I always thought the beautiful lighting pieces I saw in home magazines and airy, minimalist design studios were the stuff of dreams and unattainable aspirations.
Though undeniably stylish and unique, they're usually produced in limited quantities and extremely expensive. Because I have to pay rent every month, I make the executive decision to pass on my favorite architecturally-inspired masterpiece — but oh, do I wish I could bring it home with me.
Gantri is an online startup that makes buying cool, independently designed lamps more accessible and affordable. It serves as both a platform for designers to launch their products online and a marketplace for shoppers to discover independent designers from around the world and buy beautiful, functional lighting pieces. It offers a variety of table, floor, plug-in wall lights, and hardwired pendant lights and sconces.
How Gantri's lamps are made
Each Gantri lamp is designed by an industrial designer, but brands and creatives are able to apply the Gantri Made platform to bring their ideas to life. The design is then turned into a 3D model using Gantri's design guide and pre-modeled components. Once the design is finalized, it lands in the hands of Gantri engineers, who produce the lamps at a 3D printing factory in San Leandro, California. Each lamp is made on-demand which minimizes waste. They're also available in 26 color options.
They're made using a custom blend of PLA, a thermoplastic usually derived from a renewable resource such as corn or sugar cane starch. Gantri uses non-GMO sugarcane sourced from Thai farms to create its PLA, resulting in a more sustainable manufacturing process and light yet durable final product.
The designers and their designs
Since all the designers are given the same basic set of tools to create their lamps, it's striking and impressive how different each one turns out. Their designs are creative and eye-catching, ranging from a bag straight from the runway to a smooth, rounded lamp that doubles as a key tray. On each individual product page, you can learn about the inspiration behind a design, which personally helped me appreciate it even more and made my final decision easier.
You can also click on the designer profile to find their other work on Gantri and beyond. Gantri features industrial designers, product designers, art directors and managers, and architects from all across the globe.
What the lamps are like
When I received a lamp from Gantri for review, my first impression was that it was surprisingly light given its size and look. But it's not a cheap type of light weight. The thickness and texture of the material, as well as the sharp attention to detail paid to all components of the lamp, showed that thoughtful work went into producing the lamp. Each comes with a pre-installed lightbulb and a dimmer.
Gantri's lamps, which range from $198 to $348 each, are certainly more expensive than anything from a mass retailer. Compared to what you'll find at a boutique or independent design studio for something similar, however, they're not expensive at all. You're ultimately paying a great price for an original design, durable and sustainable construction, and a convenient shopping experience.
We tried and reviewed three lamps from Gantri. See them in action and learn more about each one below:
Aim Task Light
Former Reviews contributor Camryn Rabideau tried the Aim Task Light while testing for our best desk lamps guide, where it took the best design spot.
Rabideau found that the task light was equally stylish and functional, featuring a slider to adjust the brightness, a diffuser over the light bulb reduces eye strain throughout the day.
The lamp also functions smoothly, and Rabideau noted that she never would have guessed that it was 3D-printed, since the base is completely bump-free. It rotates without catching, and the head can be adjusted for your desired level of light.
It's a sleek task light that's a modern addition to your desk to keep your productivity up and your eyes strain-free.
PyraSphere Table Light
"I'm usually not attracted to super modern or angular anything, but I do love a good sculptural lamp (I most recently bought an insane Vetri Murano glass egg lamp for the living room, a purchase I don't think I'll ever regret unless my cat knocks it over someday).
The PyraSphere light from Gantri caught my eye, though, as an interesting study in sharp contrast.
I put the lamp on a stool in our home office so I could work and read with soft, dimmable, warm lighting in the evenings. The lamp gives off enough light to fill a large room, but when it's off, it looks as if it were a sculpture or piece of artwork, which I love.
And, because of how portable it is, I also like to plug it in outside on our balcony at night as a complement to our outdoor solar lights. It makes a great conversation piece when we have friends over, and the light isn't so bright that we feel blinded by it. "—Sally Kaplan, executive editor
Lago Table Light
"Because I'm renting (and subletting, at that), I wanted to go for the most neutral design so that when I move, wherever I end up, I can tie this lamp into a new room, which is really a shame because Gantri offers a lot of unique, edgy lamps.
Alas, the practical side of me took control, and I ended up with the Lago, an oblong, ambiance light that does its job to fill a room with relatively dim but effective lighting. I currently have four lights in my bedroom, but the Lago is my primary choice these days. It's small (16 inches tall), so it doesn't throw a ton of light, but it still fills the room warmly.
No one who's seen it yet has been able to guess that it's plastic. And if you tend to be on the clumsier side of the spectrum, like me, it will hurt a little less, and last a lot longer, than ceramic or glass. All in all, Gantri's Lago lamp is a sound investment." —Owen Burke, former senior reporter
