Light the way to easier reading

In ancient Greece, the philosopher Diogenes got a lamp and set about trying to find an honest man.

Our job is a lot easier: We just need to find a reading lamp. Something that will brighten the halls during gloomy days, or illuminate a good book as we settle in after a long winter’s nap.

Now, all you may know about candelabra is that Col. Mustard used one on Miss Scarlet’s head in the conservatory. Or your lamps may be leftovers from leaner days, or a mismatched collection of several designs.

Help is near, and solutions can be reasonably priced.

At IKEA you’ll find a number of lamps that won’t break the bank.

There’s the Dunker, for example. One is nice, but put three together and you have a lamp/room divider. Two feet wide by 4 feet tall, and only $32.99 each.

And then there’s the Storm. Four feet tall by 13 inches wide, it closely resembles a milk bottle and is just the thing for casting a warm glow in a dim corner. And it’s only $24.99.

Finally there’s the Duno. The name certainly fits — who knows what it is supposed to look like — but it’s a handy height at 65 inches, and it gives a soft mood light. A little pricier, by IKEA standards, at $44.99.

Perhaps, though, in these patriotic times, you’re looking for something more practical and more … American.

Meet the Crate & Barrel Gum Drop table lamp.

It features “transitional styling.� Since seemingly everyone in Los Angeles is in transition, it’s a natural. With a base of handblown glass, it comes in three colors — merlot, cocoa and moss — and is currently reduced to $69.95 from its regular price of $89.95.

For practicality and style in a floor lamp, it’s hard to beat Pottery Barn’s Cortland swing-arm lamp. The telescoping base adjusts the height from 40 inches to 58 inches.It’s $150, plus $59 for the shade. Another swing arm model, the Cortland pharmacy table lamp, priced at $139, adjusts to throw just the right amount of light on your page.

Moving up in price, Murano Imports features Italian designs. The Liza Terra floor lamp is a minimalist offering that seemingly was inspired by the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Four stainless steel rods anchored to the base can be tilted or rotated, but somehow the light stays parallel to the floor. It’s $489.95. See https://www.MuranoImports.com .

Closer to home, the W. Kohler Lamp & Shade Co in Alamogordo, N.M., makes a variety of lamps from mesquite and copper. Each lamp features a handcrafted mesquite base and copper shade in a variety of styles. Prices start at about $200. Check out https://www.wkohlerlampco.com .

Not sure what style you’re looking for? Both https://www.lightinguniverse.com and https://www.lightingforthehome.com give you numerous options at a variety of prices.

Finally, though, for those seeking a true break from the traditional, there’s Magic Mushroom Lamp & Waterfall Co.

In need of a “Lord of the Rings� fix? This Sutherlin, Ore., company offers handcrafted lamps with built-in waterfalls. Even if you don’t need a lamp, the website alone — https://www.magicmushroomlamps.com — is worth a visit.

The most elaborate of the company’s offerings is the “limited edition free standing mushroom lamp.� It’s 5 feet tall, features “steps leading to a door where imaginary munchkins live,� and comes with your choice of shade colors — white, blue, green or lilac.

It’s also $950, and apparently this year’s entire production run of 500 is sold. But heck, there’s always next year — your imaginary munchkins will still need a home in 2005.