Their designs, styles, proportions and structures may have changed and evolved over the years but floor lamps still play more or less the same role that they had decades and even centuries ago. Of course, they’ve been refined and today they come in an infinite array of shapes and sizes. There are a lot of cool lamps to choose from so picking our favorites wasn’t easy but we managed to narrow it down to eleven contemporary floor lamps that we find most exquisite.

Have you ever seen a banana tree in real life? It has these huge leaves and it’s quite impressive. No wonder someone felt inspired enough to create a Bananas lamp. It has a circular marble base and hand-turned brass leaves. Each leaf is connected to a separate lighting tube and has an orientation slightly different than the other, allowing the light to be reflected in all directions in a subtle and diffuse manner.

Inaho is a magical floor lamp and you’ll understand why in a second. It was designed byHideki Yoshimoto and Yoshinaka Ono and it’s inspired by golden ears of rice gently swaying in the wind. It has these LED lights inside perforated tubes attached to narrow stems. Sensors detect when someone is passing by, causing the stems to sway.

This is Duke, a floor lamp which pays tribute to the iconic jazz musician Duke Ellington. It has a retro and elegant design with three cone lampshades attached to brass arms. The shades have matte black exteriors and white interiors and can be adjusted vertically and horizontally to provide the perfect lighting at the perfect angle.

The Tulip lamp is a sculptural and artistic interpretation of the beautiful and delicate flower bud which also inspired its name. The lamp has a cocoon-like form with swirling leafs which create a gorgeous lighting effect. The lamp is designed byAlex MacMaster and showcases a wonderful combination of beauty and functionality.

The North floor lamp is definitely not your everyday light fixture and we say that for several reasons. First of all, it’s pretty huge. Long arms protrude from the base and can be positioned at different angles allowing the user to focus the light exactly where needed. The lamp can have between two and four arms, depending on the model and comes in several different finishes.

Speaking of huge floor lamps, checks out the BuzziShade. This is actually not just a lamp but a privacy feature too. The lamp’s extra large, super wide shade forms a sort of privacy cone around the user, reducing external noise and also preventing others from hearing their private conversations. This makes the BuzziShade a perfect lamp for offices and workspaces but also for cozy reading corners.

With the Lovers lights you don’t have to choose between a hanging pendant, a table lamp or a floor lamp because this fixture is actually super versatile and can serve as either one of these options. The lamp has an inner and an outer shade which create a beautiful visual effect. The light is soft and subtle but at the same time bright. You can get the lamp is a variety of colors and two different sizes.

The Shift floor lamp is another example of how something very simple can also be very practical and very stylish at the same time. The lamp features a very simplified structure made out of three wooden rods which intersect at the center and which hold a cylindrical shade. You can find this lamp in three different sizes and with either a white or a black shade.

This is the Cupola floor lamp. It combines a hand-patinated steel twisted frame and a hand turned spalted beech shade. This juxtaposition is unusual and eye-catching but also surprisingly harmonious. The frame has a graphical and angular design which contrasts with the sinuous rounded shape of the wooden shade. The collection includes tables lamps with similar designs and varying dimensions.

Inspired by the look of audiophile sound systems, the Horn lamp is a very special accessory. Its lampshades are hand-made of the finest Tiffany glass and joined with tin. They’re attached to a sinuous, organically-shaped wood base and frame which gives the lamp a sculptural appearance. The design is very expressive but not as versatile as others. However, that only makes it more special.

Versatility is not a problem for the Amphora floor lamp. In fact, that’s one of its signature characteristics. You can use this gorgeous lamp to decorate indoor as well as outdoor spaces. Its simple and sculptural shape is reminiscent of the terracotta amphora once used in gardens and on terraces. Its shade is made of synthetic wicker, the same kind used for handmade baskets. Inside there’s a soft-glowing light inside a polyethylene ellipse which complements the lamp in the most exquisite way.