A Deco splash for any décor, the Up and Down Tapers table lamp, with its elegant black shade, has a flair for the dramatic. The nickel-plated brass base of stacked cones enhances the swank '30s vibe. P.O. Box 672, Rocky Mount, NC 27802; 800-733-1396; wildwoodlamps.com. circle 589

Discover your inner sculptor with the curling, pliable polycarbonate shade of the Tube table lamp. Reconfigure it easily in the holding slots of the slightly raised PVC-tube base. 645 Wellington, Suite 309, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3C 1T2; 514-866-4235; bravedesign.ca. circle 608

Take a dip with Ross Lovegrove's elliptical Goggle sconce. Made of opaline polycarbonate, the fixture's shape was inspired by swimming eyewear. When on, the iridescent shade shifts from blue to pink depending on viewing angle; when off, it becomes a mirror. 315 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-989-6265; luceplanusa.com.

Robert Dudley Best created his height-adjustable BestLite lamp in 1930, but it wasn't until World War II that Sir Winston Churchill popularized it. A recent Scandinavian marketing effort launched a worldwide revival of the lamp, whose shade comes in chrome, black, and cream finishes. Klubiensvej 7-9, Pakhus 53, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; 45-3332-6368; bestlite.dk.

Londoner Ilse Crawford, known stateside for furnishing the New York outpost of the exclusive Soho House, debuts her 36-24-36 lamps. The shapely bases are turned rubber wood, shades are burlap, and the inspiration, says Crawford, was 17th-century English woodwork. Through Ferrious Limited, Arch 61, Whitworth Street West, Manchester M1 5WQ, United Kingdom; 44-161-228-6880.

Liven up a space with the Swinger pendant. Its dimmable compact fluorescent lamp, housed within an acrylic diffuser, is covered by a polyester-blend shade in a choice of two sizes and six standard colors, including lemon, hot pink, turquoise, and lime. Custom colors available. 4390 Lynd Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006; 626-447-5079; studiolilica.com.

Giving form to pools of light, Pepe Tanzi's enigmatic Tonic lamp places a halogen light source, in a heart-shaped glass diffuser, into a jar that can be filled with clear or colored liquid. Violet, red, emerald, and turquoise inks are provided. Vivendum, 23/25 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-334-4544; vivendum.it. circle 580

In Denis Santachiara's fishbowl-like Astra wall lamp, colored-glass balls in varied sizes swim around a frosted-glass diffuser. A 14-inch-diameter blown-glass diffuser engulfs them all and hangs via three stainless-steel cables. 43 Via Vallazze, 20131 Milan, Italy; 39-29-69751; lamurrina.com.

Hardware in brass, nickel, or bronze gives the textured shagreen base of the stately Cecil B table lamp a tailored appearance. The base comes in four finish colors, including celadon, and the 14-inch shade comes in off-white linen or parchment. The lamp stands 31 inches high. P.O. Box 841, Milford, PA 18337; 570-296-3900; ssdlighting.com.

Hang Stefano Casciani's Aliante sconce any way you choose. The ADA compliant fluorescent fixture, available either 4 or 5 feet long, mounts vertically, horizontally, or on the diagonal. Finishes include brushed-, clear-, and black-anodized aluminum, or automotive paint in seven colors. 2300 Computer Avenue, Suite I-2, Willow Grove, PA 19090; 215-830-1408; ivalolighting.com.

Go for baroque with the Italian 8006/LG table lamp. The glass base and organza shade are offered in six colors as well as clear. The lamp is 20 inches high and takes a 100-watt incandescent bulb. 8 Via Fermi, Zona Industriale Artigianale, Cadoneghe, 35010 Padova, Italy; 39-49-887-0442; italamp.com.

For those who are yearning to recreate Marie Antoinette's Le Hameau De La Reine, consider the Chinoiserie 2074A hanging lantern. A merry mixture in painted and scalloped wood and glass, it measures 12 inches square and takes four 60-watt candelabra bulbs. 979 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022; 212-593-2060.

