15 Modern Floor Lamps to Brighten Up Any Room

With their statuesque forms, floor lamps often add a sense of sculpture and art to a room. But beyond their interesting silhouettes, they are actually highly functional objects, too.They are hard-working lamps after all, and primarily serve to illuminate a space. Some, especially those with linen or paper shades, cast their glow upright and around, providing light from all angles. Others are more task-oriented, directing their light downwards and often feature adjustable parts to position the stream of light just so.

Floor lamps also work to create more intimate areas within a room. There's nothing more inviting, for instance, than a pair of lounge chairs gathered around a floor lamp and a drinks table. And don't forget that they add an all-important sense of height to a furniture plan. When placed besides a low-slung chair or sofa, a graceful floor lamp draws the eye upwards, adding purpose and interest to the negative space above a seating area.

From textural concrete to to cast iron to whitewashed wood, today's floor lamps are made from many luxurious materials, not to mention topped with some killer lamp shades (think: pleated linen, antiqued brass, even washi paper). Read on to discover a few of our favorites on the market that will lend a modern air to any space.