Aladdin Lamps - Fill A Room With Elegant And Peaceful Lighting (11)

Aladdin Lamps - Fill A Room With Elegant And Peaceful Lighting When you hear the term "Aladdin Lamp", your mind probably goes directly to genies and wishes. This is certainly not something you would consider decorating with, or is it? Aladdin Lamps are much more common than one might think. It may even be that you have one or two in your own home, but just never knew the actual name for them. Once you know what an Aladdin Lamp is, you may find yourself coming up with all kinds of ideas of how to incorporate them into your home dĂŠcor.

The lamps are so named for--you guessed it--the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp. In the early 1900's, the lamp's inventor developed an alternative to the yellow, flickery light of a coal lantern. With a special material called a mantle, they give off a steady white glow with no smoke or residual odor.

Their utility caught on almost immediately, and their fixture in American decorating was not long to follow. Today, you can find them, the original kerosene burning variety or an updated electric version, in many different types of decorating themes.

Though they vary vastly in material, size, shape and color, the overall design of an Aladdin Lamp is fairly recognizable if you know what you are looking for. Most of them look nothing like the lamp from the movie Aladdin or pictures you may have seen. As a matter of fact, to use another Hollywood reference, many of them resemble Jeanie's Bottle more than Aladdin's Lamp! Most will have a base made of metal or glass that is shaped like a cylinder with an opening at the top to allow for lighting and for heat to escape. What goes on top can make an Aladdin Lamp very simple or extravagant.

Some are surrounded in an opaque glass globe with decorative designs on the outside. Others have tops that are more like traditional lamp shades you may be more familiar with.

Some of the most obvious placement for Aladdin Lamps is incorporated into Moroccan style decorating. Large pillows on the floor, in vibrant reds and orange colors accented by the unique design and gentle white glow given off by an Aladdin Lamp can make a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Another perk to this type of lighting is the ability to control the level of brightness the lamp gives off. All kerosene burning lamps are adjustable to control the amount of air that gets to the mantle, which will increase or decrease the level of light produced. However, many electric styled lamps are fitted with this same ability, think dimmer-switch, but inside a lamp.

Aladdin Lamps play a very large part in decorating when it comes to more Victorian style designs. For example, imagine a bedroom with an antique armoire, a matching dresser and porcelain dolls perched on top of a lace comforter that adorns a four poster bed. Matching lamps on either side of the bed complete the old-world feel of the room. It doesn't matter if they were made yesterday; these lamps have an antique look and feel that cannot be ignored. They can also be nice for a baby's nursery, and can be found with pink, blue or other pastels to go with the dĂŠcor. Aladdin Lamps may not be the most contemporary design, but that is a good thing if what you are looking for is traditional, elegant and peaceful lighting to fill the room with comfort and warmth.

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