Lighting Ideas

It seems odd that an oil lamp might be made from wood (since oil and flames tend to burn wood), but this little lamp doesn’t look too much like it’s ready to burst into flames. (There’s an insert that sits inside the wood.)

Made by a wood turner, the lamp features a glass insert and a fiber glass wick, which are meant to burn paraffin oil. Burn time is 2 hours between refills, just about right for an evening of mood lighting. Available in black walnut, cherry, or butternut, the oil lamps cost $16 a piece or $28 for a pair.

From http://www.eclecticwood.com

Want a bedside table lamp that’s a little more interesting than the usual stuff at the lighting store? If you have a bent for medieval weapons, this mace lamp could amuse.

Vaguely reminiscent of those old spiked hand weapons, the handmade lamp has points errupting from all sides. The lampshade is hand-rendered in linen laminated styrene with a chrome plated steel base. The lamp accepts a 40 W bulb, and it measures 11″ in diameter and 22″ in height–the perfect size for the bedside table. Just don’t prong yourself when you’re reaching for your glass of water in the middle of the night.

$200 through Etsy

Browsing for lamps can be almost as interesting as browsing all the artwork at an art festival. You see so many different styles from different designers, and–if you’re lucky–you find the perfect match for your home.

This floor lamp from in-es.artdesign is certainly as much piece of art as functional piece of lighting. It definitely has a sculptural element.

The lamp is called the in.moon 1. You can see it and many other interesting lamps at the company’s site:

from in-es.artdesign

You can get solar lamps for your lawn and garden in all sorts of shapes and colors these days. If you’re looking for something fun and whimsical, these tulip lights from Amazon are cute.

“These unique blooms are lovely by day and dazzling at night. The bright solar powered LED lights twinkle in a random pattern in the dark.”

Each tulip “bulb” is anchored to the durable hand painted poly resin stone on the bottom, and they have bendable stems, so you can arrange them as you wish. They can be used along a fence or a garden walkway or you could even put them on a table as a centerpiece.

The 5-tulip lamp is $35:

Decorative Garden Tulip Solar Lights

I’m a sucker for oil lamps (which is probably obvious… how many other blogs do you know with a category devoted to them?), and I’m always interested when designers come up with ways to give them a new twist. After all, oil lamps are pretty basic. Their operation hasn’t changed a lot over the years. So, these wall-mounted lamps caught my eye. They look just like they’re on the ends of poles jutting from the wall, don’t they?

Named the Cylo Wall Oil Lamps, they were created by Erik Couzy and are available from Dutch by Design for $50.

“This stylish wall-mounted oil lamp is ideal for casting a subtle glow across the room. Made of highly polished steel, Cylo maximises illumination from a tea-light, creating a brighter more enticing effect. With a few positioned here and there you can create the perfect setting for parties, seasonal gatherings or just a relaxing night in.”

When people talk about outdoor lighting, they’re often thinking of security lighting or landscape lighting–stuff that makes the yard safe to walk through at night while enhancing gardens, water features, etc. But for those who like to entertain outdoors, you’ll want to consider lamps that brighten up your patio, deck, etc. in the evenings.

These Solebury lamps from Smith & Hawken look and work much as indoor floor and table lamps you’ve seen. Plug them in, flick the switch, and you’ve got light. Unlike your living room lamps, these ones are rated to withstand the weather. “Lamp bulbs are encased in protective glass covers and cords are weather sealed for safety.”

You might not want to leave them outside in a hurricane, but they should be fine for your regular summer weather. It’s $200 for a table lamp and $275 for a floor lamp.

Smith & Hawken

It’s not too often that a lamp can make me giggle upon first viewing. The Abduction Lamp is an exception.

The light-up UFO appears to hover above the table, since the glass base is designed to look like a tractor beam. To turn on the lamp, simply flick the antenna.

Perfect for science fiction fans, this lamp comes with some fun add-ons you’ll want to take advantage of. Shown here is the “Bovine Abductee.” Every time you turn on the lamp, you’ll see this hapless cow being sucked up into the UFO. Yes, there’s a human available too. You can also get different versions of aliens peering out the windows.

More information at Abduction Lamp.

via Technabob

Shoots of bamboo are kind of cool looking in and of themselves, especially when you see them growing naturally. Someone had a neat idea and designed lamps modeled after those tall stalks.

The merchant, Renovatio, says, “Our Zazen lighting fixtures blur the boundaries between lighting and scenography. As an exotic-chic partition in a sleek lounge or a hotel room, the Zazen can be utilized in a wide variety of settings.”

These bamboo-shaped canes are hand-blown from clear glass, then filled with colored liquid to give them their hue. They say there are quite a few colors available. The unique lamps are 2″ in diameter and 118″ in height. Stick a couple of these by your TV to wow guests or just create some cool mood lighting.

Renovatio

If you’re looking for modern lighting, the Dot Pendant Light from Further Design might interest you. The company specializes in glass and has a number of interesting lamps, vases, bowls, and other home decor items featured on their site.

This lamp measures 12″ x 8″ x 8″ and costs $400. Not exactly Ikea-inexpensive, but it’s certainly not as pricy as some of the modern styled lamps and furnishings I’ve seen.

More information at Further Design.

Believe it or not, even your candle holders can do their part to help the environment. That is, if you purchase holders made from recycled materials.

These tealight holders are made from bicycle freewheels and cogs by an Oregon-based company called Resource Revival. Their artists make everything from household gadgets (bottle openers, candle holders) to full-blown furniture pieces, such as tables.

These particular candle holders cost $25 for a set of two and are available online from the company store:

Resource Revival