Needless to say, lamps and lighting are absolutely essential to the design of your home and especially your beautiful living room.
It's a place where you will spend a lot of time, both to relax and to share a moment with friends or family.
Designer floor lamps, also called standing lamps, have a dual purpose:
- Thanks to their design and the materials that constitute them, this type of lamp can be a magnificent and artistic object in itself,
- And the light produced has the power to enhance the atmosphere of your room .
Buying the right floor lamp, in store or online, therefore requires a little thought.
To help you see more clearly, we have prepared a guide in the form of 5 questions to ask yourself when the time comes to select your floor lamp(s).
You will be able to make your shopping selection while being certain of what you need in terms of style, power, base and lampshade.
1. Do you want your floor lamp to be remarkable and assert your originality?
A statement floor lamp can be an icon of your living room in itself - adding height, color and character.
But it can be a more subtle, discreet addition, blending into the decor , blending with finesse with your furniture and your trinkets.
In fact, do you want your guests to say, “My God, look at that lamp!” And may they salute your creative and offbeat style...
Or do you think the lamps are like the ball boys at Roland Garros? (They are in their place when you don't really notice them).
This is a crucial question to answer, because this will determine the style of your floor lamp. If you opt for discretion, it goes without saying that you can already eliminate from your wishlist all the floor lamps and other eccentric products that stand out from the crowd.
Remember that the choice of an original floor lamp depends on the space you have. A tripod floor lamp, for example, will work very well in a large, empty and spacious corner, but risks taking up too much space in an already cluttered room.
If you want the lamp to be a focal point, you can opt for a simple base and then opt to purchase a large, flamboyant lampshade, which will add color and life to a high space.
A vibrantly colored lampshade will be just as beautiful during the day as it is in the evening when night falls.
2. Will your floor lamp fit the dimensions of your living room?
When choosing a floor lamp, you should consider the scale of your living room , including the height of the ceiling.
If you have a low ceiling (less than 2.50 meters), a very tall floor lamp may seem disproportionate, while if you have a lot of space above your head, a floor lamp that is too low will also stand out for the wrong reasons. . The lamp will only accentuate its chunky side in relation to the beautiful volume of the room.
The trick therefore consists of taking a tape measure and determining your ceiling height and the ideal height of the lamp base and its lampshade, in order to know what is the appropriate height for the floor lamp to find its right place in the piece.
3. Floor lamps: what type of light do you want in your living room?
Floor lamps are perfect lamps for providing specific lighting and ambient lighting. So determining what your priority is will help you choose the best floor lamp based on your needs and projects.
If you want your lamp to be placed next to a sofa or armchair to illuminate the reading area, the bottom of the lampshade should be at approximately eye level when you are seated, which means the top of the lamp will have a height of approximately 152cm, measured from the ground.
Choosing the right lampshade is also important. A semi-translucent shade is ideal for softer ambient light , while if you want to highlight a feature on the wall or ceiling , opt for an opaque shade , which is better suited for decorative accent lighting .
4. How will the floor lamp match the decor and design of your living room?
Floor lamp bases can be made of brass, wood, wrought iron, marble and a whole range of colors, while lampshades can range from muted linen to brightly colored Ikat patterns on silk, so that there are many possibilities to adapt your lamp to the style and decor of your living room, such as a Scandinavian style for example.
You can also use floor lamps to add character and new decorative elements to your living room.
Why not combine a floor lamp with a small armchair and a side table to create a cozy reading nook ?
Floor lamps are also a great way to transform wasted spaces into cozy, warm and functional spaces . These empty spaces, like near a bay window or the space between the sofa and the wall, can be lit, which adds depth and character to the room and brings it to life. Choose a semi-translucent shade to give soft, diffused light and create a warm glow.
Another little tip: when deciding where to place the floor lamp, be careful not to obstruct the passage between the furniture.
A gorgeous lamp is great, but you don't want guests to have to contort themselves to chat or get their feet caught in it.
5. Have you considered having multiple layers of lights in your space?
Interior design lesson 101 is that in a living room, it's best to layer multiple types of light, rather than relying on a single light source. Having several lamps of different sizes allows you to use different combinations depending on the mood and situation.
If you buy a floor lamp, table lamps, desk lamps and sconces, you can have fun creating a lighting "family". They don't have to all match: very different shades and styles can add a lot of personality to a room and create a completely unique look.
When you decide to purchase a lamp and finally acquire your floor lamp(s), you will also need to take your budget into account. Fortunately, today there are different ranges of lamps with very varied prices in stores.
A floor lamp is a central object in your decoration, made of metal or wood, it will work equally well next to a lounge chair, combined with a small bedside table, or discreetly placed next to your sofa.
