Finials Make a Comeback

By Babs Rodriguez

Think of them as stylized exclamation marks best used to punctuate a room's style statement.

There was an era when lamp finials were considered an irreplaceable final touch, the cherry on the decor cake. But in recent years they have been overlooked, even by the most exacting of stylists. That is until West Coast designer Hillary Thomas brought them back with brash, whimsical and gorgeous collections that celebrate natural beauty, artisanship and global flair. Thomas describes her Finial Touch collections as jewelry for lamps, each intended to transform any transitional, traditional or contemporary lamp into a signature piece.

Long a finial aficionado, Fort Worth's Melinda Alexander, owner of The House of Tuscany, indulges her artistic passion for creative recycling by repurposing the finest bits and bobs -- fragments of gilded antiques, vintage netsuke, jewelry fragments -- into unique finials that are true conversation starters. She can even create customized finials from something stashed in your treasure trove.

From Swarovski crystals and gemstones to geometric acrylics and carved ivory, delightfully detailed finials are back, both as collectible art pieces and the last word on your lamp style. Many are one-of-a-kind -- natural materials will have slight variations in shape and size -- or from small-batch collections, so when you see something you like, don't hesitate. And remember, any finial that is head-over-heels beautiful can easily be converted for use as a fan chain pull.

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