Table Lamps
About Table Lamps
Table Lamps Sized for Every Surface You Own
A table lamp is the most flexible light in a home. It sits on a console, side table, dresser or desk, and it can move to a new room in a minute. Our table lamps range from ceramic and crystal based designs with fabric shades to pleated shades and rice paper lanterns, gooseneck and folding desk lamps, monitor light bars for home offices, and cordless touch lamps that work anywhere on a dining table.
What to Look For
- Height and proportion: On a side table next to a sofa, the bottom of the shade should land close to eye level when you are seated, so the light source stays hidden. Our table lamp size guide covers the numbers for consoles and desks too.
- Shade material: Fabric and pleated shades soften light and send it up and down. Glass and acrylic glow all over. Opaque metal shades push light downward, which suits reading and desk work.
- Controls: Touch dimming, step dimming and remote control models let you set the brightness to the moment. Look for these if the lamp will pull double duty for working and relaxing.
- Power: Several designs come with a choice of USB or a standard US wall plug, and our cordless lamps charge and then run with no cable at all.
Styling tip: Use a matching pair of lamps only when the furniture around them is symmetrical too. On an asymmetrical console, try one taller lamp at one end balanced by a stack of books or a plant at the other.
Shopping for the bedroom specifically? See our bedside lamps, picked for nightstands and reading in bed.
Common Questions About Table Lamps
For most side tables, a lamp roughly 24 to 30 inches tall looks right, while a console or entry table can carry a taller one. Together, the table and lamp usually look best when they reach about 58 to 64 inches from the floor. Measure your table first, then subtract its height from that range to find your lamp height.
In living rooms and bedrooms, warm white around 2700K to 3000K gives a cozy, flattering glow. At a desk or craft table, neutral white near 4000K shows detail more clearly. If you cannot decide, choose a lamp with adjustable color temperature.
They are a tidy solution when desk space is tight. A bar that sits on top of the screen lights the keyboard and papers while keeping glare off the display. Set its brightness close to that of your screen for comfortable contrast.
