PH 3½-2½ Floor Lamp Centenary Edition

Honouring Poul Henningsen's legacy, the PH 3½-2½ Floor Lamp Centenary Edition is based on the three-shade System PH he invented in 1926 — a mathematical principle that enabled excellent lighting across hundreds of lamps. Crafted in lacquered aged brass to preserve the patina, it combines a mouth-blown four-layer amber upper shade with three-layer white-opal lower shades, glossy outside and sandblasted matte-white inside, for a warm upward glow and soft, glare-free downward light. A dark-brown textile cord completes this contemporary tribute to a 100-year heritage.

When Poul Henningsen (1894–1967) won a gold medal at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, it marked the start of one of design history's most productive partnerships — between the self-taught Danish designer and Louis Poulsen. The System PH that followed in 1926 placed every shade on a logarithmic spiral with the light source at its focal point, so the angle of reflection stays consistent along the whole curve and the bulb is never seen directly. The Centenary Edition celebrates a century of this collaboration: the lacquered aged brass is left intentionally alive, deepening in patina over the years, while the mouth-blown amber and white-opal glass shades are made with the same craft techniques as the originals — a collector's piece that is also a fully practical reading lamp.

In the home, the Centenary Edition rewards a placement where its materials can be appreciated up close — beside a reading chair, at the edge of a sofa, or in a bedroom corner where the amber upper shade washes the ceiling with a warm evening glow. Aged brass pairs naturally with walnut, oak and leather, and in compact urban apartments the lamp's modest footprint makes it an attainable statement: one lamp, one chair and a side table are enough to make a room feel composed. Because the three-shade optic controls glare so well, it can sit close to seating without ever feeling harsh. Explore more designer floor lamps, see the full Louis Poulsen collection, or read our guide to designer lighting for small apartments.