While attractive table lamps are nice, if they don't do the job you want them to in your home, you are likely going to give them the boot out to the garage or some corner of a room that you don't care about. Think about that. That means you spent money on something that wasn't really what you wanted. It would have been better if you had made an educated lighting decision to start with, and not had to deal with this disappointment. When searching for the right table lamps, here are some things to keep in mind:
Illumination
Before you start shopping for table lamps, make sure you know what you need to get out of them. Are you just looking for a lamp that will look pretty on a table, or is there a practical use for this lamp. It's important that the lamp you choose will do the lighting job you require of it. If it's to be a reading aid, you need to make sure it casts enough light to help you read, not cause you to squint. For many, the best option is to select a lamp that will support a three-way bulb, so you will have a trio of illumination options and can set the wattage to the strength that will best suit individual situations.
Size
There are many aspects of size that need to be taken into consideration when selecting table lamps.
First, look at the table surface you will be using for the lamp. How much space does it have to work with? If you want the table to be used for anything other than the lamp, you need to make sure there will be space left over once the lamp is in place. This is often something overlooked when putting a lamp on an end table. This doesn't just include the height of the lamp, but also the width of the lampshade or any protruding parts of the lamp, which could be muscling in on someone sitting in the chair beside the table.
Next you need to note the height of the lamp. You don't want it to be so short that it isn't able to appropriately light the area. At the same time, you don't want to have the light so tall that the bulb blinds those sitting near it every time they look towards it. A general rule of thumb is to measure where your ear level would be when sitting or standing by the lamp (whichever would be appropriate). That is the right height for the lamp.
Some table lamps are heavier hitters than others, and your table may not appreciate it. Pay attention to the weight of a lamp before putting it in place. You need to make sure it's not too heavy for the table it will be set on. If you have a sturdy table, this is less of a consideration than if you have a lightweight table.
Style
This is the fun part of the table lamps selection process. Take a good poll of the room you are getting it for. It's time to find a lamp that will work well in this space. Make a note of the colors that are used, the materials (gold-tone versus silver-tone or copper), and a general style and feel of the space. These notes will help you select a lamp that will better work with the room.
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