What Your Lamp Choice Says About Your Design Style

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There's a reason why so many of us regularly flock to our horoscopes and follow countless astrology accounts on Instagram—we love to feel seen. And like your zodiac sign, or even your American Girl doll, your choice in home decor can shine a light on who you are. For example, the lamp you have, or possibly the one you wish you had, is very telling—especially to a design expert.

To help you better understand your aesthetic, we reached out to a handful of interior designers—the Brownstone Boys, Kaitlin Smith, Meghan Jay, Thiara Borges, Connie Vernich, Amber Guyton, Laetitia Laurent, Laura Chappetto, and Julee Wray—and asked them to weigh in on what they think certain lamps say about your decorating style as a whole. From the iconic David Krys martini lamp (which has been on my wishlist for years) to your great aunt's Tiffany lamp she'll probably pass down to you—we've broken down the vibe each choice of lighting gives off and how to style it in your space.

If you're unsure where your decorating style even falls in the first place, no worries there: You can easily use this as a guide to see what aesthetic to experiment with next. And if this turns out to be your sign that you need to get rid of that lamp you've had forever—like the staple "dorm room core" floor lamp you bought from Target as a freshman—then so be it, and you're welcome.

Postmodern Martini Lamp by David Krys

Connie Vernich of Vernich Interiors perceives the owners of this lamp as having "a huge collection of contemporary art" that they've acquired over years of traveling to different places.

"This lamp is all character," adds Barry Bordelon of the Brownstone Boys. "If you have this lamp, you didn’t get it by accident. You fought for it on Facebook Marketplace or won it in hand-to-hand combat at an estate sale. Your style is iconic." And he's right: Watch any TikTok of someone scoring this lamp at a thrift store or estate sale, and you'll see in the comments just how coveted it is.

When it comes to styling, Jordan Slocum (the other half of the design duo) says, "We’d love to see this piece with a nice, mod coffee table. Maybe a brightly colored rug and some midcentury chairs."

"Dorm Room Core" Lamp

"I'm getting flashbacks to my college apartment—and not in a good way," Meghan Jay says. While this floor lamp is giving dorm room, Jay commends its practical functionality. "To be fair, these torchiere lamps provide a good amount of light in a narrow package, which is particularly helpful in smaller homes (or dorms) that have no overhead lighting."

If you're really dead-set on keeping it though, Jay suggests placing the lamp in front of colorful, patterned draperies. "It will fulfill its role of illuminating the space, without detracting from its surroundings," she adds.

However, it's still not really the lamp you should actively want in your house, according to some designers. "I see an old (probably stained) futon and paper plates with day-old pizza on them as the ‘decor’ surrounding this lamp," Laura Chappetto, founder of Element Design Network, says.

Nesso Table Lamp

It's not often that we see such bold items remain timeless, but the Nesso lamp is one of the exceptions. "It's an international icon of futuristic design from the 1960s," Laetitia Laurent, founder of Laure Nell Interiors, says.

"If someone has this lamp in their home, it says they are a lover of all things contemporary," Kaitlin Smith adds. "Although this lamp was designed in the 1960s, it still looks very sleek and modern nearly 70 years later!"

While this bold choice is relatively easy to style, Smith has some professional opinions: "This lamp would look amazing with almost anything from Design Within Reach. I could imagine an Eames Chair and even the iconic Egg Chair fitting right in with the design of the Nesso lamp. Lots of sleek chrome and velvety fabrics feel right at home with this lamp."

Tiffany Lamp

Most of the designers we asked agree that if you have this lamp, you must be an antique-lover and likely have an old soul, but Bordelon puts it this way: "If you have this lamp, you’re either in your grandma era or you might actually be a grandma (both are amazing). You have timeless taste and prefer to keep beautiful things in your home."

"This lamp doesn't like competition. The intricate patterns of its colorful mosaic give a room a focal point," Jay explains. Though it's a classic, this style of lamp is fairly polarizing.

When looking at pieces to style with this lamp that aren't plastic-covered couches, Jay suggests, "To make it feel more current and balanced, I'd place it next to streamlined, transitional pieces. It screams American grandma-chic."

