Shelby Golding is a Colorado-based writer/editor with over a decade of experience. She has a college education in interior design and enjoys woodworking in her free time.
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Every home should have natural and artificial light, with three layers: ambient, task, and accent lighting. And the best floor lamps can offer one or more of these layers in addition to attractive colors, textures, and silhouettes to enhance your decor.
Most designers recommend at least seven (and up to 13) light sources in every room. And lamps are an essential part of meeting this number! Floor lamps, table lamps, and desk lamps all play a role in creating a well-lit space that’s functional, beautiful, and inviting.
This guide features the 12 best floor lamps of 2024, complete with recommendations from expert designers, to help you perfect your home. We’ve also highlighted tips about what to consider when buying a floor lamp so that you can make a purchase you’ll love for years to come. Ready to find your new favorite light?
Our Top Picks: The Best Floor Lamps for 2024
Best Tripod Lamp: Oliver Tripod Floor Lamp
Brand: Lights.com Price: $199
The Oliver Tripod Floor Lamp boasts a tripod base with mid-century modern appeal and your choice of a matte black or satin brass finish. The white fabric shade creates an inviting, warm glow, and the socket features a retro metal pull chain perfect for a fun den or living room. And at just $199, it’s affordable enough for almost any home.
“I highly recommend the Oliver Tripod Floor Lamp,” said Sheva Knopfler. “Tripod floor lamps are making a huge comeback, and we optimized our design by hiding the plug-in wire discreetly in one of the tripod legs, so it looks neater and more luxurious. And I just love the matte black finish!”
The tripod poles align perfectly to create a dramatic silhouette, naturally drawing the gaze towards the drum shade. The Oliver Tripod Floor Lamp meets modern innovation and quality standards with discreet metal feet, a hidden power cord, and nearly-invisible welds.
The Cotton Floor Lamp features a textured white linen shade, a sleek tripod design, and a natural wood finish on the legs. It’s compatible with smart outlets, making it perfect for smart homes, and it offers a soft glow that’s perfect for any living room, office, or bedroom.
At just 8 lbs., this standing lamp is easy to move and simple to assemble. It would work well with any interior decor, from contemporary, minimalist, and transitional to rustic and loft styles. In addition, it comes with a brown fabric-covered cord that hangs down from the socket and a three-way rotary switch that controls the bulb (150-watt max). Note that the three-way rotary switch requires a three-way light bulb.
Best Decorative: Amber Lewis for Anthropologie Triple Floor Lamp
Brand: Anthropologie Price: $798
This Triple Floor Lamp was designed by Amber Lewis exclusively for Anthropologie. It features three staggered lamp shades with an antique brass finish to create an industrial-inspired vibe in any room. In addition, it comes with linen shades, an 8-foot fabric cord, and three light sockets that can work with any E26 bulbs, including LED bulbs (40 wattage max).
“I love using floor lamps for decorative purposes, so have some fun with them!” said Leigh Spicher. “Skip the boring, typical lights and infuse some personality into a space with a fun floor lamp. Think of them as statement earrings for a black dress — you can change them anytime, and the whole outfit/room will change.”
“Skip the boring, typical lights and infuse some personality into a space with a fun floor lamp."
The Triple Floor Lamp is also super versatile with a damp rating, which means it’s safe for use in bathrooms and high-condensation areas. And the staggered shades are sure to add depth and intrigue to your home decor.
The Lyle 3-Arm Floor Lamp features an antique brass finish with three conical lamp heads in a whimsical combination of white, gray, and black. Each shade features a brass rotary switch and adjustable arm, allowing you to control the three lights independently, making this a highly versatile task light.
Lyle’s silhouette stands out with a striking mid-century modern design, but it can fit many decor styles. And at $230, this functional statement piece is surprisingly affordable. Try it by a reading nook, desk, or art studio for extra light.
This lamp ships with a bulb included for each head. It takes up to 60W incandescent bulbs or 13W CFL bulbs.
The Cole Floor Lamp is a refined arc lamp with a far-reaching, adjustable arm and a weighty marble base to anchor the sweeping design. Weighing in at 162 lbs., the beautiful base will keep this arc floor lamp firmly in place.
