How To Find The Right Bedside Lamp (And 15 Of Our Favorites For Under $150) - Bobby Berk (2024)

FAQs

What is the right size lamp for a bedside table? ›

Design rules for lamp size

Assuming that your nightstand is the same height as your mattress (or within a couple of inches), look for a lamp the same height as your nightstand plus an extra 2 or 3 inches. So if your nightstand is 24 inches high, a lamp that is around 27 inches tall will look best.

Lamps should be positioned so that the bottom of the lamp is at eye level when you're sitting in bed. This means that the light shines on your lap or your book, rather than in your eyes.

In general, look for a warm white color temperature for living rooms and bedrooms, a bright white color temperature for kitchens and workspaces, and a daylight color temperature for reading nooks and studies. For more information on light bulbs, check out the Light Bulb Buying Guide.

As long as your bedside lamps are in keeping with the rest of your bedroom's decor, the color and style are up to you.

Overall lamp and table measurements: The lamp should not be more than 1.5 times taller than the surface it is sitting on, and the lamp shade's diameter should be smaller than the width of the sofa side table. You don't want the table lamp's shade to be sticking out beyond the table's edge.

So what wattage should I use? A good rule of thumb when buying a light bulb for your lampshade is that around 400 lumens would be sufficient for a bedside table. Therefore, you would need a CFL bulb of 9W, a halogen bulb of 28W, or an LED bulb of 6W to achieve a suitable level of brightness.

You want to get into bed at the end of the day and unwind, which means avoiding melatonin-disrupting blue light at all costs. Light bulbs in bedside lamps should be very warm or warm white – opt for a colour temperature somewhere around 2,000 – 2,700K.

USE MATCHING LAMPS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BED

But that is where the matching ends. Any additional lamps in the bedroom have a different shape, shade, and color. For example, in our bedroom I have two tall black candlestick lamp bases on our nightstands and a short and round ivory lamp on our dresser.

Living room lamps don't necessarily need to match, though it's fine to match two lamps to create a style statement. When choosing living room lamps, it's more important to consider whether they're in harmony with the style and atmosphere of the rest of the room, rather than if they match or not.

Should lamp shades be the same color in a room? ›

For a calm, harmonious feel, try mixing and matching a set of lampshades in a range of different tones of the single main colour. You can still have all sorts of fun with different patterns and styles, but the shades can help tie together the room's key colour theme.

Rule of thumb is if you have a big bedhead and bedroom, the side tables and table lamps should be big. Smaller items on a large bedside table look out of proportion and the same goes for a large table lamp on a small side table. Your table lamp should fit on the bedside table along with your other decorative accents.

For your bedside, you'll want a soft, more ambient light rather than a harsh, bright light to help you wind down before sleep. You can determine your bulb brightness by the number of lumens.

I think a lot of lamps end up looking cheap because of the shades. Finding one that complements the shape of the base and is the right size is key. If you find a lamp base you love, but the shade feels “off,” just replace it!

A recent study found that 450 lumens, the equivalent of 40-60 watt incandescent bulbs, is the sweet spot for book reading. Not only will this provide enough light to see the words on the page, but it's also more energy efficient than higher wattage bulbs.

If you want a light on your desk for daily reading and writing, a bulb of 470 lumens should be perfect. But, if you are looking for a light that will ensure you can read for long hours in any part of the room and without any stress on your eyes, a bulb of 800+ lumens is necessary.