A beautiful and practical portable lamp, especially for small apartments

The Fire lamp rests on the edge of the bathtub, on the bed, on an elegant side table, or on the dining table. The images on Grau's website present it in a range of everyday scenarios, often with a human figure demonstrating its various uses. It’s a personal, almost intimate light with the right proportions for close-up activities like reading. But it’s also agile and adaptable to its surroundings.

I live in a tiny apartment, a small space carved out of a section of an old glassworks building in a late-19th-century Milanese courtyard. The layout is compact, rising vertically to a rooftop terrace, with a prominent metal staircase giving it character. Here, it’s essential that every space is optimized—no clutter, and every corner must transform as needed. Take the dining table, which doubles as my desk. The Domus office is across Greater Milan, so my home serves as my office several days a week. The TV is mounted on a swivel arm facing the sofa, coffee tables become seats, and lighting has always been a challenge. Introducing the portable Fire lamp has truly changed the game.

Fire transforms the living room table into a workspace; later, it sits on the sofa if I’m reading, on a side table while I eat in front of the TV; and in the summer, it’s perfect on the terrace at dusk, for intimate dinners, reading, or simply keeping me company when the stars and the neighbors’ chatter aren’t enough. Sometimes, I even take it to bed to read an old magazine or play with my Playdate. I’ve even used it as a ceiling-cleaning light, where moisture seeps in from the roof. Fire adapts to so many uses and fits seamlessly with the need for constant transformation in homes where tables become desks, sofas become beds, and side tables become footrests.

Fire is clearly inspired by the shape of a matchstick. Grau showcased it at the latest Fuorisalone with a giant installation resembling a matchstick pick-up sticks game. Fire’s design is simple and primitive: a stem as thick as a bicycle handlebar topped by a glowing bulb, resting on a circular, rounded base. Available in three colors—white, black, and metal—the aluminum structure is softened by curves and balanced proportions.

Around Grau’s "fire pit" at Fuorisalone, events were happening—performances, happenings, soundscapes. Timon Grau, one of the two Grau brothers, told Domus that their lights are inspired by art. Even Grau’s website is dot-art style: artistic, yet rich in technology. The Fire lamp is “smart” but not in the sense of being connected to your phone. Rather, it’s intelligent. A button and LED indicator control various functions and show battery status. A double-click activates a sleep timer, and a single tap adjusts the light, which adapts to the time of day, changing temperature and brightness. With a long press, you can increase its intensity. The switch through all these functions is narrated in the press release as the passages of a song. Just two hours of charging powers the lamp for about 50 hours.

The instruction manual thoughtfully explains that if the glass globe diffusing the LED light breaks, it’s replaceable—a nod to Fire’s inherently portable nature. It pairs well with Grau’s other light, Salt, which has an hourglass shape. Fire charges via USB and can be moved wherever it’s needed. It’s lightweight, stable, pleasant to hold, and splash-resistant (IP21). Its warm, cozy light creates a mobile little hearth—Fire by name, like carrying warmth with you. A bit of Lynchian inspiration, with a difference: this light chases away any fear.