How To Choose The Perfect Table Lamp for Your Living Space

Lighting plays an important role in setting the mood of a space. People often focus on chandeliers and light pendants and neglect the importance of table lamps. In fact, a bold and elegant table lamp can make a whole difference. It adds color, structure, and contrast when positioned at the right spot in the house. Read on for tips on how to choose the perfect table lamp for your living space.

1. Find the right spot in your living space

First, you need to choose where you want to position your table lamp. To do so, just think about the purpose of the lamp and where it will best fit in terms of space and size. Whether you decide to place it on your bedside table or on a side table in the living room or even on a desk, make sure you measure the height at which the lamp table will sit and its distance from other elements and furniture in the room.

2. Decide on the size of your table lamp

Table lamps generally come with a body and a shade. Once you’ve decided where you want to place your table lamp, sit in the space next to it and determine the proper height range needed before you go shopping. As a rule of thumb, opt for a lamp where the bottom of the shade meets your eye level when seated. Furthermore, make sure that the diameter of the lampshade is about 2 inches less than the length of the body and not larger than the surface where the lamp sits on.

3. Decide on the style of your table lamp

As mentioned above, table lamps are traditionally made of a body and a shade. Nowadays, you can find a wide selection of models with various shapes and materials. Some table lamps are purely decorative while others are meant to help illuminate an area. Choose a table lamp with a flexible body if you want to adjust and focus the light towards a certain direction. Select wooden table lamps for a rustic style, or go for steel and rough materials for a more industrial look. You can also pick contemporary unusual shapes to make your table lamp a focal point in the room.

4. Decide on the color of your table lamp

Choose a beautifully colored lamp to bring in ambiance to the room. Avoid using more than 3 colors though. Some table lamps incorporate colored glass, colored plastic, or painted wood into their base and can have different lampshade colors as well. If the color of the base is already shiny, then choose a solid neutral color for the shade.

5. Match the table lamp with your existing room decor

Bedside lamps typically come in pairs, but you can still mismatch the lamps as long as they coordinate with the existing furniture and décor. A table lamp should also complement other existing lighting fixtures in the room. Therefore, make sure that all sources of light have a similar key element in a room such as coordinated colors, same materials, or same geometric forms.

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