Floor lamps feature a base with long legs and an attached lampshade covering an illuminated light bulb. Designers explore various shapes and materials to craft unique floor lamps.
If you need lighting for reading nooks or offices, most floor lamps will do the trick. For general room illumination purposes however, torchiere-style lamps might be your best bet.
Size
Floor lamps tend to have larger proportions than table lamps due to their height, featuring larger lampshades for additional balance (like Tiffany floor lamps featuring colorful art glass pieces used as patterns) as well as often costing more due to their larger size.
Size matters when selecting the ideal floor lamp for your home. Make sure it provides sufficient lighting in both its function and location – from creating mood lighting or reading nooks, to brightening up an area in need of illumination – quality floor lamps are an effective solution for meeting these objectives.
Style
Lighting can do more than illuminate a space; it can help define its style as well. No matter whether you prefer traditional or modern aesthetics, there is sure to be a floor lamp available that suits them both perfectly.
Pharmacy floor lamps, also referred to as task lighting fixtures, feature tall freestanding fixtures with narrow arms that encase light bulbs to provide focused beams of illumination in work or study environments. Perfect for providing task lighting in places like libraries or libraries with multiple desks for simultaneous reading sessions!
At first glance, this unique floor lamp may not appear like an illumination fixture with its metal base and glass shade that emits a subtle yet warm textured glow. Perfect for an eclectic or gothic design style!
Function
Floor lamps are typically intended to serve two main functions in any given space: they add an aesthetic focal point while increasing ambient lighting levels; however, depending on their style they may also serve additional purposes.
Depending on your desired effect, choose a lamp style with a standard shade that filters light gently or select one with a torchiere floor lamp resembling a torch and directed upwards for task lighting.
Other functional floor lamps include pharmacy style and tower floor lamps which typically feature a full-length lampshade with multiple bulbs that provide up-and-down illumination. There are also full spectrum floor lamps which mimic natural sunlight to improve colors, reduce glare, and protect eyes.
Light Source
Lighting source of a floor lamp should be taken into consideration carefully. Too close to eye level light sources may create an uncomfortably bright glare when standing nearby; for this reason, select one with bulbs well above eye line when standing or sitting nearby it.
Reading or task lamps require closer proximity between their light bulb and your work area. Torchiere lamps, club lamps and six-way lamps offer good choices for this type of functional lighting.
Many floor lamps now offer full spectrum LED bulbs that mimic natural sunlight to accurately render colors and reduce glare.
Switch
Floor lamps feature either push button or rotary switches to control how much light is emitted by turning the knob. The amount of illumination can then be set accordingly.
To change a switch, first unplug the lamp. Next, unbolt and unassemble its shade and bulb before taking steps to unscrew its socket cover face, as there will be an indentation that when pressed with a screwdriver will lift and expose an inner socket with coil wires wrapped around posts.
Each side of a switch will feature copper contact fingers attached with copper-coated cams that rotate when the switch is pushed or turned, and in its center will be a small circular wheel with copper-coated cams which spin when the switch is moved or turned. A good way to identify which wire has power is through using a non-contact voltage tester.