Let there be light!

These paper "flower shades" are certainly different and

loaded with personality. 

Want to infuse your space with personality? Bold, fun or oversized light fixtures are the answer!

They are a great way to add impact and a touch of fun to any space, whether it's your dining room, bathroom, mudroom, hallway or bedroom.

Lamps have the ingenious ability to take a room from "normal" to "shining", quite literally. And they can do it without you having to spend a fortune. 

But while our stores boast many interesting chandeliers and glamorous pendants, I find that the selection of lamp shades is a lot more limited, at least here in northern Ontario. That became even more apparent during my trip to Stockholm some weeks ago. There the design stores are full of shades in just about any colour and pattern, ready to add some "oomph" to a space - and a smile to the beholder's face - challenging us to have some fun with design.

Have a look at this:

High-impact style and function in this bubble lamp from Italian design

house Missoni. The company has a collaboration with Target - fingers

crossed that we'll see their designs in Target's North Bay store, slated

to open this summer.

How about the versatility of this lamp shade collection?

I can spot only one, single white shade, the rest are

covered in designer Josef Frank's playful patterns. The

Svenskt Tenn store is a must for any design fanatic

visiting Stockholm, Sweden.

Another interior from Svenskt Tenn. Observe how
the ceiling fixture picks up the colour of the china.

Dried plants give this white shade interest.

This feathered friend seems to like to be in the

spotlight.

Speaking of feathers, this shade

is made of them.

Here's a close up of the shade.

An unorthodox use of porcupine quills...

These traditional shades take on quite

a contemporary expression when they

are bundled together like this.

Among the many metal fixtures in a variety of

shapes and sizes, I saw a surprising number of soft,

inexpensive shades in simple, loose fabrics (see

the yellow, diamond-patterned shade in the

foreground). They can be quite impactful grouped

together in a mix of prints.