The Best Floor Lamps

Buying Guide for Floor Lamps

Why buy a floor lamp?

Not every room in every home has an overhead light, so buying a floor lamp can be a great way to make up the difference and illuminate the room. Tabletop or desk lamps are an option, of course, but they take up room on your side table or nightstands, a space you could use for other items. Floor lamps also offer more light than table lamps, especially if they have more than one bulb. There are also down bridge floor lamps, where the neck curves down, thus pointing the light downwards instead of upwards. These make great reading lamps to stick beside your favorite armchair or reading nook.

What should you look for in a floor lamp?

• Style: The decor and style of the room you plan to use a lamp in is an important consideration. Whether you need a lamp that blends in with its surroundings or adds a touch of character to a room, it is essential to ensure it flows well with your existing decor in terms of color and overall style. Consider multipurpose lamps with shelves to help reduce clutter and add some character to a room you often use. There are also minimalist LED tube floor lamps with smart technology for reading or party mood lamps.
  
• Stability: An excellent floor lamp will be sturdy and stable when placed on the ground. This factor is significant for those with pets or children known to create chaos and tip over upright items. A sturdy lamp will also likely last longer, making it a wise investment compared to a budget model that’s not built to last. The geometry of tripod lamps makes a fantastic choice for a classy look and stability.
  
• Height: The average floor lamp will be between 5 and 6 feet tall (60 to 72 inches). Unless you’re exceptionally tall or short, the lamp’s shade and bulb will likely be somewhere around your eye level when you’re standing. Some may be shorter, around 4 feet tall. Floor lamps meant for reading are usually shorter since they’re designed for the bulb and its shade to sit just above your shoulder while you’re sitting for maximum efficiency. Floor lamps can be above 6 feet tall, as much as 7 or even 8 feet. If you want one of these extra-tall, oversized floor lamps, be sure that you have a large enough room and that the ceilings are high enough to accommodate it properly.

What kind of bulbs should you use in a floor lamp?

A floor lamp’s bulb base will determine what light bulbs it will work with. While this might not sound too important, remember that some bulbs are cheaper to replace and more accessible to find than others. Thus, finding a floor lamp with the right bulbs can be a smart move to prevent future frustration. Different bulbs can offer different lighting, so if you want a fluorescent or warm light setting, consider which bulbs work best to give you what you want.

Our Picks for the Best Floor Lamps

Pros: Although this lamp is slender enough to squeeze into tight corners for welcoming lighting that warms the room, it’s also very sturdy with a stable base. It also scores points for its handy remote control, which allows you to cycle between the three light color options—warm white, natural white, and cool white—and dim or brighten the light without getting up from your seat. There’s also a subtle control panel on the lamp itself. The head rotates up to 350 degrees and can be between about 90 degrees and almost parallel to the floor. The lamp is available in several different finishes, so it’s easier to find a color that suits your home.

Cons: The tilting head doesn’t tilt downward, so this might not be the best choice for those needing a reading lamp. Also, the multiple small LED bulbs inside the head are not standard light bulbs, so finding new ones to replace them once their service life is over may be difficult.

Bottom Line: Featuring a clean, modern design that is versatile enough to complement a wide variety of living room decor, this floor lamp is an excellent pick for living rooms, nurseries, dens, bedrooms, and more. It will take up little in the way of floor space and offers several different options for light brightness, colors, and angles, making it easy to customize to your needs.

 

Pros: Sporting a versatile design that’s both minimalist and modern, this floor lamp can be situated in nearly any home without clashing with the decor. Its three-way dimmer switch makes it a great option with three-way LED bulbs for bright or subtle lighting, depending on your home’s needs. If placed near your bed or favorite chair, it also serves as a lovely reading lamp thanks to its adjustable gooseneck arm. If you’re seeking a high-quality lamp that blends nicely with your existing decor, this one offers a great bang for your buck.

Cons: This lamp is fairly easy to bang up and dent for those who are not careful with it. While this might not be a huge issue in many households, those with kids or mischievous pets might be better off opting for a more durable floor lamp.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a rugged floor lamp that can serve as the centerpiece of a room, this one is not for you. However, those seeking a versatile, unassuming floor lamp that will look good almost anywhere should be pleased with this product.

