Steel table lamps
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Frequently asked questions
What table size for how many people?
Which tabletop material should I choose?
Extendable or fixed?
How do I care for the tabletop?
The right furniture, in the right place
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Quick guide before you choose
Start with the bulb fitting and the spot: a steel table lamp sits on a bedside table, a console or a worktop, within reach of a socket. The bulb decides the light, the shade filters it. The brushed or matte black steel base holds the lamp, the velvet, linen or bamboo shade softens the beam.
What is a steel table lamp and what light does it give?
A steel table lamp has a steel base, stem or foot, often paired with a velvet, linen or bamboo shade. It plugs into a socket, stays indoors because it is IP20, and spreads light filtered by its shade, directed downwards or to the sides depending on the shape.
Metal or black steel table lamp: what is the difference?
Metal is the generic word, steel the precise material. Here, the base, stem or foot are steel, brushed for a satin finish, or matte black for a clean silhouette. Matte black absorbs light and structures the room, brushed steel throws back a discreet glow. The Aurilux and its opal glass illustrate brushed steel well: 31 cm high, E14 fitting.
Wired metal table lamp: what the cable changes
Two families coexist. Wired models, with a cable of around 170 to 180 cm to run to the socket, suit a console set further away. Compact bases, around 9 to 25 cm, sit close to a wall socket. On a worktop, prefer a short format from the metal lamps for the desk selection.
Where to place a steel table lamp, room by room
These lamps are mainly meant for the bedroom as a bedside lamp, then for the living room, the office and the dining room, sometimes the child's room. They sit on a bedside table, a console, a worktop or a shelf, never in a damp room since the protection rating is IP20.
Which steel table lamp for a bedside table?
A short one, between 18 and 25 cm, such as the Notturna in black and white, or the Solvind with its orange dome, G9 fitting. A large 50 cm one, such as the Liora II with its gold shade, needs a wide table. The overview of black metal bedside lamps helps you decide.
Metal table lamps for the desk: where on the worktop?
To the left of the keyboard if you are right-handed, to light the page without casting a shadow. An adjustable model or a small diameter one avoids clutter. The design desk lamps and the modern desk models meet this need.
How to choose your metal table lamp: fitting, wattage and dimmer
The E27 fitting remains the most common in the collection, ahead of E14 and G9. E27 takes the widest bulbs and good-diameter shades, E14 suits small bases, G9 flat diffusers. Only a small share of models is listed as dimmer-compatible.
| Fitting | Bulb to use | Rooms where it appears | What it changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| E27 | wide screw bulb, LED or filament | bedroom, living room, dining room | good-diameter shade, diffuse light |
| E14 | thin screw bulb, globe or candle | bedside, child's room, living room | small bases and compact feet |
| G9 | pin bulb, reduced format | desk, bedside | flat or circular diffuser, slim lamps |
| GU10 | two-pin spotlight | desk, accent lighting | directed beam rather than diffuse |
| LED | factory-fitted module | design models | no bulb to screw in, light set at manufacture |
Which fitting to choose between E27, E14, G9 and GU10?
Start from the shade: the wider it is, the more E27 is required. For a small velvet cone or a bedside globe, an E14 is enough. G9 is reserved for slim lamps with a flat diffuser, GU10 for a directed beam. The design table lamps for the bedroom cover these three fittings.
Can a table lamp be dimmable?
On a minority of models, yes. Two conditions then apply: a dimmer built into the lamp and a dimmable bulb, otherwise dimming does not work or buzzes. The product pages state this compatibility, for example on the Aurilux.
Black, gold or white metal table lamp: which colour to choose?
Matte black dominates the collection, followed by white, then gold, blue and silver. Black structures the room and pairs with grey or taupe velvet, white and linen brighten a sober interior, gold warms a reading corner or a dining room.
| Colour or material | Mood | Rooms | To pair with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matte black steel | sober and graphic | bedroom, living room, desk | grey or taupe velvet, ecru linen |
| White and linen | bright and discreet | bedroom, living room | light wood, light walls |
| Gold, brass finish | warm, more dressed up | bedroom, living room, dining room | blue, green or black velvet |
| Blue and silver | contrasted, decorative | child's room, living room | round brushed steel bases |
| Bamboo or woven rattan | natural and warm | bedroom, living room | black steel, natural textiles |
Gold metal table lamp: where to dare the colour?
On a living room console or a dining room sideboard, where the raking light shows. The Marisol, with its tall stem and flat diffuser, plays the gold card at 135 cm high and 40 cm in diameter. See also the pieces in gold and black.
Stainless steel and design white table lamps: which mood?
White and silver blend into a light decor; brushed steel brings a cool note that linen warms up. The Orivesella pairs a white cylindrical shade with a brushed steel base, to discover among the design white table lamps.
Globe, tube or shade lamp: which shape for which light?
