Hepburn floor lamp from Nova Lighting has a square, bronze, chrome mirror base and a complementary square shade.
Egg and Pier table lamp from Global Views pairs solid mango wood in a gray finish with a heavyweight, metal drum shade.
Palecek’s retro Silver Bullet lamp nods to Mid-Century Modern design.
HGTV’s Candice Olson specified circular metal links of various diameters for this handcrafted AF Lighting.
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Lamps: Materials, Shapes and Finishes
Lighting, like most home accessory categories, offers something for every room, style preference and budget. While many types of lighting require installation by an electrician or skilled homeowner—chandeliers, bath lights, ceiling fans, sconces, flush mounts, pendants and undercabinet lighting, to name a few—portable solutions such as table, floor, desk and bedside lamps require only a conveniently located outlet.
Yet, table, floor, desk and bedside lamps are often overlooked when a homeowner sets out to update her home. It’s not until the shade is torn or some similar misfortune occurs that a lamp finally earns some well-deserved attention.
“But a lamp can change a room,” says Eydie Strand, co-owner of Bluff Ridge Lighthouse. “Today’s lamps don’t just fall under only the function category; they are art, too.” For instance, ornate torchieres, Tiffany shades, handcrafted wood lamps or lamps with eco-friendly bamboo bases enliven a room, she says.
While choosing a new table lamp changes the look of the room—the decorative aspect of lighting—how well a lamp functions is largely a factor of the bulb that’s screwed into it.
“I use my LED desk lamp everyday,” Strand says. “LED light is comforting to the eye. While the pricing [for LED lamps] is high, it will work its way down.”
Learn more about bulb basics at Fast Facts: Light Bulbs. Below, HomeYet.com sheds some light on the portable lighting designs that look right for 2012:
• Furnishings crafted from solid wood or wood veneers are prized for their ability to bring warmth to interiors. In the portable lighting category, bases crafted from reclaimed or repurposed wood complement the natural finishes, neutral palettes and linen fabrics that characterize today’s more relaxed decorating mood.
• Wooden lamp bases having geometric shapes and luxurious finishes strike a retro mood. Imagine the highly stylized set of AMC’s “Mad Men” placed in a modern urban loft circa 2012, and you get the idea. It’s a Mid-Century nod that looks fresh for today. Gold and burnished metals add period-correct accents.
• Glass bases are open and airy, and they are especially well-suited to either coastal interiors—crisp blues, inviting whites, coral patterns and beach-inspired textures—or glamorous interiors that serve up an appealing assortment of luxurious silhouettes. In the latter settings, glass bases with antiqued mirror finishes are especially apropos.
• Bases adorned with organic materials, such as mother-of-pearl, coconut shell and woven grasses, strike a casual vibe, yet deliver a welcome burst of unexpected texture and exotic intrigue to just about any room in the home.
• Drum shades are especially popular right now, complementing a variety of base styles, finishes and materials. Meanwhile, square and rectangular shades that build on the shape of the base create a modern pairing that appears well put together.
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