Floor lamp

Start with height: to light a sofa, a floor lamp of 150 to 185 cm places the light above the seat, while an arc of 210 to 240 cm carries it over the coffee table. Then choose the shade according to the desired effect, fabric or linen for wide diffusion, glass to concentrate, then the E27 or E14 socket according to the bulb you already use.

Which floor lamp to choose for a living room?

For a living room, a floor lamp is chosen first by its height: from 144 to 185 cm depending on the model, to place the light above a sofa. A fabric, linen or velvet shade gives a diffuse light; an arc of 210 to 240 cm lights above the coffee table.

Living room floor lamp: which height for a sofa?

Measure the top of the backrest: the bottom of the shade must pass above it, otherwise the light falls into your back. Models from 144 to 156 cm, such as Orsen or Notturno, fit near an armchair or at the end of a sofa. At 185 cm, the Yala arc floor lamp and its cylindrical shade lights an entire area without glare, and the living room lamps collection gathers the tallest formats. Marble and ceramic bases complete the range: marble brings weight and a unique veining, ceramic a lighter curved profile. A soft cloth is enough for maintenance.

Where to place a floor lamp in a living room without cluttering the passage?

Look for a corner: between the sofa and the wall, next to a bookcase, never on the path to the door. An arc frees the floor since it only has a base, often behind the sofa. Without a tablecloth on a wooden table, an arc above the table lights the plates without casting shadows, which matters more than the fabric. Compare the modern living room lamps for large formats.

Design floor lamp: arc, ball, tripod, which silhouette to choose?

Floor lamps fall into a few silhouettes: the tube, the most common, sober and vertical; the round; the ball, often in glass, more decorative; the dome; and the arc, which carries the light above the sofa. The choice depends mainly on the free floor space.

Design floor lamp: which shape for a clean interior?

In a stripped-down room, the shape makes the decor: a straight black metal tube goes unnoticed, an amber glass ball becomes the point the eye follows. Count the floor footprint before deciding, a ball or a tripod takes up more space than a thin stem. The design pieces compare well on this single criterion of silhouette.

Vintage floor lamp: which style signs to recognize?

A pleated shade, patinated brass, amber glass, a slightly curved stem: these details date the piece without copying it. The rest remains current, metal structure and E27 socket, which leaves the choice of bulb. The models with a modern style play the same card more sharply.

Which floor lamp height for reading in an armchair?

For reading, the source should be at shoulder height when seated, i.e. a floor lamp of about 150 to 180 cm, with the shade directed towards the book. Lower models, around 144 cm, serve more as accent light behind an armchair or near a console.

Which height for a reading floor lamp?

The backrest of an armchair rises around 100 cm: the bottom of the shade must pass above it, around 150 to 180 cm. Too high, the source glares; too low, you lower your head to read. An adjustable reading lamp like the Oslo adjustable reading lamp brings the light down onto the page, then raises it towards the ceiling when you close the book.

Arc floor lamp: how much clearance from the sofa?

The arc is placed behind or beside the sofa and leans above the seat: allow space for the base on the floor, without wedging it against a wall. A shade of 60 cm in diameter covers a good part of the area, and the Caldano and its pleated shade is adjusted with a dimmer to go from reading to ambience.

Wood, metal or glass floor lamp: which material to choose?

Metal dominates the stems and structures, often in black; wood, linen, velvet, ceramic and glass dress the base, the shade or the sphere. An opaque material like fabric diffuses a soft light, transparent glass concentrates it, linen slightly filters it.

Wood floor lamp: what it brings to the room

Wood appears in the base, the top or a shade detail, and warms an otherwise very black silhouette. It matches the black metal lamps placed in the same room and breaks the workshop feel. A soft cloth is enough for maintenance, without abrasive products.

Fabric, linen, velvet or glass: which shade for which light?

Fabric lights wide and soft, linen adds a light texture, velvet gives a warm and matte light, glass concentrates then diffuses. For a sphere or a diffuser, compare the glass lamps. A fabric shade is dusted dry, with a soft brush.

Which light for a floor lamp: E27, E14 or LED socket?

Most floor lamps in the selection take an E27 socket, a few an E14 or an integrated LED. The E27 socket lets you choose the bulb: warm white around 2700 to 3500 K for a soft ambience, adjustable intensity if the model has a dimmer.

E27 or E14 socket: how not to get it wrong?

Look at the socket before buying the bulb: E27 is the large one, E14 the small one. A large cylindrical shade calls for an E27, a compact sphere an E14. Also check the maximum power indicated on the luminaire, often around 40 W, and the LED models when you no longer want to change bulbs.

Dimmer or integrated LED: how to adjust the intensity?

The dimmer is on the luminaire, often on the cable or the stem: you lower the intensity in the evening without changing the bulb. An integrated LED, on the other hand, sets the colour and power once and for all. To know how to recognize a real salt lamp, look at the surface, the veins and the inclusions: a block that is too uniform or varnished is an imitation, and its red light remains an ambience, not a reading light.

Bedside lamp or floor lamp: how to light a bedroom?

In a bedroom, the bedside lamp lights reading on the bed side, with an E27 or E14 socket and a fabric shade. The floor lamp brings an ambient light in the corner or near an armchair. The two uses complement each other rather than replace each other.

Design and original bedside lamp: which model for a bedroom?

A narrow bedside lamp frees the top: round models 40 cm high, such as Velado or Beluna, diffuse downwards without lighting the whole bed. To complete, browse the bedside lamps and the adult bedrooms; the large format is reserved for the living room.

Italian design table lamp: which lines to recognize?

Simple lines, a stable base in metal or ceramic, an opal glass diffuser or a sober colour: this is what distinguishes this movement, without a brand being necessary. The ceramic base and translucent shade of Ondveseta give a fair idea. The bedside lamps with a current style follow the same restraint.

How to connect several lamps to a single electrical outlet?

Group the lamps on a power strip or a switched socket, adding up the power of the bulbs to stay within the limit of the circuit and the socket. To turn everything on with one gesture, a socket with a switch or a dimmer model avoids unplugging each lamp.

How many lamps on the same socket?

Add the stated power of the bulbs, not those of the luminaires: three 40 W lamps make 120 W, which remains reasonable on a dedicated socket. Do not multiply cascading power strips and avoid thin extension leads that heat up when loaded.

Switched socket, power strip or dimmer: which solution to choose?

The socket switched by a wall switch handles the case of a living room with three light points. The dimmer, present on some models, is adjusted directly on the luminaire and avoids an additional switch. The most affordable models and the lighting universe are browsed by use to equip an entire room.

Can a floor lamp be installed outdoors?

An indoor floor lamp is IP20: it withstands neither rain nor persistent humidity. For outdoor use, you need a protected model such as IP54 and place it under a shelter, a covered terrace or an entrance protected from water splashes.

IP20 or IP54: what does the protection rating mean?

The first digit concerns solids, the second water: IP20 means that no protection against water is provided, IP54 that a model resists dust and splashes. An outdoor lantern on a support is used under an awning, never in full wind.

Where to place a floor lamp outdoors without damaging it?

Prefer a covered terrace, a porch or a sheltered entrance, and check the material: treated metal, aluminium and glass age better than plastic. A fabric, linen or velvet shade stays indoors. For living rooms, stay with all our lamps and bedroom lighting.

A final choice marker: if you hesitate between two heights, take the lower one for accent light, the higher one to light an entire area. Then compare in desk lamps and the complete lighting catalogue before confirming.

Reassurance: secure payment, tracked delivery, possible returns and Designix customer service to check a height, a socket or a material before ordering.

Frequently asked questions about the floor lamp