When I’m in someone’s house discussing decorating changes, we discuss the lamps they have. Many times I find they are undersized in size and scale for the setting. Table lamps provide the ambient light in a room. They don’t just provide a function though, but are a mood setter when lit at night, as well as a sculptural art piece when not lit during the day.
Scale and proportion of a lamp should be in relationship to the furnishings it serves. In this example shown, the chair arm and side table are in approximate height to each other. The two pieces are in good proportion to serve their function. The lamp then should be chosen to fit those pieces.
This lamp above is too small in scale and size for this arrangement. It would work better, on a taller, smaller table.
This lamp above is too tall. Place it on a lower larger table.
This lamp is just right, (Goldilocks and the 3 bears just came to mind). The scale and height are good in this arrangement. The grouping is in proportion.
There are no exact ways to size up a lamp. But if you sit in the chair, sofa, or in bed, and look at the lamp. The bottom of the shade should be at about eye level. If you can see the bulb underneith, the lamp is sitting too high. If you can see the top of the shade, or into the top of the lamp, its sitting too low.
I also like to see at least 3 sources of ambient lighting spaced around an average sized room. The room is lit evenly and balanced.
Choose lamps not only for their necessary function, but for the very decorative style and artistic statement they make in a room.
There are some beautiful, reasonably priced lamps out there. Look around, you’ll be “enlightened”.
1. Thanks for the tips Cathy!!! You always have the best hints and rules…Lamps have always been mystery for me!
Thanks again.
alli
by Alli — 1/10/08 at 8:55 pm #
2. Hi Alli,
Good to hear from you. How’s your New Year going for you? Hope well. Yes, lamps are a mystery to many. We tend to buy lamps, mirrors and art smaller than we probably should. I do too. We get it home and it doesn’t make the impact we hoped for. I try to buy bigger than I think I need and it usually is better.
Take Care.
by Cathy — 1/10/08 at 11:10 pm #
3. Hi Cathy,
Lamps are always a wonderful accessory and to have the right dimensions with the table in the room always makes the best statement. I never looked at it so strategically and this makes so much sense. I have always been interested in checking the style, the design of the base and the shade, the height for the room and the location. The information that you provide is most significant to put in place. Thanks for sharing. I hope that this New Year is starting off great!
by Betty — 1/11/08 at 10:40 am #
4. Hello Betty,
Thanks for your comments. I love beautiful lamps. They are as important as any piece of art. They sit front and center and the light draws your eye right to them…a real room maker…or breaker.
I hope alls well with you, and you’re New Year is on a roll.
by Cathy — 1/11/08 at 1:11 pm #
5. Hi Cathy,
Thank you for bringing up the subject of lamps. They really are important features that help to pull a well thought out design together. Like you, I too have found that many people overlook or undervalue lamps in the interior decorating process. In addition to size, I have found that there is a tendency to ignore style and color.
For lighting solutions that compliment the decor in size and also in style, I turn to pillows, artwork and flooring. For example, if I enter a living room with a plush, overstuffed couch with oversized pillows adorned with beads and fringes, I’ll suggest an understated lamp so that the overall decor isn’t too stuffy and so that the items don’t compete with one another. If a painting has tiny specks of turquoise, I’ll suggest a similarly colored lamp base with a white or neutral shade. This approach generally adds an unexpected punch of style and color to the room.
Then too, I always encourage dusting. Lamps tend to attract dust particles, particular in homes with wall to wall carpeting. When vacuuming, it is always a good to run a small brush attachment over the lamp. It keeps the light shining bright and preserves the integrity of item.
by Lanisa — 1/11/08 at 5:26 pm #
6. Hello Lanisa,
Thank you for your great comments and design ideas. You sound like you’re in the design business. You are right -on about how many people undervalue the impact and importance of lighting in the design of a room. As I said before, it can make or break a room. Of course, there’s much more to lighting a room than just the ambient light…thats a whole other blog…but maybe some awareness is good to make changes.
I’ve heard HGTV is having a new series on about Lighting. I think it starts this Sun. night. To devote a series on lighting, shows just how important this element of design is. I’ll be watching.
I love your decorating examples…you have a good eye to recognize and incorporate important design principles in your work.
Thanks so much for adding to the subject.
