It doesn't get any modern industrial than this - Mariano Fortuny designed this light during the Industrial Revolution's zeitgeist in 1907. Just be sure you have enough space and that your other furniture is appropriately scaled - this lamp will dominate the room.

If ever you want to look for the coolest furniture ever, look into the Hotel SAS Royal Hotel in Amsterdam. Arne Jacobson designed his iconic Swan Chairs for their lobby, and the clever AJ Table Lamp to shine light on them. Back from the days when one could smoke in a hotel lobby outside of Las...

Need a light fast, no electrician required? This handy lamp clips anywhere and plugs in, so no need to worry about crossing wires. Plus, unlike most task lighting it is attractive enough for any room in the home. Clip to your bed frame for an instant reading light.

I fell in love with Arne Jacobsen's iconic chairs first, without even realizing that his talents created classic modern lighting as well (which was designed to go with those chairs at the SAS Royal Copenhagen hotel). The simple silhouette and slender stand for this floor lamp are simply divine.

If you love the look of a tripod lamp but space is tight, this slender version may be the answer for you; the width is less than two feet and the slim proportions won't overpower the scale of other furnishings. A bonus? No annoying cord hanging down in between the legs; it's tucked inside one of...

The famous copper artichoke light is a stunning addition to any mid-century or contemporary space, especially a living room or home office.

While definitely a pricey wall sconce, the Modo is completely art-worthy. Inspired by industrial parts found around Canal Street in NYC, the Modo is totally '70s disco chic!

Saving a factory and helping the employees keep their jobs was not something Peter Bowles thought he’d be doing when he designed his first bone china light. The story begins in Stoke-on-Trent, the heart of the British ceramics industry, where its prized porcelain has been produced for more than 3...

Sculptor and designer Sebastian Wrong demonstrates his flair for bold, minimalist forms in the Spun Floor Lamp (2001) for Flos. Made entirely of satiny, machined-smooth aluminum, the lamps feature high-gloss finishes for maximum dramatic impact. Fluid pedestal bases stabilize the design.†

“"It is not the quantity, but the quality of light, that makes things visible,” said Spanish designer Mariano Fortuny of his approach to lighting design. His Fortuny Lamp (1907), which expresses the early modernist emphasis on industrial materials, functional style and the spatial role of objects,...

Space travel itself had a huge influence on interior design. The Satellite Chandelier was inspired by Sputnik, which was launched in 1957. There are numerous designs based on this shape, but this one is still my favorite.

Poul Henningsen’s PH 3/2 Table Lamp (1927) is a member of the PH 3-shade family, a series of light fixtures designed by Henningsen to produce glare-free and economically distribute light. The three glass shades of the PH 3/2 Table Lamp are arranged in a relationship of 3:2:1, drawing their...

Poul Henningsen’s PH 3/2 Floor Lamp (1927) is a member of the PH 3-shade family, a series of light fixtures designed by Henningsen to produce glare-free and economically distribute light. The three glass shades of the PH 3/2 Floor Lamp are arranged in a relationship of 3:2:1, drawing their...

Drawn to the translucency and versatility of bone china, Peter Bowles saw an opportunity to create something other than tableware with this time-honored material. The result is his Hector Collection (1992), which is beautifully crafted of hand-cast bone china. Creating these lights involves a...

I just love the elegance of the Hector wall sconce. The fabric cord punctuates the black socket, white base and shade to add charm. It's classic, modern and warm.

The unique, sexy and subtle Stamen Pendant (2004) is the work of Jeremy Pyles for Niche Modern, a company that happened a bit by accident. When opening a homewares store in SoHo, Jeremy Pyles and Mary Welch were unable to find lights that satisfied their “super picky sensibilities.” Then Jeremy saw...

Who needs a shade when you've got a bulb so well designed? Pick your favorite color and hang it low over beside tables or a reading nook.

