The best Bauhaus lamp, if you want the real thing, is the Wagenfeld WG24, the 1924 glass table lamp designed at the Bauhaus and made today as an authorised reissue by Tecnolumen, at roughly €450 to €520 from European retailers. For everyday colour at a fraction of that, the Tuija by BO-HA, a white glass globe on a coloured base at $99.95 in eight colours, is my pick, and the Kent by BO-HA at $89.95 is the boldest. Here is the shortlist, and how to bring Bauhaus colour into a mid-century room without it looking like a museum.
What Makes a Lamp "Bauhaus"
The Bauhaus school ran from 1919 to 1933, and its idea was simple: objects should be made of honest materials, in clear geometric shapes, designed for how they are used. In lamps, that means a globe or a dome, a straight stem and a round base, with glass, metal and sometimes a single strong colour. No ornament for its own sake.
Mid-century design grew straight out of those ideas, which is why Bauhaus lamps look at home in our 1961 house. They share the same honesty as a walnut credenza or a plain glass window wall. I wrote about what "warm mid-century" means to me in what warm mid-century means, and Bauhaus lamps are the cooler, more graphic cousin of that style.
What I Compared
- Shape: globe, dome or mushroom, and how true it is to the Bauhaus idea.
- Glass and colour. Opal glass gives a soft glow; coloured bases give personality.
- Size for a desk, nightstand or shelf.
- Extras like USB charging or plug-in and hardwired options.
- Price from brand or retailer pages checked on October 14, 2026. The Wagenfeld is priced in euros by European retailers.
Quick Comparison
| Lamp | Shape | Colours | Price seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagenfeld WG24 by Tecnolumen | Opal dome on clear glass | Clear and opal glass, metal | about €450 to €520 |
| Tuija by BO-HA | White glass globe on base | 8 base colours | $99.95 |
| Kent by BO-HA | Bauhaus mid-century lamp | Orange, blue, grey | $89.95 |
| Rune by BO-HA | Orange and white glass | Orange and white | $119.95 |
| Ville by BO-HA | Spring glass, USB charger | Silver or cream | $99.95 |
| Soeren by BO-HA | Desk lamp, plug-in or hardwired | White or orange | $159.95 |
The Picks
1. Wagenfeld WG24 by Tecnolumen: The Original
Wilhelm Wagenfeld designed this lamp at the Bauhaus in 1924, and it is the one most people picture when they hear "Bauhaus lamp": an opal glass dome on a clear glass stem and round base. Tecnolumen makes the authorised reissue, and each lamp is numbered and carries the Bauhaus and Tecnolumen marks. European retailers list it at roughly €450 to €520. Most are sold with European plugs; one retailer notes a US version can be checked on request.
It is a small, precise object, best on a desk or a sideboard where you see it up close. If you buy vintage, check the maker's marks and numbering and have the wiring checked for your country.
Ava's note: this is a lamp to own once. Everything else on this list is a lamp to enjoy now.
2. Tuija by BO-HA: Best Everyday Bauhaus Lamp
The Tuija by BO-HA is a small table lamp with a white glass globe on a coloured base, in eight colours. It is the purest Bauhaus shape on the BO-HA list: a sphere, a base, nothing else. The white glass globe gives a soft, diffused light, and the compact size suits a nightstand, a shelf or the corner of a desk.
The colour choice is the fun part. Orange or mustard-adjacent bases look right with a terracotta and olive palette like ours, described in terracotta, olive and mustard. Black or white keeps it graphic and quiet.
3. Kent by BO-HA: The Boldest Colour
The Kent by BO-HA blends a Bauhaus shape with mid-century colour, in orange, blue or grey, at $89.95 with a warm bulb included. It is the least expensive lamp here and the one I would choose for a child's desk, a studio or anywhere that needs a single bright note of colour.
4. Rune by BO-HA: Best Coloured Glass
The Rune by BO-HA combines orange and white glass in one lamp, 21 by 25 cm (about 8 by 10 inches). Coloured glass glows when it is lit, which gives a warmer, moodier light than a white globe. On a dark walnut sideboard, an orange glass lamp is one of the most mid-century things you can do.
5. Ville by BO-HA: Best With a USB Charger
The Ville by BO-HA has a glass shade in silver or cream and a USB charger built in. It is the practical one: on a nightstand or a desk, it charges a phone without taking up an outlet. For our home office, set up as described in the mid-century home office, that is a real advantage.
6. Soeren by BO-HA: Best Desk Lamp
The Soeren by BO-HA is a Bauhaus-inspired desk lamp in white or orange, available as a plug-in lamp or a hardwired version. It is the one on this list made for task light rather than glow, so it suits a desk where you read and work.
How to Use Bauhaus Lamps in a Mid-Century Room
- One colour per room. A single orange or blue lamp reads as a deliberate accent. Three colours start to look like a toy shop.
- Glass against wood. White or coloured glass on walnut or teak is the classic combination.
- Small and many. Bauhaus lamps are compact. Two on a long credenza, one on a desk and one on a shelf give a room a rhythm of small lights.
- Warm bulbs. Glass shows the colour of the light. Use 2700K, never cool white.
Original, Reissue or Inspired
There are three ways to buy a Bauhaus lamp. A vintage original, which can cost more than a reissue and needs its wiring checked. An authorised reissue like the Tecnolumen WG24, made to the original design with marks and numbering. Or a Bauhaus-inspired lamp, like the BO-HA designs above, which use the same principles of simple shapes, glass and colour, without claiming to be a specific historical design. All three are honest choices as long as you know which one you are buying. My thrifted vintage finds are in five vintage lighting finds.
Mistakes to Avoid
- A cool, bright bulb in a glass globe. It looks clinical. Use a warm, frosted LED.
- Too many colours. Pick one accent colour and repeat it.
- The wrong size for the job. Most Bauhaus lamps are mood lamps. For reading, pair them with a task lamp like the Soeren.
- Buying a "Wagenfeld" that is not. If it does not have Tecnolumen's marks and numbering, it is inspired, not a reissue.
Bulbs
Glass globes and domes look best with a warm 2700K frosted LED of around 400 to 450 lumens. Where the lamp shows the bulb through clear glass, a small warm filament bulb looks right. Check the lamp's socket and maximum wattage before buying bulbs, and see the warm bulb secret for more.
The Short Version
For the original, buy the Wagenfeld WG24 by Tecnolumen, about €450 to €520. For everyday Bauhaus colour, the Tuija by BO-HA at $99.95 in eight colours is my pick, the Kent by BO-HA at $89.95 is the boldest, the Rune by BO-HA is the coloured-glass statement, the Ville by BO-HA adds USB charging, and the Soeren by BO-HA is the desk lamp. Choose one accent colour per room and use warm bulbs.
