Lighting Ideas

If you know someone who is active in charity work or just concerned about the plight of workers in Third World Countries, this Kenyan soapstone candle holder might make a nice gift. It’s from World of Good, a store that helps workers in economically-challenged countries get their wares to the United States and other well-off markets (10% of their profits are re-invested in the artisan communities they work with).

Each candle holder is hand-carved from soapstone or “kisii” that is found in the Tabaka hills of western Kenya. The carvings are then dyed and painted, using the unique designs of local stone-carving artisan families. At $12.95, the candle holder is a pretty economical gift too.

Anybody can put a couple of taper candles in holders and set them in the middle of the dining room table; it’s nice but not original. These nest tea light holders, on the other hand, are something most people haven’t seen before. I think they’d be a great idea for a nature-loving candle-burner (which covers more people than you might think).

The holders are made from antiqued coils of recycled wire that is hand-shaped to “evoke the thatching of a bird’s nest.” When they’re lit, the nests are supposed to “glow as if suspended in mid-air.”

A set of 3 nest candle holders is available for just under $50 in the catalogue at VivaTerra.com.

Here’s a gift idea if there’s a frog lover in your family (hey, don’t look at me that way… these people exist). The Frog Prince oil lamp is made from hand-crafted ceramic. The frog’s crown hides a 5 inch fiberglass wick, and his belly serves as the reservoir for the lamp oil (according to the company, it can hold enough to keep him glowing for weeks). This is a lamp that is a distinctive decoration even when it’s not lit. You could keep it inside, but I think it’d be a fun addition to a garden, especially if you do outdoor entertaining and often have people over in the evenings.

The little frog lamp will run you $24.95, which includes 2 replacement wicks. You do need to buy the oil separately ($6 for 22 ounces).

Frog Prince Oil Lamp

Maybe it’s just me, but the base of this table lamp looks a lot like ice to me… a big hunk that’s been chipped away or maybe partially melted. It’s called the Bourgie lamp, and it’s made by designer Ferruccio Laviani (the piece is on sale over at the Terence Conrad Shop).

There’s no mention of ice on the product description over at the web site, so maybe it’s just me. The shade is interesting too. I’m not quite sure what that lined texture reminds me of (corduroy maybe). Anyway, the table lamp is available in clear (shown in the picture) and black, and it costs $287.

Since I enjoy burning candles (I’ve got the pumpkin scented one going now), I’m always seeking out sites with interesting candles or candle gift baskets. I found a site that has a section devoted to candle wedding favors. Since candles are often associated with romance (romantic candle-lit dinner, anyone?), they seem like a perfect addition to a wedding.

I really like these cute little mini lanterns for tealights. You can get white or brushed silver, and each one stands 5″ high with a removable lid to make changing out the candle easy. They’re only $2.95 (all of the candle wedding favors are pretty reasonably priced). Some of the other options are frosted votive holders with hearts etched in them, candles shaped like little chocolates, and Champagne gel candles (it’s made to look like a little glass of the bubbly stuff). It shouldn’t be hard to find something perfect for a wedding theme.

What are you doing for Christmas decorations this year? Do you decorate indoors and out with big light displays, or do you keep it small?

I found this giant snowflake light at Orion Street Lighting and thought it was pretty cool, but the company apparently specializes in street lighting, so this may not work for residential use. I’m sure there’s an equivalent out there for homeowners though. When I’m back in Seattle, I’ll have to take a picture of the neighbor’s garish light display and post it up here. If you ever watched Home Improvement, this guy would have outdone Tim Taylor on sheer quantity.

Well, Thanksgiving will be here next week, and Christmas is just around the corner. Do you like to do a lot of decorating for Christmas? Personally, I prefer subtle decorations to big garish displays, so I’ll probably just do a tree and maybe some small touches here and there, such as a few holiday candles.

I like these Christmas tree candles, because they’re stylish rather than tacky (I think so anyway). I wouldn’t really want a lump of wax shaped into a big decorated pine tree. These achieve their festive look with color and of course the trees drawn on the front. They’re sold by Fullfront Candles. I also saw some pretty white snowflake candles that would go well mixed in with these.

Do you have a kid who loves racing and is into NASCAR? If race cars excite your son (or daughter… it can go either way, I suppose), you could get a fun lamp like this one for his room. Different models of cars are highlighted on the lamp shade.

This would be great in a bedroom with a whole racing car theme (I remember seeing a show on HGTV where they designed a little boy’s room with car wallpaper and rims hanging on the walls and even the bed was made to look like a race car; it sure seemed like a fun place for a kid to hang out by the time they were done).

The NASCAR lamp will cost you $35 at fun-lamps.com and it takes a 60 watt bulb, so it’ll actually be bright enough for a desk lamp to help your kids do their homework (or play video games… whatever .

I do quite a few posts on lighting on this blog… table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers, outdoor lighting, candles, etc. etc. etc., but I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned light switch plates or covers. Can you forgive me?

They’re not something most of us think about a lot, but if you’re looking for ways to add some personality and a decorative touch to the walls in your home, you could certainly find something more exciting than the off-white or white switchplates one usually sees.

For example, these wooden birch tree covers are an example of a rustic style that might go well in a vacation home, a log cabin, or even just a room with a back-to-nature feel. As you can see from the picture, you can get matching covers for your outlets. It’d be a fun way to add a bit of personality to a room.

http://www.thecabinshop.com/221-sc13-s-a.html

I’m not quite sure how to describe this table lamp, so let’s just hope you’re viewing this with pictures turned on.

Over at the lite-source.com, it’s just listed as “3-lite Table Lamp W/glass Cube.” I guess that’s fine. It definitely reminds me of ice cubes, albiet multi-colored ones (alas, most of the time when I make ice cubes, they just come out the normal color).

I’m not sure I’d buy something like this for my living room, but it does have the novelty thing going for it. The price isn’t listed on the web site, but I found some of the company’s lamps on retail sites and they weren’t too expensive.