Alabaster- A popular material used to craft shades for sconces, flush mounts and other light fixtures, Alabaster is a form of granular gypsum. While the best alabaster is white, it can also come in pink and yellow and may exhibit dark whirls of color. Because of its softer texture, it can be carved easily, but must also be handled carefully.

Chandelier-A ceiling fixture that gives off ambient light, chandeliers are ideally suited for dining rooms, stairwells and foyers. Chandeliers range from one tier to multiple tiers, come in cage and pendant varieties, and are offered in a wide assortment of materials and colors. Using dimmers in conjunction with your chandeliers gives you the ability to change moods and the look of your rooms in seconds. GREENCulture offers a beautiful selection of compact fluorescent and halogen chandeliers, as well as fixtures crafted from recyclable or recycled materials here.

Crystal-Fine glass cut to create dazzling prismatic effects in chandeliers or other light fixtures. Crystal comes in several varieties, including Strass, Swarovski, Egyption, Turkish, Italian, Chinese, and Rock.

Desk Lamp-These lamps are specially designed to provide ample light for you to read, write and work by at your desk. Because they are task lights, desk lamps cannot be expected to create sufficient light for an entire office or room, but instead supplements your ambient light source. They are usually sized to take up minimal space on a desk and come in a variety of styles and colors, including lamps that simply clamp onto the side of your desk or have an adjustable arm. GREENCulture carries a nice selection of these task lamps here.

Finial- The cap that anchors a shade to the harp of the lamp. Finials can come in whimsical or extravagant styles, while others are simply fashioned.

Floor Lamp-These versatile lamps sit on the ground and are usually between 50" to 72" tall. Floor lamps come in many styles, including some with telescoping bases and others with swing arms or more than one light source. You can use a floor lamp as a general lighting fixture, as a task lamp when placed near a reading chair or table, or as accent lighting for a dark corner. Find the right floor lamp for your lighting needs here.

Flush Mount- As the name implies, flush mounts are ceiling fixtures that sit flush against a ceiling. An alternative to chandeliers and recessed lights, flush mounts look great in foyers, hallways, bedrooms, living rooms and dens. Take a peek at GREENCulture's selection of flush mounts for decorating inspiration!

Mini Pendant-A miniature version of the standard pendant.

Path Lights-Fixtures used to highlight pathways, stairs and driveways for both decorative and safety purposes.

Pendant-Pendants can be categorized as task or general lighting, and are often amazingly beautiful glass and metal works of art suspended by a single cable or cord. The convenience of pendant lights revolves around their flexibility. Pendants look great suspended over bars, buffets, kitchen islands, reading corners, foyers and breakfast nooks. Many can be purchased singly so that you can decide whether you'd like a focused task light or broader illumination created by several pendants. Halogen pendants flood the market today and are a good way to cut back on electric plant emissions that contribute to the greenhouse effect. Find GREENCulture's selection of stunning pendants here.

Pendant Chandelier-A fixture composed of several attached pendants, usually by a track or cable, for use over a kitchen island or other living space.

Seeded Glass-Commonly used in light fixture shades, seeded glass gets texture through air bubbles trapped within the glass.

Semi-Flush Mount-These fixtures are similar to flush mounts, but hang down a bit farther, allowing light to reflect off the ceiling and back into the room for more ambient light. Semi-flush mounts look great in foyers, hallways, bedrooms, living rooms and dens, and you can find a wide variety of ecologically sound choices here.

Table Lamp-Like floor lamps, table lamps deliver as general, accent and task lights. Table lamps come with many styles of shades and materials, and more and more are fluorescent and halogen bulb compatible. If you plan to use your table lamps as ambient light sources, look for shades in lighter colors and materials that have wide openings on the top to let light flow upward and out. For light to do tasks by, like reading or writing, shades should be wide at the bottom with a white lining inside. When positioning a table lamp for either task or ambient light, you should never be able to see the bulb in a normal sitting position or you may achieve glare when you look up or around. To access a wide variety of eco-friendly table lamps, click here.

Track Lighting-Track lighting is a versatile tool in lighting design. Depending on position and style, these fixtures can be used as a general, task or accent light. Track lighting is composed of a track installed on a ceiling, from which individual fixtures are clipped along the system. Many track lights allow you to add more or less track or fixtures according to your present lighting needs. Once hung, these fixtures can be swiveled on the track. You can use them to highlight a sculpture or wall painting or striking architectural feature, or use them to create a theatric light pattern on the walls. You can strategically bounce light off the walls and use the resulting indirect light for a soft glow. Because track lights use reflector bulbs, you can buy bulbs that work as floodlights and others that focus tighter beams of light. Halogen and compact fluorescent compatible units are available along with standard incandescent varieties.

Torchiere-A torchiere is similar to a floor lamp, but light is directed up toward the ceiling so that it can bounce back down and out to create an even ambient light throughout a room. Optimize your torchiere's brightness with light colored walls and your energy costs by selecting a halogen or fluorescent model with a dimmer or high-low switch. Find one that's right for you at GREENCulture's lighting site.

Vanity Fixtures-Vanity lights are wall fixtures intended for use in the bathroom. They range widely in size and style, but most vanity lights are composed of 3 or more lamps in a row. View GREENCulture's selection of vanity fixtures here.

Wall Sconce-This fixture is mounted to a wall, usually by a backplate, and is used as a source of general, accent or task lighting. When linked to dimmers, they can be used to supplement the light to your ambient light fixture. Sconces typically look best at eye level, but make sure they're positioned so that you don't get the glare of a bulb peeking over or under the rim of a shade and right into your eyes. GREENCulture offers many sconces that are part of a collection which also includes matching ceiling fixtures and lamps. Browse for your favorite style here.

Water Glass- Glass passed through rollers to capture a wavy, blurry look.