Living room table lamp: where to put it and how to choose well

A living room table lamp warms up a corner, lights a face during a conversation and gives the room its evening light. But it has to be in the right place, at the right height, with the right bulb. Here is where and how to place a table lamp in the living room, and when a wall light meets the same need better.

The table lamp is the easiest light to add: no building work, a socket is enough. It is also the one most often placed at random, wherever there is a little room left on a piece of furniture.

An honest point: Maison Alméa does not sell table lamps, only wall lights and pendant lights. This guide helps you choose and place your lamp well, then points out the cases where a wall light or pendant does better.

1. What a table lamp is for in the living room

A table lamp brings low light, at face height when you are seated. That is exactly what living rooms lit only by a ceiling light are missing: the light falls from above, deepens features and leaves the corners in shadow. It belongs to the mood layer described in the 3 layers of light in a well-lit room.

2. The right positions for a table lamp

The principle: spread the lamps around the room rather than grouping them. A light in each corner in use makes the living room look bigger.

3. Next to the sofa: the proportions

Choose a side table at the height of the armrest, within 5 cm, which is often 55 to 65 cm. Then the lamp: sitting on the sofa, the bottom of the shade should come roughly to eye level, about 1 m to 1.10 m from the floor. That way the bulb stays hidden and the light falls on your book.

• Shade width: no wider than the tabletop.
• Lamp height: usually 50 to 75 cm on a standard side table.
• Distance: the lamp 20 to 40 cm from the edge of the seat, so it stays within reach.

4. On a console or sideboard

On a console behind the sofa, a lamp lights the wall and creates depth. Choose a lamp whose height stays close to that of the furniture, so 50 to 70 cm for a 75 to 85 cm console.

On a long sideboard, a pair of lamps each placed about a quarter of the length in from the ends gives the wall structure, especially if a mirror or picture takes the centre. A single off-centre lamp, balanced by a tall object on the other side, gives a more relaxed effect.

5. On a shelf or bookcase

A small 20 to 35 cm lamp on a shelf lights the objects around it and breaks up the dark mass of a bookcase. Choose an LED that gives off little heat, leave space around the shade and avoid contact with the books. For more ideas, see lighting a bookcase and shelves and wall shelf and lighting.

6. The lampshade and how it spreads light

The lampshade decides the light. A light linen shade spreads light everywhere, an opaque shade concentrates it up and down, an opal glass globe glows all round. In the living room, a light-coloured shade that flares out at the bottom is the most versatile choice. The same rules apply on the wall: see our guide to the wall light with a lampshade.

7. Lumens and colour temperature

Keep the same temperature for all the lamps in the living room: a mix of 2,700 K and 4,000 K makes a room look disjointed. Our guidelines for creating a warm atmosphere complete this table.

8. Cable and sockets

This is the real limitation of the table lamp: it depends on a nearby socket. A cable running across the room or hanging behind furniture spoils the effect and is a trip hazard. Run the cable along the skirting board or down the leg of the furniture, and do not use multiple extension leads.

Cordless rechargeable lamps solve the cable problem, at the cost of regular recharging and often weaker light. The same limitations apply on the wall: see cordless wall light: battery life, charging, limitations. Finally, never cover a lampshade with fabric, even to dim it: it is an overheating risk, as preventing the fire risk from lighting reminds us.

9. How many table lamps in a living room

In a living room of 20 to 25 m², two or three table lamps are enough alongside a high light: one by the sofa, one in a corner or on a console, possibly a small one on a shelf. Beyond that, the living room becomes cluttered with bases and cables, and wall lights can usefully take over.

10. When a wall light does better than a table lamp

Two wall lights on either side of the sofa, fitted at around 1.60 to 1.70 m, replace two lamps on side tables and free up the tabletops. For renters, the plug-in wall lamp and the no-drill solutions offer a good compromise. For the right number, see how many wall lights in a living room.

11. Adding a pendant

Table lamps and wall lights provide low and mid-level light; what is often missing is high light above the coffee table or dining table. A pendant brings general light and a real focal point there. Everything is detailed in our living room lighting plan.

12. In short

Place your table lamps where people sit and in the corners in use, with the bottom of the shade at eye level, a 2,700 K bulb of around 300 to 450 lumens and a cable that runs along the skirting board. Two or three lamps are enough in an average living room. When furniture, a socket or safety are lacking, a wall light does better. To go further, read light as a decorative element in the living room.

Frequently asked questions