Luxury Corten steel lighting
Corten steel lights and lanterns
AuroreCorten steel lights carry the warmth of the patina into the evening, from the garden path to the dining table. Cortenys has drawn them as pieces of architecture: the Aurore, Vesper, Flora and Stella lanterns filter the flame through laser-cut openwork, the Luminus bollard lights the paths, and the Cortenys Creations take Corten steel onto the façade and into the home, with the Dièdre, Solan, Nérite, Aura and Eos wall lights, the Astra and Lyra pendant lights and the Sirius floor lamp. Each Corten light is designed in France, crafted in Europe to order and delivered with the Cortenys signature patina already applied in the workshop, in shades of earth, amber and deep rust. Here, metal and light speak the same language.
Our selection of Corten steel lights and lanterns
Discover pieces designed to live outdoors beautifully for years.
Cortenys
Advice and design: Corten steel lights and lanterns
Corten lanterns and bollard lights for the garden
A Corten lantern is judged at nightfall, when its openwork turns the flame into lace. Aurore and Vesper are tall columns crowned with foliage: in a round pattern for Aurore, in a straight pattern for Vesper, which breaks the flame into lines like a steel mashrabiya. Flora and Stella are cubes set at table height: Flora opens into floral cutwork, Stella into a botanical lattice drawn ruler-straight. On all four, the openwork is laser cut with great finesse, and each Corten steel lantern holds a candle or a decorative fire. By day, they stand as sculptures on a terrace, along a path or among the flower beds. To guide each step after dark, Luminus, a bollard light made from 2 mm Corten steel, releases a warm LED light directed towards the ground, without glare. Offered in three heights, it stands alone or in a line, and an optional varnish limits rust transfer onto light-coloured paving. The lanterns and the bollard belong to the Classics collection.
Corten wall lights, from the façade to the hallway
The Cortenys Creations treat the wall as a surface to be drawn with light. Outdoors, Dièdre folds two pointed wings over the corner of a façade and lights both faces at once. Solan, a slender vertical bar fixed a few centimetres from the wall, casts two blades of grazing light that reveal stone, render or wood; in pairs around a door or in series along a façade, it gives the architecture a vertical scale. Nérite, designed for exterior walls as well as entrance halls, raises two sharply folded panels split by an oblique glow. Indoors, Aura frames a square of light on the wall like a painting, and Eos splits a tall plate of Corten steel with a single line of warm light, alone above a bed or in pairs along a corridor. On every Corten wall light, the source stays hidden: only the light and the patina can be seen. The fold must fall exactly on the edge, the bar must stay perfectly straight: this is the level of precision the House asks of Corten steel.
Corten pendant lights and a floor lamp for the home
Inside the house, Corten steel becomes a material for the table and the living room. Astra, a faceted polyhedron hung from a cable, catches the daylight on its planes and casts its evening glow towards the table; its three sizes combine in pairs or in clusters. Lyra, a long, slender beam suspended on two cables, lights a long table, a kitchen island or a counter along its entire length. Sirius, a Corten floor lamp, rises from the floor with no other support and traces a continuous line of light down to a pool of brightness at its foot. For every piece installed indoors, the Cortenys protective varnish is mandatory: it fixes the patina and limits colour transfer. Each Corten steel light is made to order in 2 to 5 weeks, covered by the two-year Cortenys guarantee, and carries neither logo nor plate: its signature is the patina itself, with nuances that belong to each piece alone.
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Corten steel lights and lanterns: frequently asked questions
How much does a Corten steel light cost?
The price of a Corten steel light depends on its size, the intricacy of its cutwork and folds, its lighting equipment and its finish. A laser-cut lantern or a faceted pendant light calls for far more work than an ordinary sheet of steel. The price of each light is shown on its product page or given on request; a bespoke adaptation is quoted individually.
Can Corten steel lights be used indoors?
Yes, several are designed for it. The Aura and Eos wall lights, the Astra and Lyra pendant lights and the Sirius floor lamp are indoor pieces, and Nérite suits an entrance hall as well as an exterior wall. At Cortenys, the protective varnish is mandatory for any piece installed indoors. The lanterns, the Luminus bollard and the Dièdre and Solan wall lights are intended for outdoor use.
How do you install Corten steel lights?
Each model has its own fitting. Aura is fixed to the wall, Eos stands slightly away from it, Solan sits a few centimetres from the surface and Dièdre wraps the outer corner of a façade. Astra hangs from a cable and Lyra from two, while Sirius stands on its own. For the wall lights, the pendant lights and the Luminus bollard, check the model’s product page or ask our team before installation, and have the electrical connection made by a qualified electrician. The lanterns need no wiring: set them on stable ground, fit a candle or a decorative fire, keep them away from anything flammable and let the metal cool before moving them.
Does a Corten steel lantern rust and stain the terrace?
It rusts on the surface, by design: that dense patina protects the core of the metal. During the first months, set straight onto pale stone, it can leave a few orange marks after rain. The Cortenys signature patina, applied before delivery, much reduces this, and a bed of gravel, a dark slab or a tray does the rest. On the Luminus bollard, often installed on paving, the optional varnish fixes the patina and limits rust transfer.
How do you look after Corten steel lights?
Very simply. Outdoors, an unvarnished Corten lantern needs no paint: clear away leaves and debris that would hold moisture, empty out candle residue and rinse with clean water if needed. Avoid wire brushes and abrasive, chlorinated or rust-removing products. A varnished piece, like each of our indoor lights, is dusted with a soft cloth, switched off. Over the seasons, the patina of unvarnished pieces deepens towards richer browns.
What sizes do Corten steel lights come in?
Most models come in three versions: three heights for the Eos, Nérite and Solan wall lights, the Sirius floor lamp and the Luminus bollard, three formats for Aura, three wingspans for Dièdre, three sizes for the Astra pendant light and three lengths for Lyra. Among the lanterns, Aurore and Vesper are tall columns, Flora and Stella cubes at table height. Each product page gives the exact dimensions.
Does Cortenys make bespoke Corten lights?
Depending on the model and the project, yes: for a hotel, a line of bollards along a drive or a particular façade, send us the dimensions, the intended use and photographs or a plan, and the House assesses feasibility. Allow 3 to 10 weeks for a bespoke piece and 2 to 5 weeks for a collection piece, both covered by the two-year Cortenys guarantee.
Are Corten steel lights suitable by the sea?
With care. Sea spray deposits chlorides that stop the patina from stabilising and keep corrosion active: exposed to salt air, a Corten lantern or wall light is not at its best. Further back from the shore, a varnished piece rinsed regularly with fresh water can be considered. The House studies each site with you before you order.
Cortenys collections