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Think choosing the right lamp for your space is just about the style? Think again. Too often we see people choosing lamps solely on appearance, but not taking into consideration some major design principles and practices that actually make them look good in your space. There’s a science to choosing the right shape, finish, shade, and size. With our own expert knowledge about lighting and a few tips from the pros, we have all the tools you need to choose the right lamp for your bedroom, living room, dining room, or office.
What’s the purpose?
Lamps are a piece of décor in your space, adding color, pattern, and shape, but their main purpose is obviously to provide extra light in your space. Overhead lighting is a start for any room, but not incorporating other lighting elements can leave a room looking flat. A truly great design utilizes layers of light to create dimension, ambiance, and aid in tasks like cooking or reading, and lamps can accomplish all of that.
Let’s start with function—namely task lighting. Most commonly, we see this in the form of desk lamps, bedside tables, or arching floor lamps. These are lamps that help your work flow or make it easier to read your book or knit a hat without straining your eyes. Desk lamps and arching floor lamps in particular are more functional because they are directional. The shades are designed to point the light in a more focused way, instead of a general, diffused light. These lamps can still have style, but simply serve a more specific purpose as a form of task lighting.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Rodrock Homes
Next, let’s talk about dimension. Lamps are often added to a space because a common area or corner of the room is too dark. By introducing a table, buffet, or floor lamp, you can introduce pockets of light that allow the room to look more balanced. From a more technical point of view, think about how the light fills your space. As overhead lighting beams down, the spread of light gets wider and the amount of light output lessens. A little extra light from a lower height in your space increases the lighting level where you’re living, making it more comfortable to see and move around the room. It also makes the room look better by making designated areas of the room “pop.”
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Design Consultant Faith Ashley
Finally, we have to talk about how lighting helps set the mood. Think about spaces like a romantic restaurant, a home theater, or a bar. To create the right setting, they turn off the overhead lights and sprinkle in soft, sometimes colorful, lighting to create a particular feeling when you enter the room. Lamps give you the option to turn off the ambient overhead lights and create something softer and more relaxing.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Design Consultant Faith Ashley
Furniture Rules
Now that you know what the function of your lamp is, we need to know what kind you need, and that often depends on the furniture. For example, console tables and dining room chests are typically topped with buffet or candlestick lamps. Their height balances with the large size of the furniture without looking too bulky.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Cliffside Industries with Design Consultant Faith Ashley
For side tables and bedside chests, the rule of thumb is that your lamp base should never be more than half your table width. At that point, your shade will probably be as wide as your furniture and the whole setup will look disproportionate.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Rodrock Homes
If you use smaller tables in your room, or prefer to fill your tables with décor, a floor lamp may be the way to go. They easily tuck into free corners and save your table space.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Rodrock Homes
Create Contrast
If you know the size of lamp you need, now you can look at style. Typically, you’ll want the design of your lamp to contrast with the piece of furniture it’s on. This will help to create a balanced appearance. Think of it like putting on makeup. You don’t want a statement lip and heavy eye makeup, or it looks overwhelming. You choose one or the other so there is a focal point. So how does this concept apply to lamps?
If you have a table that has a light, delicate design, it can handle a lamp that’s more solid and substantial. A thin lamp on a similar table can start to look wiry.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Willis Custom Homes and Janet Alholm
In contrast, you might stick an open framed lamp on a heavier, solid table. This gives a natural weight to the vignette, with the bulkiest element at the bottom moving up to a lighter top (think pyramid).
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Groover Interior Design and Evan Talan Homes
You can also create contrast with color. Pair a bright colored table with a neutral, glass, acrylic or crystal lamp, and vice versa. Or you can pair dark and light, simple and detailed, etc.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Lori Manning with Tundra Homes
There are some exceptions to this rule, of course. Sometimes you need elements of scale or color to match to create a cohesive design. For example, an exceptionally large chest would look silly with tiny lamps on it, so large lamps would be the way to go. With color, you can bring out accenting colors in either piece, but almost always want a dominant color in one or the other that’s different. See how CJ Knapp of Yours by Design paired large accessories with a chest, which could work just as well with lamps:
Choosing a Finish
Lamps come in far more colors than gold, silver, and bronze. With materials like ceramic and art glass, lamps are a great opportunity to incorporate color and texture in to your design—they can truly be a work of art. Just like any other décor in your space, you want to consider what your space needs.
Would you like more color, a smoother texture, something light and airy, or maybe a chance to mix metals? You can play off the color palette and style of your room or add something unexpected. But again, you likely want some kind of contrast. If you have your lamp on a gold metal table, your lamp could have accents of gold in it, but you don’t want an all gold lamp. Find a way to break things up with color, texture, or shape.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Willis Custom Homes with Janet Alholm
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Design Consultant Faith Ashley
The Right Shade
Just like a tailored suit, there is a method to finding the right size shade for your lamp. You might be thinking, “But wait, don’t most lamps come with the shade?” And you’d be right. But what if you don’t like that shade or you want to mix things up a little for a new style? Or maybe one of your kids stuck their hands in paint and gave your shade a makeover. Whatever the case, it’s good to know how to properly fit a new shade to your lamp should you ever need one.
Ideally, your shade should be just less than half the height of your lamp (about 40% the height), and about twice the width. A shade that’s too small not only looks out of proportion, but can sometimes melt or burn with the heat of incandescent bulbs. A shade that’s too large will make your lamp look like it was designed in front of a funhouse mirror.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Cecil and Ray Homes with Janet Alholm
There’s also some hardware to consider when fitting your lamp. You know that metal piece shaped like and upside down U that connects your shade to the base? It’s called a harp. And when you choose a new shade, sometimes the existing harp will be too tall or short, making your lamp look a little awkward. Our shade expert Tanya has a quick tip to help you ensure your shade is just the right fit:
Size & Scale
Throughout this blog, we’ve covered several ways that the sizing of your lamp is important to create a balanced design. From how it fits on your furniture to the size of the shade, scale and proportion are essential if you want your lamp to look like a natural part of your design. The note we want to make about the size of your lamp is to not be afraid of choosing a large or tall lamp.
What we see sometimes is that people are intimidated by lamps that are too big, thinking it will look overwhelming in their space, and end up choosing a lamp that is too small. But in a large room, you have some space to increase the size. You’d be surprised at how professional a space can look when you’re not afraid to play with scale. While it may not be ideal for every space, don’t be afraid to let your lamps be a statement in your design.
Photo by Wilson Lighting - Browse entryway photos
Shopping In Store
Once you’re ready to get your new lamp, we invite you into one of our showrooms for the best and latest styles. We have a unique selection of designer quality that you can take home the same day, as well as additional shade options, spare bulbs, and even lamp repair for the lamps you already love.
Quick tip: If you’re shopping for a new shade, always bring in your lamp, whether it’s a table or floor lamp. Proper sizing is key, and having the lamp in your hand makes selection a lot easier.
Shopping Online
If you’re confident with the sizing and style that you need for your lamp, you can stay in the comfort of your home and shop for it online. Narrow your search to what you need and pick the perfect piece with just a few clicks. Here are a few of our favorite selections to get you started:
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