Before you buy a floor lamp there are certain things that you might want to keep in mind. First of all you need to know that floor lamps were considered to be more dangerous than other lamps until the last decade or so when technology and good design helped fix some of the problems that made this style of lamp flawed in the first place.
For instance, historically, floor lamps have always been known to tip over. Nowadays there is a standard that contemporary floor lamps must meet call the UL "tipability" standard. This means that the floor lamp you are buying has a much heavier base and there is less danger of it falling over and landing, say, on a sofa cushion and setting it on fire.
Yet another feature of floor lamps that made them dangerous for years was the cords. The cords were made of cloth and easily caught fire with the slightest of power surges. Nowadays floor lamps are made with a plastic zip cord rather than the old cloth cords. The old cloth cords also used to fray and it was much easier for an animal or child to chew through them or get accidentally shocked just by touching it.
The fact that most antique lamps do not have a standardized non-tippable base or a safe electrical cord is why you are probably better off to buy a new floor lamp then one from an antique store. It is just safer.
Yet another reason is that the very old floor lamps attached their lampshades through a wire clamp that was attached to the shade itself. This style of clamp for attaching light bulbs is also obsolete.
However if you do find the floor lamp of your dreams there is no reason why you can't take it to an electrician or antique dealer to see what can be done to refurbish it. This is done all of the time to recycle old floor lamps. It is probably a good idea not to try and rewire an old lamp yourself unless you
are an experienced electrician.
Although rewiring an old floor lamp is easy, making sure the base is stable is not. All it takes is one wild child or unruly dog to tip it over and you could have a fire on your hands.
Floor lamps come in an incredible number of styles nowadays including all of the retro looks that you would find in an antique store and all of the more contemporary styles. As you browse online to shop for floor lamps it is quite common to find them in every style imaginable including Mission, Seventies Retro, Tiffany, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts, Country, Late Victorian and Gas. You can also find modern Swedish styles that include shades shaped like upside down frying pans and large metallic mixing bowls.
Nowadays floor lamps come in every type of finish and shade including glass, porcelain and brushed metal and there are some very unique, beautiful and interesting contemporary floor lamps, as well as the more traditional styles, around.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Use Antler Lamps For Western Lighting With Rawhide Lamp Shades
Antler lamps are one of the most beautiful accessories available for western décor. So much more than a lighting fixture, antler lamps bring life to your room. If you have a cabin or mountain home, the rustic character of antlers with their beautiful shapes and variety of natural color will give your space the distinctive western look you desire. Ranch owners as well as those building modern log homes have recognized antler lamps for years as the must have lighting to complete their rustic home look. Because of the smooth curves of antler lamps and chandeliers there is a natural beauty inherent in the antlers themselves that compliments perfectly any type of southwestern or western furniture. There is a dynamic with antler lamps that seems to pull every element together and firmly ground the room as a sophisticated rustic space. Antler lamps have a magic about them that seems to add balance and focus.
Antler lamps also compliment many other rustic elements for rustic décor. In the Northwest or “north woods” style antlers may be added to snow shoes and complimented with rawhide lamp shades to fashion fabulous wall sconces. The light wood and rawhide lacing of the shoe along with the leather binding and hand stitched shade with its warm glow make a perfect harmony. Weather you prefer to compliment your antler lamp with southwestern light rawhide shades or western style dark rawhide lampshades, the choice is yours and the result will be stunning.
Small antler chandeliers may be made from white tail deer antlers while large chandeliers may have several tiers of huge elk antlers. Weather your space is large or small an antler chandelier will bring the old west home. In Jackson Hole, WY the town square is adorned with antler arches made from Elk antlers that are shed each spring. It is truly unique and you can capture the same spirit in your special area.
Antler lamps also compliment many other rustic elements for rustic décor. In the Northwest or “north woods” style antlers may be added to snow shoes and complimented with rawhide lamp shades to fashion fabulous wall sconces. The light wood and rawhide lacing of the shoe along with the leather binding and hand stitched shade with its warm glow make a perfect harmony. Weather you prefer to compliment your antler lamp with southwestern light rawhide shades or western style dark rawhide lampshades, the choice is yours and the result will be stunning.
Small antler chandeliers may be made from white tail deer antlers while large chandeliers may have several tiers of huge elk antlers. Weather your space is large or small an antler chandelier will bring the old west home. In Jackson Hole, WY the town square is adorned with antler arches made from Elk antlers that are shed each spring. It is truly unique and you can capture the same spirit in your special area.
