The world's biggest design and furniture fair, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, takes place in Milan at the end of this month. And this is one of the more quirky exhibits on show — Italian duo Gumdesign's Flora chandelier for Tredici, a high-end lighting company from Florence. Made of metal and glass, the plant chandelier was put on this earth for two reasons: firstly, to illuminate your guests at a dinner party; and secondly, to encourage your green things to grow.

Two Osram Floraset luminaires, developed to make your plants photosynthesize, and therefore grow, are housed in the trunk of the chandelier, out of which grow ten metal branches. At the end of each branch is a glass pot holder, in which you put your plant. Light is switched on, plants bask in the spectrum and grow, and your invitees will gasp with pleasure at your green thumbs. It's a darn sight more beautiful than the cubicle jockey's version!

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