Cole comes in a brushed stainless steel finish with a curved silver shade that efficiently directs bright light. And with a standard E26 socket and a maximum of 150 watts, this modern floor lamp can provide bright light for reading and tasks or create an ambient glow in any room.
Best (Affordable) Arc Lamp: Joan Anchored Floor Lamp
Brand: AllModern Price: $160
The Joan Anchored Floor Lamp comes with a brass, marble, or white base finish with a gray, taupe, or off-white shade. It’s crafted from steel with a slender arched design and dramatic curves without demanding much floor space. And with a weight of just under 20 lbs., this light floor lamp is easy to move — but don’t worry about tipping, as the anchored circular base offers contrast and stability.
Joan is perfect for a smart home and can connect to smart devices such as Amazon’s Alexa for convenient remote control. It has a maximum wattage of 100, offers bright light, and accepts standard E26 bulbs.
The Verge Floor Lamp comes in your choice of black, green, gray, and white powder-coated finishes covering the metal base, stalk, and shade. With a cute and compact design, animated silhouette, adjustable lamp head, and touch switch, this LED floor lamp would be perfect beside a side table, reading chair, bed, or desk.
Verge features an acrylic diffuser and a dimmable glow with a touch-dimming switch on the lamp’s head. In addition, it has a 12-watt integrated LED light source, 1200 lumen output, and a warm 2700k color temperature, and it doesn’t require a light bulb.
Brand: AllModern Price: $246 (Currently $203 - on sale)
The Rida Floor Lamp boasts a sleek, modern design with a brushed steel finish and frosted glass shade. In addition, it boasts an elegant touch switch on the pole that allows you to adjust the color and intensity of the LED light. It would work well in the living room or bedroom, filling the space with 2200 lumens of refreshing ambient lighting.
Rida is a torchiere floor lamp — an excellent alternative to harsh overhead lighting — with solar LED technology that supports wellness by syncing the color temperature with your circadian rhythm. This feature helps simulate the sun’s natural progression through the day, helping you keep a healthy internal clock.
The Y-Lamp comes with your choice of a red-orange, gray, or white finish on the powder-coated steel pole. In addition, it boasts a Washi paper shade made at one of the world’s oldest paper factories from mulberry trees in Tokushima, Japan. Washi paper does less harm to the environment than wood-based paper, making this an excellent lamp for eco-conscious households.
Every detail of The Y-Lamp is designed for functionality and beauty, creating a sculptural silhouette that adds an air of elegance to any room. And the design provides direct and ambient light, using an energy-efficient LED bulb with a warm 2700k color temperature. Jamie Wolfond designed The Y-Lamp, making it the first beginning-to-end collaboration design from the Floyd brand.
The Debby Floor Lamp comes with your choice of a black or polished gold finish, with a unique design inspired by mid-century modern decor. It’s stylish and fun, with an exposed bulb instead of a shade and a thin supporting pole for a minimalist aesthetic.
Debby takes a standard E27 bulb and comes with a hassle-free 100-day return policy (standard for all Apt2B orders). Try using it to add a splash of lighting to your living room, bedroom, or office.
The Harrison Pharmacy Floor Lamp is a classic reading light that comes with your choice of a matte black and satin brass finish, with matching table lamps available for both options. It boasts a rectangular base, black fabric cord, adjustable height, prism-shaped shade, and arched neck, and it fits standard E26 light bulbs, including LED lights.
The Harrison features a convenient on/off switch, balancing the classic pharmacy lamp style with modern functionality and quality. It’s the perfect addition to chic living rooms, fashionable office spaces, and any vintage, modern, or transitional home.
“If you’re shopping for a task floor lamp, you should make sure the head has some direction (like a pharmacy lamp). For example, the Harrison Pharmacy Floor Lamp in Matte Black can keep you on task and make sure your workspace is well-lit with direct light,” explained Sheva Knopfler.
↦ Shop now at medleyhome.com
Best Mid-Century: Studio Floor Lamp
Brand: Schoolhouse Price: $599
The Studio Floor Lamp comes in white, black, yellow, green, and red finishes with a classic mid-century modern design. It has adjustable swivels that allow the light to raise, lower, and swing to where it’s needed, with a sturdy steel base and industrial-grade brass swivels. And the solid cast iron base keeps it in place while adding a touch of sophistication to the design.
