Lighting, a core essential of good design, offers near endless possibilities for enhancing your home. What better way to light a room than incorporating lamps? Although, many of us are baffled when trying to figure out how to use lamps (and lighting in general) to their best advantage.
Perhaps, this is because those who aren’t professional designers don’t realize the variety of lamp types and how they can be placed. This article seeks to share all the possibilities lamps offer by highlighting the five different lamp types and the perfect spots to put them in your home.
Table Lamps
Table lamps are small lamps designed to stand on a table, as the name suggests. While some are designed for particular purposes, table lamps are primarily to provide illumination. Of all lighting types, table lamps are the most versatile as they can be used for different lighting purposes, from task lighting to decorative lighting.
Where To Place Table Lamps
- Living Room: The inward radiant light a table lamp shines into a living room is entirely magical. Add a super warm glow to your living area with an eye-catching table lamp. You can place it on your center table or a contemporary side table. Your guests will love it!
- Bedroom: I bet you expected this. A bedroom is the most commonplace for table lamps. You can place a pair of table lamps on the nightstand, and your room will glow adequately.
Want to take it to another level? Arrange the pair of lighting side-by-side on a low dresser. The extra light does more than serve as accessories – you will no longer have to struggle with losing items.
- Dining Room: While pendant lighting, chandeliers, and other ceiling fixtures are standard in dining areas, a table lamp gives it a unique kind of lighting. There is a certain cafe aura; a table lamp offers a dining room. Place a tall sculptural lamp painted in a contemporary color on your table and watch the angels dine with you.
- Fireplace: Have a dark, unused fireplace? Small accent table lamps serve as an elegant option for lighting a fireplace. The illuminating glow a matching pair of table lamps give this area is nothing short of beautiful.
- Bathroom: Yes, you can place a table lamp in a place as unexpected as a bathroom. Doesn’t every part of your home deserve a touch of fancy elegance?
Floor Lamps
Floor lamps are tall, self-supporting lamps with a floor base. They usually come with a pole holding light fixtures at the top or close to it. Besides the illumination they add to space, well-designed floor lamps can take a room from regular to extraordinary. You can also use a portable ball light instead of a floor lamp in some cases. The function of the ball light is similar to a floor lamp. This light can give you the feel of indoor ambient lighting too.
If you’re one for minimalism, floor lamps lend themselves to these spaces. They have a lot to benefit from a floor lamp, but it is vital to place it properly. You don’t want you or your guests tripping over it and sustaining an injury.
Where To Place Floor Lamps
- Living Room: This is where most floor lamps are typically found. You can place a tree lamp in a central location so that different lights will be directed to specific spots in your living room. Alternatively, you can use it between two chairs to create a warm area for conversations. If you want to make a focal point of an art piece, a floor lamp underneath will superbly do the job.
- Bedroom: Floor lamps can be a welcome artistic addition to your bedroom, especially if it’s in the contemporary style. If you like your room to retain a kind of natural light look at night, put a floor lamp beside a window. It will give off the illusion of natural lighting.
- Office: Some floor lamps – specifically, task lamps – are designed so that light can be directed to one area, like a desk or reading chair. All you have to do is tuck it into a corner around your chair and pull the lighting wing over your desk or chair. You can also place arching floor lamps on the floor around your workspace to create a focused light.
Desk Lamps
A desk lamp is a highly functional addition to your workspace or office in a dim lighting condition or during late-night works. A combo lamp gives you both worlds with two light options – one for the day and one at night. This lighting will help you with your paper study or computer work when placed in the right spots.
Where To Place Desk Lamps
- Reading Space: As a general rule of thumb, place a desk lamp 15 inches above the table surface. Whether a led task light or spring light, giving a lamp a few inches of space from your work surface will help it spread light evenly across your book or document.
- Computer Desk: When you place a lamp on your computer desk, you have to position it to illuminate the desk and the keyboard without reflecting on your computer screen.
You also have to make sure that shadows from your hands don’t hover over your work. So, if you’re left-handed, you should place a desk lamp on the right side of your desk. Place it to the left if you’re right-handed.
Torchieres
Torchieres are used for general and accent lighting. They take up very little space yet provide a considerable amount of illumination. With torchieres, you can take advantage of its uplight design, ideal for softly illuminating your room.
Where To Place Torchieres
- Bedroom: Torchieres work perfectly as bedside lamps. Place a pair on the floor beside your bed or in one corner of the room. With its attractive low-key lighting, you can peacefully sleep at night.
- Reading Area: There are some torchiere designs with secondary lights that you can turn downwards. But whether you purchase that or not, you can place torchieres on your reading table. The general light they provide is enough and safe for your eyes while reading.
Arc Lamps
An arc lamp, like its name suggests, is a lamp defined by a curved frame. It usually comes with a base that holds it firmly on the ground, and a light source is over the curved fixture such that the bottom doesn’t disrupt the lighting. Thus, arc lamps are minimalist lighting options that highlight an item’s surface without necessarily setting it over it.
Where To Place Arc Lamps
- Sitting Room: In a case where you need to illuminate a table or sofa in your living area, but you want to deviate from the cliche of hanging lights, an arc lamp is an excellent go-to. Put one on the floor beside the furniture you want to highlight, and you’re good to go. Don’t forget to adjust the light head to point at the surface.
- Reading Area: You can set down an arc lamp on the floor just beside your reading table. The light will go over your table and provide enough light to do your work.
Final Thoughts
By now, you undoubtedly have a good idea of different kinds of lamps and their proper placement. However, while picking up a light, make sure you give it a good thought and purchase the one that best compliments your space and perfectly suits your needs. With this lamp guide by Nova of California, lighting your rooms should be easy and enjoyable!
