Plumen 003 light bulb acts as two lights in one – a warm, accent light around the sides and a clean spot light on the surface below. This dual functionality makes it perfect for any situation where you’re both relaxing and focused on a task, but especially for use above the dining table, as you can see both your food and your guests, with the optimum strength and temperature of light for each.
The new energy efficient LED light bulb has a central gold element which illuminates people’s faces with a “soft, ambient light”.
Plumen’s engineering team developed a patented method for distributing the light exactly where it is required while at the same time holding the gold elements in place – allowing them to ‘float’ in the centre of the bulb. The design means the light of the LED is warmed as it reflects off the gold elements, creating a soft glow round the sides, flattering to everything it illuminates. The relationship is symbiotic, for while the gold elements warm the light, the light brings the facets to life by making them sparkle like a jewel.
The central structure sits on a specially engineered plinth, which draws away the heat of the LED to ensure that the 003 is every bit as technically efficient as it is visually pleasing.
The design of the bulb has been inspired by Danish designer Poul Henningsen’s PH lamp, which was designed in 1925, and was an softer alternative to the classic Edison bulb.
Consultancy Hulger created the original Plumen 001 LED light bulb in 2010, which Plumen claims was the “world’s first designer low energy light bulb”.
The bulb won several awards, including the Brit Insurance Design of the Year award in 2011. It was also added to the permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the V&A.
Reinventing the future of lighting, Plumen has launched a ‘shade in a bulb’, a hybrid, new format of lamp that tames the glare of LED light while putting the magical flame back in. Giving a warm, cosy glow around the sides and a bright clear light on the surface below, the 003 is a practical yet beautiful light. Plumen’s Co-founder and Creative Director, Nicolas Roope takes darc back to the beginning…
“When we launched the Plumen 001 we wanted to create the first beautiful low energy lamp because, quite frankly, every efficient lamp up until that point was boring, ugly and utilitarian. We made the first designer lamp in the low energy category and it worked very well.
“When we started with the 003 project five years ago we knew we’d have to set the bar higher. Going as far as creating the most attractive LED lamp would have been an easier goal, but we wanted to go further.
“The reason Plumen started was to try and inspire the general public to choose efficient lighting technology through the allure of beautiful design. We’ve sold over half a million products but have only really scratched the surface. The reason being, that the traditional filament lamp is such a fantastic product and lighting experience that it’s an incredibly hard act to follow.”
Having spent two years researching developments in LED technology and how different brands were trying to recreate the beauty of incandescent lighting, designer Claire Norcross worked with the Plumen design team to shape the lamp envelope and element silhouettes.
“We wanted to improve the look, the light experience, its ‘real world’ efficiency, as well as the standard benefits of moving to LED,” says Roope.