Floor Lamp Buying Guide

Convenient, useful, attractive: all these words are perfect descriptors of a floor lamp. There are thousands of floor lamp styles on the market today, in many different styles and materials. Classic styles of floor lamps include the console, the tree, and the torchiere. A console lamp, the most classic of all, is a single pole lamp with a round base and cloth shade or glass globe at the top. A torchiere, commonly available in discount stores, also has a tall pole base and a bowl-shaped shade made of glass or metal that can hold one or numerous bulbs. Finally, the tree floor lamp also has a straight pole but has three or more light sockets branching off the central pole.

Other styles of floor lamps are widely varied: they come in all the many styles of lighting on the market today, including contemporary, colonial, Arts and Crafts, mission, art deco, and Victorian. One notable style in the modern category is the arc floor lamp, which has an arching pole set into a base, creating a graceful, beautiful, modern metal lamp. Some lamps are designed with shelves or tables worked into the body of the lamp, making them practical as well as decorative. Gooseneck and swing-arm lamps are fully adjustable styles, making them useful for high-traffic areas in your home.

Finally, consider the height and purpose of the lamp to decide what style is best for your home. If it is a reading lamp, consider an adjustable lamp with a higher wattage. If it's purely decorative, consider an embellished shade with a lower-wattage point. Many floor lamps can be bought for under $50, though they do go into the thousands if you are looking for a designer, antique, or vintage piece.