Glass Lamps That Don't
Upstage a Room's Decor

To give her robin's-egg-blue bedroom a little extra zest, Betsy Thompson recently made a pretty innocuous design choice: investing in two $300 lamps -- in clear glass.

"I love the fact that they show color in a room," says Ms. Thompson, of Duxbury, Mass. "You can literally see right through them."

Clear, design-neutral and borderline-invisible lamps with glass bases are the latest, if least noticeable, fashion accessory for the home. Retailers and decorators like the look because it matches almost any décor theme, from eclectic to traditional. And as they promote the lamps, consumers are buying.

Manufacturer Simon Pearce in Windsor, Vt., says its sales of clear glass lamps jumped 27% this year, thanks largely to a $450 model that has three globes stacked on top of each other as the base. In Los Angeles, the shop Plantation now stocks more than 10 clear or glass lamps, double the number from last year, with the most expensive table lamp, a fluted glass model, carrying a $550 price tag. Chains like Williams-Sonoma Home are going see-through, too: The company introduced its first crystal lamp in 2004, and now offers seven different glass and crystal shapes, with more on the way.

Makers and retailers have taken to the lamps in part because they can cost less to produce than lamps made from more traditional materials, such as porcelain or brass. In comparison, the glass models can seem like a bargain. Clear glass lamps made in China usually sell here for between $80 and $130, while a comparable porcelain lamp might cost about $160 to $250; brass ones can go for $300 and up. Hand-blown glass models tend to be pricier, however, running from $450 to about $700.

While the see-through quality makes the lamps easy to blend with all decors, it also presents a few problems. Neatniks may not like the look of lamps where the electrical components that make the lamps light up are visible, like certain models from Robert Abbey. (Lee Blessum, a design executive with the firm, says, "It's a matter of personal taste.") To avoid that problem, firms like Simon Pearce and Barbara Cosgrove, a designer in North Kansas City, Mo., feed the wires out of the top of the lamp's base.

Another issue: extra housework. Beverly Anderson's interior designer, Bari Lynn, recently helped her pick out four glass lamps -- an amber pair for her bedroom, and a plain glass pair for her living room. Ms. Anderson says she loves the way the lamps stand out against the deep chocolate and taupe-grey colors of her apartment. But "because they're clear you do see speckles," says Ms. Anderson. So when it comes to dusting, "you have to be a bit more diligent."

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