Let there be light!
Lighting in a room can sometimes be challenging. There are 3 types of lighting you need in each room; general, task and decorative. We are going to cover task lighting and learn how to choose the right kind of lamp for the task at hand. Whether you need a lamp in a living room, bedroom or office, you can’t go wrong when you follow these tips.
Lamp base
The base of the lamp comes in various sizes, shapes, colors and even materials. I
f you are looking to bring in some color, you can choose one that fits your style. A glass lamp base does not visually take up as much space as one with a metal or ceramic base lamp. A glass lamp will also make the room feel bigger or more airy if you are going for that kind of look.
Lamp bases come in various sizes too. If you are going to be reading by the table lamp, make sure the lamp base is tall enough for the light to shine down on your book. You can use tall, skinny lamp bases for a dining buffet or an entrance table to give the room some added height.
Lamp shade
A shade can bring in some visual interest to a room. Perhaps you want to bring in color and not necessarily used to light a room. For task lighting, you will want to keep the shade a lighter color so the light is diffused in the space. If you use a lighter colored shade, opt for a colored base. You can play with these two pieces to get the effect you want in your home.
When you use a darker shade, most of the light will come out from the top or bottom of the shade as seen in the side image. It may seem darker even though the light bulb may be at its max capacity. Keep in mind how you want to use the light in your room when deciding on a shade.
Shades also come in different shapes. Some come in drum shapes while others look like a cone. A cone-shaped shade is just another way to bring in visual interest into a room. If you tend to have more square shapes in the room, such as a dresser, couch or desk, a different shape in a room helps soften the look.
In this living room picture, the lamps help create a wave starting from the left side of the room to the right. While most of the room has square shaped items, the circles in the artwork, the cone-shaped shades and round shaped objects balance out the room.
Pair your base and shade
Some lamps come with shades. Others may not. Make sure the base is not significantly bigger than the table it is sitting on. You will notice it when you place the lamp on the table and it seems to take over the whole space. Find another one that allows you to still place other items on the table such as tissues or coasters.
If you want to create your own style, Lowes has some great options. They have mix and match bases and shades that are labeled S, M, and L. If you select a base labeled S, then pick a shade in S. Small goes with small, medium with medium etc. If you choose a base in M with a L shade, you can see how disproportionate it looks. But when you pair it correctly, the 2 pieces work together.
Picking task lighting for your space doesn’t have to be rocket science. Consider how you are going to use the space. Do you want it to be functional or pretty? When you know the answer to that question, the rest is easy.