table and desk lamps

Portable table and desk lamps may serve many purposes in lighting design. Besides being decorative, they are excellent for many task and accent lighting goals…

Task lighting

Table and desk lamps are largely used in residential task lighting: for reading (near a reading chair or other place) and office work, with all the advantages of portables:

- they are “moveable” and flexible;

- they do not demand wiring and other installation requirements, as long as there is an outlet nearby; and...

- their price is typically low.

But table and desk lamps can also be an important element in the lighting design and style of a room.

General lighting

Table and desk lamps can be a source of general lighting, or supplement general illumination by filling darker areas in the room and improving their aesthetics. They can make rooms more comfortable and appealing.

They may also contribute to energy-savings by reducing the needs of a broader general lighting system, or by replacing that general lighting in some periods.

Just select the right portable lamps, according to your preferences and the style and design of your room, and take into account the right bulb and the right light color (which can be “cooler” or “warmer”). See, on this issue: Light Quality/Choosing your lights

Decorative goals and lighting design

Table lamps can be more than just decorative elements. They can be placed near architectural elements and artwork pieces for home accent lighting.

Table Lamps Shades

If the purpose of your table or desk lamps isn’t just an utilitarian one, if you also want them to be an important element in the design of the room, pay attention to the shades of the lamps, and features like their color and transparency (elements like stained glass and dark colored shades tend to block lighting…). The cones of light and their diffusion may vary a lot, affecting the mood of the room differently.

Types of lights and energy-efficiency

When buying portable fixtures, don’t forget the energy-efficiency issue. Table and desk lamps are often used for long periods, making incandescent and halogen lights bad options.

Bet on compact fluorescent bulbs or on LEDs (Light-Emitting Diode). And do not listen to negative opinions on the quality of CFL lights or their supposed lack of warmth. You can have quality and warmth with the new LEDs and fluorescent bulbs, and also a much longer life. The only disadvantage is their up-front larger investment. See on the issue: Light Quality.