Garland Shade Light by Tord Boontje

This shimmery fixture features a doilylike shade in brass or silver, which clips to the base of a bulb. You can combine shades to create larger designs.
To Buy: $80, www.momastore.org.

The Backstory

In 2001 botany met bare bulbs when Dutch designer Boontje devised a pattern of leaves and flowers on a sheet of metal that could be cut with a laser. His light has been exhibited in the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City.

What the Design Pros Say

“Boontje made metal ethereal,” says interior designer Suzan Globus. “He’s the first person to push laser-cut technology to design something that many people can afford.”

“I can see why I’d still be excited about this piece in 30 years,” says industrial designer Anthony Di Bitonto. “Some things are too heavily styled, and they can look dated. But this is pure and simple.”