Styling your space with the proper lighting is essential – the right fixture adds to your aesthetic while creating a relaxing atmosphere or helping you focus on a task. There are many lamp types to choose from; this guide is designed to help you narrow your search and discov60-64 Inches Floor Lampser your perfect lamp.

How to Choose a Lamp

Before jumping into styles and designs, it's important to decide the type of lamp you need for your space. Whether you're highlighting a surface space with a table or desk lamp, or you're adding light with a floor lamp, keep reading below for the various types of table, desk, and floor lamps.

Table & Desk Lamp Types

Table and desk lamps provide accent or task lighting wherever you place them: On a nightstand, end table, console, or desk. Choose from the styles below based on the type that best fits your room and lighting needs.

Bedside/Standard: Bedside or standard lights are primarily used for adding to your interior design style but also provide ambient lighting. Use a standard table lamp on your nightstand, console table, or end table and choose a material and shape based on your aesthetic. Choose a bedside or standard lamp with a dimmer switch for added versatility.

Desk: Desk lamps are designed to create task lighting at your home office desk. These lamps provide focused and direct lighting and typically have adjustable arms, necks, or tilting shades so that you can reposition the light around your work area. Create the perfect office lighting with our guide 5 Tips to Help You Create Ideal Home Office Lighting.

Arched: Arched table lamps have an arc-shaped neck that makes for great task lighting at a desk. This fixture isn’t adjustable, but its wide shade shape provides an even spread of light to cover your desktop.

Buffet: A buffet table lamp is taller and thinner than a standard table lamp, standing at 32" – 36" high. This lamp style is ideal for credenzas, end tables, and entryway consoles. When you’re pairing a buffet lamp with your table, make sure that the buffet lamp isn’t so tall that you can see the bulb from underneath the shade.

Floor Lamp Types

Choosing the right lamp type for your space is all about considering functionality before style. Floor lamps are great for casting a wide glow over a sofa or armchair. – They’re also great for lighting up the spaces between sofas or open corners. Discover all of your floor lamp design choices below and add a touch of style to any room.

Standard: This is your classic floor lamp – it has a straight pole that extends from a single base and works best as accent lighting in spaces like your living room or bedroom.

Task/Reading: These floor lamp types are designed to provide task lighting to help you get work done. Place these by your desk to add light to your workspace, or place one by a lounge chair to illuminate the book you’re currently reading.

Arched: This style has an arched silhouette that extends over a sofa or armchair to provide extra task lighting.

Tripod: A tripod lamp is a floor lamp style with three legs that extend at the base for a more modern look. This style works best in larger spaces – in a smaller space this fixture may overwhelm the room.

Unique: A unique floor lamp is any fixture that has a statement silhouette – this could be a base that stands at an interesting angle or it can be a unique shade shape or bulb design.

Tree: Tree floor lamps have multiple shades branching off of the base to provide optimal lighting in a room. This fixture is great at providing more light in smaller spaces.

Swing Arm: Swing arms make for the ultimate task lighting. This lamp has a hinge feature and can be adjusted to cast light up or down.

Tray Table: A multitasking lamp, this style comes with a tray table at the center of the stand to provide a small space for your phone or a glass of wine.

Torchiere: This floor lamp design has a U-shaped shade to create light that flows upward and outward, like a torch. Place this lamp in a space you want to add soft, warm lighting.

Floor & Table Lamp Features

Once you've determined the type of lamp that's right for your space, consider a couple of extra features outlined below.

Dimmable: Choosing a lamp that’s dimmable will allow you to create ambient or task lighting with the click of a button. Turn up the light if you are reading a book or getting work done on your laptop or create ambient lighting in the evening by dimming the light.

Height Adjustable: Lamp designs with a height-adjustable feature are great for customizing the light to suit your seating areas. Adjust your floor lamp to your sofa, accent chair, or chaise lounge so that the bottom of the shade reaches eye level to create comfortable reading light.

Built-In USB Port: For those in need of extra charging ports due to limited outlet space, a floor lamp with a built-in USB port is your answer. Use this extra port to charge your phone or hook up a smart device.

How to Choose a Lamp Height

When choosing the right lamp for your space, it’s important to keep in mind the size of your table, and to consider your space and seating. Keep reading below for a few tips to keep in mind while narrowing down your search.

Table & Desk Lamps

As you pick out your table lamp make sure you’ve got the measurements of the table it will be placed on. Your lamp shouldn't be taller than 1.5x the height of the table and the diameter of the shade shouldn’t be greater than the length of the table’s surface. You want your lamp to look like it fits comfortably and won't tower over the sides of the table. Below are a couple of typical placements for table and desk lamps and the right height to choose.

Sofa Side: The ideal height for a lamp placed sofa-side is on the taller side, between 22" and 34". The bottom of the shade should match your eye line when sitting down.

Bedside: The ideal height for a lamp placed bedside is a medium sized lamp with a height of 22" – 27". The bottom of the shade should meet your chin when sitting up in bed.

Deskside: The ideal height for a deskside lamp is a bit smaller and between 12" and 30". Since task lighting directs light downward, there shouldn’t be any issue with light getting in your direct line of vision.

Floor Lamps

Floor lamps range anywhere from under 50" to over 70" with the most common height coming in between 60" and 64". To determine what height works best for you the bottom of the lampshade should be at your eye level while seated. If you are placing multiple floor lamps in the same room, make sure they are all the same height to keep your light even throughout the room. If your floor lamp is arched or adjustable to serve as a task light it’s okay if it’s taller than eye level since the light is directed downward and won’t overwhelm your eyesight.

To shop floor lamps by height on-site go to the side bar and under Lamp Height you can select the ideal height for the room.

How to Choose a Lamp Base Material

Choose your lamp’s base material off of the aesthetic of your space. A few of the most popular types of lamp bases are metal, ceramic, resin, concrete, and stone. For more info on each material and what style they work best with keep reading below.

Metal: A metal table or floor lamp looks sleek and fits in seamlessly with most interior design aesthetics. For a modern touch opt for matte black metal. A bronze or brass lamp highlights rustic and traditional styles. A silver lamp adds sheen to any room, and particularly highlights a monochromatic palette.

Ceramic: Ceramic table lamps add texture and contemporary style to a room. These lamps are great for bringing together a transitional space as ceramic lamps usually include elements of metal or glass in their design.

Resin: A resin table looks polished and chic, making for a great addition in glam, rustic, and modern spaces. You can choose resin finishes that are smooth and glossy, porous and crisp, or lightly weathered and worn in – the versatility of this material lends to its popularity and many design options.

Concrete: Concrete adds a clean and simple finish to a lamp and can be found in many contemporary and neutral-leaning spaces. Add a matte black finished concrete table lamp into a glam space or give your rustic home texture with a concrete lamp base that has an etched pattern. This material is the perfect understated addition to a minimalist aesthetic.

Stone: A material like stone adds a touch of softness with both color and texture. It's ideal for creating a modern or luxe feeling in your home. Choose a stone lamp to complete any aesthetic: Contemporary, rustic, traditional, or glam.

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