Darker early, longer nights, cooler temps. All send us indoors, where suddenly we look around and see all the stuff we need to buy and redo and redecorate, right?
This is the time of year to make sure the lighting around your house is both looking good and fully functional. You will be spending the next 6 months with it, so might as well get it right.
Lamps are decorating accessories with clear purpose–to bring light and ambiance to a room and/or to a task. We have searched books and blogs, and have established a few tips to clear up the confusion and make buying a lamp much easier.
1. Silhouette– or the style of the lamp. It should blend with the surroundings in the room. What is your room’s style? Traditional? Contemporary? Eclectic?
2. Color– a traditional room needs a lamp that blends or compliments the wall color and other furnishings. Contemporary rooms can handle a bold, unique lamp. Try buying the same color lamps with a different silhouette or vice-versa. Mix it up a bit.
3. Size- this is where most folks get it wrong. Table lamps are generally between 26″ and 34″ high. Generally speaking you don’t want to sit on the sofa and look up into the hardware. When determining the height of the lamp you must also take into consideration the height of the side table. The trend in decorating right now seems to be LARGE. Furniture is bigger, art is bigger and lamps are bigger. Before you go shopping take some measurements (the side table height, width and the height from the top of the side table to eye level when sitting). This is lamp “real estate”. Your lamp shouldn’t vanish into or over power this space.
Take your measurements and color samples shopping for the silhouette that reflects your room. Focusing on these three elements will help you to get the right lamp for your space. And never be afraid to bring magazine pictures torn out or a pinterest board on your phone. Visual reminders and cues can really help when you are working with a sales person or lost in a maze of amazing options.
