17+ Different Types of Lamps (with Photos)

Nicole Abbott
by Nicole Abbott

Lamps are a great source of light if you are needing to light a large or small space. Not only can lamps provide a fantastic functional space, but they can also be a great decor option too and uplight your mood. Depending on their height or what kind of table lamp it is, it can be an attention-grabbing piece.

When searching for a lamp that fits your style, you’ll want to pay attention to the material of its base and lampshade. Most of these lamps have a quick assembly which is also an important factor when making a purchase. These options will help you understand what floor and table lamps are available. We know you’ll select one that fits your particular needs.

The most popular type of floor lamps is the club, swing arm, torchiere, tripod, six-way, tower, down bridge, and pharmacy. For an extended list of floor lamps, check out 30 Types of Floor Lamps.

Different Types of Floor Lamps

Floor lamps are a great piece of furniture to add to your home and can be room for almost any room in the house. Not only are floor lamps functional, but they can create a certain ambiance to your room. Even the color and strength of the lightbulb you use for your lamps can make a huge difference.

Depending on their height and design, floor lamps can be an eye-catcher. Pay attention to the type of material used in the design and the type of lampshade it comes with. All floor lamps are pretty quick to assemble, making them high up on the convenience chart. Here is a quick selection of floor lamps to consider when making your purchase.

1. Club

The club floor lamp is the most basic floor lamp available with a simple design. It has a solid base with a standard lampshade.

Club floor lamps come in a variety of styles and colors to make it easier for homebuyers to pick out one that fits perfectly in their room.

2. Swing Arm

The swing arm floor lamp is designed with a column base that is similar to the design of the club lamp. You will notice a different design as you go up higher in this floor lamp. The upper part of this lamp allows the lamp to swing from side to side.

This makes it a great selection for those who like to sit and read at night. You can use these while you’re sitting in your favorite accent chair or working at your desk.

3. Torchiere

Torchiere lamps are another popular design among homeowners. The name Torchiere comes from the French word “torch.” This was the older way of how people used to light things up before the invention of electricity.

You can spot this lamp by its unique base and the triangular shade it has at the top. This is a very unique, but simple design. This type of floor light offers up enough light and looks especially great against white ceilings.

4. Tripod

The tripod floor lamp is designed just how you would expect it to be. The base of the floor lamp flares out just like a tripod.

It is designed with three columns that hold the lampshade and the lightbulb in place. The tripod floor lamp is an upgrade version of the single design and is great for office spaces.

5. Six-way

The six-way floor lamp is designing using multiple light bulbs for its source of light. If you are trying to light a larger space, six-way floor lamps would be a great option.

Another name for this lamp is also called the candelabra. This name fits because it looks like a lamp that would hold traditional candles. You will notice that some of our floor lamps today still have a touch of old designs in them.

6. Tower

The tower floor lamp is designed exactly how you would expect, a tower. In its standard design, it has a single column with a shade that expands throughout the entire lamp. Multiple bulbs are then placed throughout the lamp to light the entire lamp.

Some tower lamps, however, are not designed with full lampshades. You’ll sometimes see shelves on tower lamps that are installed to give storage options. Tower floor lamps come in a variety of styles and colors.

7. Down Bridge

The down-bride lamp is a task light. The entire lamp stands upright and as you venture to the top the light points downward.

You will notice the curved piece at the top that allows the lampshade to point downward. You can use this floor lamp in your office space or library area.

8. Pharmacy

The pharmacy floor lamp looks very similar to the down-bridge lamp. The way the top of the lamp points downward, that’s the way it directs its light.

The pharmacy lamp is more adjustable than the down-bridge lamp. You can adjust it both vertically and horizontally. You also have the option of raising or lowering them and swinging them back and forth as needed.

9. Arc

The arc floor lamp has an old touch to it. This arc lamp is coming back in homes and spaces that have contemporary interiors. Just by looking at it, you can see where it gets its name from. The pole of the lamp has a large arc design. The body of the lamp arches and has a shade and bulb at the end. For this particular lamp, you do need more space than other floor lamps. These lamps are not ideal for small rooms.

If you were wondering about this lamp falling over, most arc lamps have a heavy base to prevent this from happening. Depending on the interior of your home, this lamp would go great in dining rooms, living rooms, and even larger office spaces.

10. Tree

The tree floor lamp has small similarities to the arc lamp at the top of its design. This floor lamp offers three light options and different designs of shades. Depending on the amount of light you want, you have the option of turning on all three lights or just one. You can also point the light in multiple directions which is a plus!

Now you can see that are several options available when choosing a floor lamp that fits your style. Whatever lamp you choose, you should have one that will match the decor of your home.

The material at the base of these floor lamps will influence its style. Floor lamps can be made of several different materials including wood, metal, stone, marble, ceramic, and even paper.

Different Types of Table Lamps

When choosing the right table lamp for your home, you’ll have many options to choose from. Choosing a table lamp is more than just the style, but more importantly the location of where you want it to go. Here is a guide to help you in your search.

As you can see, you’ll have many options to choose from, so you might be wondering which is one is best for you. With so many table lamps available, it can seem overwhelming trying to pick the best one that fits your particular needs.

As every table lamp style may have a different look and some may even have more features than others, it’s important that your table lamp and its lighting fit in with the rest of your home’s decor.

To help you decide on which table lamp is right for you, here is a list of some we’ve come across in our research. As you can see, you’ll have plenty to choose from!

1. Buffet

You will notice when picking out a buffet lamp, that they are usually tall and slender. They are the taller design of table lamps and are designed to be placed directly on buffet tables.