Write back soon.
by Cathy — 1/12/08 at 2:00 pm #
7. Hi great comments about lighting. I am in the market for some lamps that will serve as reading lights in mybedroom sitting area.I love the crystal based lamps because I believe it will give the room sparkle. Any suggestions on how I could get the look on a budget. Sandy
by sandra [...] — 1/14/08 at 8:09 pm #
8. Hello Sandra,
I too love the crystal, glass, or clear acrylic lamp bases. They do give a sparkle to the room and go with any style. Also they don’t take up visual weight. A great choice. Finding great lamps on a budget is not too hard. The best places I go when I need lighting is, of course, HomeGoods, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Lamps Plus, Lowes, or look online for sales at homestores or lamp stores.
I love the contemporary lamp in the bottom photo. Its a crystal base with a nickle finish and simple drum shade. Yes, Its at my HomeGoods. I may have to go back and buy it…it keeps speaking to me…BUY ME, BUY ME…LOL.
Good luck with finding your lamps.
by Cathy — 1/14/08 at 11:47 pm #
9. Dear Cathy,
How are you? lighting not only helps us see but it warms the soul…I agree with you on size and it’s also important for people to buy what they love. Trends come and go but the heart remains the same.
Many Blessings,
Terry [...]
by Terry [...] — 1/15/08 at 7:55 pm #
10. Hi Terry,
Thanks for for your lovely comment. You are so right. Your home is your own personal refuge.You should love your home, the things in it and especially and most importantly, the people who live there.
Blessings to you too,
by Cathy — 1/16/08 at 2:13 pm #
11. I like Home Goods lamps also. I agree you need to have the right height lamp but also I am going green with my choice of bulbs, giving off a nicer, gentler form of light. There is also a great horse lamp I like. I see hoses sometimes and I think for horse enthusiasts it is a great piece, it is about a medium tall lamp. For an end table and reading probably.
by Chandler — 3/4/08 at 9:29 am #
12. Hello Chandler,
Yes, indeed, use those compact fluorescent bulbs in all your lamps and lighting. They save so much energy. I’ve seen some very unique lamps at HomeGoods. I hope you can find your horse lamp. Keep checking back to your local store(s) and you might locate it.
Take Care.
by Cathy — 3/5/08 at 1:40 pm #
13. Cathy, can you mix styles of lamps in a room? For instance, the inspiration piece for my entire home color scheme came from a reproduction Tiffany lamp in the shades of black, cream, and red. The lamp was given to me as a Christmas gift from my sweet hubby many years ago. It sits on a little console-type table, as you enter my living room. I need lamps badly for my end tables, but don’t know what color, style, finish, etc., to look for. I eventually plan to get a glass coffee table with an iron base, and maybe some new end tables that relate to the coffee table. But, I’m undecided as to what type lamps I should be looking for, especially since I have the Tiffany-style lamp in this room.
by Janice — 3/17/08 at 5:54 pm #
14. Hi there Janice,
Yes, you can mix lamp styles. I think they make a room more interesting than all matching ones.Your Tiffany lamp sounds nice. I love the clear glass base lamps. They can be traditional as well as contemporary. Look at the two glass lamps above. They work well with anything. Also they add a little formality to a living room. You could also mix in a metal base lamp as well. Lean a little toward the contemporary style in lamps…they seem to update the whole room. I love the bottom lamp above, it could go in any room. I also like a cream or off white shade. White is a little too bright sometimes.
Good luck with the lamps.
by Cathy — 3/18/08 at 12:51 pm #
15. Thanks, Cathy. Could you clarify your statement abou a metal base lamp? If I get a glass-topped coffee table, with an iron base, such as black — could I use lamps that have black iron bases? I have the same problem mixing metals as I do mixing the colors of white and ivory! LOL
by Janice — 3/18/08 at 1:12 pm #
16. Hi Janice,
You’re popping up all over, I must have missed this one. Sorry.
Yes, you can mix metals in a room. Bronze, black or even a brushed nickel finish would work well in your L.R. A mix of elements is more interesting anyway. Buy furnishings/accessories for the way they FEEL and BLEND in the room, not necessarily to match.
