Lighting Ideas

If you’re looking for an artsy and earth-friendly lamp, check out the lighting section of the Wooden Ya Reckon site. That’s where I found this funky lamp, which is one of several interesting pieces by the artist.

“Isolated in the remote wilderness of Tasmania, a ramshackle shed is home to the artist Noel Doepel. Unfettered by the constraints of conventional wisdom in his studio, Noel is free to create objects of beauty and function, hewn from recycled materials gathered in and around his exurban utopian retreat.”

This particular lamp is called the “Barbie Light.” At first I thought that was in relation to, well, you know, Barbie dolls, but upon closer look, I think those are little thorns (or barbs) wrapping around the lamp shade. This might be one of those look-but-don’t-touch kind of lights.

If you’re looking for some fun lighting that is decorative as well as functional, check out these Olivia star pendant lamps.

Available from the Pottery Barn for $250 a piece, the pendants are made with frosted white glass panels in a bronze metal frame. If that seems pricey, take note that they’re a bit bigger than they look in the picture. The lamps measure 18.5″ wide x 18″ high and come with a 6′ chain, so they can be hung in your foyer or any place you want to dangle a bit of eye candy from the ceiling.

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.

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.

I don’t know about you, but I just don’t see enough plaid lighting solutions. This plaid canteen table lamp should definitely be in every home. I have no idea how you’d match it to your existing decor (unless you have plaid couches or just a lot of people hanging around wearing kilts…), but maybe this is one of those, ah, “eclectic” pieces that don’t necessarily have to match.

The lamp is available from http://www.thewoollysheep.com where it’s $130 for 1 lamp and $110 if you buy 2 or more (oh, you have to have a matching set… just 1 would look odd).

Metal lamps? Doesn’t sound very attractive, does it? But as you can see from the picture, you can do some pretty interesting things with metal.

This handmade metal lamp from Texas Lightsmith has a brushed pewter finish (it’s available in other finishes, too, such as burnished copper and oil-rubbed bronze) and strategically placed holes to create lovely light patterns on the wall beside it. The little lines of punctures also add interest to the lamp. A couple of these could be a fun addition to a hallway or an industrial-style loft.

Today’s Herald had some bedroom lighting pictures and ideas in the Home & Garden insert. The lamps were from a local store called Rejuvenation (apparently they have shops in Portland and Seattle). I really liked this lamp.

It’s called the Baker City, which “illustrates the appeal of uncomplicated, but decorative lighting design, which was popular from 1890 to 1910.” I’m not sure my bedroom has anything to do with that time period, but I like the lamp.

They have lots of lighting ideas, so it’s worth a browse if you’re in the market.

I’m not quite sure how to describe this lamp shade, entitled the Midsummer Shade Light, so I’ll just give you the description that appears at the merchant’s site:

Advances in technology have enabled Tord Boontje to employ new materials and computerized production processes to create his award-winning, lacelike shades. Made of Tyvek, a light, durable material with qualities of both paper and fabric, the Midsummer Shade softly diffuses light in an enchanting fashion.

It looks pretty cool, if you ask me, but I’m not sure it would look as cool on one of my doofy Ikea lamps. If you have better looking lighting than me, you could check it out. It costs $75 from MoMAstore.