Lighting up a new home can be a difficult task. Overhead lights require a lot of electrical setup and desk lamps take up workspace. The easy solution to it all, although not very commonly used today, are floor lamps.
Floor lamps can be used as an accent piece in the home or carefully hidden behind furniture. They save you both space and time. I mean, it’s super easy. Take the plug. Find the socket. Plug it in and voila! Let there be light!
While floor lamps are great in general you’ve gotta be careful when picking out the best for your home.
Here are our 4 most helpful tips and ideas on how to successfully incorporate floor lamps to your home.
Space
First up, installation. When we’re looking to furnish our homes the number one problem is space. There seems to never be enough space. Trying not to have a room look cluttered while maintaining your precious memories is a hassle at best.
Think about the spacing in general. Decide if there’s enough space to leave the floor lamp open and out, or if you should put it behind something.
What’s really best is to measure the area you’re working in. That way when you get to the store you can measure the base of your future lamp and know that it will be a perfect fit.
Another thing to think about in the space department is height. How tall do you want your floor lamp to be? Is this supposed to light up the whole room or just a corner? Make sure to check the dimensions of the floor lamp before purchasing.
- Measure area of floor space
- Measure the base
- Measure the height
Measurements are a sure way to keep your lighting in check.
Lighting
While we’re excited about the whole ‘let there be light’ thing, we need to cool it down and think about just what lighting we want.
- Bright – white, and vibrant
- Soft – yellow and dim
- Accent – yellow or white depending on what’s being showcased
Some rooms need lots of bright light, areas such as the kitchen, playroom, or common room are great examples. We need light to clearly see what we’re doing, whether it’s making tonight’s dinner or beating your friend at Air Hockey for the first time ever. Hooray! Go you!
Other rooms need softer lighting, usually a yellow tone. Rooms like the dining room, office, library, and living room. Softer lights are used in comfort zones where people go to relax, focus, and relieve their stress.
Soft lighting is great for reading, quieting down in the evenings and getting work done.
The last kind of lighting is accent lighting. This is when you purposefully place a light to an area that you want to stand out. It could be the front door or a wall of family photos. Placing a floor lamp near important home functions and structures draws natural attention to it.
It showcases the area that you want to be seen without a lot of effort. It’s way better than a big, blinking, cartoon arrow after all.
The type of lighting in the home is incredibly important. Bright lights keep you up and alert. Yellow lights calm you down and help you focus. Accent lights are the spotlights of the home. Wherever you put a light, make sure it’s the right kind of light.
Design
Let’s be honest, when designing our homes not many of us are topnotch designers. Most people pick a theme and run with it. Designers take it to the next level, making sure that everything fits in with a style and is unique.
Floor lamps come in every size, shape, and color imaginable. Some even come with the extras like tassels or lace.
Domestic vs. Industrial
However, some floor lamps can be a bit gaudy and too over the top. It may look great in the store, but not so great at home. The easy fix for this is to keep a picture of your theme and style on you when shopping.
Mentally visualizing the pieces together in that space allows you to see pretty clearly whether or not it will work.
On the other hand, many floor lamps look very industrial, with the light being the main part of the lamp. The stand that it sits on can be cold and metallic and kill the vibe of a cuddly room. In this case, I’d recommend either hiding it behind some furniture or wrapping it in some fuzzy yarn, a light whimsical touch.
Shades
We all need a cool pair of shades, but for our lamps? Maybe not.
If the area is to be brighter consider a glass or metal lampshade directing the light upward. If it’s a quieter area a lampshade is a good idea. It will direct the light down towards whatever project you’re working on.
Dark lampshades will block light so keep that in mind. If it’s supposed to be a calm space to start with consider a lighter lampshade to balance it.
Our eyes are very complex and require a balance of light. If this isn’t done properly, it can result in headaches, eye problems, and a generally bad mood. Lighting is a key factor to our mental health and can cause big problems if not executed correctly.
Review
Floor lamps are more complicated than at first glance, but are super helpful to the home. They can be hidden away or stand out. They can light up a whole room or just your reading chair. Best of all most of these lamps are adjustable to fit your home.
Just in case, I’d still check your measurements.
We hope you found some bright ideas about floor lamps and are ready to add them to your home.
If you are, have a look at our best picks and our buying guide for floor lamps!
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