Herman Miller H761 Nelson Ball Pendant Bubble Lamp, Small, White

Yes, this is furniture. Yes, it is a ceiling lamp too, but really, this is furniture. We've always been unhappy with the ceiling light we finally placed in this 100+ years old structure, in a North-facing room with 10 foot ceilings, plenty of windows, but no ceiling fixture.The problem with putting a ceiling fixture in a classic old building is that, since it was built before electricity use was widespread and had gas lighting originally, there are no contemporary fixtures to make it look period, and newer lighting tends to look out of place. We settled on a mid-20th century style utilitarian ceiling fixture from schoolhouse electric and it didn't look right, even though it was nice to have a ceiling fixture. Its companion room has a faux chandelier fixture which only works because it is almost a caricature of a period piece and which would look garish in any other setting. Finding a good solution became a quandry. So, when this piece was offered up it was surprising that one could imagine it having the right look in the context but, based on a much smaller Japanese paper globe we saw used in a similar setting in a similar building that looked like the germ of a good idea, we decided to try this.The surprisingly large size of the ball almost caused a reconsideration of plans as it sat there on the floor for quite a long as we decided whether installing it would make a small mistake into a large one.Nevertheless, the deed was done and, now it is installed, it looks surprisingly good. I mean really really good. It's weird how well turn of the 20th century meets mid-century modern melds. One might even say the effect is somewhat postmodern.When going with a large globe such as this the first and foremost consideration is one of aesthetics and If you do have good aesthetic judgment and you are convinced that something like this large light ball will work for you it then comes down to quality because installing a fixture of this magnitude makes a statement much as a substantial piece of furniture do.Installing a cheap and cheap looking globe risks creating the visual equivalent of a ceiling mounted LaZBoy, one suspects. Also, one expects such a thing to be gossamer and fragile but, in fact, this product is surprisingly and pleasingly robust.This is a very, very high quality fixture that promises to become a substantial part of your household furniture once installed.As such, it merits a full five stars so long as its design is right for the setting (and just based on its charisma, you may be surprised at how well it fits into any setting you choose).

Even people not involved in interior design or furniture and fixtures are likely familiar with the name Herman Miller. I fell in love with their iconic Aeron Chair many years ago and finally broke down and bought one for my home office maybe 15 years ago, and have used it and loved it every day, despite it's less than budget friendly price. (The only modification all those years being the purchase and installation of hardwood friendly caster wheels. Otherwise it has operated flawlessly and still looks new and contemporary.) Like many homes, mine suffers from insufficient lighting and I've been trying to remedy that with high end lighting both as esthetic elements and functional light sources. The Nelson Ball Pendant Bubble Lamp offered the classic, simple shape that is naturally comforting and calming. The translucent covering and its support frame visible when it's illuminated, suggests an organic form, the celestial orbs we stare up at, but also the calming shape of oriental gardens and river rocks. It appears both minimalistic, classic, as well as contemporary. I had 4 different potential locations in mind for it when requesting it, knowing once I had it physically present I could determine where it would have the most impact. I decided to put it in a corner area next to a long sofa in a great room. It was the perfect location to add soft light as well as a highlight of shape and texture. Like the Aeron Chair, it's not an impulse buy due to it's less than bargain price. But if you're looking for a high end, quality fixture that you can install with confidence in its heritage and reputation of quality construction, knowing it's from Herman Miller, you will be extremely pleased with the esthetics, quality and effect it has when put in the perfect location. A beautiful addition, highly recommended.

Item arrived in great condition and was well packaged. All mounting hardware is included, however you will need a light bulb. I used a Philips Hue bulb to add some custom colors to my nook area. The lamp is made of a semi-transparent acrylic resin that distributes light evenly. I installed the lamp in about 45 minutes by myself, but probably could cut that time in half with two people. Unfortunately my ceiling mount does not line up with my table, so I had to add a cable clamp to “swing” it over. It has brightened the room, even with the light off!