We love this lamp for its brilliant design features, including an etched lens that gently diffuses the light of its LED bulbs for comfortable task work. A single wooden dowel and metal base combine to create a clean and simple modern style statement.

Channel is a minimal take on lighting, a line in space. Working back from the light source, high efficiency LEDs in a linear configuration, the lamp is named after the aluminum channel that houses the bulbs. An etched lens diffuses the light and a vertical wood dowel mounted to a circular metal base complete the simple geometric structure.

Channel is a minimal take on lighting, a line in space. Working back from the light source, high efficiency LEDs in a linear configuration, the lamp is named after the aluminum channel that houses the bulbs. An etched lens diffuses the light and a vertical wood dowel mounted to a circular metal base complete the simple geometric structure.

Sleek and streamlined, THIN by designer Peter Bristol for Juniper is an innovative task light that generates the maximum amount of light while using minimal materials. The result is a powerful lamp that can produce over 500 lumens of warm white light while remaining modest in size. The ultra-thin body can be extended to three feet, allowing it to stretch over most work surfaces.

Cobra Wall Lamp Sweden-by-way-of-California designer Greta Magnusson Grossman's iconic lighting is now available in a compact sconce version.

Australian designer Henry Wilson's "Things Revisited" collection put his credo of "making existing things better" into practice. Here, an Anglepoise task lamp gets an updated look with a ceramic shade and LED bulb.

Davor and August check out the yard from the living room. “The bifold Vistalite doors allow us to open the house up completely and enjoy the fresh, warm air,” Davor says.

Istanbul-based design duo Seyhan Özdemir and Sefer Çağlar of Autoban took a page from Warren Platner's book for this chic gold-plated steel lamp. Read more about Autoban’s Tulip Lamp here.

Burks, whose work on "Man Made" has taken him to developing countries and design capitals, discussed his devotion to artisan craftsmanship. With The Traveler chairs, he says, "There's a legibility, a sense that these have been made by someone." And right now, that process—the work and effort that go into the making of his designs—excites Burks more than anything else. Stephen Burks Man Made collection

Tolomeo Micro Table Lamp, $238 at the Dwell Store through December 1, 2015 Designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, the Tolomeo family of table and task lamps adds brilliant lighting to your desk or reading area. The Tolomeo Micro Table Lamp is defined by its fully adjustable body, which enables you to set the lamp to different heights, depending on your lighting needs. The lamp also features a rotating shade, making it easy to redirect light as needed. Regular price: $280

Sleek and streamlined, THIN by designer Peter Bristol for Juniper is an innovative task light that generates the maximum amount of light while using minimal materials. The result is a powerful lamp that can produce over 500 lumens of warm white light while remaining modest in size. Shown here in waxed brass, this task light will add sophisticated function to a desktop.

Lightweight and powerful, the low-energy, high-output Channel series is the epitome of sleek modern styling. The floor lamp brings clean lines to any room and looks spectacular next to contemporary low-slung sofas and mid-century modern classics alike.

A dramatic black island is expertly balanced by a wall of white cabinetry and a refrigerator that blends perfectly. The kitchen’s black countertops were cut from Nero Assoluto granite. The sink and faucet are from Quebec-based company Rubi. Appliances are from Wolf.

The manufacturer advises to keep magnet-sensitive items like credit cards at least an inch away from the magnets. The lamps come with European plugs, but other voltages can be outfitted upon request.

The juxtaposition of black and white is perhaps the most notable detail of the home’s interiors. In the guest bathroom, black and white tiles provide visual interest.

With days getting shorter, the M Lamp from Juniper and designer David Irwin offers a bright, portable light source. Its design is inspired by original miners’ lamps, but has an undeniably modern feel.

Smart LED Desk Lamp by Satechi, $99 Set this lamp to one of four light settings, depending on your work mode. A bright, full-spectrum shine keeps you awake through all-nighters, and a warm yellow glow prepares you for bed. It comes with a USB port, and the LEDs have a 40,000-hour life expectancy.

Anglepoise’s Original 1227 was launched in 1934, and is considered the archetypal lamp from the British company. The newly launched Original 1227 Brass Collection of lamps takes the classic silhouette of the original and updates it with heritage-inspired colors, woven cables, and enduring brass details that make this lamp a new classic.

Designed by Japanese product designer Naoto Fukasawa, the Demetra Table Lamp offers focused, customizable light for your workspace. An adjustable arm allows you to position the light where you need it most, while the sleek painted aluminum exterior lends style to your desktop.

A streamlined multi-tasker, the D’E-Light Task Lamp is defined by its strong horizontal lines and an LED panel that gives off consistent light. The lamp features a charging dock for an iPhone, too.

Homeowner Simon Doonan stands next to the front door. "We have flamboyance, and we’re not inhibited about anything. [Architect] Gray Organschi gave [the house] that intellectual rigor needed to make it beautiful. We were well matched."

A side view of the house and of Salmela’s signature architectural feature: the “unchimney.” All windows are from Loewen.

The name of this item—Thin LED Task Lamp—says it all. Designed by Peter Bristol for Juniper, it packs a lot of light in a small package: it can produce over 500 lumens of warm, white light in an ultra-thin body that can extend to three feet, or alternatively, fold in half to a discreet rod.

Trapeze LED Task Lamp - Large - White Designed by Peter Stathis | Light & Contrast

"Roll and Plateau lamps by French design Ferréol Babin."

The Coupé 3321Floor Lamp is a distinctive light that can be used in a variety of interior spaces, from bedrooms to living rooms and home offices. The lamp features a semi-cylindrical reflector, comprised of stove-enameled metal.

Vila D’Acosta-Calheiros hung a space-saving wall shelf in the library. The table is by Eero Saarinen; the Tolomeo lamp is by Michele de Lucchi for Artemide. The red beanbag-like Sacco chair is by Zanotta, as is the Sciangai coatrack in the hall, beyond.

Since Copenhagen is generally cold, the house was painted black to trap warmth. The result was that in its first year, it consumed so little energy that the client received a generous refund from the heating company. “Many wooden houses in Scandinavia use this trick,” Larsen says. “On sunny days it even radiates warmth, so that in spring and autumn you can sit outside by the wall and in this way extend the outdoor season by a few weeks every year. These weeks are valuable in places with little light.”

The smooth, raven-hued island in this kitchen is made of oak with a thin stone countertop. A Foscarini Gregg Pendant hangs overhead.

In the master bedroom, a Droog Milk Bottle lamp hangs next to a Fluttua Bed designed by Daniele Lago. An artwork by Brooke Westlund hangs over a custom pet door for the client’s dog, Kona.

A black side table rests outside the bedroom hallway.

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

A wall of built-ins in the kitchen houses a raft of Miele appliances including a refrigerator, microwave, and espresso machine.

"The cedar siding is simply stained with a black semi-transparent oil stain [from Cabot], which allows the color of the wood to still emerge through,” architect Robert Hutchison says. “We love how the black color makes the building recede into the background, and how it in turn allows the trees on the site to emerge as the highlight.”

The resident, a Tokyo transplant, commissioned architect Tadashi Murai to create a fully-equipped structure that comes with its own power, heating and cooling, water, and waste-disposal systems.

A departure from the mod-meets-baroque dining room, Turin’s breakfast area is far more sedate. She and her daughter, Helena, have a chat at a Progetto 1 table by Monica Armani for B&B Italia surrounded by four Lia chairs by Roberto Barbieri for Zanotta. The painting behind Helena is by Ricci Albenda.