 

Pros: This floor lamp’s vintage appeal will suit classic, industrial, rustic, and even contemporary interior decor. The triple teardrop lights are perfect for reading under but are also ideal for subdued accent lighting due to the lamp’s rustic design. This lamp is also incredibly stable compared to similar models—it’s made entirely of metal, so the body is durable, and the heavy base keeps the lamp steady. If you’re seeking a sleek industrial-chic floor lamp to pair with your favorite Edison light bulbs, opting for this lamp is a bright idea.

Cons: Since its shades aren’t solid, they don’t reduce the glare from the light bulbs very well, so you may find them too bright to look directly at when utilizing harsher light bulbs. For this reason, this floor lamp is better suited for warm light bulbs and soft accent lighting than harsher bulbs with a blue tint.

Bottom Line: Thanks to the metal body and sturdy base, it’s easy to put together and extremely sturdy and stable once you do. The three hanging lamps and slightly shorter height make this a good choice as a reading or desk side lamp, especially when you utilize subdued light bulbs for a warm, inviting effect.

 

Pros: This floor lamp’s most significant selling point is its strength and stability. Its triple legs provide excellent stability, leverage, and weight dispersal compared to most lamps. It also doesn’t hurt that this lamp is made of rubberwood, which is stronger and more durable than engineered wood. These two factors combine for a lovely steady light that shouldn’t ever wobble. The lampshade is made of natural linen, which provides an attractive flaxen look and pattern and softens the lighting. As a bonus, the lamp’s cord is nice and long, giving you more flexibility about where you can place this lamp in your living room or den.

Cons: This lamp’s on/off switch is a footswitch on the cord rather than on the lamp itself, and it’s made of plastic, which may not be as durable. Also, the body of the lamp and the shade require assembly.

Bottom Line: The tripod-like legs of this model offer a ton of stability, making this lamp an ideal choice for high-traffic areas or homes with kids and pets. This lamp will also appeal to those looking for a lighting option that complements spaces with a modern design scheme.

 

Pros: The Lyra smart floor lamp by Govee certainly stands on its own with its space-age, futuristic, yet minimalist look. There’s nothing quite like it. Govee’s RGBICWW (red, green, blue independent control + white + warm white) LED technology can produce ambient colors simultaneously with 2200k-6500k warm/cool whites and 1500 lumens of brightness. The Govee Home app allows you to create more than 64 dynamic light patterns to set your preferred ambiance, from breathing effects to romantic and energetic dancing lights. The app also has a sketch feature to customize your own color effects.

Cons: This minimalist floor lamp can be used as a white light reading lamp; however, its narrow design limits its ability to illuminate a large area. It’s also on the pricey side.

Bottom Line: The Lyra has more to offer than incredible colorful light effects. Its compact, satin-finished aluminum and lightweight, flexible tube and light strip make it a sturdy enough lamp.

 

Pros: Finding the right decorative balance in a living room or den can be challenging, particularly when it comes to lighting. This LED floor lamp makes an impressive effort to add a quality three-color temperature LED bulb. You choose clear, cool, and warm light for the right ambiance, controlling it with the pull cord or your phone if you have a smart plug. But there’s much more to this floor lamp than its quality lighting. At just over 5 feet, the four-tiered lamp features three high-density fiber shelves and a nearly 16-inch fabric lantern top. Each shelf can handle as much as 50 pounds of whatever you like: books, plants, and blankets.

Cons: The delicate fabric lantern shade may be too flimsy for your household. Some say they accidentally dented it during installation. Some were not impressed with the quality of the light, saying that it’s too dim for a living room lamp.

Bottom Line: If the floor lamp appeals to your modern aesthetic sensibility and presents a plausible answer to your storage needs, we recommend you try it out. It’s easy to install; the 50,000 hours LED bulb saves money over time, and the price is right.

Final Thoughts

Floor lamps can be a staple of home decor since they provide light and style for your home. Depending on the design, they can provide nearly as much light as an overhead lamp while providing a softer glow for more intimate lighting. Add a floor lamp to your household for its aesthetically pleasing and practicality.