Lamps -- Illuminating Accents For Your Home

Jan 15th 2010 at 11:36AM by Bill Volk

I like lamps; all kinds. But in my mind, the best lamps are those that are not just fancy, but serve an actual purpose of lighting the way. I'm on board with those that are easy to operate, throw the best available illumination, and are most suitable for their intended locations.

After the fold, some table and floor lamps that I like.

Some things to consider, when shopping for lamps, either table or floor models:

where will the lamp be placed, and is it accessible to the user -- you don't want to have to lean over a big chair to turn your lamp on, for example;
for a table lamp, tall lamps go on a short table, and vice versa;
remember that during the daylight hours your lamp is just a decoration; if it works well at night, but is ugly during the day, that's clearly an issue;
for a reading lamp, get a lamp that will accept a bulb in the 100-150 watt range; decorative lamps can get away with lower wattages. Don't exceed the manufacturer's wattage rating as it may pose a fire or burn hazard.

Edward Alden Textured Bra

ss Lamp

I'm a great fan of cordless stuff, and that goes for lamps -- this Co rdless Anywhere Table Lamp ($34.99) has 23 LED's and operates on a trio of AA-sized batteries. A weighted base seals the deal on this lamp that will work great in a dark location that is not serviced by a handy electrical outlet. This lamp is shown at the right, while it's companion, the Floor Lamp version ($39.98) -- 5' tall and 22 LED's -- is pictured at the left.

KenRoy Home has a nice three piece Park Avenue lamp collection ($208.80) -- a pair of table lamps and a floor lamp -- that is made of oil-rubbed bronze. Arrives with a white fabric shade and twin chain pulls, an idea I like; I hate to hunt around in the dark for the pulls. Pictured right.

Ore International offers this Satin Nickel Arch lamp ($121.96) with five individual arms, polished brass construction, oval shades, and a dimmer controller. Good stuff.