shedding some light

(part of the florentine gem collection, the tondo and higher-shouldered pera table lamps are made of hand-carved wood. each is hand-painted using a renaissance-era technique and is rubbed with stains or covered in metal leaf. three finishes are available: onyx, perla, and rubino; each finish coordinates with a fabric-over-paper shade. by donghia)

(fashion and furnishings collide in the garbo table lamp. with two incandescent light sources, its choice of drum shades—featuring patterns by the spanish fashion label alianto in cotton, viscose, or linen—are mounted on a conical opaline glass base that's illuminated from within. by santa & cole, found at ameico)

(blackbird's stainless group is something of a misnomer. certainly, stainless steel provides the framework. the mirror polish is standard, with satin-black nickel and a white enamel powder coat among six other finish options. however, the collection's decorative through-line is laminated wood grain. micro-thin douglas fir veneers the shades of the lamps. an ebony stripe enlivens the fixture. if that's not enough wood for you, there are also maple and walnut alternatives. above: the duo lamp at blackbird)

(designed by axel schmid, the 24 karat blau-t table lamp is pure alchemy. its incandescent light gets filtered through the gold leaf sandwiched between layers of plastic—and comes out the other side as a blue glow. the shade's four plastic panels are reconfigurable and it measures 17 ½ high, 8 ½ wide. found at ingo mauer)

(bamboo practically retains its natural form in the column table lamp from the bambú family. available in a range of heights from 18 to 32 inches, carlo zerbaro and alessandro trentin's fixture also incorporates a satin-finished steel base, an acrylic body, and a diffuser in a walnut or wengé finish or stainless-steel mesh. the bambu collection from spark lights)

(this designer's namesake table and floor lamps are architectural stacks of acrylic, wengé (both shown), birch, aluminum, tin, or teak plies that hover on stainless-steel rods. whether circular or square, all the lamps have a cylindrical hollow and are mounted on a concrete base. a variety of light-source configurations, as well as both indoor and outdoor versions, are available. find them at jan jander lamps)

(with liora manne's kuba lamp, this textile designer applies her wizardry to lighting. her trademarked "lamontage" process produced the latex-infused acrylic fibers of the shade; it tops a base constructed of multicolored resin disks incorporating the same material)