5 Facts About Floor Lamps You Didn’t Know

5 Facts About Floor Lamps You Didn’t Know

Could the humble floor lamp be one of the most underrated pieces in your home? For many interior designers, the floor lamp is one of the best tools in their design arsenal for elevating a room and creating a great finish. Here are five design facts about floor lamps that help to explain why they are so popular with interior design experts.

Design fact #1: Floor lamps can make your space look bigger.

Adding vertical lines to a room will help to draw the eye upward and create a feeling of extra height. Floor lamps are a perfect way to do this. Not only do they come in a range of heights, but the fact they are portable means they are one of the simplest and easiest ways to create a vertical line in a room. You don’t have to invest in new long, striped curtains or buy an expensive tall bookcase to create a vertical line; simply add a floor lamp. To create a long vertical line, look for straight up-and-down classic options or floor lamps with added height, such as this Black Spherule Mercury Glass Contemporary Modern Home Light Standing Floor Lamp, which is 65.5 inches tall.

Design fact #2: They are very versatile

Floor lamps occupy an interesting space within design, not big enough to be considered a fixture or fitting like a fireplace or furniture but big enough to make an impact when moved. Floor lamps are totally versatile because they offer lots of different options. While there may only be so many ways you can arrange furniture in a room, there are countless places you can display your floor lamp. Furthermore, wherever you display your floor lamp, it is likely to create a new ambience, feeling or lighting effect. Move a floor lamp into a darker corner of your room, and you can totally change the vibe. Floor lamps are a relatively cost-effective way to shake up a room as they can easily be moved from place to place and from room to room.

Design fact #3: Floor lamps can be used for different kinds of lighting

Understanding light and how it works in a room is one of the keys to creating a calm and beautiful home design. Interior experts know that using different layers of lighting can create a high-end and luxury feel. There are three main types of light. Ambient, or background, lighting gives the room an overall layer of light. Accent lighting highlights and draws attention to a certain area or object in a room, although this must be done subtly. Finally, task lighting directs light so you can undertake a specific task, such as reading or cooking on an illuminated kitchen countertop.

The beauty of a floor lamp is that it can, depending on its design, shade and positioning in a room, offer all three kinds of lighting. Use several floor lamps wisely in a room and the layers of lighting they provide could help to achieve a real designer feel. Choosing floor lamps well will help with this. For example, this Black Metal Led Bendy Contemporary Modern Home Light Standing Floor Lamp could be used as task lighting for hobbies such as reading or needlework due to its flexible head. This Brown Wood Finish Floor Lamp with Glass Shelves is likely to give more of an ambient, background light.

Design fact #4: You can use them to create a contrast.

Interior design is all about creating balance, but when it comes to creating contrast, we often turn to traditional accent pieces such as an occasional chair, throw cushions or a quirky piece of furniture. However, floor lamps are an often-overlooked way to create this contrast, whether it's in style, color or texture.

Design fact #5: Floor lamps can be fun!

Yes, floor lamps are a way of adding extra light to a room, but interior designers know they can also be bold, colorful and characterful. Don’t be afraid to take risks and look for something unusual to really shake up your room. Consider bold colors, patterned or printed lamp shades or unique and eye-catching shapes. For example, this Off White Cotton Shades Three Light Modern Home Standing Floor Lamp has an unusual three-shade, tree-like design, while this Chrome Looped Glass Cocktail Table Top Modern Home Light Standing Floor Lamp has a classic design with a bit of a twist.

Keep in mind these five design facts, and you will be styling up your floor lamps like a pro in no time.