Artemide Onfale – a blown glass table lamp with soft diffused light
The Onfale by Artemide is a table lamp that does not need complex lines to stand out. Its value comes from the glass, the rounded form and the way the light spreads evenly around it. Designed by Luciano Vistosi in 1978it remains a lamp with a calm yet highly recognisable presence.
Its shape recalls a mushroom, making it friendly and easy to place in different interiors. The body is made of blown glass, and the diffuser is made of opal glass, so the light does not feel sharp or glaring. It is a lamp that creates comfort, not intensity.
For bedside tables, consoles, living rooms and hospitality spaces
Onfale works well in bedrooms, living rooms, entrance areas, consoles, side tables, boutique hotel rooms, suites and reception spaces. On a bedside table, it gives softer light for evening use. On a console or side table, it works as a luminous glass object that makes the area feel more complete.
It is not a reading lamp with a directional beam. It is better suited to gentle general light in a corner or on a surface. This makes it especially suitable for spaces where calmness matters: bedrooms, hospitality interiors or living rooms with a warmer everyday use.
Three sizes for different needs
Onfale is available works, Medio versions and Grande, so the right size can be chosen according to the placement. Piccolo works well on smaller bedside tables or more limited surfaces. Medio versions is more flexible for bedrooms, consoles and side tables. Grande has a stronger presence and can sit beautifully on a larger console, in a reception area or in a more spacious living room.
In the Grande and Medio versions, Artemide notes the use of a second bulb inside the body of the lamp, helping the light spread more evenly throughout the glass form. This allows Onfale to feel luminous in a more complete way, not only from the upper diffuser.
For the final user, the benefit is simple: it is a table lamp that gives pleasant light and looks refined even when switched off. For architects, interior designers and hospitality projects, it is a timeless glass option when the space needs soft lighting, a clean form and a quieter, premium feeling.
