Science meets home decor in the Airswitch 1 Lamp ($85). Designed to look like a laboratory flask, the lamp lets users move their hand over the top to turn the light on and off, and raising or lowering of the hand lets you adjust the brightness, from very dim to mighty bright. In case you forget, the instructions are printed on one side in iconographic form. Air switch, indeed.
Using a Smart Clapper to control your lighting is like using a rock to control your computer. If you want superior control over your lighting, check out the Lutron Maestro IR Dimmer w/Remote ($38). This in-wall wonder lets you customize all sorts of settings, including a delayed fade so you can leave the room before the lights go out, and is compatible with most learning remotes, meaning it'll easily integrate into your home theater setup.
We love adjustable lighting, but it's not often you find it in such a nice-looking package. The Cubix Lamp ($75) is a 10.6-inch tall lamp that has wooden frames, which function as both the frame of the lamp and as lampshades, that are connected along one axis, allowing you to position them individually to suit your lighting needs, mood, and decor.
Taking the traditional pop-up book to a whole new level, the Book of Lights ($95; pre-order) is a linen-bound book with a functional, pop-up lamp inside. Available with a traditional Lampshade or Parisian Streetlamp inside, this is one book that's guaranteed to be illuminating.
Prepare for casual summer days with Timberland's® Earthkeepers® Casco Bay Canvas Shoe. These lightweight, laid-back kicks will add a stylish pop of color to any no-sock, warm-weather look. Choose either a fun slip-on style or the one-eye moccasin style, with a choice of four colorways ranging from blueberry to poppy. See the entire collection here.
In one of the more original ideas we've heard in a while, Greenlight Concepts takes reclaimed lenses from upgraded traffic lights and creates awesome lighting fixtures out of them. We're loving this Stoplight Pendant Lamp ($240), which features an 8-inch lens and an anodized aluminum lamp housing. Of course, yellow and green lamps are also available.
With 15 different styles available, you're sure to find an Inhabit lamp to match your indoor landscape. The company's boxy Builtby Lamp ($170-$232) comes in a variety of color schemes, with unique names like Chump Change, Even Steven, Mack Daddy, Road Dog, and Shoot The Breeze.
It may not have have had a collision with an iceberg, but the Titanic Lamp ($630) will definitely bring a sinking feeling to your living room. The lamp sports a high-gloss white lacquer finish and a diagonal slice that gives it a submerged style.
Designer Jeremy Pyles has created an elegant lamp in the Pharos Modern Pendant Light ($325). The light, which takes its name from ancient texts where "Pharos" meant something akin to a lighthouse, is a tall, slender pendant with a tubular bulb running down the center. Available in seven different colors, you should have no trouble finding one to suit your decor. [via]
Not every UFO is out for destruction. The Don't Run We Are Your Friends Light ($100) is a hanging lamp with variable height to control the type of light emanating from the "craft." Place it higher in the air for more direct light from the clear bottom, or place it low for a glowing, ambient light from the colored top of the shade. A fun way to add some extra-terrestrial flair to your pad. [via]
For as long as it's been around, people have tried to cover the light bulb up with shades. No more, thanks to the LampLamp ($28). This 30-watt bulb will fit in most sockets, providing an interesting conversation piece as it appears to be glued in place at first glance, with the connector sticking out. This is one bulb you won't want to leave hidden behind a shade.
The Blow Table Lamp ($1,363) by Studio Italia Design is a dramatic low-voltage lamp set in a chrome and brushed aluminum finish encased in an outer, clear-crystal globe. If this isn't enough of a conversation starter then you can get party guests interested by using an included decorative magnet to control the direction of the lamp by placing the magnet on any part of the globe so the light will follow.
Most wall-mounted lighting is rather subdued — you know, the kind of ceiling-aimed lamps you find at the movies. Not this lamp. The Lite Source Technic Wall Lamp ($50) features a fully-adjustable spot light that looks as industrial as it sounds. The 35-watt light provides terrific direct lighting, and the industrial design will add a touch of flair to any wall it's mounted on.