Kartell Lighting

What is The Kartell Story?

The story of Kartell Lamps begins long before they were known as a lighting company. Kartell was originally created by Chemical engineer Giulio Castello in 1949. At the time, Castelli experimented with creating plastic car accessories and then household items. As he grew in knowledge and experience, Kartell expanded from this smaller company into the lighting and laboratory equipment industry. Five years later, Giulio Castelli and his architect/designer wife Anna Castelli Ferrieri officially worked in the furniture and interior design industry.

Though the path to pursuing furniture and lighting was a meandering one, the Kartell Company is now renowned for their bold use of material and artistic light designs. In 1972, they were invited to create an exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. This exhibition garnered greater success for the Castelli family and launched them into the international market.

Who are Kartell's Most Iconic Designers

Although Kartell Lighting originally began with just Giulio Castello, his wife Anna Castelli Ferrieri quickly rose as the primary designer for their first lights and furniture. Other modern designers include Ferruccio Laviani, Philippe Starck, Piero Lissoni, and Patricia Urquila. Kartell has many other designers in their ranks, and this allows famous artists to partner with a brand known for its quality and unique material.

What are the Favorite Types of Fixtures by Kartell Lighting?

In their decades of existence, Kartell Lighting has created a wide array of lighting fixtures fitting for any home. Some favorite types of indoor lights include pendant lights, wall sconces, ceiling lights, table lamps, and floor lamps. From their outdoor selection, Kartell lights include floor lamps and portable table lamps.

What Are Popular Kartell Lighting Collections?

The most popular Kartell lamp collections include Aledin, Space, Taj, FLY, Goodnight, Bloom, Planet, and Light-Air. These various collections come from different decades of inspiration, but no matter what collection you’re looking at, you’ll find Kartell’s unique aesthetic and innovation clearly in the fixtures. The styles and theming of all their lights give you the freedom to utilize one collection for a room or blend collections to create your own style.

What is Kartell Known For?

Kartell Lighting is primarily known for their use of material and homage to various eras of designs. In each decade, the designers of Kartell fully leaned into the decade’s aesthetic and created lights that reflect that era. For example, their collections from the 50’s reflected the optimism of the time, lights from the ‘60’s brought in a space-age style, and experimentation dominated fixtures from the ‘70’s. This exploration and display of style has allowed the designers of Kartell to experiment and find joy in whatever time they’re in, but today’s collections still highlight designs from past generations as many of these styles make a comeback through mid-century modern styles.

Where is Kartell Based In?

Kartell Lighting is based in Milan, Italy, a city known for its art, bold fashion, and creative stylings.

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