Round shapes dominate, completed by tubes, domes and globes. A cylindrical velvet shade throws a low light, a globe or a dome spreads it more widely, a tube concentrates the beam. The choice depends above all on the space available and the effect you want.
Design globe table lamp: what effect in a living room or bedroom?
A round base takes up little space and spreads light widely around it: handy on a shelf or a side table. Nordic models rely on these simple volumes, to compare in our Nordic inspiration. The Tressia and its woven bamboo gives a warm version, E27 fitting.
What is called an Italian design table lamp?
It is a style expression, not a manufacturing origin: fine lines, central stem, brass, opal glass, slender proportions. The result seeks visual lightness. The design lamps for the living room and the crystal models come close to that spirit.
How to wire several lamps on a single power supply?
A table lamp plugs into a socket, so several lamps can share a power strip or the same circuit. For a fixed connection on a single supply, you must reconnect live, neutral and earth in a junction box, switch off the breaker and check the total wattage of the circuit.
Wiring 3 lamps to 1 switch: the simplest solution
Three plug-in lamps can be controlled by a switched power strip, without touching the consumer unit. For a fixed grouped switch-on, one switch controls the circuit; the conductor cross-section must stay suited to the combined wattage and the breaker rating. These are general principles, to be validated by an electrician.
Wiring several lamps in parallel: what to check
In parallel, each lamp receives the same voltage: live, neutral and earth are taken to each point. Check the combined wattage of the circuit, tighten the terminals and only work after switching off the breaker. To vary the intensity without wiring, look at the adjustable models and the LED solutions for the bedroom.
The most beautiful living room lamps: how to light a living room with table lamps?
In a living room, combine a large table lamp near the sofa and a smaller one on a console or shelf, avoiding concentrating everything on the same side. A floor lamp serves as height accent and ambient light, the table lamp lights closer to the reader.
Floor lamps or table lamps: what to choose?
A floor lamp lights from above and fills an empty corner; a table lamp sits at reading height on a piece of furniture. In a short room, two spread-out table lamps are better than one tall floor lamp. Compare the modern living room lamps.
How to spread several lamps around a living room?
One source near the sofa, one on the console, a third lower for ambience: three points at different heights are enough. Keep the shade out of direct sight and mix colours with restraint. The modern black colour models and the design living room pieces combine easily, as do the lin shades.
How to set up and care for a steel table lamp
Set-up is limited to placing the lamp on a stable surface and screwing in a bulb with the right fitting. The steel body is cleaned with a soft dry cloth, without abrasive, and the velvet shade is dusted with a brush. The warranty runs from two to five years depending on the model.
How to change the bulb of an E27 table lamp?
Switch off the lamp, let the bulb cool, unscrew by hand without forcing on the shade, then screw in the new one without over-tightening. For a G9 fitting, unplug before removing the pin bulb. The design LED lamps and the desk LED versions have no bulb to change.
Cleaning brushed steel and a velvet shade without damaging them
Brushed steel: dry microfibre cloth, following the brushing direction, never an abrasive sponge. Velvet: soft brush or low-power vacuum. Woven bamboo and rattan: dry dusting, no water. The Glaucia combines taupe velvet and brushed steel.
Frequently asked questions
Where should a lamp be placed?
On a bedside table, an entrance console, a worktop or a living room shelf, close to a socket. Place it at elbow height for reading, lower for ambient light, keeping the shade out of direct sight.
Which lamp gives the most light?
It is not the base that lights, it is the bulb and the shape of the shade. Models with an E27 fitting take the widest bulbs, some rated at 40 W, and an open shade lets more light through than an opaque one.
Which is brighter, cool white or warm white?
At equal wattage, cool white light looks whiter and brighter, warm white softer and more yellow. In general, warm white suits a bedroom or living room, cool white a desk or a work area.
What are the drawbacks of LED lamps?
A built-in LED cannot be replaced, and colour rendering varies from one model to another. It gives off little heat but dislikes hot environments, and some LED bulbs are not dimmer-compatible. Check the fitting and compatibility before buying.
What are ceiling lamps called?
A lamp fixed to the ceiling is called a ceiling light; if it hangs from a cable, it is a pendant. Small recessed or surface points are spotlights, and a lamp fixed to the wall is a wall light. A table lamp, for its part, rests on a piece of furniture.
Ordering with confidence from Designix
Secure payment, tracked delivery, returns and Designix customer service accompany every order. Today's price is the one shown on each model's page, and the budget mostly follows the shade material: plain black steel or more dressed-up velvet and linen. To widen your search, browse all the lighting in the home and our black desk selection, or stay in this lighting world to compare styles.
One last tip before you confirm: note the height of your furniture and the fitting of the bulb you already own. A well-chosen steel table lamp is kept for years, so it is better to check two measurements than regret one centimetre.
