contemporary living room lamps

portable, colorful and affordable, table lampsare a terrific way to brighten a room. but before you browse the aisles, ask yourselfa couple questions: what type of lighting do i need?to supply general lighting, pair table lamps on a console table here or on a hallway tablehere. for focused activities like reading or surfinga tablet make sure the bottom of the shade is ateye level when you’re seated. you also want the shade to be onehalfto threequarters the height of the base. and, the bulband socket shouldn’t be visible. lamps with a downward shade or an adjustablearm let you focus light where it’s needed.

depending on the size and number of surfacesin a room, two to three table lamps is a good rule of thumb.what about style? you want your lamp’s size, shape and styleto balance with the rest of the room. for example, match modern shapes to modernrooms, traditional to traditional. and don’t forget finishes. if your roomhas other fixtures in antique bronze, look for thatfinish in lamp bases. shades can also have a big style impact.consider drum, cone, pagoda, cylinder and other shapes. pick a shade that’s lightin color or has a lightweight fabric for more light output.sometimes just changing the shade can be fun

– try putting a bold new shade on a thriftstorelamp base. from general lighting to task lighting, there’sa table lamp for the job.

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