LED Palm Tree Lamps for the Backyard (they ain’t small, folks)
Thursday, May 25th, 2006
This large LED lighted palm tree is one of those things I never knew I wanted until I saw it, at which point I immediately started thinking… now, where could I put one of those in my yard… The LEDs are integrated into the “tree” (it’s not a real tree, of course), so there aren’t any flimsy bulbs to break, and they’re available in several colors: red, orange, green, blue, and yellow. Even though the tree is primarily decorative (I assume), it looks like they output quite a bit of light, so if you want to brighten up the yard during your backyard entertaining parties, a couple of these puppies could take care of all your illumination needs. As a bonus, LEDs use less energy by default than do standard incandescent lights. Now, these trees don’t come cheap. The smallest one (standing a good 10 feet tall) will cost you $1,285. And the tallest (coming in at 25 feet tall) will cost you $2,980. You, ah, might want to check with the neighbors before sticking a big one up in your yard.
People do the darndest things with antlers, don’t they? I’ve seen antler chandeliers, antler furniture, antler wall sconces, and today… antler candlesticks. I suppose these are good for the rustic type… you know the person who hunts all day and wants to cozy up to a romantic candle lit dinner at night (I’m talking about all two people in the world who fit that description). These particular candlesticks are actually made from aluminum (no deer mauled during the making) and just look like the real thing, with a dark burnished bronze finish. They’re available for $90 from Uncommon Goods:
This interesting table lamp looks like a light bulb embedded in a block of ice. Hence the name “block lamp.” Alas the block is actually made out of glass. The imported lamp measures 6″ long, 4″ wide, and 4″ high, and it takes a 25 Watt Type G bulb (fortunately, that’s included, so you don’t have to make any special trips to the grocery store right away). 
This Key West-inspired wall sconce is sure to appeal to a bachelor or anyone with a love of happy hour. Featured in the center is a salt-rimmed, lime-enhanced, tasty margarita (well, it probably tastes like plastic, to tell the truth… but it looks good) against a midnight black background. This would be a fun lamp to perch on the wall beside your home bar (you do have a home bar, don’t you?). Of course, the lamp costs more than $350, so you might not want to put it any place where it could be damaged by alcohol-induced rough-housing.