PH 5 Pendant Lamp

The PH 5 pendant, designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen in 1958, uses a three-shade reflector system that delivers 100% glare-free light. Two small red and blue shades subtly refine colour rendering — a signature PH 5 detail. Named after its 50 cm main shade, it brings timeless elegance to dining rooms, kitchens and hallways.

By 1958 Henningsen (1894–1967) had been refining his light theories for over three decades, ever since his multi-shade lamps won a gold medal at the 1925 Paris exposition. The PH 5 was born of frustration: bulb manufacturers kept changing the shape and brightness of incandescent bulbs, undermining lamps tuned to a specific source. His solution was a pendant that controls light so thoroughly — four shades, with the curves derived from his logarithmic spiral — that it delivers soft, comfortable light regardless of what bulb is inside. The small red and blue inner cones compensate for the eye's lower sensitivity at the red and blue ends of the spectrum, warming skin tones and food alike. It has been in continuous production at Louis Poulsen ever since, and in 2017 the palette was expanded with contemporary hues alongside the classic white.

The PH 5 remains the definitive dining-table pendant: hung about 60–70 cm above the surface, it creates an intimate island of light that flatters faces around the table while sending a gentle glow into the rest of the room. In open-plan and compact homes it can anchor the dining zone without any glare reaching sofa or workspace — one reason it suits city apartments so well. Unsure between this and the smaller version? Our PH 5 buying guide compares them in detail. You can also browse the full pendant lamp collection or more Louis Poulsen classics.

Light source: E27 (E26 compatible), 1 bulb, max 75 W; dimmable with a dimmable bulb. IP20, indoor. Bulb not included — we recommend an E27 LED (9–14 W, 1055–1521 lm), 2700–3000 K.