Bring a few lamps home to try in the room. Go with the ones that feel right. You’ll do fine, just loosen up, no rules here.
by Cathy — 3/26/08 at 12:49 pm #
17. I’ll admit that I’ve been overly concerned about things matching. Don’t know why that is — just from “that generation,” I suppose. Good to know that one of the rules in decorating is “There are no rules.” Boy, I feel better already! LOL
by Janice — 3/27/08 at 11:46 am #
18. Thanks for the guidance on lamp height - I can never get that right! Now I know what to put on my end tables (mixing metals is uncomfortable for me too - pewter drawer pulls and antique brass curtain rods??). But what height do you get for nightstand lamps? My mom says my brass candlestick lamps are too skinny and too low.
by Sheila — 10/27/08 at 8:57 pm #
19. Hi Sheila,
Lamp heights are confusing to many. There are so many different styles and shapes that exact rules can bend somewhat. But, as a general “rule of thumb”, use the “sit and look” method. Whether it’s in bed or in a chair, the lamp shade should be at about eye level. So, check your lamps on your nightstand, if you can see into the tops of them, then they are too short. Also check the scale of the lamp in relation to the elements it lives with. Larger scale lamps on larger tables, usually look better.
Thanks for your great question. Hope this helped you a little.
by Cathy — 10/28/08 at 10:25 pm #
20. The question is (since it’s next to a bed), what’s eye level? Sitting straight up, or (as I like to read) lying down with your head& shoulders just propped up on 2 pillows? The nightstand is about 18″x24″, with the top only about an inch above the (extra deep) mattress (maybe 27″ high). I don’t want to get something with too big a base because we need room for alarm clocks, glasses, books, etc. Thanks
by Sheila — 10/29/08 at 1:55 pm #
21. Hi again Sheila,
I would say, have the lamp shade at a comfortable level while you’re reading or relaxing in bed. You just don’t want the glare of the light bulb in your eyes. Your nightstand is fairly small so your lamp base can be small as well to free up table space. You might want to try raising your lamps, by setting them on some nice stacked books or box, anything decorative that might give the lamps some height.
A few ideas for you.
by Cathy — 10/29/08 at 5:33 pm #
22. I would love to know about floor lamps. How to choose height, scale, style, etc. Where to use, where not to use? Thanks
by Decorating Dummy — 7/8/09 at 7:59 pm #
23. Hello D.D. (decorating diva, not dummy),
If your intentions are good then “dummy” does not apply
Floorlamps are great, especially in tight spots where a table may not fit in. You can snug them up to a chair or sofa for great task and ambient lighting. If you don’t need a table near by, then floorlamps work well. I like to use them in a grouping with chairs or sofa. They look too lonely in a corner by themselves. You also can use pairs of floorlamps on either side of a sofa. Use a coffee table to add some table surface.
Normally a floor lamp is around 5 ‘ tall, but many adjust up or down, with swing arms, depending on your needs. This height is an average standing sight level.
There are many styles of floorlamps. I usually buy lamps on the transitional/contemporary side. They add updated interest in traditional rooms and I like the simple styling statement they make in any room. I like to mix table lamps with a floor lamp in room. The varying height and light levels creates a nice rhythm around the room.
As for scale, if the lamp is positioned by a larger piece of furniture, look for a larger shade. For a smaller piece of furniture use a smaller shade. Height should be in the 5-6 foot range.
Buy a heavy weighted base so the lamp doesn’t tip easily (fire hazard).
Im not a big fan of torchiere lamps. They throw all the light up on the ceiling. I prefer an open top and bottom shade to direct light up and down to be functional as well as beautiful.
Find a style of floorlamp you like, they can be a wonderful accent in any room.
Thanks so much for question. I hope this was helpful.
Drop back soon.
by Cathy — 7/9/09 at 11:51 pm #
24. I don’t need any advice in decorating; I just need to be able to seee what lighting is avail able, accurate size information, and what wattage and intensity of lighting the fixtures furnish. However, I cannot access your stock supply, let alone prices and other essential informatition. Just show me the merchandise and information; I’ll do the rest.
by Lois — 9/26/09 at 2:07 pm #
25. Hi Lois,
At this time HomeGoods does not offer a service of online shopping. We may however, in the future and suggest signing up for HomeGoods emails to keep you up to date with all the latest HomeGoods news.
Thank you,
Jessica
HomeGoods Customer Service
by HomeGoods Customer Service — 9/30/09 at 3:12 pm #