder coated iron, aluminium shade with matte off-white inside, E14 socket and a 2.6 metre black fabric cord with on/off switch.

At this height the shade sits above a seated reader, which makes it a natural reading lamp beside an armchair or at the end of a sofa. Turned towards the wall, it becomes a quiet source of reflected light for the evening. The 25 cm footprint is narrow, so it fits beside furniture where a tripod floor lamp would get in the way.

Arum Swivel Wall Lamp: reach without a base

The Arum Swivel Wall Lamp drops the marble entirely. The arch is fixed to a wall bracket with a swivel mount, and that mount is what defines it: the arm can turn in any direction, so the shade can be swung out over a bed, pushed back flat against the wall or angled across a reading chair. It measures 26 cm wide, 47 cm high and 44 cm deep, and weighs 0.9 kg. That 44 cm depth is the reach: with the arm swung out, the shade sits well clear of the wall, close to where a book or a pillow actually is.

It is supplied with a 2.6 metre fabric cord, switch and wall bracket, so it can be mounted without hard wiring and plugged in. That makes it a practical answer for bedrooms where bedside tables are small or absent, and for rented flats. There is also a tall version measuring 26 x 127 x 44 cm at 1.3 kg, which places the shade at standing height for a hallway or above a sideboard. Colours run to Cashmere, Black and Bronze; the Bronze picks up the warmer tones of walnut and brass.

A related wall sconce in black shares the shade in a more compact 26 x 29 x 16 cm format. With only 16 cm of depth it stays close to the wall, which suits corridors and stairs where a swinging arm would be in the way.

Arum Portable Lamp: the shade off the cord

The Arum Portable Lamp shrinks the idea to a cordless lamp 7 cm in diameter and 30 cm high, weighing 1.1 kg. The structure is still powder coated iron with an aluminium shade, matte off-white inside, but here it wraps around an LED dome rather than a bulb. The light is warm white at 2700K with three-step touch dimming. It charges via USB-C, runs around twelve hours on a five-hour charge, and is rated IP44, so it can go out onto a terrace or balcony for the evening. The adapter is not included.

The portable is also where the series opens up in colour. Alongside Cashmere and Black it comes in shades such as Sienna, Tea Green, Grass Green, Oxide Red, Bright Blue and Dark Chocolate. It works well as a second light on a dining table, a lamp for a bookshelf with no socket nearby, or a night light that moves from the living room to the bedroom. For other cordless options, see our guide to the best portable designer lamps.

Choosing your Arum format

Because the shade is the same across the family, the formats sit well together. A floor lamp by the sofa and a portable on the dining table share one outline at two scales; a pair of swivel wall lamps either side of a bed leaves the bedside surfaces free. Keep to one colour if you want the shapes to read as a set, or mix Black with Cashmere to let one lamp lead. The Arum series sits alongside Collect and Ripple in a range built on muted colour and materials close to their raw state. Explore the full ferm LIVING collection to see how it carries across furniture, textiles and tableware.