While often overlooked, there’s nothing like a floor lamp to add architectural interest and illumination to a space. For those who aren’t familiar with what types of floor lamps are available, however, it can be tricky to know where to start. To help, we’re spotlighting five styles of floor lamps for the living room, bedroom, and beyond!
Floor lamps with tables
A style popular in the mid-20th century, table floor lamps feature a central lighting pole skirted by a circular or rectangular-shaped ledge that functions as a table. These multi-functional designs are perfect for living rooms where there may only be enough room for a very small side table without enough surface area to support a standard table lamp.
Arch lamps
If you’re looking for a lamp that offers architectural interest just as much as it does illumination, consider an arch lamp. These striking lamps showcase an arched lamp arm that extends horizontally out in front of the base. Perhaps the most famous example of thise design is Achille Castiglioni’s Arco design.
Column lamp
A style that rose to popularity in the 1980s, the column lamp is ideal for interiors where you want to make a sculptural statement. These lamps feature a central lighting pole that is more substantial or sculptural than most standard floor lamps’. In the 1980s, designers like Serge Roche and John Dickinson designed plaster column lamps with alluring trompe l’oeil approach effects.
Reading lamp
For a floor lamp that makes a more subtle statement, consider a reading floor lamp. These c-shaped lamps are generally shorter than standard floor lamps, hovering just a few feet above someone’s head when seated on a sofa or chair. Cedric Hartman perhaps designed the most iconic reading floor lamp on the market — an all-metal lamp with a pyramid-shaped shade. The design has since been reproduced by lighting respcted lighting brands like Koch & Lowry and Laurel Lamp Co.
Multi-light floor lamps
Double, triple, or quadruple your living room’s illumination with a multi-light floor lamp. These high-wattage lamps can be procured in just about every shape and style, though some of the most iconic include Mid-Century lamps with multi-colored, metal cone-shaped shades.
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Lead photo by Brad Knipstein