The Tiffany Lamp-An American Icon
If you're looking for a lighting option to add a touch of class, style and sophistication to any setting, look no further than an exquisite new Tiffany style lamp. This American classic features a shade made of pieces of stained glass, soldered together to form ornate scenes or abstract motifs. The base of most Tiffany lamps is solid metal and is often ornately decorated as well.
Designer Louis Comfort Tiffany crafted the first Tiffany lamp in New York in 1899 in his studio where he had devoted himself to working with glass. The Tiffany lamp is widely considered America's greatest contribution to the Art Nouveau movement, which began and flourished in Europe in the late 19th century. This ubiquitous light fixture was born when Tiffany started using the scraps and discarded pieces from larger projects to fashion his decorative lamp shades.
Today, Tiffany style lamps are produced by practically every major lighting company, each with their own spin on Louis Comfort Tiffany's original stroke of genius. The first Tiffany lamps were small to midsized table lamps, as are many of the Tiffany styles today. There is certainly no shortage of colors and base options today. There are Tiffany style lamps to match any color scheme and décor, from the staunchest traditionalist to the most cutting edge of interior design.
The array of Tiffany-inspired lighting is almost mind-boggling. Tall floor lamps are a popular choice to match the smaller table lamp, or to simply stand on its own. There is also plenty of ceiling lighting that has been touched by the Tiffany magic. Flush and semi-flush mounts often feature detailed stained glass shades, and chandeliers and pendants can be found that also feature Tiffany-inspired themes. If you're in the market for a new lamp, or if you're tired of your current light fixtures, consider a beautiful new Tiffany lamp.
Designer Louis Comfort Tiffany crafted the first Tiffany lamp in New York in 1899 in his studio where he had devoted himself to working with glass. The Tiffany lamp is widely considered America's greatest contribution to the Art Nouveau movement, which began and flourished in Europe in the late 19th century. This ubiquitous light fixture was born when Tiffany started using the scraps and discarded pieces from larger projects to fashion his decorative lamp shades.
Today, Tiffany style lamps are produced by practically every major lighting company, each with their own spin on Louis Comfort Tiffany's original stroke of genius. The first Tiffany lamps were small to midsized table lamps, as are many of the Tiffany styles today. There is certainly no shortage of colors and base options today. There are Tiffany style lamps to match any color scheme and décor, from the staunchest traditionalist to the most cutting edge of interior design.
The array of Tiffany-inspired lighting is almost mind-boggling. Tall floor lamps are a popular choice to match the smaller table lamp, or to simply stand on its own. There is also plenty of ceiling lighting that has been touched by the Tiffany magic. Flush and semi-flush mounts often feature detailed stained glass shades, and chandeliers and pendants can be found that also feature Tiffany-inspired themes. If you're in the market for a new lamp, or if you're tired of your current light fixtures, consider a beautiful new Tiffany lamp.
Analysis of American Lamp Market
America is the biggest lamp demand country in the world and one of main lamp export markets. It is recorded that total sale of American lamp and its belongings is about US$8,600,000,000 in 2000. The average yearly growing rate between 1971 and 2000 is 7 of the whole lamp consumption and daylight lamp is 25 to 24 imports are from mainland of China, Taiwan and Mexico. From the 1990s on, with the continual come-and-go trade between Chinese mainland and Taiwan, Taiwan manufacturers take a fancy to cheap labour and its latency lamp market in Chinese mainland, transfer its manufacturing from the south of Guangdong to areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang step by step, and launch lamp factories in the gross. Judging from changes of their sum in American lamp market and proportion among Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Mexico, we may make out increase and decrease of their market shares. In 1990 and 2000, lamp exports from Chinese mainland is totally different from lamp exports from Taiwan. Lamp share of Chinese mainland in American import market grows from 10, and keeps a tendency of growing, and is hopeful to be 62 to 5. The market requirements are hopefully reaching US$20,700,000,000 in 2007, which is 3 times as much as the sale amount of European lamp market, 5 times as much as the sale amount of Japanese lamp market.
Now American lamp exports are increasing by 2.1% each year, and its amount of exports will be US$12,600,000,000 in 2010, which is a marked advance comparing with the period between 2000-2005. Among them, crystal chandelier, floor lamp, table lamp, chandelier rises fastest. It is revealed in the newest market investigation made by American market research Fredonia that because of furious competitions in different moments, growth of lamp export gross is still limited.
Now American lamp exports are increasing by 2.1% each year, and its amount of exports will be US$12,600,000,000 in 2010, which is a marked advance comparing with the period between 2000-2005. Among them, crystal chandelier, floor lamp, table lamp, chandelier rises fastest. It is revealed in the newest market investigation made by American market research Fredonia that because of furious competitions in different moments, growth of lamp export gross is still limited.
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