Floor Lamps
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Contemporary + Modern Floor Lamps
When overhead lighting is too bright and table lamps are too ineffective, a modern floor lamp strikes the perfect balance. Floor lamps are tall, freestanding light fixtures that typically have three main components in common: a sturdy or weighted base, a vertical column, and one or more shaded or diffused light bulbs. Depending on the lamp type, freestanding floor lamps may feature a number of other structural elements and can serve different purposes in different spaces. Floor lamps blend pragmatism with panache, offering necessary light while simultaneously creating a warm and welcoming ambience. As you curate your home’s interiors, keep modern home lighting pieces top of mind.
Modern floor lamps embody the primary principle of mid-century modern design: They combine form and function, as highly effective lighting solutions that maintain aesthetic value whether they’re switched on or off. That said, modern light fixtures can still vary widely in material and appearance, and have been recently joined in ranks by contemporary and minimalist lamps that package mid-century modern design ideals in contemporary silhouettes. At Design Within Reach, shop modern floor lamps, including minimalist and contemporary floor lamps that will illuminate your home whether on or off.
Types of Modern Floor Lamps
Arc Floor Lamps
Arc floor lamps are some of the most visually compelling modern floor lamps available. Rather than a straight up-and-down or jointed column, arc lamps have tall, curved columns that arc to position their light bulbs overhead. Their bases are typically quite heavy, weighted so the lamp doesn’t tip over. Arc floor lights are ideal if you’d like low overhead lighting but don’t want to go through the trouble of installing a hanging ceiling light; consider positioning one beside a sofa or sectional so it looms over the center of your living room conversation set.
Tripod Floor Lamps
Tripod floor lamps resemble their namesake, and have uniquely playful silhouettes. Tripod lamps have all the stability of traditional floor lamps, but they exchange a weighted base for three supportive legs. The beauty of this type of modern lamp is that it plays well with a range of interiors. Depending on its construction, it can have either a traditional, old-world look or it can be a showpiece of modern design.
Tree Floor Lamps
Despite their name, tree floor lamps don’t quite resemble actual trees – but, like trees, they do have branches or buds. Tree floor lamps are multi-light floor lamps that feature multiple individual light bulbs with lampshades or diffusers, branching or budding off the lamp’s central column. Some tree lamps are more whimsical and tree-like in appearance, while other mid-century floor lamps are more minimalist.
Paper & Lantern Floor Lamps
Lanternlike and gentle, paper floor lamps are popular contemporary floor lamps that can add warmth to any space. While many paper floor lamps have spherical lampshades, some are cube-shaped, and others feature even more unique paper shade shapes. Some paper lampshades are literally made of paper (rice paper floor lamps have rice paper lampshades), while other lantern floor lamps have thin polymer shades that resemble paper but are slightly more durable.
Globe Floor Lamps
Defined by their spherical light diffusers, globe floor lamps are elegant contemporary floor lamps that emit a soft, calming glow. Most globe lamps have straight, vertical metal bases and frosted or semi-opaque glass diffusers that evenly distribute ambient light and mitigate glare.
Mushroom Floor Lamps
As their name suggests, mushroom floor lamps are mushroom-shaped. These modern floor lamps have vertical pedestal bases that lead into wide, downturned lampshades that are either glass or the same material as the base, most often metal. Mushroom lamps with opaque and downturned lamps are better for illuminating a specific spot in a room (think: beside a reading armchair), while mushroom lamps with glass lampshades are better for illuminating a larger area.
Swing-Arm & Adjustable Floor Lamps
If you’re looking for a piece with more versatility, consider an adjustable floor lamp or a swing-arm floor lamp. Adjustable floor lamps often feature light arms that move up and down the lamp’s column, so you can adjust the position and height of the light. Swing-arm floor lamps feature pivot points along the lamp’s body and/or arms, which allow you to fine-tune the height and angle of the lamp to cast light where necessary. Think of this style as a larger version of a desk-top task lamp.
How to Choose a Floor Lamp
Focus on purpose.
Identifying the lighting solutions that will work best in your home starts with identifying the purpose you’d like your light fixtures to serve. Floor lamps are mainly effective at two distinct purposes: providing general ambient lighting to a large area and providing focused task lighting to small areas designated for specific purposes.
If you’re looking for floor lamps to illuminate a whole room, look for lamps with upturned lampshades or diffusing lampshades, or multi-light floor lamps with light bulbs facing multiple directions. Globe, paper, lantern, torchiere (upturned, torch-like), and tree floor lamps are great choices for providing far-reaching ambient lighting.
For task lighting, look for floor lamps with opaque, spotlight-like lampshades designed to direct light in a specific direction. These task lamps produce more concentrated, focused light than their diffused counterparts, and are ideal beside reading nooks, conversation sets, or office desks. Think: floor lamps with downturned shades, adjustable or swing-arm floor lamps, or even some tree floor lamps with spotlight-like light bulbs. Adjustable and swing-arm lights are particularly useful as task lamps, as their adjustability allows you a lot of control over the direction of their light.
Because arc floor lamps act somewhat like low-hanging overhead lighting, they can work in multiple different scenarios. Position one over a living room conversation set for more generalized lighting, or place one beside an accent chair or armchair for a visually stunning reading corner.
Consider aesthetics.
Once you have a general idea of the types of floor lamps that will work best for your purposes, you can begin to narrow your options down further based on what will look best in your space.
A decorative floor lamp is a functional design element that allows you to incorporate a delightfully unexpected material or finish into a room. If your interiors skew mid-century modern, explore colorful accent lamps that can add a pop of color to your space. Or, for a more Bohemian-inspired home, opt for light fixtures that incorporate natural materials, like a wicker or wooden floor lamp. If your space trends minimalist, with a lot of monolithic shapes, natural stone elements, and stark lines, opt for a modern arc floor lamp that makes a dramatic statement, such as one with a polished aluminum shade and marble base. Or introduce warmth with a lantern or paper floor lamp, both ideal for Japandi spaces. For traditional interiors that predominately showcase materials like walnut, velvet, and bouclé, consider a minimalist lamp with an elliptical glass shade or a modern LED floor lamp to create an aesthetically pleasing contrast in the room.
Designer floor lamps brighten a room both literally and figuratively, which is why they’re an easy choice for any room in your home — from the living room to the bedroom to the office and beyond. A well-lit (and well-designed) interior is always in reach.
At Design Within Reach, we’re here to answer questions and more, with complementary design services to support you at every step of your interior design journey. Our staff of in-store design professionals can give advice and recommendations via chat, photos, and live video. They can also do 3-D renderings of your rooms so you can see how an arrangement might work. Look for the black chat icon at the lower right of webpages.
Where to place floor lamps?
Because of their height, floor lamps look best when they’re placed on the outside edges of your living room furniture arrangement. Try placing two in opposing corners of your space, or place one behind your sofa, sectional, or reading armchair.
How many floor lamps should you have in a living room?
Most living rooms are perfectly suited to just one or two floor lamps – any more and the space might feel too busy. Place a single lamp where concentrated light would be most useful or flank a large sectional with two matching lamps.
What kind of floor lamp gives the most light?
LED floor lamps with semi-opaque diffusers or opaque upturned or downturned shades emit bright, far-reaching light. Floor lamps with multiple bulbs are brighter than single-bulb lamps.
How tall should a floor lamp be behind a sofa?
If you’d like to use your floor lamp for reading or other seated activities, it’s best if its lightbulb is at your sitting eye level, or around 60 inches above the floor. Taller floor lamps used for more general lighting can be up to 72 inches tall without looking disproportionate.