Consumer guide:styles of table lamps

Table lamps are an elegant and excellent way to provide effective lighting for many areas. Most people use them to supply a concentrated pool of light in areas where they read, write or watch television. Table lamps come in many different styles. Before you buy one, you should investigate which particular style will most complement your existing decor.

One of the most beautiful kinds of table lamps commonly found in stores is the Tiffany style lamp. This style is an homage to the work of stained glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany. In the early part of last century he was admired for his creation of lovely leaded glass murals and brightly colored table lamps. A Tiffany style lamp will typically have a curved bronze colored base and a heavy shade with intricate patterning separated by black lines that may be made of lead. The shade is usually constructed of glass. Tiffany lamps shades come in every color of the rainbow. A Tiffany lamp works well in a room without too many modern details. If your room has a fireplace, walls with moldings and hard wood floors, a Tiffany lamp would be a good lighting choice.

Another popular style of table lamp is the contemporary table lamp. Contemporary style is a very broad category that may encompass many seemingly dissimilar lamps. The base of the lamp may come in lots of possible shapes including square, oval or even a spiral. The lampshade may also come in a variety of interesting shapes including round, triangular, or gourd shaped. While Tiffany style lamps are typically made from glass and bronze, contemporary lamps can be constructed of any possible material. Many designers like to work with metal and wood. Contemporary styles are very popular because they offer consumers lots of choices. You can find one to fit nearly any type of furnishings. If your living room has modern art on the walls and a state of art electronic entertainment center at one end, a contemporary lamp would fit in nicely.

Halfway between the outrageous colors of Tiffany and the unusual shapes of contemporary style is the mission or arts and crafts style. This style came about as a reaction to the fussiness of the Victorian era. Designers sought to return to plain clean lines uncluttered with endless accessories. A typical mission style lamp has a bronze base with straight lines. The shade is most often glass in shades of brown with geometric details. This style of table lamp works well in a room filled with straight lines and lots of wood.

If none of the other styles appeal to you, consider the Victorian style lamp. This style is named in honor of Queen Victoria, England's Queen for much of the nineteenth century. The Victorian style lamp is most notable for the profusion of detail everywhere on the lamp. The base will often have many curves and may even have carved flowers or representations of animal or human figures. The shade will be similarly elaborate. Many lamps of this type have beautifully hand painted shades in soft pastel colors. The shade may be made of fabric and have closely spaced pleats or crystal bead work. A Victorian lamp will fit perfectly in an older house or a room that doesn't need lots of light.

No matter whether you prefer modern or old fashioned, cluttered or simple, remember that there are hundreds of kinds of table lamps available today. With a little bit of investigation you should be able to find one that suits your personal style perfectly.