Whales, ducks, dachshunds, giraffes, and more: animal-shaped lamps are popular because they’re ironic, decorative, and surprising, blending design, playfulness, and personality in a playful way. Here you’ll find the top 10 of the most beastly ones out there.
There’s one category of objects that more than others manages to reconcile design and imagination: “beastly” lamps, those that take the form of animals and transform light into a narrative presence. Not simple light fixtures, but luminous sculptures capable of inhabiting space even when turned off, like silent characters ready to enliven a room. Giraffes holding chandeliers, ducks clutching electrical cables in their beaks, whales that, by lighting up, reveal poetic presences: the world of zoomorphic lamps is vast and surprising, ranging from pop irony to designer pieces, from playful objects to collector’s items. Their strength lies precisely here: in being able to be both functional and decorative, useful but also emotional.
They are popular because they speak an immediate, universal language. The animal is an archetypal, reassuring figure that immediately sparks empathy and curiosity. In an era where interiors are often dominated by neutral palettes, minimalist lines, and natural materials, an animal-shaped lamp becomes a gesture of controlled disruption, introducing character without overturning, and lightening the atmosphere. Here, I propose 10 of the most surprising beast-shaped lamps. Know that they have a dual soul: when turned off they are sculpture-objects, when turned on they change roles and become the protagonists of the atmosphere, small works of art capable of making even the simplest corner memorable.
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Style Ideas – Playful Identities
And then, there’s no point in denying it: you too will be fascinated by them because they have a special ability to bring play back into the adult home. Without being childish, they break the seriousness of overly perfect interior design and introduce a more emotional, ironic, surreal dimension. They are objects that don’t take themselves too seriously, but that’s precisely why they’re irresistible.
1 – THE GIRAFFE
The Queeboo lamp, called Giraffe in Love, is holding up a Maria Theresa-style chandelier. Standing 2.65 metres tall, it can fit into anyone’s home, provided they have a large living room in which to display all its boldness and elegance. Made of polycarbonate, recyclable polyethylene, and glass, it also comes in Small and Extra Large versions and, in addition to sporting a delicate pink coat, is produced in black and white.
Giraffe in Love M Indoor Lamp by Queeboo, designed by Marcantonio, 172×72,50x265h cm, € 3.900 – qeeboo.com
2 – THE WHALE
The Light Tales table lamp collection by Myyour also includes Moby, a whale unaware of having a guest on board, a small, curled-up Pinocchio, who appears only when she lights up. Poetic and storytelling, it is the perfect lamp for anyone who wants to dream and return to childhood, without age limits. Furthermore, it is made of Poleasy, a compact polyethylene-based plastic material that is very easy to clean and very resistant.
Moby table lamp by Myyour, designed by Ale Giorgini, 28x18x12hcm € 120 circa e 70x43x30h cm € 289 circa – myyour.eu
3 – THE DACHSHUND
Otto il bassotto is drawn with an essential and ironic style, as only dachshunds can be. It is a product of the imagination of Alessandra Baldereschi for Serralunga and is a table lamp in translucent LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene), also suitable for outdoor use and resistant to all weather conditions. But above all, it is a silent and wise companion: its eyes are closed but it is not sleeping, it is waiting and observes us calmly, indulgently, busy with our every activity. Will it wait for a pet?
Otto the Dachshund table lamp, designed by Alessandra Baldereschi for Serralunga, 66×17.5x38h cm – €349 – alessandrabaldereschi.com
4 – THE BULL
The Corrado bull’s head in applique version, complete with nose ring, is not scary: his gaze is a little stern but his horns are truly splendid! It is part of the eclectic Zoo collection by Karman Republic and finds its ideal setting in the most classic and rigorous homes, where it dramatizes the atmosphere and, from its high position, raises a smile. It is made of white, grey or black ceramic or in the variant with a black velvet effect finish, for even more glamorous spaces.
Applique Corrado by Karman Republic, design Matteo Ugolini, ø40x27cm – € 720 circa – karmanitalia.it
5 – THE DUCK
Son of a Duck is the table version of the famous Ducky floor lamp by the design duo Werns. It is a meticulously detailed duck in gold metal and polyresin, holding the light bulb cable in a gold metal socket in its beak. It is small in size, so you can place it on a coffee table, on the sideboard or even on the bedside table.
Son of a Duck table lamp by Werns,18x23x44h cm € 229 – hi-werns.com
5 – THE SHARK
Bobb by Goodnight Light is a sculptural, shark-shaped portable lamp with iridescent charm and personality to spare. It is in fact equipped with a waterproof LED light with colors that can be changed via remote control and can be used as a soft light lamp, as a playful night light or even as a floating light for the pool. It is made of high quality polyethylene, fully recyclable and resistant to UV rays.
Bobb portable lamp by Goodnight Light, design Marke Newton, 70x36x21h cm, € 220 – goodnightlight.eu
6 – THE TURTLE
Blåvingad is the LED wall lamp in the shape of a water turtle by Ikea. Perfect for a child’s bedroom, the green color brightens up the room and stimulates the imagination. What adventures will the little ones at home experience? One thing is certain: Blåvingad is tested to some of the most stringent safety requirements in the world. The soft light is gentle on the eyes and is ideal as a night light.
Blåvingad by Ikea, 25x19x7h cm, € 19,95 – ikea.com
7 – THE BEAR
Aria is the name of the ceiling lamp by Letslighting consisting of a white bear (available in three different positions) clinging to a balloon (in three different sizes) which, in reality, is a LED lamp that emits a delicate milky white hue and spreads a soft brightness all around. It was created for the bedroom but you can also place it in a relaxation area of the house, for example above your favorite armchair.
Aria ceiling lamp by Letslighting,ø15cm € 99,99, ø20 cm € 119,99, ø25 cm € 149,99 – letslighting.it
8 – THE LEOPARD
Those who love ethnic furnishings can enrich it with the Relax Leopard table lamp by Kare. The fearsome feline, here in gold metal, has made himself comfortable on a forked branch and from there enjoys every moment of life that revolves around him. The black, conical lampshade features a shiny gold coating on the inside, which gives even more warmth to the radiated light.
Relax Leopard table lamp by Kare, 27.50x26x49.50h cm, €125 – kare-italia.it
9 – THE BIRD
The collaboration between Magis, Iittala and Oiva Toikka has given birth to Linnut (which means birds in Finnish), a collection of birds inspired by the blown glass Birds by Toikka collection, developed by the designer starting in the 1970s for Iittala. This time the birds are made of polycarbonate, a material that allows for an effect very similar to the sophisticated finishes of blown glass. This collection also includes Kirassi by Magis, a mobile luminous sculpture designed without cables thanks to a cutting-edge lighting mechanism and touch switch. It can be taken anywhere, but find a place for it in the hallway, right next to the front door: a cute and elegant creature that welcomes you home when you return.
Kirassi table lamp by Magis, Oiva Toikka design, 46x23x27h cm, €482 – magisdesign.com
10 – THE PINGUIN
Kokò is a cute penguin-shaped table lamp, born from the creativity of Giò Colonna Romano for Slide Design. Its beauty? Every time it is touched it sways, imitating the real penguin’s gait. Kokò is made of polyethylene and is available in white (beautiful in modern homes) and in many different shades. It is the ideal piece to add a touch of light, but above all of lightheartedness and cheerfulness, to any room.
Kokò table lamp by Slide Design, designed by Giò Colonna Romano, 26x22x45h cm, € 110 – slidedesign.it
