Light Up Your Home With These Editor-Approved Fixtures
Anyone with a background in design will tell you that layering light is essential when planning out a room. Effectively combining the big three—ambient, task, and accent lighting—creates depth and dimension, giving your home a balanced feel without harsh glares or spooky shadows. Layering light also makes it easy to transition your space from day to night: with just the flick of a switch, a bright office transforms into a moody, entertaining area. From iconic lamps to modern chandeliers, these 15 editor’s picks will light the way to a well-designed home.
Table Lamps
YAMAGIWA | Jakobsson Table Lamp
Carpenter-turned-lighting designer Hans-Agne Jakobsson’s fixtures are known for their organic shapes and natural materials. This table lamp, reproduced by traditional Japanese craftspeople, is made from thin European pine wood, casting a warm red-orange glow when illuminated.
Shop It: Good Neighbor
LOUIS POULSEN | AJ Table Lamp
Designed by Danish architect Arne Jacobsen for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen (along with AJ cutlery), this classic table lamp’s timeless design and multiple colorways make it a great task light for any aesthetic.
Shop It: Louis Poulsen
KELLY WEARSTLER | Senso Large Table Lamp
This modern table lamp from American designer Kelly Wearstler features a ziggurat form reminiscent of ancient Mesopotamian architecture. The linen shade and brass diffuser add a touch of warmth to the structured design.
Shop It: Kelly Wearstler
Wall Lights
BLU DOT | Filter Sconce
Two perforated metal discs add dimension to this dual-bulb dimmable sconce, available in playful colors like Blush, Oxblood, Marine Blue, and Ochre.
Shop It: Blu Dot
FLOS | Foglio Wall Lamp
Italian designer Tobia Scarpa found inspiration for this contemporary wall lamp in the cuffs of his dress shirts. The light, which is often found in pairs, offers indirect illumination and midcentury modern vibes.
Shop It: Flos
NEMO | Nuvola Wall/Ceiling Light
“My ‘cloud’ designed to illuminate the office might today be thought of as a prescient allusion to Steve Jobs’ vision of the cloud,” writes Mario Bellini of his dreamy, dimmable Nuvola collection.
Shop It: Nemo
Floor Lamps
REJUVENATION | Altadena Glass Shade Floor Lamp
Light up any space with this Art Deco-inspired statement lamp featuring a strong nickel or aged brass metal base, an opal glass shade, and vintage pull chains.
Shop It: Rejuvenation
FLOS | Arco Floor Lamp
Inspired by the common streetlight, Italians Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni designed this dramatic floor lamp in 1962 (it has since appeared in classic Hollywood films like The Italian Job and Diamonds Are Forever). The lamp’s adjustable arc and swiveling shade offer overhead lighting without ceiling suspension, and the Carerra marble base features smooth, beveled corners along with a finger hole for easy lifting.
Shop It: Design Within Reach
ARTICLE | Gira Floor Lamp
A stylish pick reminiscent of Greta Grossman’s iconic Grasshopper, this floor lamp’s minimalist tripod frame and conical shade direct light exactly where it’s needed.
Shop It: Article
Pendants
MITZI | Sodsai Pendant
Scalloped detailing and a natural linen shade make this charming pendant light a great option for adding a subtle hint of personality to any room.
Shop It: Mitzi
HERMAN MILLER | Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant
George Nelson, considered a founder of American modernist design, created this organic UFO-inspired light in 1952. One of the most well-recognized lighting fixtures in design history, the Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant offers a soft glow and comes in four different sizes.
Shop It: Lumens
SCHOOLHOUSE | Luna Cord Pendant
Combining the elements of line and light, this versatile hanging pendant is a simple fixture available in 15 different finishes and a variety of cord lengths. The Luna Pendant’s opaque glass shade gives off a moon-like glow for your task lighting needs.
Shop It: Schoolhouse
Ceiling Lights
ARHAUS | Paloma Chandelier
Bring natural fibers and textures into your home with this tiered, handwoven rattan shade. Available in two sizes, the attractive chandelier adds an organic element to living and dining spaces.
Shop It: Arhaus
2MODERN | Melt Chandelier by Tom Dixon
British innovator Tom Dixon’s contemporary Melt collection, created in collaboration with Swedish design collective FRONT, “is evocative of molten glass, the interior of a melting glacier, or images of deep space.” The dynamic chandelier, which features a cluster of orbs attached to steel tubes, is now fitted with an LED module for longer life expectancy, better energy efficiency, and improved performance.
Shop It: 2Modern
VISUAL COMFORT | Talia Semi-Flush Mount
New Orleans designer Julie Neill believes in the transformative power of lighting. Her Talia series, created exclusively for Visual Comfort, offers a new take on traditional globe fixtures by incorporating artisanal glass that imparts a feminine, whimsical touch.
Shop It: Visual Comfort