Originally known as Davey & Co., the company was established in 1885 and has roots dating back to the shipyards of 19th-century London. Its clients back then were the marine merchants operating out of London's West India Docks, and Davey Lights graced the decks of many of history's best-known...

Originally known as Davey & Co., the company was established in 1885 and has roots dating back to the shipyards of 19th-century London. Its clients back then were the marine merchants operating out of London's West India Docks, and Davey Lights graced the decks of many of history's best-known...

Originally known as Davey & Co., the company was established in 1885 and has roots dating back to the shipyards of 19th-century London. Its clients back then were the marine merchants operating out of London's West India Docks, whose ships were outfitted with Davey lighting. These iconic lights...

Originally known as Davey & Co., the company was established in 1885 and has roots dating back to the shipyards of 19th-century London. Its clients back then were the marine merchants operating out of London's West India Docks, and Davey Lights graced the decks of many of history's best-known...

Originally known as Davey & Co., the company was established in 1885 and has roots dating back to the shipyards of 19th-century London. Its clients back then were the marine merchants operating out of London's West India Docks, and Davey Lights graced the decks of many of history's best-known...

Originally known as Davey & Co., the company was established in 1885 and has roots dating back to the shipyards of 19th-century London. Its clients back then were the marine merchants operating out of London's West India Docks, and Davey Lights graced the decks of many of history's best-known...

The consummate modernist chandelier, Poul Henningsen's Artichoke Lamp (1958) is composed of layers of overlapping "leaves," which produce crisp, glare-free light from 360 degrees. Each leaf is laser-cut for precision and is configured by hand. The Artichoke is aptly suited to a dining room,...

This saucer pendant lamp was designed by architect George Nelson, Herman Miller's design director. It's made in the USA, and additional shapes and sizes are available.

Trained as an architect, George Nelson found a fresh solution to lighting design in the organic forms of his "bubble" lamps. The lamps were produced in 1952 by spray coating a skeleton of steel wire with a layer of translucent plastic that allowed light to shine softly through and protected the eye...

Trained as an architect, George Nelson found a fresh solution to lighting design in the organic forms of his "bubble" lamps. The lamps were produced in 1952 by spray coating a skeleton of steel wire with a layer of translucent plastic that allowed light to shine softly through and protected the eye...

When the Tolomeo Desk Lamp (1987) was honored with the Compasso d'Oro Award in 1989, the lamp was recognized for achieving the perfect marriage of design and engineering. Since then, the Tolomeo Collection has grown to include an assortment of sizes and colors. The Tolomeo design begins with a...

Three arms are definitely better than one, especially on a fantastic piece of work like this floor lamp.

What a minimally sophisticated pendant. Nothing says design fan like natural cord and bone china.

Serge Mouille designed his angular, insect-like lights as "a reaction to the Italian models that were beginning to invade the market in 1950," which he criticized for being "too complicated." One-Arm Floor Lamp (1953) is a less-imposing interpretation of his original Three-Arm Floor Lamp and...

Designed by Jason Miller for Roll and Hill

The design of Jason Miller's Modo Chandelier (2009) was inspired by off-the-shelf industrial parts like those found on Canal Street not too far from his Brooklyn studio. The Modo was first presented at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City in 2009. Bulbs (not...

Designed in collaboration with Charlotte Perriand for Prouvé's Tropique house, the Potence Lamp (1950) provides a unique solution for suspension lighting with its ingenious engineering and elegant form. Consisting of a single metal rod that extends almost 7 feet from a wall-mounted vertical...

Made of hand-blown glass, the gorgeous Stamen pendant by Jeremy Pyles for Niche Mode is a study in elegant simplicity. This would look wonderful in a dining room or modern kitchen.

For his simple and innovative lighting, Jason Miller draws on everyday aspects of American culture, transforming them into something surprising and beautiful. For his Modo Collection (2009), Miller was inspired by off-the-shelf industrial parts like those found on Canal Street, not far from his...