Eight Floor Lamp Placement Mistakes

Lamps are bought for an idea of a room and placed by instinct, which is why the most common complaint about a new lamp is not about the lamp. These are the placements that produce the complaint, and each has a straightforward correction.

1. Beside the sofa, facing the sitter

The shade ends up level with the eyes, and the light arrives at the face rather than the page. Move the lamp behind the shoulder, or raise the head above eye level.

2. Directly in front of a television

A bright source in the same field of view as a screen creates a contrast the eye cannot resolve comfortably. Move it to the side, or reduce it and add light elsewhere in the room.

3. Under a dark or vaulted ceiling

An uplight in a room with a dark ceiling is working against the finish rather than with it. Use a lamp with a downward or adjustable head instead of counting on reflection.

4. In a walkway

• Base in a traffic path, which produces knocks, tipping and eventual damage
• Cord across the walkway, which produces something worse
• Both are solvable by moving the lamp half a metre, not by buying a heavier one

5. Two metres from the reading chair

Illuminance falls with the square of distance, so a lamp that is bright on the table is dim on the page. Put the lamp where the light can reach the task rather than where the room looks balanced.

6. The wrong shade for the height

A deep drum shade on a short floor lamp pushes the light down into a narrow pool. A shallow shade on a tall lamp spreads it too wide. Shade depth and lamp height are one decision, not two.

7. All the lamps on one switch

A room lit as a single unit has one mood. Lamps on separate controls allow the room to change through an evening, which is the entire practical benefit of having more than one.

8. Ignoring the wall behind the lamp

A lamp near a wall turns that wall into a bright panel, which adds depth and makes the room feel larger. A lamp in the middle of a floor does not. Placement relative to vertical surfaces is the cheapest design decision available.

Frequently asked questions

What are common floor lamp placement mistakes?

Putting the lamp where it glares into seating, blocking a walkway, or leaving the shade too short to hide the bulb. Move it to the room's edge and aim light at a wall or task.

Should the lamp be in a corner?

A corner uplight is efficient for ambient wash, but a reading lamp belongs beside the chair. Use corners for fill, not for task light.

How far from the TV or screen?

Keep lamps off to the side and behind the viewer so they do not reflect on the screen; a low bias light behind the TV reduces eye strain.