When placing on a buffet table the light will go directly downwards to illuminate the items on the table. They are also ideal if you want to light up your home.

One of the disadvantages of the buffet lamp is that it only shines a light on a specific spot of the room. It may not give off enough light to illuminate larger areas. It probably isn’t the best design if you want to light up a bedroom or living room.

2. Piano

A piano table lamp is designed to illuminate sheet music for musicians. These specific styles prevent there from being a glare from musicians so they can read music properly.

You can find the piano lamp in a variety of designs and styles to adhere to the needs of certain tastes. This style has a slender body with a horizontal head. Since it has a minimal design, you’ll be able to find some styles that have swing arms that will allow you to move the light where needed.

Even though piano lamps were originally made for musicians, you can also use this lamp on your desk or for reading. Since the light is directed downwards, this light is ideal if you need to get work accomplished. If you want a lamp that will illuminate an entire room, you may want to keep looking around.

3. Desk

If you have a desk or home office in your area, a desk lamp would be perfect for you. Having a well-lit desk area can dramatically increase your productivity.

Desk lamps for the most part have an adjustable arm area so you can move the light directly over your work area.

Similar to a bedside lamp, your desk lamp should fit well with the size of your desk. If your workspace is more compact, you should choose a smaller lamp, as a larger desk will cause an increase in size.

4. Lava

Lava lamps are just not for a hippie-style bedroom. A lava lamp, also known as a motion lamp, is a bottle made of glass that has wax and a liquid inside. The base of the lamp will have a light bulb at the bottom that will light and heat it.

This will melt the wax that is on the inside, which then causes it to float throughout the bottle. The lava lamp will also give off a slight glow that will slightly illuminate a space. You can find lava lamps located in stores meant for teenagers most of the time.

5. Novelty

While most lamps are used for mainly the purpose of illumination, there are some that just for appeal. They add some light to a room, but not enough to use for productivity.

Since novelty lamps are just for appeal, there are many different styles you can choose from. If you are wanting more of a class look, you can go with one similar to what is pictured here, which is more industrial style.

If you’re looking for a novelty lamp for a children’s room, they have lamps that are in the design of cartoon characters and other designs.

You will even find that many Tiffany lamps are considered novelty lamps. As stated before, novelty lamps aren’t made for much productivity, but they will give off some beauty to a room.

6. Banker’s

A banker’s lamp is another type of desk lamp. It is short in size and has a half-cylinder lampshade that is made of glass.

In traditional times, the lampshade would be green, but you can now find them in other styles too. Since the light on a banker’s lamp shines downward, some musicians even use these on their pianos. You’ll see many banker’s lamps placed in public library work areas.

7. Salt

A salt lamp does a lot more than just give off light in a space. Salt lamps also have other health benefits since the salt lamp will give off negative ions. Negative ions are told to help minimize mold in areas, allergens, and even bacteria.

Types of Lamp Shade Shapes

As lighting can make or break a room, we know that lampshades also play an important role in picking out the perfect style that not only brings enough illumination but appeal.

Here we will give you several options to choose from in terms of lampshades. Lampshades will block and filter direct light coming from your lamp. You will notice that lamps give off some heat, so having a lampshade will do its best job at cooling it down.

It’s important when picking out a lamp that you want the size of the lampshade to match the base and not be overwhelming.

1. Empire

You will notice that an empire lampshade has a flared bottom that will emit light from the bottom of the shade. This is a classic style of lampshade that will easily go with any base or style. Empire lampshades are great for table lamps.

2. Round

Round lamp shades will illuminate light through both the top and bottom. This will give off light for both productivity and specific ambiance. You’ll see round-shaped lamp shades among oval shades, round shades, and even drum shades.

These lampshades are great for both table and floor lamps. Oval-shaped lampshade will work beautifully with the majority of decor items. Drum lampshades will work great for modern or contemporary style lamps.

3. Bell

You will see that bell lampshades are in the shape of a bell. They have a slim waist and flare at the bottom.

The flare of the bell will push the light outwards to illuminate maximum coverage, while the top will give off a small ambient effect. Bell lamp shades are great for an accent lamp and pair beautifully with traditional decor.

4. Square

Square lampshades are ideal for more modern and contemporary designs. They also look great for lamps that have rectangular bases. Square lamp shades give off plenty of light and great for productivity purposes.

5. Dome

Here we have a dome lampshade that you will find on many floor lamps. This style particularly pairs well with arch lamps and gives off a general amount of light.

They have a half-sphere shape and will focus most of the light in a downward direction. Dome lamp shades pair very well with traditional decor.

Wrapping It Up

As you can see from the options we listed above, several types of lamps and designs are available for you to choose from. Every floor and table lamp is designed to fulfill its specific needs for homeowners. The design of the lamp base, from the design of the lampshade, is so important, especially when choosing an aesthetically pleasing lamp.

In your reading, you may have also noticed that some lamps could even come with an added dimmable feature. Lamps may seem like they have very few features, but in reality, can serve several functions. In the past, we used lamps just as a lighting source.

Now we use them for both lighting and decor. From their engraved carvings to the color of their paint, each design can satisfy your needs differently. Whatever lamp you decide to purchase, and whatever you decide to use it for, we know it will fit in perfectly in your desired area.

Nicole Abbott
Nicole Abbott

I'm a stay at home mom of 2 who loves DIY projects! Since childhood I've always enjoyed to design and put personal touches on rooms around my home that fit my personality. When I'm not writing I'm doing DIY projects, as well as homeschooling and caring for my 2 children.

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