Can we talk about lamps and lighting, please?

[OrangeLane]

It often pops up on this board about having lots of low / lower lighting (than ceiling lights) and using lots of lamps instead.

I love this advice, and I'm definitely on board with it. But can those who have done it successfully, give some further advice - a) how many are we actually talking, and b) how do you fit them in?

[EXAMPLE: What I mean by (b) is, my living room currently has three lamps - one table lamp on the piano, and two floor lamps. I don't know where I would put anymore without having extra tables / finding ways to put them on the mantel piece / taking more floor space, etc. But it's a large room, so the three give just enough light, but I can see more would be nicer (and I don't think it's about brighter bulbs in them).]

The example above is just one room in my house. I'd generally love to hear from people about where they put lamps, recommended places to have them, recommended types of lamps, and how to make a few work together.

Thanks!

You don't have anywhere you could put a small side table with a lamp on? You say 'extra' tables, so do have tables with no lamps on?

In that room the only surfaces for a table lamp would be:

• Other side of the piano (so two lamps on one piano). Could be an option
• Coffee table in the middle of the room. Not really an option.
• TV stand / drawers. Not really an option.

I'd like to have low level lighting. But never see lamps that I like. And I'm not having uplighters fitted.

Lamps always just look like more clutter to me. I'm very minimalist.

I have two lamps in my lounge. I have two sideboards in there, so one lamp per sideboard. They are on different ends of the lounge.

I also have a lamp in the kitchen, again on a sideboard, which goes on after I have cooked / cleaned up, so it gives the kitchen a little light, enough to pop in for a wine top up without needing the big light.

I also have two small lamps in the bedroom. I don't think I have ever used the big light in the bedroom!

So you just have the ceiling lights on (the 'big light' 😉)? I couldn't do that.

We have a joined on living and dining room. There is one floor lamp at the window end of the living room and one at the start of the dining room, next to an armchair. There is also a sideboard in the dining room with a table lamp on, and a bookshelf about 4ft high with a table lamp. Not all of these are on at the same time. It looks very cosy in the darker evenings.

Wall lights? You don't need them wired in as you can get rechargeable LED bulbs. Lots of people do this for bedside wall lights, well it is all over social media but then I am specifically searching for room makeovers.

If it’s a large room I’d have a small table each end of the sofa with a lamp on.
Don’t need to match if you don’t want them to

Ceiling lights with dimmer switches and mirrors to bounce light around.
Candles work well too.

I love lamps and have loads (fifteen at the last count)!

We're still renovating our downsize cottage, but we have a floor lamp plus three table lamps (and a couple of candle lamps with shades) in our little snug. It's a smallish space so fitting lots in was a challenge. We also have two antique mirrors to reflect the light.

The candle lamps are either end of the fire surround and the table lamps are 1) on a deep window sill behind the sofa, 2) on a cabinet the other side of the sofa and 3) on a low table beside a chair.

Additionally in the same room we have three overhead pendant lights, all operated independently. Normally I don't use overhead lights, but we just got some tiny Pooky shades and coloured vintage flex/roses for these three and they look so pretty when lit (or at least the two that are wired in do!), that I'm making an exception to my rule 😆

In our - unfinished - TV room we have three lamps - one on a sideboard, the other two on lamp tables. The - lovely - overhead light is never used in there.

@OrangeLane I'd have small tables with lamps either side of the sofa(s) - previously we used a vintage drinks trolley instead of a conventional table for this purpose. What about a lamp with rechargeable power on the coffee table? Alternatively, I'd go for rechargeable wall lights as suggested by @TheWardrobeIsThere.

I agree wall and table and light stands can make a huge difference, provided you have the space.

I would also suggest considering using smart bulbs and light strips or bars, as these can be placed in more locations, switched and dimmed centrally with the a single remote, or with a motion or presence sensors etc.

It's easier now with USB rechargeable ones and smart plugs so you can have them in places without plugs, avoid trailing wires or if they are plugged in switch them all on and off easily from an app instead of having to walk round the room. We have a small USB one that gets used in lots of places as needed, it's on the hall table at the moment which is on a wall with no plugs. We do still use all our overhead lamps at times and I wouldn't want to not have them, they are especially useful when cleaning and tidying but do like lower level lighting for relaxing

Actually, yes, I do love candles and have a few! Obviously when the kids are in bed though.

I need to look into this. I didn't say before, but I guess there's also the issue of a nearby socket, as putting a table and lamp somewhere isn't as easy as it sounds. But yes, USB rechargeable ones would be interesting.

Ok, now I'm off to see if I can find any nice one!

I do actually have a long ongoing hunt to find one for my hall, if anyone happens to see anything they could recommend to me? The particular criteria is that it would be on a low table, so I wouldn't want to see the bulb out of the top as I walked past.

yes try LED rechargeable lamps! Game changers with no ugly cables everywhere

It’s not just lamps, it’s any kind of softer non ceiling based lighting. The ideal is to have several different levels of lighting so some combo of table lamps, taller floor lamps, wall lamps and then ceiling pendant and/or spots .

and again ideally you’d have the ceiling lights on a dimmer so you can still have them there but down for background light when using the lamps, you’re not relying on lamps for all the lighting.

We have one USB lamp but it runs out really quickly, it’s quite old so maybe they are better now?

Have the rechargeable lamps. Have three plug in lamps in our small sitting room. One on a coffee table, one on a sideboard and one on the soundbar box. None match but they give just the right amount of light and warmth. Two are dimmable. I don’t use the energy-saving bulbs as I think they give out a weird colour that I can’t tolerate. I buy screw in candle bulbs from Amazon. Much nicer.

Our USB one seems to last months, but it is only used in fairly short bursts, so if I sit down in the chair it's next to I'll put it on but as soon as I get up it's off again and I rarely sit still for more than an hour.

Pooky have some gorgeous ones!
I've not yet purchased any rechargeable lamps myself, but we have loads of Pooky lamps and shades so can recommend them generally for both quality and style.