Creators of Lava Lamp to celebrate its 60th anniversary with collaborations with Camille Walala and more

From teenage bedrooms to psychedelic living spaces, the Lava Lamp has been a mainstay of British interior design since its creation in 1963. Now, to celebrate its 60th anniversary, its production company Mathmos has announced a series of collaborations with creatives from across the fashion and design world, including Camille Walala, Sabine Marcelis, Studio Job and Rankin, with more to be announced. The artists will be creating limited editions of the Astro lamp – the design pieces first ever iteration – and be available for purchase from October this year.

In tandem with the anniversary project, this year Mathmos has opened a new showroom at its factory in Poole, Dorset. Here, you can find the full range of Lava Lamps, with all models and colour ways on display. You’ll even be able to make the most of a personal etching service, and first access to the anniversary limited edition lights. The showroom has been designed by the London-based Counterfeit Studio, and follows a long tradition of the spaces being connected to the physical production of the lamps. The showroom not only provides a space to view the lamps, but a place to celebrate the Lava Lamp’s heritage and to learn about its history.

The iconic light design piece was originally created by the British inventor, entrepreneur and “eccentric” Edward Craven. The piece has become well known for its bulbous liquid and rocket-like glass bottles and has sold millions worldwide. Each lamp is made in the UK at a Poole factory, with a specially developed Mathmos formula that delivers “clearer, brighter colours”, a press release details.

A brand dedicated to longevity, Mathmos still creates replacement bottles and bulbs for all its lamps, even those made back in the 1960s, a press release explains. Edward Craven was dedicated to perfecting the formulation of the lamp, and since his passing in 2000, has “ensured a legacy of the best quality lava lamps globally, with the highest standards of safety and testing”. Since 1989 the company has been led by entrepreneur Cressida Granger.