5 Types of Lamps: How to Style Different Lamps

A lamp is an appliance that uses a power source to emit light. Lamps typically feature a covering or lampshade that helps spread the light and modulate its intensity. In an interior space, lamps can help define a space, both in its practical usability and overall aesthetic. Lamps come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and styles.

Lamps consist of an exterior structure and the light source, or light bulb. In some professional contexts, the light bulb itself will be referred to as a “lamp.” The external structure, known as the “light fixture,” will usually be designed to stand on a surface—a floor, a desk, an end table, or attached to the wall or ceiling.

There are a variety of different lamp types available to choose from. These can be roughly categorized by where they are installed in an interior (or exterior) space:

1. 1. Floor lamps: Floor lamps are designed to stand on the floor. They can be simple and elegant, as in a modern design that utilizes a single narrow column to support the light source and shade, or more elaborate, as in a multi-legged design that looks like a tripod or a sculpture. Floor lamps are versatile and do not need an elevated surface to stand on. Depending on the shade, they can illuminate light upwards, downwards, or in both directions at the same time.
2. 2. Table lamps: Table lamps stand on surfaces such as dining room tables or end tables. Table lamps are smaller than floor lamps and can provide the light needs of interior space. These lamps can be highly decorative, such as stained-glass lamps, which are known for their multicolored stained glass shades, or sleek and modern, with a simple cube-shaped shade. Buffet lamps, usually found in pairs, are another popular option.
3. 3. Desk lamps: Desk lamps functionally illuminate a specific working space, such as your keyboard, or the space on your desk where you write or draw. Some desk lamps attach to the edge of the desk surface and feature adjustable arms that allow for fine-tuning of the light’s direction and intensity.
4. 4. Wall lamps: Wall lamps directly mount to a wall. Wall lamps can be external, as on either side of a building entrance. Inside the house, you can mount wall lamps in bathrooms, sconces, or highlight specific features of the decor, such as framed pictures or paintings.
5. 5. Overhead lamps: Overhead lamps have a ceiling mount. Like wall lamps, you must wire overhead lamps into the construction of a room. Some fix directly to the ceiling, creating a wide, diffuse source of light, while others hang down at a specific (and sometimes adjustable) height. One common example is the chandelier, which will usually have many bulbs, providing lots of light and making for a striking and ornamental feature of the room’s decor.

Light sources are the devices from which light emanates. The amount of light they emit, measured in lumens, varies based upon the materials and the technology. Different types of light sources include:

1. 1. Incandescent: Incandescent bulbs contain a filament, usually made from tungsten (which glows at a warm, orange-yellow color temperature) through which an electric current passes. The electrons being forced through the tungsten filament give off energy in the form of heat and light. The glass enclosure keeps the interior vacuum intact, allowing for the filament to emit light without burning up. Incandescent bulbs are relatively inefficient and can generate a lot of heat.
2. 2. Halogen: Halogen bulbs are a more expensive, higher-quality, and very bright type of incandescent light bulb. Halogen bulbs are more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, but still consume a relatively high amount of electricity.
3. 3. Fluorescent: Fluorescent lights are a kind of discharge lamp, meaning they utilize an electric current passed through a mixture of inert gas, such as argon, and metal vapor, which emits light when it hits the interior of the tube, coated in a phosphor. Commonly known in commercial and institutional settings for their long, tubular shape and cooler color temperature, they are more efficient than incandescent lamps but often utilize mercury, which is an environmental and health hazard.
4. 4. Compact fluorescent lamps: Compact fluorescent lamps, CFLs for short, work on the same principle as fluorescent bulbs, but are smaller and more useful in domestic settings. Although more energy-efficient than incandescents, they have been superseded by newer technology and are becoming obsolete quickly.
5. 5. Neon lamps: These bulbs use neon gas or other elemental gasses to produce light. The glass tubes containing the gas mixture, which determine the color of the lamp, can be crafted in all kinds of shapes, making them popular for illuminated writing and outdoor signage.
6. 6. High-intensity discharge: High-intensity discharge bulbs utilize gas and metallic mixture, but are much brighter and consume more energy than traditional fluorescent lamps. Most often used in industrial or infrastructure applications, these lamps are powerfully bright and tend to have a distinct orange color. High-pressure sodium lamps, such as those seen on many street lights, mercury halide lamps, and arc lamps, are all examples of these HID lamps.
7. 7. LED lamps: LED light bulbs are quickly becoming the most popular form of light source. LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) use electric diodes to produce illumination instead of a filament or a metal/gas vapor. When a current passes through the diode, it glows. Different materials can produce different ranges of color. The bulbs are lightweight and unmatched in their energy efficiency, making their lifetime cost very low.

When placing lamps, you should consider the decor of the room and the direction the light will emit.

1. 1. Test your lamp in the store. When choosing a lamp, switch on a floor model to see what the lamp looks like when it is turned on and emitting light.
2. 2. Place a tall floor lamp in a corner. Putting a tall floor lamp in the corner, depending on the shape of the shade, will provide indirect light for the rest of the room. The most intense light will bounce off the ceiling and some light will hit nearby walls and the floor.
3. 3. Add flair with a directional light. Highly directional light, which can come from a floor lamp, a table lamp, or a wall sconce, can provide drama and flair to an interior.
4. 4. Match the style of the space. A sleek, modern lamp pairs well with can accentuate the design of a contemporary room. You can accentuate a more ornate, classical-style room with a stained glass lamp or an elaborate torchiere lamp.
   

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