Bedside Lamps

The right bedside lamp is measured sitting up in bed. The bottom of the shade should reach roughly shoulder height, so the light falls on the book without glare. With a 20 to 24 in (50 to 60 cm) nightstand and a mattress at a similar height, a 16 to 22 in (40 to 55 cm) lamp works. The shade should not be wider than the top, and at least 4 in (10 cm) of free surface should remain for a glass, a book or a phone. On a narrow table, small bedside lamps of 12 to 16 in (30 to 40 cm) are enough, while a tall bedside lamp, over 24 in (60 cm), needs a wide top.

Bedside reading lamps should give about 250 to 450 lumens, in warm 2700 K light, which tires the eyes less in the evening. When it is time to sleep, you need far less. That is the advantage of a dimmable bedside lamp: brightest for reading, lowest as a night light. A fabric shade or opaque ceramic directs the light downward and shields the person sleeping next to you, while rattan spreads a wider ambient light, to pair with a reading light if you read a lot.

A cordless rechargeable LED lamp goes wherever you want, with no cable hanging behind the table. It also moves from the nightstand to the balcony table. The clip-on LED lamp, a truly adjustable bedside light, clips to a headboard, a shelf or the edge of a loft bed and frees the nightstand entirely: a real plus in a small bedroom or a child's room. Corded bedside table lamps in ceramic, wood or glass give steady light, with no recharging, and a more generous shade.

Rattan brings a boho note and casts patterns on the wall. Ceramic, matte or glazed, acts as a decorative object and suits bedrooms in sand or terracotta tones. Natural wood suits japandi and Scandinavian interiors, with linen bedding. A 70s vintage silhouette adds a color or a curve to a plain bedroom. In a primary bedroom, a pair of matching lamps on each side of the bed creates a calming symmetry. In a teen's room, a more unusual model can stand out from the rest instead.

Keep the cord out of the way and away from the bed legs. With a fabric or natural-fiber shade, use an LED bulb that runs cool, without exceeding the maximum wattage on the product page, and check the socket before you buy. For a rechargeable lamp, use the cable provided and do not leave it charging under a duvet or a cushion. Dust rattan with a paintbrush, ceramic and wood with a dry cloth, with the lamp off and unplugged.