This floor lamp features a twisted cloth cord for style, and it’s damp-rated, which means you can use it in bathrooms and other humid indoor locations. It works with a G16 bulb (not included) with a maximum of 40 watts. In addition, all materials are ethically sourced and assembled in Portland, Oregon.
With so many options — globe lamps, shaded lamps, tripod lamps, adjustable lamps — choosing the right style can be overwhelming. It’s essential to select your light for functionality, but you’ll also want to ensure it goes well with your decor.
For example, you’ll usually want to stick with one accent finish like matte black, aged brass, or polished nickel, as it can be challenging to mix metals. Then consider what style fits with your home, and look for a lamp that fits that style.
“The right floor lamp style will also depend on its function."
“The right floor lamp style will also depend on its function,” explained Erica and Laurie Davis. “If you’re looking for task lighting, for example, a movable arm is essential so that you can adjust for your needs. Otherwise, a pedestal style will typically suffice.”
You might also want a dimmer switch if you’re using the lamp for ambient lighting in the bedroom and lighting room. Or, if you have a smart home, you’ll likely want a smart lamp for compatibility and convenience.
Switch Location
You’ll want to consider the switch location and find one convenient for your household and where you plan to use the lamp. For example, a foot switch might be ideal if you plan to place it in a hard-to-reach spot. Or if you’ll be sitting beside the lamp, a simple touch switch can offer a tactile experience and easy access.
How You Want to Light the Room
It’s important to consider the color of light you want in each room and each layer of lighting. Light color is typically referred to as light temperature and measured in Kelvins, with typical ranges for residential lighting falling between 1500K (warm) to 6500K (cool). The image above represents what you can expect from each light temperature rating.
“Try not to mix temperatures,” recommends Leigh Spicher. “You don’t want general lighting to be warm/yellow light and your floor lamp to be cool/blue light.”
You’ll also want to consider the lampshade, which will diffuse the light in different directions. For example, if your shade is large and slightly translucent, it will create an ambient look. And if it’s small and dark, it will spread out less and function better as a task or reading lamp.
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How to Find the Right Style Floor Lamp for Your Home
Before choosing the best floor lamp for your space, you’ll need to decide which layer of lighting you’re hoping to create. When we spoke with Leigh Spicher about finding the best floor lamp style, she offered the following examples:
Task lighting: Make sure you can adjust the floor lamp to the correct height if you want to add lighting for a specific task (like reading or working at a desk).
Accent lighting: The best floor lamps for accent lighting often shine up instead of down. Determine what you want to accent or draw attention to and ensure the floor lamp supports that focal point.
Decorative: If you’re adding a floor lamp for purely decorative purposes, it needs to scale appropriately in the room. Floor lamps can be very large, so double-check the size in the specifications section and consider how it will look compared to your space.
“The purpose your light needs to serve will determine the type of lamp you should purchase. For example, go for a light-colored fabric shade for overall brightness in a space. Or, if you want more directional light, go for a smaller dark chase that doesn’t allow much light to pass through,” added Rachel Robarge.
Where Should You Place a Floor Lamp
Floor lamps are convenient, and you can place them virtually anywhere in your home. They’re great for ambient, accent, and task lighting, and statement pieces can also add decorative lighting.
“Floor lamps are often placed in corners to reflect the light across the room, creating a soothing ambiance,” explains Sheva Knopfler. “If you’re looking for task lighting, place the floor lamp next to your chair or behind you, angling the light downwards where you need it.”
Remember that you’ll need access to an outlet, so ensure your lamp comes with a long enough cord to reach one. Alternately, consider installing a floor outlet if your lamp won’t be near a wall, as long cords stretched across the floor create tripping hazards.
Meet the Experts
At Living Cozy, we work closely with expert designers and top brands to provide the best information about the products you share your home with. In this article, you’ll hear from:
Leigh Spicher, Interior Designer and National Director of Design Studios for Ashton Woods
Sheva Knopfler, Creative Director, decor expert, and Co-Founder of Lights.com
Shelby Golding is a Colorado-based writer/editor with over a decade of experience. She has a college education in interior design and enjoys woodworking in her free time.
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