Table Lamp Buying Guide

Whether your taste is more traditional or it veers toward the avant garde, there's a table lamp out there for you. Rooms that are considered well lit usually include three types of lighting: task lighting, accent lighting, and ambient lighting. Table lamps are usually used as accent lighting, but depending on how they are used, their size, and the decor of the room, they can be used in different ways. Most lamps use a 60-watt bulb and have a decorative lamp shade, though higher-end styles have more features, like touch control and a higher control of light-intensity features.

Consider the size of table lamp you want to buy. Most range from 25 inches to 32 inches tall. Also, make sure you know what type of surface the lamp will sit on: a small hall table, for instance, needs a different type of lamp than say, a desk or a high table. The style of your lamp will be dictated by your own personal taste and the decor style you like best. You should try to purchase a lamp that complements your existing decoration.

When considering your lamp's shade, a basic style will usually be either white or off-white. They offer the highest level of light output and are good in most spaces. Decorative shades, such as embellished styles or Tiffany styles with cut-glass shades, are very popular today and are worth considering if they fit into your style.

Table lamps have a wide scale of prices, and can start as low as $10 and go up to as high as $500 or more. Basic lamps usually sell for between $10 and $40. Lamps in the $40-$80 range have more features, such as dimmers, multiple-way switches, and three-way lighting. Pricier table lamps usually have more intricate detailing, more costly materials, or hand-painted details.