Charles Williams's oversize Amax pendant fixture is a 43-inch-diameter, milky white, polyethylene lamp shade suspended at the end of a nearly invisible stainless-steel aircraft cable. The chromed socket accommodates three 150-watt bulbs. 64 North Moore Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-334-1050; fontanaarte.com.

A stroll along the beach gives a clue to the inspiration behind the Gastéropodes pendant and sconce series. Composed of seven seashell-shape plaster models, each is produced in a limited edition of 50 and signed by its French creator, Malika Bensmaïa. 17 Rue Beaumarchais, 93100 Montreuil, France; 33-1-42-87-2012.

CBK's Stacked 5-Ball aluminum table lamp, its stem resembling a turned post, glimmers with a polished-silver finish and vertically striped jewel-embroidered shade. 600 East Sherwood Drive, Union City, TN 38261; 800-394-4225; cbkhome.com. circle 585

Soba is a table lamp of many moods. Its wavy turned-form base, in a range of ceramic and wood finishes, can be mixed and matched with gilded or lacquered feet, and shades are offered in linen, silk, and tatami. 30 Cutler Street, Warren, RI 02885; 401-245-9557; hwangbishop.com. circle 601

Daniele Albright and Stefan Lawrence's made-to-order, acrylic Luma is part sconce, part art installation. It takes incandescent light sources and can be delivered in any configuration of the manufacturer's 12 colors. 8057 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048; 323-904-1200; twentieth.net.

An understated, low-key luminaire, the RTX II is configurable as an individual fixture or in continuous runs. It comes in variations including a simple reflector and louvered model and a wall-washer unit that orients to provide uniform illumination for vertical surfaces. 3300 Route 9W, Highland, NY 12528; 800-932-0633; zumtobelstaff.us. circle 610

Turned on by modern elegance? Then check out the Quint wall sconce, which is also available as a double sconce with curved arms, in polished nickel, chrome, antique satin, or polished brass. 19-02 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY 11105; 718-204-5700; baldinger.com. circle 602

Bold, graphic design with a soft touch is this designer's strength—and the Petron table lamp is no exception. The aluminum-and-steel drum body is also available in wood. Its shade is offered in tactile ash veneer, paper, or natural silk pongee. There are ten color options. 1451 Barry Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025; 310-312-0477; orestessuarez.com. circle 615

Minimalism meets baroque in this update of the traditional chandelier. Alice is rendered in transparent or sandblasted acrylic and is also available as a sconce. It is 28 inches in diameter and 38 inches from top to bottom. 231 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10022; 212-750-1500; lampworksinc.com.

Need a cure for idle hands? Consider the endlessly mutable Birzì lamp by Carlo Forcolini and Giancarlo Fassina. Made of pressed silicone, this foldable piece begs to be bent, twisted, and repositioned. The ductile and durable light source—in white, green, or orange—makes for hours of amusement in a residential setting. It also makes for a glowing conversation piece in hospitality hot spots. 315 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013; 212-989-6265; luceplanusa.com.

Rugged and innovative came together to yield the weatherproof Stones of Glass. The polycarbonate light fixture comes in three sizes and requires an electrical outlet. The indoor glass version has a dimming function. Through YLighting, 666 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262; 888-888-4449; ylighting.com.

Sleek and straightforward, the cast-aluminum Expo and Inno are offered as cable or stem pendants, ceiling fixtures, or sconces. The Expo has a 61/2-inch diameter and is 10 inches high; the Inno, 7 by 9 inches. 631 Airport Road, Fall River, MA 02720; 508- 679-8131; lightolier.com.

The Hinson Lighting collection represents enlightened ideas from one of the industry's most established names. Featured is Top Secret, a shaggy 14-inch-diameter pendant of heat-proof nylon and polyester netting that hangs from a height-adjustable rod. The minimalist Hopper is a circular ceiling pendant in ex-truded aluminum. The Sandy Nit table lamp is composed of a real ostrich egg with a matte-nickel base. Libra, a precision-balanced matte-nickel reading lamp, rounds out the line. 27-35 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101; 718-482-1100.