No One Turns the Big Light On Anymore — So These 12 Lamp Alternatives Create the Perfect Cozy Ambiance
If there is one thing we have happily left in 2023, it's overhead lighting. Why use the bright, sometimes design-less, and often abrasive "big lights," as the internet loves to call them, when you could use trendy, chic, and equally practical table and floor lamps instead? Rather than muddling the vibe and ambiance you as an interior design lover have worked so hard to create, soft, diffused light from free-standing fixtures works in concert with your space, sanding down the hard edges and elevating it simultaneously.
After taking a good long look at some of best home decor stores, we've taken it upon ourselves to compile a quick edit for anyone that's aligned with our illumination-focused resolution. You heard that right — all the digging has been done for you. Another great tip for the new year? Work smarter, not harder.
Finally, if you haven't already, be sure to check out the Livingetc list of ins and outs for 2024 (and click "save" so you can refer back to it while shopping, reading, or browsing the web).
6 Table Lamps to Use Instead of the Big Lights
Donut Table Lamp
Price: $178
The marble base combined with the rich velvet shade has a certain cozy and robust vibe that, when fused with a soft lightbulb, feels oh-so warm.
Silas Table Lamp
Price: $105
No shade, no problem. With this orb fixture from Soho Home, you get maximum light while steering clear of the switch on the wall. As much of a design statement as it is practical.
Wooj Design The Pleat Table Lamp
Price: $148
Though it's available in four different colors, the Amber variation of this Wooj Design lamp is by far the best if you ask me. Unique in design yet neutral enough to blend in, this trippy table fixture looks as warm as the light it casts.
Renato Table Lamp
Price: $495
Paired with more modern decor, this antique-inspired table lamp would prove an excellent contrast for any space in need, especially as its glass shade would cast "distinctive light patterns and shadows" across your room.
Maskor Table Light
Price: $248
The designers of this modern table lamp are devout followers of the Slow Design movement, which focuses on sustainable pieces that promote Zen and a sense of calm. In short, it's a buy you can feel good about.
Donna Table Lamp
Price: $499
She is small, but she is mighty. Don't let the size here fool you — situated on a desk or a coffee table, you'll forget all about your overhead lights when this thing is on.
6 Floor Lamps to Use Instead of the Big Lights
Asta Floor Lamp
Price: $598
The only thing better than the way this Anthropologie lamp would singlehandedly illuminate a room is its unique four-legged base, which curves out at the top but cleverly comes together at the bottom.
Gigi Polished Stainless Steel Floor Lamp
Price: $599
Cool metals like silver chrome will be all the rage in 2024 — capitalize on the hype now by investing in this CB2 floor lamp that handles the emerging trend perfectly.
Faux Raffia Floor Lamp Brown
Price: $250
It's not rattan, which will definitely stick around for 2024, but the raffia covering this Target floor lamp is similar enough in vibe to make this a great statement piece for the new year.
Barbell Brass Floor Lamp
Price: $99
Minimalist, versatile, practical — there's nothing to dislike about this sleek option for Article, and its price point is really just the icing on the cake.
Arquer Arc Floor Lamp
Price: $99
A nice arched floor lamp like this can jazz up a vacant corner and add some height all while offering up an elegant glow.
Moresby Floor Lamp
Price: $1159
While it's not the most affordable option on this list, it's certainly the most exciting. An adjustable angular shade makes for a perfect reading light, whose construction is so much chicer than that of its counterparts.
