My light switches look so dull now that I've looked at the more than 70 cool switch plate designs from A La Mode. They have everything from silly sarcastic designs to kooky patterns--composed of sock monkeys or sushi--and pretty floral and brocade patterns. For an extra couple bucks you can even get your name or initial on the plate, which is nice for kids (or super possessive adults).

From $10 to $14 each, A La Mode

Looky, it's like your very own blue-light special. It's a night light that charges itself during the day on sunlight and the glow of your incandescent bulbs. I like the way it's designed to look like a lightbulb encased in a cube of glass. It would look cool on the nightstand.

$48.00, Chiasso

These hanging lanterns give your porch or deck or balcony a little romance. I like how easy they are to set up too. You just pop in a votive, and hang it from a hook or a nail. They come in two sizes, one with a five-inch-wide base and one with an eight-inch-wide base. Besides the color seen here, you can also buy them in turquoise or white.

$38.00 and $58.00 each, Anthropologie

I can has giant ice cream cone? Seriously, if I actually owned this two foot tall ice cream cone lamp, I think I would just be craving ice cream constantly. It would be like that summer where the ice cream man parked outside of my apartment all day long. But I still covet this thing. It's so wonderfully bizarre, and maybe this is because it's "soft" serve, but it even gives off a nice soft glow.

$48.00, Fred Flare

Hey, it's Flower from Bambi! Or maybe it's Pepé Le Pew. Or some other lovable skunk. No matter who it is, the point is that ceramic skunks make pretty awesome lamps. If you're looking for a cool shade to go with it, I like this one and this one and this one.

$24.00, Urban Outfitters

Somehow it's been 17 years since Beauty and the Beast came out in movie theaters, and yet when I look at this, the song "Be Our Guest" starts playing in my brain. Despite all that, I really like this white carved candelabra. It would look elegant on a dining room table or really just about anywhere you want a mod Victorian look.

$69.00, Brocade Home

If the lights go out, this candlestick holder has all of your bases covered. It's also a nifty flashlight. (The LED bulb is underneath the base.) Plus, it's pretty handy if you need to take out Colonel Mustard in the Conservatory.

$40.00, Velocity Art and Design

These tea light candle holders are so cool looking. I like how the glass in the middle forms a kind of decorative candlestick. I think two of them would look great on a dining room table.

$9.95 each, Crate & Barrel

These shiny, curvy stainless steel table torches, which come in either an 11-inch-tall or 14-inch-tall variety, use lamp oil to give your dining table or patio table a warm glow. I like the way the two different sizes look as a pair.

$58.00 and $68.00 each, Chiasso

Proceeds from this limited edition candle produced by Fred Segal Studio go to breast cancer research. The candle, which comes in a pretty box, combines subtle tropical scents of sugar cane, lychee, mango, vanilla, lemon, and papaya. (For some reason I suddenly want to buy a ticket to San Juan.)

$35.00, Intermix