Flowerpot Table Lamp

"The owner of this lamp is sophisticated but carefree; her home, like her personality, is bold and she knows what she wants in this world," Vernich muses. At least, that's likely what the owner of the Flowerpot lamp wants people to think.

"This sleek lamp evokes all things modern and almost space age," Smith adds. "If someone has the Flowerpot Lamp in their home, it says they favor a more contemporary and modern aesthetic."

Due to its minimal design, this lamp (which comes in myriad of colors) is fairly easy to fit into different aesthetics from maximalist to minimalist. However, to truly style it in the most designer-approved way, Smith suggests "lots of other modern furniture pieces. I could also imagine some fun pop art paired with this lamp and bold patterns and prints."

Arched Floor Lamp

The person who has this lamp in their home is "trendy and likes airy, spacious living rooms with tall ceilings and minimalist styles," Julee Wray of Truss Interiors says.

"This style evokes homebody, comfiness, and encourages snuggling up for a while," Amber Guyton, founder of Blessed Little Bungalow, adds. For many designers, an arched floor lamp is the perfect lighting option for a reading nook or designated chair.

Guyton brings up a good point: The lamp's height requires a large space for it to fit in with the rest of the decor, so make sure there's enough emptiness for an arched lamp to look good.

Himalayan Salt Lamp

"We bet this lamp is sitting on top of a stack of books about yoga, wellness, and houseplants," Slocum says. With a Himalayan salt lamp comes expectations of having crystals in your nightstand and likely a glass evil eye hanging next to your entryway.

"If someone has this in their home, it says they are very aware of their environment and passionate about health and wellness. Their design aesthetic may be on the simpler side and more about designing with what makes them 'feel' good," Smith adds.

"This lamp would work beautifully in a beach house clad with soft colors and a neutral palette," she says. "I could see natural rattan pieces and some sumptuous fabrics to pair perfectly with this lamp. The warm glow of the sea salt lamp would illuminate and complement any coastal décor."

Generally, however, Jay suggests displaying one in your bookshelf to "add organic visual interest."

Glass Mushroom Lamp

It's not shocking as to why this whimsical little lamp brings up images of Alice in Wonderland and even the Mario Brothers, as Smith points out.

"The lamp can be seen as a decorative accessory as much as it is a functional lamp," Guyton says. "Whether used as a night light in a kids room or a bookend on an office shelf, it tells me that the owner is stylish and values items with character, both big and small."

The mushroom lamp is having a moment right now, as likely seen on your Instagram feeds and your teenaged daughter's wishlist, so what are other pieces to style it with? To Wray, it's simple: "Pastel upholstered chairs, light rattan end tables, marble martini table, fun taper candles, pastel or light-neutral Turkish rugs."

Bankers Desk Lamp

"This is giving me ivy league lawyer vibes," says Jay. "I'm picturing a bearded man wearing spectacles and a corduroy blazer (with elbow patches), sitting next to his mahogany desk burning the midnight oil next to this lamp. So, essentially, my dream man."

However, if that beautifully painted picture doesn't really capture your essence, Smith puts it this way: "If someone has a bankers lamp in their home, they may be on the scholarly side and interested in the traditional elements of design." Aka you're probably a fan of the dark academia and bookshelf wealth aesthetics.

"Deep wood tones, leather chairs, and moody wallpaper complement this lamp perfectly. This is a masculine lamp perfect to pair with a slightly masculine vibe," Chappetto says.

Lava Lamp

"This lamp gives us '90s baby revival! Teen Barry & Jordan! The bright colors and tones are very Lizzie McGuire," Bordelon says. We couldn't have said it any better ourselves.

While the lava lamp is generally seen as a more childish decor choice, there's no doubt that it can be styled in a more "adult" setting. "We would elevate a lava lamp with a bright red, mod sofa. Or, alternatively, we’d pair it with a white rounded accent chair," Slocum suggests.

Thiara Borges, the lead designer and founder of Studio Borges, says, "If you have a lava lamp in your home now, you’re not afraid of a little kitsch. You’re into some retro-inspired accoutrements and bold whimsy."

Borges adds, "I immediately think of pieces and colors that spark some joy or make you smile. Maybe Josef Frank’s bold rug designs or some fun accessories from the MoMA Design Store, like a Miffy bunny light or a Kit-Cat clock!"

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