Table lamps play an integral part in a multi-layered lighting scheme. They play a vital role in creating mood and providing task lighting. These light fittings can also be stylish and decorative.
Yet table lamps are often used incorrectly in a room. These lighting features can look out of place in a contemporary lighting plan when they are used in the wrong way. Here are some tips for effectively placing table lights in your space to create mood, interest and illumination.
- Use Table Lamps as Task Lighting
One of the most common ways to use a table light is to highlight an essential task. For example, a table light makes it easier to write or to read. Bedside lamps are regularly used as task lights since they provide the glow you need for reading in bed, without overpowering the space with bright light. You can also use table lamps for task lighting in a hallway. This helps when you come home late at night and don’t want to flood the house with light but you need to find your way to the living room.
- Use Table Lamps as Decorations
Table lights are perfect for decorating a room, so long as you do not overdo the effect by placing too many lights in a small space. When using a table lamp for decoration, choose an attractive shade in a translucent material like silk or linen. This will provide a colourful focal point in your décor scheme as well as help diffuse a welcoming glow around the whole room.
- Use Table Lamps to Tie Together Your Interior Design
Table lamps come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles so you can use these lights to blend disparate elements of your design scheme. You can also use table lamps that match your overall room style to provide light unobtrusively.
- Add Texture With Your Lamp Shade
Another way of providing interest and contrast in a room is by using the texture of the lampshade or the fitting to provide visual contrast. There are plenty of different shades available with decorative texture such as beads or embossed patterns. Use the base of the lamp to provide a contrasting texture, such as a shiny chrome with a richly embroidered shade.
- Work With Table Lamps to Provide Scale
Set a sense of balance and scale in a room by using appropriately sized lamps on your tables. For example, use large lamps on very large tables and keep a sense of proportion with a small lamp on a small desk. You can also make sure that the room retains a sense of proportion by matching the size of the lampshade to the size of the base.
- Use Table Lamps to Create a Glow
Choose your bulb wattage with care; low-wattage bulbs provide a small pool of warming light that gives a welcoming ambience, but these bulbs are not as suitable for tasks. If you need multi-purpose lights, select dimmer switches or lamps that can operate at three different light levels.
