Table Lamps

One well-placed lamp is often enough to make a room feel warm, and living room table lamps work best in a triangle: three points of light at different heights, spread around the room, rather than a single source. On an entry console, a lamp welcomes you as the door opens and lights a mirror hung above it. On a sideboard, two matching lamps frame a picture. On a side table, a lamp by the sofa lets you read without switching on the ceiling light. On a shelf or a bookcase, a small table lamp creates depth between the books. On a desk, the light should come from the side opposite your writing hand, to avoid a cast shadow.

A table lamp's height is chosen with its surface. A tall console takes a large table lamp, a low side table a stockier one. Next to a sofa, the bottom of the shade should sit at the eye level of a seated person, about 39 to 43 in (100 to 110 cm) from the floor. Above that, the light reaches you without glare.

On or off, a lamp stays in view all day. That is why its material matters as much as its light. Ceramic, matte or glazed, brings a handmade roundness and goes with sand, clay and terracotta tones. A brass-look gold finish plays with warm reflections, to pair with dark wood or marble. An opal glass globe is a sculptural object, to set on its own on a console or a windowsill. The wood-look lamp and its pleated shade make a soft, natural Scandinavian table lamp. The mushroom models and the 70s spirit add a touch of color and curve, a vintage table lamp that gives character to a plain interior.

An ambient living room lamp is not meant to light the whole room: it creates pools of light. Choose a 2700 K color temperature, warm and restful, and 200 to 500 lumens depending on use. A linen or pale fabric shade spreads light all around, an opaque shade directs it down and up. Opal glass, for its part, lights up entirely like a globe. In the evening, switch off the ceiling light and keep two or three lamps on: the room instantly gains depth.

A cordless rechargeable table lamp is free of outlet constraints: it finds a place in the middle of a dining table, on a sheltered patio or in a bookcase. Recharge it regularly and keep it out of the rain, unless the product page says otherwise. For corded models, check the socket and maximum wattage listed, and choose an LED bulb under a fabric shade, as it runs cool. For care, a dry cloth is enough for ceramic, glass and wood-look finishes. Gold finishes are cleaned with a soft cloth, without abrasive products. Always unplug the lamp before cleaning it.