31 Eye-Catching Light Fixtures for (Almost) Every Budget
Our selections span a cheeky $139 portable light to a $10,000 designer floor lamp.
Our selections span a cheeky $139 portable light to a $10,000 designer floor lamp.
It’s a fact: People crave light! These days, gut home renovations often include souped-up lighting systems and large window installations to usher in as much sun as possible. Meanwhile, on the lower end of the spectrum, customizable LEDs make it easier than ever for people to personalize their spaces sans splurge. While opulent lighting fixtures can be status symbols, there are also plenty of well-designed devices that illuminate without breaking the bank. Ahead, we’ve gathered 31 new, thoughtfully crafted lighting options to satisfy most budgets, from affordable portables to a big-ticket chandelier. We’re in an era of great lighting.
Floor Lamps
These devices do more than just stand tall and proudly hover. Some cast artful shadows on the walls. Others brighten dim corners. Many, with their small bases, find perfect grounding where there’s limited floor space. No matter how they’re lit, it’s all to towering effect.
Foliage Floor Lamp by Six N. Five for Poltrona Frau
If you think about this four-foot-nine-inch treelike lamp—with its brass branch and leather-covered leaves—as an immortal plant that casts enchanting shapes, your sticker shock may dull.
Dedicate Floor Lamp by Thomas Bentzen for Muuto
Your home office could be uplifted with this reimagined architect lamp featuring handy enhancements like dimming and an auto-off setting. It stands at about 44 inches tall and, for now, is only available in Europe.
Pajama Standing Lamp by Gervasoni
This Tyvek-covered lamp leans into a classic silhouette with a drum-shaped shade, but it’s the crinkled paperlike texture that keeps it haute depot.
Ambient Compass Lanterns by Gloster
These woodsy, midprice lamps have exteriors of natural teak and wicker. Available in 13, 19, and 27 inches, their petite sizes make them ideal to hang next to a low profile sofa.
Kite In-Flight 01 by Vy Voi
Vietnamese dó paper is hand-applied to the swooping lampshade by designer Steffany Trân herself. Meticulous handiwork warrants a hefty price tag.
Ms. Bowjangles by Ingo Maurer
It’s a twofer! The loopy rod of this unique fixture connects to a support base, or it can separate from the base and mount directly onto the wall.
Sconces
Small size be damned, an unexpected wall-mounted fixture can wildly enhance a room, not only with its ambient light but also with the flair it adds. Some need to be plugged in, but others require hard-wiring. Be sure to decide on the placement of these statement-making accents before you add to cart.
Petal Sconce - Single Row by Marmar Studio for Dudd Haus
This narrow plug-in features flipped-out wooden panels that emanate light from under each pleat, and a beam emerges from the top, too.
Beckon Sconce/Ceiling Mount by Alison Berger Glassworks
The two distinct crystal parts of this sconce are hand blown at the designer’s Los Angeles atelier, making each fixture a high-end original.
Selvatica by Fabscarte
Painted by the artist Francesco Maluta, the paper shade of this sconce gleams as though you’re peering into a mystical forest portal when it’s illuminated.
Astr White Onyx Wall Sconce by Nicholas Obeid for CB2
A set of these affordable sconces, designed with two stacked natural onyx discs and a sphere, adds elegance when framing a doorway or fireplace. All for less than $300.
Jewel Block Wallmount 02 by Rosie Li
Taking inspiration from gemstones, the bulbs of this wall-mounted glitter-thrower are filtered through layers of opal pressed glass to dazzling effect. Expensive, sure. But think of it as a large diamond.
Pearl Reeded Seamless by Ravenhill Studio for Assembly Line
Sleekly designed with classic ribbed glass and a translucent finish, these hardwired sconces, just over 3.5 inches wide, appear to be floating paper lanterns.
Pendants, Chandeliers, & Mounts
Talk about spotlights. When it comes to larger fixtures, the true showstoppers and conversation starters are the ones hanging from the ceiling. They’re tasked with illuminating essential areas of the home, after all. We think the overly dramatic, artistically crafted, and delightfully idiosyncratic options are what shine best.
Alicudi, Filicudi, and Panarea pendants, Eolie Collection for Foscarini
This trio of pendants are worth it for the story. Really, how often do you see a lamp that’s been coated in recycled lava?
