WARM SUMMER NIGHTS constantly invite us to linger outside long after dusk (at least in the northern climes), so the Luau portable lamp is particularly timely. Lit by an LED, the abs/polycarbonate lantern can 6-10 hours on a single charge and is dimmable with a simple twist of the base. Includes stylish charging pod, rechargeable NiMH batteries, and our favorite–an integrated handle for easy carrying.
$249, vesselinc.com
Via: StyleHive

A FUSION OF BOTH HEMISPHERES, the Koshi lighting collection is designed by Italy’s Manuel Vivian and recalls the style of traditional Japanese lanterns. Each square-shaped piece lampshade is created from bars of wenge-finished bamboo; alternating gaps allow light from its blown glass stain diffuser to flow through. The glint of chrome-plated fittings balance the warm, earthy light with the look of cold steel; in all, the effect beautiful and mysterious, like a rising sun forever captured behind window shades.
ylighting.com

ROMANTIC MINIMALISTS would do well to include Peter Karpf’s sleek Gemini Candleholders in any candlelight dinner. Elegantly designed, a single piece of stainless steel not only holds two candles but curves to serve as a base. We like them arranged in groups (the combinations are endless) but are just as beautiful on their own.
$60, royalshopping.com

MORE HOLLYWOOD THAN HOME, the Fortuny Lamp (1907) looks more appropriate on a movie set or photography studio with its massive 33″ reflector. Those who love their furniture bold and flashy will definitely appreciate this piece, as its industrially-inspired lines and 8 foot height make it impossible to miss. Although solid black or beige shades are standard, we definitely prefer the more trendy ornamental shades which remind us of Tord Boontje’s frenetic work here.
$3,840, unicahome.com

LIGHTING AFICIONADO Pablo Pardo takes his craft into the world of seating with his Light Table Bench, which promises to cast a translucent glow on rumps and rears the world over. Composed of acrylic (with steel and aluminum hardware), the bench includes a continuous dimmer switch and looks nearly as stylish off as it does on.
$700, dwr.com

STARGAZERS WOULD BE APPALLED: Sven Adolph’s self-named Sven Light not only features 24 LEDs shining downwards but an additional 16 pointed straight up into the sky. Thankfully, the Sven is designed for indoor use and as such provides excellent direct and indirect lighting. The spun aluminum shade features a horizontal slit with an 80s futurist appeal, and is painted white on the inside to maximize reflectivity. Available in red, black or white.
$475, unicahome.com

DISTURBINGLY ORGANIC, Ika’s Sputnik may have been inspired by the famed Russian satellite, but it’s returned home with alien modifications. Available in either a pendant or sconce version, Sputnik is made from hand-blown glass, with delicate twirls on each end emanating from a spherical mass. For the pendant, the lights are housed within the sphere; in the case of the sconce, the very arms serve as light bulbs. Both have overtones of a scifi B-movie; tonight, we’ll dream of gaudy tesla coils and tentacled space invaders.
$450-$849, inmod.com

ONLY ZESTY FOLKS NEED APPLY: these Adesso Pop Table Lamps are 360 degrees of unapologetic retro/pop-culture style, although the colors as a whole are fairly restrained: black, red and hints of beige/white. Each poly/cotton shade rests on a black or white bell-shaped resin base and comes with three-way lighting; crank the rotary switch up for maximum luminous pulchritude, dude.
$79, stlloftstyle.com

RICHLY CONTEXTUAL, Cathrine Kullberg’s Norwegian Forest lampshades feature elegant laser cutouts of the very forest environment which originally gave them life. Light seeps delicately around the edges of the trees, giving the blonde birch veneer a warm and inviting glow. Hand-assembled in Kullberg’s Oslo Studio, the shell is sewn with natural leather lace onto a white powder-coated steel frame. Available in two pendant sizes and one tabletop version; contact Cathrine here for more information.
cathrinekullberg.com
Via: Design*Sponge and MoCoLoCo

LIKE A SURREALIST FANTASY, the Cellula lighting collection paints a curious portrait with cold, industrial pipes made from aluminum and stainless steel that leak great globules of gaudy hand-ground crystal. The two materials are seemingly incongruous, save for a 15 watt lightsource that beautifully (yet tenuously) ties the ensemble together. Available in ceiling, pendant and wall-mounted models.
From $441, ambientedirect.com

ALTHOUGH IT MAY LOOK like it at first glance, Ferruccio Laviani’s Bourgie Table Lamp is not your grandmother’s lamp. Bourgie is a curious blend of ornate Baroque design and modern production practices, with a traditional silhouette that is actually a three-sided scrolling outline made from precision-cut polycarbonate. The puckered lampshade, also polycarbonate, refracts light in both crystal and black versions.
$287, mosmyownspace.com

PING PONG becomes high art with Pong by Studio Make Light. An array of lights (seen here organized in a DNA-like helix) are arranged into clusters of roughly half-a-dozen and are powered by a transformer. Each module can be clipped onto the two-pronged stand, allowing for more flexible configurations; table and floor variants come with 24 and 40 Pong modules, respectively.
studiomakelight.com
Via: MoCoLoCo