Sure, lighting in your home is essential but it can also be like the icing on the cake of your decor. It’s a design element that shouldn’t be underestimated because it adds a great deal of dimension and style to a room. Lighting can be something dramatic that catches the attention right away or it can be a discreet fixture that illuminates the space with an understated profile. The type you choose has a lot to do with the particular space as well as your personal style. Does the room need task lighting or is it a question of adding some mood lighting? Once you decide, there are countless styles to choose from and you certainly don’t have to settle for anything mundane or ordinary. Not sure what we mean? Check out these distinctive lighting fixtures:

Pendant Drama

Pendants may be a basic fixture but these from Cattelan Italia are anything but. The Asia lamps attach to the ceiling with a black chrome steel plate. The artistic lampshades are ceramic with a hand-painted finish that incorporates precious metals and glazes in cobalt blue or a two-color combination of white-bronze or grey-bronze. The contrast between the metallic glaze and the plain finish adds interest to the fixtures. Here five of them are hung above the dining table in a graduated fashion, but they would also be attractive additions to many spaces in the home either as a grouping or alone.

Techno Feel

For a decidedly modern, almost technological vibe, the Circuit fixture is a great choice, especially because it can be installed on the wall or the ceiling. This flexibility in installation makes it versatile for many types of spaces, especially with the LED lights. The silver-colored frame is actually titanium embossed lacquered steel. Multiple lampshades punctuate the fixture to diffuse the light, and can be ordered in borosilicate transparent glass or borosilicate fumé glass. The Circuit creates a memorable silhouette on the wall or the ceiling

A Bit ‘o Bling

A suspension light chock full of sparkle, the Kidal is a fixture that will take center stage. Although it’s round and ample, the light looks great when hung in multiples, catching the light as well as the attention of your guests. The round steel frame is filled with thousands of individual crystal elements, giving it a glittery yet light appearance. Again, this is grand over a dining table, but would also be wonderful in a bedroom, luxe bathroom, or elegant living space.

Double Duty

Whether it’s for a small space or a convenient corner in a larger room, the Ozz from Miniforms by Paolo Cappello with Simone Sabatti is a very stylish multitasker. Of course, it’s a super functional lamp, but the design also incorporates a small tray made from ash wood for trinkets or a beverage. The overall form evokes the shape of a tuning fork, with a black finish. Even when turned off, the Ozz is useful as a side table. When it’s on, it becomes the centerpiece of a cozy little area that is intimate and draws you in. This could even be used as a bedside table in a small room where space is at a premium.

Bubbles or Bobbles

Inspired by a computer game — or was it soap bubbles — theBubble Bobble lamp by Gino Carollo for Arketipo is an unexpected floor lamp style. Essentially, it’s an offbeat idea transformed into a tangible light fixture that looks like an art piece. Comprised of three glass sizes of glass spheres, the final form is a fixture that plays with light — both that from within the orbs as well as in the spaces between the spheres. It’s a curious but elegant fixture that engages people with the illumination that it puts out. The blown glass spheres are available in graduated color combinations that go from white to clear or smoked to clear. The structure itself is finished in brass, titanium or varnished micaceous brown.

Ode to Kandinsky

Strong geometric styling makes the Iride from Arketipo more a sculpture than just a light fixture. Designed by Bernhardt & Vella, the fixture is constructed of lines and circles, in what they call a “subtle ode to Kandinsky.” Definitely more of an art piece and accent light, Iride creates a dramatic ambiance thanks to the light that plays off the contrasting shapes. The interconnected arrangement resonates with strong emotion, creating halos of light around each circle. The overall fixture comes in micaceous brown or a titanium finish as do the metal discs that serve as shades for the LED lights.

Contemporary Flair

The Pileo from Porada is a substantial floor lamp with contemporary flair. It has a distinctive shape of shade that sits atop an elegant but sturdy wooden base. The sleek, carved wooden legs can be made from solid canaletta walnut or ash available in 9 different shades of stains. Or, the base can be lacquered in any of 10 different colors. While the shade may look like glass, it’s actually tin-plated and covered with a shiny finish available in pewter gray, shiny black or shiny white. The style is versatile enough to work in any room of your home!

Natural Elegance

Like an elegant version of a tree trunk, the Amber Table Lamp from Ginger and Jagger is a column of spectacular veined marble. Like the rings of a tree trunk, that along with its knots and lines, they reflect the natural journey of the material. Around the bottom of the column, cast brass pieces are molded like tree bark, accenting the base of the lamp and providing some shine. Handcrafted in Porto, the lamp base can be made of Carrara, Negro Marquina, Estremoz and Estremoz Rose marble. The custom lampshade is Wild Silk that is available in six earthy colors. The cast brass can also be done in different finishes, such as Antique Brass, Silver, Antique Silver, Copper and Antique Copper. Luxurious and distinctive, the Amber is a lovely addition to a bedroom night table or living room console.

Contemporary Cloud

Very aptly named the Golden Cloud, Paolo Castelli’s magnificent chandelier is composed of more than 20 individual “clouds” that make up the fixture. Each one is crafted of renowned Murano glass, molded by hand, and accented by a triple passage of brilliant gold leaf. The suspended grouping is arranged at staggered heights to simulate a contemporary looking cloud of glass and light. Each of the glass elements hangs from a metal base covered in a satin gold finish. LED spotlights are integrated into the base, which can be oval or round. This very special chandelier is a stunning fixture to hang over a contemporary dining table for an opulent contemporary look.

Floating Sparkler

Full of lines but far from linear, the chandelier of the Linea Collection from Brand Van Egmond looks like a whirlwind of light. Altogether, it appears like a magical, floating sparkler, emitting fire and light that leaves trails of illumination through the air. From another perspective, the fixture is a work of architecture, with movement and proportion creating an elegant chandelier. The metal finish has six different options to fit your decor. Complimentary fixtures in the collection include handing lights as well as wall lights.

Choosing distinctive lighting fixtures like these is an easy way to transform a room. It can sometimes be an overlooked element of decor, but lighting might just be the most important way of making your decor investments look the best.