Strata Flush Mount by Filippo Mambretti Design Studio for Gantri
Though modestly manufactured and approachably priced, this pagoda-shaped mount radiates thanks to plant-based polymers and water-based paint.
Ravine Collection: 440 Series 10" Flush Mount by Post Company x Idaho Wood Lighting
It’s usually the small luxuries that amplify ambiance. Take, for instance, this humble wood flush mount that glows with warmth and comfort.
All Frills Chandelier by Chris Wolston for The Future Perfect
Installing such an ornate, handmade fixture is akin to hanging a piece of artwork. Stunning, but the price is only available by request.
Crown Collection (Pendant 1) by Blue Green Works
Refined, sophisticated, and offering a subtle illusion of flora, a funnel emits localized light downward while a softer flush diffuses through the tinted handblown glass petals.
Ova by Matthew McCormick
These softly lit baubles are sold individually and in groups of three, five, seven, or more. If you desire the look of cascading droplets, get ready to spend a beautiful penny.
Table Lamps
You typically find small-to-midsize options in this category, but their impact is mighty. It’s hard to deny the utility of localized light they provide where larger fixtures can’t reach. The ones presented here are cheeky and inviting and run the gamut in terms of shape, material, and price point.
Balance Table Lamp by Victor Castanera for MoMA Design Store
The opal glass balls are covertly controlled by the steel orb below—tap it to turn the lamp on and off; spin it to dim and brighten.
Seed Table Lamp by Bec Brittain for Colony
The most expensive table lamp of the bunch is this distinctly shaped sculpture of glass and marble, its brass neck tilted toward the sky.
Bahama Table Lamp by Adesso for The Container Store
For a decent price, this lamp’s charming woven rattan shade is both versatile and allows for a controlled spill of warm light wherever you need it.
Nagara Rice Paper Table Lamp with White Marble Base by Kravitz Design for CB2
Airy in design but grounded by a slab of breccia marble, this luxe lamp has a way of commanding (and calming) a room with its diffuse light.
Cube One Table Lamp by Rarify x Gantri
The lighting insert, encased with USM Haller modular pieces, can be customized and re-arranged by assembling additional ball joints and tubes in various ways.
Small Scoora Lantern by Hoffmann Kahleyss Design for Dedon
The intricately crafted pistachio-shape shell is made of a durable powder-coated aluminum specifically designed to withstand the elements as an outdoor lantern.
Timberline Table Lamp by Mads Caprani for Gubi
This tabletop lamp, with its graceful question-mark-shape neck, is the miniature version of the designer Mads Caprani’s much duped floor lamp, which has a similar silhouette.
Portable Lamps
Most of our go-anywhere moment lighting picks are the ones you can recharge or rearrange as you please. But just because they’re easily transportable doesn’t mean they can’t hold a room. Here, a collection of mobile wonders, ranging from accessible dinner lights to pricier tabletop options.
The Curve Collection by Green Wolf Lighting for Abask
The tinted, ribbed glass brings ’70s-era lights to mind, but this portable is decidedly contemporary with its LED element, which lasts over 24 hours on a full charge.
Gelato Lamp by Established & Sons for Assembly Line
This cheeky lamp was initially designed in the 1960s by Carlo Nason. But now it gets the LED treatment. At this price, grab a few—the base also comes in gray, blue, and green.
Bon Jour Unplugged by Philippe Starck for Flos
Reminiscent of a vintage tabletop lamp you’d see in an academic library, but with a hint of space age funk, this mid-price portable adds whimsy in a pinch.
Damina Pro Rechargeable Table Lamp by Zafferano America for Lightology
This aluminum-top lamp—with its candlelight, cool white, and warm white settings—can create the mood for a romantic dinner just as well as it can for bedside reading.
Covet 6" Rechargeable Accent Lamp by Kelly Wearstler
Though stark in shape, this box produces a cozy and inviting light that glows from within. And when it’s not in use, the lamp cosplays as angular art.
Brass Gemma Portable Table Lamp by Sophie Lou Jacobsen x In Common With for Lightology
Adorably mushroom-shaped, weighing a manageable one-and-a-half pounds, and clad in imposing full-metal armor with brass nub adornments, this big-ticket portable lamp is a keeper.
All photos courtesy of respective brands and designers
Selection curated by Adrian Madlener
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