With Dutch designer Nicolette Brunklaus, it's what's inside that counts. Her Delight hanging lamp may look like just a plain shade, but turn it on and the damask pattern printed on the reverse shines through. Available in several shade sizes and color combinations. Elektronstraat 12, 1014 AP Amsterdam, Netherlands; 31-20-6125313; http://www.brunklaus.nl/. circle 581

If you call Brighton's Royal Pavilion home, this more-is-more, two-tier chinoiserie-style chandelier will fit right in. Its hand-painted and scalloped tole umbrellas are hung by a brass chain and embellished with miniature bells—what else could you need? 979 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022; 212-593-2060. circle 599

Glitz and glamour are courtesy of the Cascade Luminaire Divide, a curtain of sparkling lead-crystal strands downlit by halogen light sources in a polished-aluminum and satin nickel-mesh housing. Its modular 1- and 2-foot lengths and L-shaped configurations can create a dazzling array of installations. 944 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107; 866-251-7777; kentfieldcollection.com.

It's disco with a preppy spin. Deborah Czeresko'sPlaids Illuminated Orbs come in blue, green, and black-and-white handblown glass. Suspended from a 30-inch-long steel stem, each globe measures 12 inches in diameter. Custom sizes available. 171 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10011; 212-627-0592; http://www.sitespecificart.com/. circle 327

Inspired by a nostalgia for the post–World War II years, the Clacket Lane retro shade crowns a curvaceous, pale ceramic base with whimsy. 227 West 15th Street, Suite 2, New York, NY 10011; 212-255-7751; http://www.lustre-usa.com/. circle 607

Handblown and stretched into shape, the glass Carillon table lamp is offered in six standard colors (and countless custom options), as well as pendant and shade configurations. 24 Fifth Avenue, Suite 709, New York, NY 10011; 212-475-0479; http://www.jgooddesign.com/. circle 582

The Extra F1 fixture puts a new spin on one of this Italian company’s mainstays, adding a mirrored finish to the upper parabola of the diffuser as well as a titanium-painted base with four spokes plated in brushed nickel. Coordinating pendant and ceiling fixtures round out the Extra series. 629 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-310-8649; http://www.prandina.it/. circle 320

The Random light electrified us. This crisply modernist fixture features 11/2-foot-long kinetic strips of semitranslucent acrylic and anodized aluminum—forever shifting in the breeze to diffuse the incandescent illumination from a single central bulb. Oxo Tower Wharf, 2.11, Bargehouse Street, London SE1 9PH, U.K.; 44-20-7928-9206; http://www.mirandawatkins.com/. circle 318

Simple opulence is no oxymoron with the Assas sconce, a gilded-bronze charmer à la Louis XV, with dangling colored crystals. 41 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10010; 212-647-0303; christophernorman.com.

Providing versatility in strikingly simple form, the Akis floor lamp from ClassiCon allows you to stagger or stack its six handblown glass cylinders with the greatest of ease. 3 Security Drive, Suite 303, Cranbury, NJ 08512; 866-876-3300; topdeq.com

Focusing new light on the company's renowned glass, the Abat Jour floor lamp features three patterned-glass spheres, in graduated warm hues, that are stacked on a polished-chrome base. There is also a table-lamp version. 11 Mayfield Avenue, Edison, NJ 08818; 800-832-3360; leucosusa.com.

The 2353 ceiling fixture by designer Leonardo Marelli boasts a striking, no-frills design in satin nickel or gold, with a bowl-shaped satin-glass diffuser. The halogen lamp has two variants: the smaller 2352 and the larger 2354, also available in a fluorescent option. 235 Moonachie Road, Moonachie, NJ 07074; 201-641-1997; estiluz.com.

Carlo Moretti's Multi Efra table lamp exudes laboratory chic. A clear glass vessel like an upside-down beaker houses a frosted-glass diffuser on a steel base. Choose between two sizes. 1052 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607; 312-432-0100; morlensinoway.com.

Michael S. Smith alum Clark Collins designed the 29-inch-high Venice table lamp in hand-turned glass, accented with polished chrome for the cap, base, and sockets. A paper drum shade comes standard, with off-white linen or ivory pongee silk available at a small premium. 96 School Street, Suite 4, Williamstown, MA 01267; 413-458-9971; broadbeachdesign.com.

The Black and White ball fixture features from one to four handblown glass spheres strung along a satin-nickel canopy. Each ball takes a 60-watt incandescent lamp. 2107 Eighth Street East, Sonoma, CA 95476; 707-939-9416; bacchusglass.com.

One petite fixture that's capable of three beam spreads, the Ledra LED display light can illuminate both your miniatures and your full-size Guernica reproduction. The 12-inch-long matte chrome stem can accommodate up to five lights in a single drive. 3505-L5 Cadillac Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626; 714-424-0500; brucklighting.com.

Available in playful aquamarine blue and rosa pink as well as tobacco brown and other colors, Alba is a table lamp in handblown Italian glass. This bubbly belle measures 12 inches in diameter and 21 inches high. Lamping is incandescent. 979 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022; 800-366-4442; donghia.com.

Patterned after the fins of 1950's cars, five streamlined styles make up Doyle Crosby's Lantern series. Available with incandescent or fluorescent lamping, Futura Lantern is formed from 1/4-inch-thick solid copper. Finish options are satin copper, antique copper, polished copper, satin nickel, or polished nickel. 944 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107; 415-778-4300; boydlighting.com.

Created by Berlin designer-artist Frank Oehring, Anta's Zac light defines adjustability. A 7-millimeter fluorescent tube sends light through apertures in the satin-chrome table lamp, forming soft ribbons of glow. 59 Osterbrooksweg, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany; 49-40-839-1037; anta.de.

Interlocking slats of maple or walnut distinguish Lian Ng's austere Woven Veneer incandescent lamp. Available in three sizes, from 11 to 26 inches high and 10 to 16 inches wide. 301 Monterey Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94131; 415-305-1999; publiqueliving.com.

An Alfred Hitchcock–inspired juxtaposition of the surreal and the avian, aptly titled Birds is shaded by duck feathers and taxidermied wings. These strangely poetic, surprisingly elegant creations are produced on a per-order basis. 32-9-223-31-41; noraderudder@hotmail.com.

This studio's eight recent introductions nod to the lighter side of lighting. Witness the Dome sconce. Lamping is incandescent, hardware is aluminum or custom options, and the olivelike handblown glass form comes in custom colors as well as clear, steel blue, amber, dark purple, and—of course—olive green. 24 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011; 212-475-0479; jgooddesign.com.

Known for its sturdy retail-display products, this manufacturer's artful lighting is perfect for high-traffic corporate and hospitality installations. The LA-2 floor lamp's tinted-resin body is offered in custom colors, as is the linen shade. 10-09 43rd Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101; 718-937-8476; goldsmith-inc.com

Pure of form, Leonardo Marelli's 2363 fixture features a handblown glass sphere set on a steel tripod base. Measuring 14 3/8 inches in diameter and 16 3/8 inches high, the piece accepts either halogen or incandescent bulbs. 235 Moonachie Road, Moonachie, NJ 07074; 201-641-1997; estiluz.com.

Exemplifying Tom Corbin's dexterous metalwork, the Vessel floor lamp stands 69 inches high. The bronze base comes in brown, black, or green-brown finishes or with a natural patina. 201 Wyandotte Street, Suite 102, Kansas City, MO 64105; 816-842-0496; corbinbronze.com.