4/2/09

There’s a new trend in lighting and tabletop decoration: exposed blown glass bulbs. From vintage bulbs (like the spotlight bulb found at the Agoura Antique Mart) to contemporary replicas, it seems that they are popping up in chic interiors boutiques from coast to coast.

Similar to the look of Thomas Edison’s original light bulb, these lamps and tabletop pieces are industrial in design, conveying a symbiotic look of modernity and agedness. While some of these pieces are indeed working lamps, many of them are strictly for fashion and not function. So if you are looking to shed some actual light in your reading nook, be sure it includes a plug, otherwise you might inadvertently buy one of the artistic décor pieces.

Thomas Edison in studio with his industrial “Edison bulbs”, circa 1870.

(Below) These are actual original Edison bulbs that were purchased in NYC for $25 each by LoftLife’s editor-in-chief!  I love how they glow . . .

(Below) Purely for decor and not function, these bulbs are mounted on wood blocks and were found in the window at Lawson – Fenning boutique in Silver Lake, CA. These pieces range in price from about $75 – $150 depending on size.

My own personal Edison-esque lamp, purchased in December at Luxe boutique in Charlotte, NC. I love the way it is perched on a stack of books on the kitchen desk.

To purchase edison-like bulbs online, check out 1000 Bulbs.